Friday, October 9, 2015
www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents
Grant to help National Butterfly Center save monarchs
T
By Julie Silva he National Butterfly Center will use a Monarch conservation grant to reach out to the community to help create habitats to attract the state butterfly of Texas, starting with the city of Mission. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Marianna Treviño Wright, executive director of the center, said the grant allows for surveys of tens of thousands of acres of land in the National Wildlife Refuge. They’ll be looking for different species of milkweed, a plant known to feed monarchs, and col-
lecting those seedpods. “Shrinking habitat and the disappearance of milkweed are contributing to a catastrophic decline in the species’ population in North America,” Wright said. Through the nearly $200,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the center will gather milkweed seedpods to use in gardens across the county, specifically in Mission, Pharr, San Juan and Alamo. The center is matching the grant with more than $239,000, and the total project cost was budgeted at $438,638. Wright said they’d start
with the Mission Main Canal, which runs from the end of the National Butterfly Center’s property to the pump station on the Rio Grande. The grant allows for planting along highways, railways and major thoroughfares, but Wright said the center is focusing on low-traffic areas. Mission City Manager Martin Garza said there are 12 or 13 sites the city has identified for gardens, including the Speer Memorial Library. “Our project will create America’s southernmost monarch way station for butterflies departing the United States each fall and returning
each spring, making Hidalgo County the last stop for refueling before the butterflies cross vast thorn scrub and agriculture lands that do not provide vital nourishment,” Wright said. Over the next two years, she said the center will plant milkweed and nectar gardens across the area and hold community workshops on how the average gardener can create his or her own butterfly haven. The first workshop is scheduled for Oct. 17 with a group of more than 70 Girl Scouts. Right now, Wright said, if
See BUTTERFLY 13
STUDENT ENGINEERS
Agua SUD eyes Sullivan street repairs
A
By Julie Silva
Schools compete in Design Challenge
W
By Lea Victoria Juarez ith one fist on her hip and the other fist thrust into the air, 10-year-old Christine Zayas exclaimed that she was going to create the world’s first pair of rocket boots when she gets older. “I want to be an engineer when I grow up,” Zayas said matter-of-factly. The fourth grader from Salinas Elementary competed with her team in the Manufacturing Day Design Challenge for National Manufacturing Day on Oct. 1. Five teams from different elementaries in the area participated in the challenge. The schools were Salinas and Midkiff elementaries from Mission CISD, Shimotsu and Bentsen elementaries from Sharyland ISD and an elementary from IDEA public schools. The teams had to create
a bridge and boat structure from limited supplies such as paper and clear tape. Whichever structures could withstand the most weight would win. Each of the students also had the option of participating in an individual competition where they had to develop a toy for a child their age and a business plan for its cost. A student from IDEA took home first place for the individual competition and Salinas Elementary took first in the group competition. The students advanced from a summer program called Enginuity, an initiative that promotes careers in the engineering, design and manufacturing in the Rio Grande Valley. The program is the brainchild of Mission Economic Development Corporation, Royal Technologies and Sylvan Learning
See ENGINEERING 13
Top photo: The team from Salinas Elementary makes final adjustments to their structures before presenting to the judges for the Manufacturing Day competition. Lower photo: Shimotsu Elementary students prepare the bridge they created out of paper and clear tape for the design challenge Oct. 1.
gua Special Utility District board members agreed last week to look into issues with streets in Sullivan City after repeated complaints that sewer construction in the area has caused lasting damage. Ramiro Salinas, Agua SUD employee, said he’d been called out to El Pinto Road four times in the last two months after a water line busted, causing a leak that disrupted the ground beneath the road. “That was one of the main causes why El Pinto road kept on collapsing. I understand that one,” said Julio Cerda, Agua SUD executive director. “That one is a fix that we have to do because of a service line that happened to us, so the rest of El Pinto Road, as it collapses is because of the service line that ruptured and basically disturbed the soils that were compacted along El Pinto Road. “We need to discuss patchwork on some of the other connections in Sullivan City.” Other areas of concern were on El Faro and Los Ebanos roads. Cerda said there was concern about the quality of the construction in those areas. Sewer connections have been done under several different contracts with several different engineers and contractors. At last week’s meeting, there was confusion on which projects are still under warranty. For example, the stretch of El Pinto between Bluebird and Sullivan City line is still under warranty, but the place near the ex-
The remnants of construction on El Pinto Road, just north of the expressway, after a water line break can be seen Friday, Oct. 9.
pressway, where the latest water break occurred, is not. Saul Maldonado, of Sames Engineering, said he’d held off on contacting the contractor on places still under warranty because he was instructed to wait until the board had met to discuss the issue. Cerda said he was never told some of the projects are still under warranty. Board President Everardo Chapa told all involved to take note of the problem spots and ensure that any under warranty were taken care of as soon as possible. Maldonado said one possible solution is to rent a camera to place in the line to look for the source of the breaks in the lines. Cerda asked Maldonado to get quotes on how much it would cost to rent a camera. Frank Flores, general manager of Agua SUD, said he believed the problem with the streets in the city is there is no drainage. Maldonado
See STREET REPAIRS 13
INSIDE
Veterans Memorial readies for Roma
INDEX
Restaurant reaches out to veterans
Mission student goes to state competition
Patriots hope to bounce back against Gladiators after losing 29-27 to the Sharyland Rattlers in the district opener last week.
Chef Mark Sierra, owner of Easton’s Eatsies in La Joya, plans to host a lunch for recipients of the Purple Heart Award on Oct. 22.
South Texas Preparatory Academy sent several students to the Student Innovation Challenge in Austin early this month.
See story page 6
See story page 2
See story page 3
Entertainment | pg. 8
Lifestyle | pg. 9
Photos | pg. 4
Sports | pg. 6
Obituaries | pg. 12
Classifieds | pg. 11
page 2
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
La Joya chef to cater to Purple Heart vets
H
By Julie Silva aving served in Iraq himself, Chef Mark Sierra knows the psychological effects war can have on a veteran, particularly those who have earned a Purple Heart for being injured while on duty. Sierra was looking for ways to build camaraderie among local veterans when he scheduled a lunch Oct. 22 for Purple Heart recipients at his restaurant, Easton’s Eatsies, named after Sierra’s son. He plans to shut down the restaurant to feed about 20 veterans and has about 12 spots left. Many times veterans don’t feel comfortable talking to their families about their experience, Sierra said, and they can feel unappreciated. “I know how it feels to be in the spotlight and center of attention when you’re actually in it,” Sierra said. “When you’re actually in combat, everybody’s attention is on you, their best wishes are on you, but once we come back, we get this feeling as if we’ve already served our purpose and others have forgotten about you.” Sierra’s taking donations to cover expenses of the event, and he said he’d lose $500 to $600 by shutting the place down for the New York strip steak lunch. They’ll have a moment of silence outside and play “Taps” for their brothers in combat who didn’t come back alive. Sierra initially opened his restaurant with veterans and law enforcement in mind, and the motif reflects that. He grew up in La Joya, and moved back after stints as a sous chef in Dallas and as an executive chef at the Pearl South Padre to be near his son. Sierra’s been cooking most of his life and studied at the Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in North Texas. Weeks before he was honorably discharged from the army, Sierra was diag-
Chef Mark Sierra stands outside his La Joya restaurant, Easton’s Eatsies, as he prepares to host a meal for veterans who have received the Purple Heart. Courtesy photo
nosed with type 2 diabetes, something he was familiar with because his grandmother died of complications from diabetes. When Sierra plans the restaurants menu, he remembers his own diet, producing healthier dishes with fresh produce. He started off prepping meals for people out of a home, packaging 400 meals between Sunday and Tuesday of each week. He got a commercial location to have more space for meal prep, but he figured if he had the space he’d also produce a simple menu for people to dine-in. “Obviously, there’s nothing like that in La Joya,” Sierra said, describing his
restaurant as a cross between McAllister’s and BJ’s Restaurant. Because of restaurant’s location, in the pit of La Joya, Sierra said the place has been packed with teachers and school district employees who have few options for lunch in the limited breaks. It’s so busy, Sierra’s already looking to expand in a bigger location, but he’s locked into his lease for another year. He’s been asked about franchising, but Sierra said he wanted to start small and grow from there. For more information or to reserve a spot at the Purple Heart lunch, call Sierra at (817) 487-3802 by Oct. 16.
October 9, 2015
October 9, 2015
Mission Chamber banquet is Thursday
T
he Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual membership banquet on Thursday, Oct. 15, at Mario’s Banquet and Conference Center, 1716 E. Griffin Parkway. “Every year, the chamber comes together with the business community at its annual meeting to introduce our new Board of Directors. Its also an opportunity to celebrate the previous year’s accomplishments and to outline our plans for the coming year,” said George Myers, president & CEO of the Mission Chamber. “With its Fire & Ice theme, our 2015 Annual Banquet promises to be one of the most unique events we’ve presented in quite some time.” The chamber will take this opportunity to introduce the 2015-16 board of directors to the members and community and present awards for Business of the Year, Business Leader of the Year and Partner of the Year. Navin Buxani, director operations of Holiday Inn Express, will be introduced to his second term as chairman of the board. In addition, the Progress Times will present the annual citizens awards at
the banquet, announcing this year’s selections for Mr. Mission, First Lady of Mission, Man of the Year and Woman of the Year. The Progress Times and the Mission Chamber of Commerce have partnered together to have the citizens awards presented at the chamber’s annual membership banquet for the past nine years. “The citizens awards are part of a long cherished tradition to honor those individuals who have provided superior service to our community. We appreciate the opportunity to share this evening with the Mission Chamber of Commerce members and community leaders as we present these awards to the outstanding citizens who have done so much for our city,” said Jim Brunson, publisher of the Progress Times. The event will take place from 6-9 p.m., and this year’s theme is Fire and Ice. Business professional and cocktail attire is preferred. To purchase tickets or tables or to request more information, contact the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce at (956) 585-2727 or via email at events@missionchamber. com.
IDEA sends 100 percent of graduates to college
I
DEA Public Schools announced this week that all 544 students who graduated in its Class of 2015 have enrolled in college this fall. Since its first graduating class nine years ago, IDEA has achieved a 99.9 percent matriculation rate as the district continues to fulfill its unwavering commitment to college for all children. The school has maintained its near-perfect matriculation rate despite experiencing unprecedented growth; it has added 44 schools and nearly 24,000 students since 2000 — more than any other charter school in the nation during that time period. The IDEA Class of 2015 was accepted to more Ivy League, Tier One, and Tier Two colleges than ever before. Among the 544 students who matriculated to college, 338 of those students are the first person in their families to attend college. “IDEA’s nine-year run of outstanding college matriculation is a testament to the collective focus, hard
page 3
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
work, and dogged persistence of our students and their families as well as our dedicated faculty and staff,” said JoAnn Gama, IDEA Public Schools co-founder, president and superintendent. “But our commitment to these outstanding young men and women does not end after they graduate from IDEA. We continue to support them throughout their college careers to ensure they get on the path to accomplishing their professional goals and becoming productive members of their communities.” A 2015 graduate of IDEA Quest College Prep, Dylan H. Zuniga is attending the University of Pennsylvania this fall. By the time he graduated from high school, Zuniga had taken and passed 11 Advanced Placement exams, served as president of the AVID Club, was a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, founded a Model United Nations Club, and represented IDEA Quest twice in the UIL state competition for Literary Criticism.
STPA participates in state competition
T
By Lea Victoria Juarez
here’s a monetary grand prize for the winners of the Student Innovation Challenge that took place in Austin Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, but it’s only a minor detail for the students at South Texas Preparatory Academy. For three weeks, STPA eighth graders Satya Holla, Ian Guajardo, Neil Thomas and Maysam Daghestani worked to research and solve the national debt. They were given a word problem created by the opposing school. The opposing school had a different word problem created by the STPA team. Three high schools and two junior highs from Texas agreed to participate in the Innovation Challenge that combined hands-on learning, student collaboration to solve real-world problems. The challenge culminated in a session at the Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association State Board Convention where the teams worked together and discussed their findings. The winners won’t be announced until a later time but regardless of the outcome, the students said they enjoyed being part of the experience.
team ready in time. “When we first heard about this...it was in the summer. I had no kids here, no sponsors, no teachers,” Castro said. “Ms. (Josette) Ramirez finally said ‘I’ll do it. I don’t know what it is, but I’ll do it.’ It was kind of like the blind leading the blind.” With the team finally in place, the quartet began working every day during their enrichment activity period to “develop measureable solutions that can be enacted locally, nationally and internationally to halt the growth of the national debt over the next 10 years and reduce it to a sustainable level by the year
“I liked the fact that it was challenging but not overwhelming,” Mission resident Satya Holla said. “Also, we got to collaborate with other teams. They were really friendly and we helped each other out.” The competition is a first for Texas schools, but in its second round. It was sponsored by architectural company DRL Group, which has taken the challenge to only one other state prior to Texas. When STPA principal Ana Castro was first told she needed to build a team for the challenge, she didn’t know too much about it or if she could even get a sponsor and
2045.” Once at the competition, the teams were given a “twist” that required them to work together and rework their problem. But it wasn’t all business. The group said they enjoyed talking to students from other parts of the state. Ian Guajardo especially liked collaborating with the high school students and Holla said the students became friends on social media, as well. Ramirez, a Texas history teacher, said she only acted as a guide for the team but the work was done by the students entirely.
Valley towns get recognized in national movie
T
he City of Alton was host to a film production company about a year ago to film the horror film “Dark Moon Rising,” which was released Sept. 29 in Redbox and will be available at Wal-Mart Oct. 6.
Various scenes in the movie were filmed at the city’s many calicheras (abandoned quarries) and one of its warehouses also comes out in the film. Filming within the city took about two weeks to complete and city officials helped
in identifying sites to film and traffic control. Justin Price, director of the film, also produced “The Cloth” back in 2013 with actors Eric Roberts, brother of Julia Roberts, and Danny Trejo.
“It was a pleasure working with Justin in identifying locations to film. The film is coming out just in time and perfect for a Halloween treat,” said Steve Pena, CEO for the City of Alton Development Corporation.
PALMHURST POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Games Rides
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015 5:30 PM - 9 PM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E MILE 3 RD PALMHURST, TX 78573
Mariachi
Free School Supplies
Talent Show
Food Mission police aim to protect children Mission police officer J.L. Espericueta inspects a child car safety seat during an event at Mission Regional Medical Center earlier this month. Parents could stop by for a free car seat inspection.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL PALMHURST CITY HALL AT (956) 583-8697
Reminiscing...
We look forward to seeing you at the 4th Annual Palmhurst National Night Out
30 Years Ago This Week
5-hour meeting greeted new city manager Mark Watson officially began his duties during a five-hour meeting of the Mission City Council at city hall. Watson was formally introduced by Mayor Pat Townsend Jr. at the onset of the lengthy meeting. United Way benefited from LJISD effort La Joya Independent School District initiated its first United Way drive during a three-week period, obtaining a total contribution of $8,696.
Ramiro J. Rodriguez, Jr. Mayor
James Aranda Mayor Pro-Tem
Ruben De Leon Councilman
Robert A. Salinas Councilman
Israel Silva Councilman
Ofelia Peña Perez Councilwoman
page 4
October 9, 2015
LA JOYA ISD PINK WALK www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS on facebook
/ProgressTimes
Follow Us on Facebook for Friday Night Football Scores and Updates This week the Progress Times will be covering the following football games: ✔ Edinburg Vela vs. Sharyland Pioneer ✔ La Joya Palmview vs. La Joya Follow all the action, plus local news stories every week.
www.ptrvg.com
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.
October 9, 2015
page 5
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
ENTER ONLINE
Proud Supporter of High School Football
Football is about teamwork and leadership. As a leader in the community, the PlainsCapital Bank team takes pride in standing behind the educational and athletic aspirations of our local students. Here’s to another great year of Eagles and Patriots football!
956.519.5999 PlainsCapital.com
2015 PlainsCapital Bank
Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC
Go Mission EaGlEs!
Football Contest Official Entry Form
Booster Club Grand Prize
WIN 500 $
For Your School’s Athletic Booster Club
Check your school or favorite team below. The team with the most entries at the end of the season will win $500 for the school’s Athletic Booster Club.
SHARYLAND DENTAL CARE GENERAL DENTISTRY
581-2773
❑ MCALLEN HIGH ❑ MISSION ❑ PALMVIEW ❑ SHARYLAND ❑ VETERANS MEMORIAL ❑ EDINBURG VELA ❑ EDINBURG
Tie Breaker 1 Mission vs. La Joya
Since 1982
Richard A. Young D.D.S.
2407 E. Griffin Pkwy. • Mission, Tx 78572
216 Mayberry • Mission • 585-1287
Check the box next to the team you think will win from each of the games below
Enter the number of points scored by the winning team of the following game:
EXCEPTIONAL CARE
Timothy W. Brann D.D.S.
❑ Sharyland Rattlers ❑ Juarez-Lincoln Huskies ❑ Mission Eagles ❑ Pioneer Diamondbacks ❑ La Joya Coyotes ❑ Veterans Memorial Patriots ❑ Palmview Lobos
& MH
Beauty Shop
vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs.
❑ JUAREZ LINCOLN ❑ LA JOYA ❑ ROWE ❑ ROMA ❑ PIONEER ❑ VALLEY VIEW ❑ PSJA MEMORIAL
Tie Breaker 2 Enter the number of points scored by the winning team of the following game:
Sharyland vs. Roma
Name: __________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________ Phone & Alt Phone: __________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________ I am age 18 or older. Yes, I would like to receive the newsletter and promotional emails from the Progress Times. We will NEVER share your email address with anyone else. High School Football Contest Rules A $50 cash prize will be awarded each week for the winning entry. The entry coming closest to calling all the games correctly wins. In event of a tie, the tying entry that comes closest to the score of Tie Breaker #1 wins. If a tie remains, the tying entry that comes closest to the score of Tie Breaker #2 wins. If a tie still remains, the $50 prize will be divided evenly among the winning entries. Booster Club Grand Prize: At the end of the regular football season, the total number of complete, qualified entries will be tallied for each team with the team’s check box marked. The $500 Grand Prize will be awarded to the Athletic Booster Club of the team with the most entries submitted. No Purchase necessary. Limit one entry per household each week of the contest period. Must be age 18 or older to enter the contest. HOW TO ENTER: Check the box next to the team’s name that you predict to win each high school game. Next, for the tie breakers, predict the total points scored by the winning team in the Tie Breaker #1 game, and the total points scored by the winning team in the Tie Breaker #2 game. Fill in your name, address, phone number (This is how we notify the winners!), and email address. Check the box to receive the FREE Progress Times weekly newsletter and mail or drop off your entry form at Progress Times, 1217 N. Conway Ave., Mission, TX 78572. Or submit your entry online at www.progresstimes. net. All entries must be received by the Progress Times no later than 2 p.m., Thursday preceding the listed games. All entries must be submitted on the Official Entry Form printed in the Progress Times or Sharyland Times, a photocopy of the entry form, or submitted electronically from our official website submission form. Only one entry per household per week. Previous winners and all members of the same household are ineligible for subsequent weeks of the contest. Prizes must be claimed within 7 days of notification or announcement in the Progress Times. Decisions made by the Progress Times staff are final. The winners agree to allow the Progress Times to use their names and photographs to announce the winners and for promotional purposes online and in print. Employees of the Progress Times and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.
YOUR HOME TOWN INDEPENDENT AGENT
Serving the Rio Grande Valley Since 1911 220 E. Tom Landry
INSURANCE AGENCY
Phone: 581-2183
Loans Up To
$1,300
If you NEED Cash Right Away, Come See Us Today!
* Receive $25 for every referral.
901 n. Conway ave. Mission, TX 78572
956-583-5236
239 w. eXp. 83 La Joya, TX 78560
956-585-5992
October 9, 2015
page 6
Patriots look to bounce back against Roma I
By Luciano Guerra
t was not the way Coach David Gilpin and his Veterans Memorial Patriots wanted to kick off their 2015 district season. In
a game that could have very easily gone either way, the Patriots found themselves on the losing end of a 29-27 final score last Friday evening as they opened their District 31-5A schedule against the
2015 Football Scoreboard
Last Week’s Game - Week #5 McAllen High – 18 at La Joya High – 22 Rio Grande City – 10 at Sharyland Pioneer – 20 Palmview – 35 at Mission High – 21 Veterans Memorial – 27 at Sharyland High – 29
This Week’s Game - Week #6 Juarez-Lincoln at McAllen Memorial (TH) Sharyland Pioneer at Edinburg Vela (TH) La Joya High at Palmview (FR) Roma at Veterans Memorial (FR) Win/Loss Records Pioneer High Palmview Sharyland High La Joya High Veterans Memorial Juarez Lincoln Mission High
Season 6–0 3–2 3–3 2–4 3–2 1–4 2–4
Sharyland Rattlers. With two weeks to prepare for the Rattlers and with Sharyland having just come off a tough 48-47 loss to the Edinburg Vela Sabercats, the table was set for the Patriots to avenge last year’s 37-20 Week 6 loss to the Rattlers. However, it was not meant to be as Sharyland capitalized on Veterans Memorial penalties, turnovers and missed opportunities to improve their own district record to 1-1 (3-3 overall) while dropping the Patriots to 0-1 (3-2 overall). Just minutes after a Rattlers’ interception thwarted the Patriots’ comeback efforts with only 1:13 remaining in the game, an emotionally drained Gilpin expressed disappointment in the game’s outcome while expressing pride in his players. “Our kids fought to-
District 2–0 1–0 1–1 1-1 0–1 0–1 0–2
Sponsored By:
NOW PROVIDING STATE INSPECTIONS
Progress Times Photos by Luciano Guerra
night,” shared Gilpin. “There was no quit in our kids. Did they make mistakes? Yes. Did we have a lack of execution at times? Yes. But as far as the effort, I could not ask any more of them. The bottom line is that I’m disappointed for the kids.” “Sharyland has been one of the top two or three teams in the Valley for a few years now and we had an opportunity tonight but we let it slip away,” added Gilpin. “Some tough calls went against us tonight but we can’t make excuses. We’ve got to line up and play the team in front of us and tonight it was Sharyland, and they beat us. Next Friday night it’s going to be Roma and we’ve got to be ready to go back to battle against them.” Just as the Rattlers were looking at the possibility of starting district play at 0-2 last week, the Patriots are looking at that possibility this week. Therefore tonight’s game against the Gladiators is even more of a must-win for the Patriots than it would’ve been had they emerged victorious last week. While it can be said that every district game is a mustwin for playoff contenders, the fact that two of the Patriots’ district rivals, the Pioneer Diamondbacks and the Edinburg Vela Sabercats, have yet to lose a game this season and the fact that District 31-5A is arguably one of the toughest districts in the Valley only add to the importance of tonight’s game for the Patriots. “You don’t turn around and get an easy game in this league,” Gilpin said. “It’s just one tough game after the other all year
TOP: Veterans Memorial wide receiver Jacob Guerrero hangs on to a Diego Hernandez pass in the end zone for the Patriots first score of the game, early in the second quarter of the Rattlers’ 29-27 District 31-5A win over the Patriots last Friday .BOTTOM: Veterans Memorial quarterback Diego Hernandez prepares to release the ball as Sharyland linebacker Jorge Mendoza rushes during Rattlers’ 29-27 District 31-5A win over the Patriots last Friday night.
long. It’s going to be fun to watch and I’m glad to be a part of it.” After winning all four of their non-district games and following that up with a win over Rio Grande City to open their district schedule, the Gladiators fell to the Sabercats last week by a score of 28-0. While the Patriots have a three-game winning streak against the Gladiators going into tonight’s game, those wins were by no means easy. The first two were by
only one point each and while last year’s win was by a more comfortable score of 14-0, it was still hardfought. So will it be the Patriots or the Gladiators that will bounce back from their respective Week 6 losses by winning tonight at Tom Landry Stadium? Only time will tell. But whichever of the two drops their second in a row will find itself in an even more dire situation next week.
October 9, 2015
page 7
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
La Joya Coyotes and Palmview Lobos set to battle
T
By Luciano Guerra he two teams that ended the long playoff dry spell for La Joya varsity football teams last year will be going head-to-head tonight at La Joya ISD Stadium. The 1-0 Palmview Lobos and the 1-1 La Joya Coyotes will both be looking to win their second District 306A games in a row tonight in hopes of building some momentum as they head into the homestretch of the 2015 season. With both teams having their sights set on claiming one of the district’s four playoff berths once again this year, tonight’s winner will be one step closer to achieving that goal. As for the loser, it’s still early enough in the season for that team to make a successful run at the playoffs but even if they do make it they will most likely have to settle for a third or fourth seed as opposed to a first or a second. The Coyotes, who opened
their district schedule with a 60-14 loss to the still undefeated McAllen Memorial Mustangs two weeks ago, displayed their resiliency last week by bouncing back with a 22-18 win over the McAllen High Bulldogs. Last year the Coyotes opened district play with three consecutive losses, including a 23-10 loss to the Lobos, before winning their final three district games to clinch the fourth seed in the playoffs. Having already won one more game at this point in the season than they won last year, turning the tables on the Lobos by defeating them tonight will give the Coyotes a huge boost as they will have emerged from the toughest part of their schedule with a winning record. La Joya head football Coach George Espinoza shared what last year’s success, and the possibility of making yet another trip to the playoffs this year, means to his team when he said,
“This is my fourth season and this group of players is a special group that I went to talk to as eighth graders when I came in at mid-season. So they’ve been through my program these four years and now that they’ve experienced the success we had last year it means a lot to them to be part of this program.” “Our kids know that some of the ups and downs we’ve had so far this season have been due to some key injuries and a lot of mental mistakes,” added Espinoza. “We are playing some younger kids but like I’ve told them, there will come a time when they will have to grow up and step up to the plate. Also, if we didn’t have faith and confidence in them we wouldn’t put them in there.” With their bye week behind them, the Lobos opened their district schedule last week with a 35-21 win over the Mission Eagles. Palmview’s offensive strategy is one of “ground and pound” with their huge offensive
line leading the way. “Our main purpose on offense is to control the game and make sure that we wear the other team down,” said Lobos’ head coach Margari-
to “Mage” Requenez. “We have a very strong offensive line again this year with all but one of our 2014 starters having returned. Having another senior group with the
much of the same leadership we had last year is what I believe is going to make the difference as we look to build on the success we had last year.”
round, straight sets win over the Lady Sabercats. A backand-forth battle between two of the three 4-2 teams tied for second place in the district and a game that would go a long way towards deciding the two teams’ eventual playoff seeding. With their win, and with the Pioneer Lady Diamondbacks’ Tuesday night win over Valley View, the now 5-2 Lady Rattlers and Lady Diamondbacks remain tied for second place but are now both one game ahead of the Lady Sabercats and one-anda-half games behind the 6-0
Veterans Memorial Lady Patriots. Having won the first set but lost the second Tuesday night, the Lady Rattlers were one point from finding themselves on the wrong end of a two-sets-to-one deficit to Vela when they fell behind by a score of 24-20. However, a dramatic six-point run lifted Coach Raul Castillo’s Lady Rattlers to a 26-24 third set win and paved the way for their victory. The fact that Sharyland snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in that third set was not an accident. As a matter of fact, it is something
that the Lady Rattlers have prepared for. “That scenario is something that we’ve practiced for because it happens to us a lot,” Castillo said. “When we’re down like that and we have to play to get back into the game, it’s a mental thing more than anything. So we’ve put ourselves into that situation in our practices and as a result we’ve performed well in real-game situations.” Earlier in that same set the Lady Sabercats put together an eight-point run that took them from an 11-9 deficit to a 17-11 lead. The fact that the Lady Rattlers were able to
recover from that setback to take the set and go on to win can be attributed to a mindset Castillo has been working to instill in his team since he became the Lady Rattlers’ head coach last year. “One of the biggest things we’ve been working on is not giving up,” explained Castillo. “I’ve been telling my girls that just because things aren’t going your way, that’s no reason to collapse. Because if you let yourself collapse then the team collapses and then there’s no way you can fight back. But if you hold strong together, it doesn’t matter how things look at that moment, you can dig your way out of a hole and that’s what we did today.” With this year’s Lady Rattlers team being made up of four seniors, two juniors, six sophomores and one freshman, there is a quite a mix of experienced veterans and young talent on the roster. As one of the seniors and team captains, middle blocker Maddie Garza is glad to have younger players as teammates. “I really enjoy having the younger girls on the team,” Garza said. “My freshman year I had juniors and seniors that I looked up to and they were really great individual people. They had good morals, good attitudes and good mindsets. So my goal ever since then has been to do for other people what they did
for me and now that I am a captain I am enjoying being able to do that.” As the team’s only freshman, opposite Estefania Hinojosa shared what being on the Lady Rattlers’ varsity squad means to her when she said, “Being part of this team has been amazing. All of the girls have helped me with my game and also with my confidence. As the Lady Ratters’ libero, sophomore Caleigh Hausefluck has played a major role in the team’s success since she joined the team last season. With their second-round game against the Lady Patriots coming up tomorrow, Hausefluck is not ready to concede anything to the Valley’s top team. “I think that we will play the Lady Patriots the same way we played Vela - unified and all together as a team,” Hausefluck said. “If we do that and we if we push through with one goal I think that we can win.” Tomorrow’s game between the Lady Rattlers and the Lady Patriots is scheduled to be played at noon at Veterans Memorial High School.
La Joya senior quarterback John Cadena is well protected by a wall of blockers as he scrambles with the ball late in the second quarter of the Coyotes’ recent loss to the McAllen Memorial Mustangs. Progress Times photo by Luciano Guerra
Sharyland Lady Rattlers digging district play
A
By Luciano Guerra banner on the wall of the Sharyland High School gym asks the question, “Can you dig it?” Well not only can the Lady Rattlers volleyball team dig it, they can serve it, set it, spike it and kill it! And that’s what they did Tuesday night as they dug their way to a three-sets-to-one victory over the Edinburg Vela Lady Sabercats. It was the opening game of the Lady Rattlers’ second round of District 31-5A play and a rematch of their first
Prep Schedule Non-District Football – Oct. 8/9 Sharyland Pioneer at Edinburg Vela (Thursday) 7 p.m. Juarez-Lincoln at McAllen Memorial (Thursday) 7 p.m. La Joya High at Palmview 7:30 p.m. Roma at Veterans Memorial 7:30 p.m. Saturday Volleyball – Oct. 10 Sharyland High at Veterans Memorial La Joya High at McAllen High Mission High at Palmview Sharyland Pioneer at Rio Grande City
12 p.m. 12 p.m. 12 p.m. 12 p.m.
Tuesday Volleyball – Oct. 12/13 McAllen Memorial at Juarez-Lincoln (Monday) 12 p.m. Palmview at La Joya High 6:30 p.m. Edinburg Vela at Sharyland Pioneer 7 p.m. Veterans Memorial at Roma 7 p.m.
Like Us on Facebook
entertainment STC opens season with ‘Crime and Punishment’
M
cALLEN – South Texas College Theatre opens their 2015-2016 production season with the production of Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus’ adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s classic novel Crime and Punishment. The production marks STC Theatre’s 6th production season and will run from October 15 to17, at 8 p.m., including a Sunday, October 18, matinee at 2 p.m. All performances will be held at STC’s Cooper Center at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. The award-winning adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s literary masterpiece is told by three actors playing
Chris Young headlines HESTEC closing day
E
DINBURG – Country music star Chris Young headlines the close of the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week with Community Day this Saturday, Oct. 10. It takes place from 4 to 10 p.m., on the Edinburg Campus. Former Miss Texas USA Ylianna Guerra is the emcee. Also on stage with Young will be the show opener, UTRGV Mariachi Aztlán and Ailyn de la Garza from La Voz Kids; Dove Cameron, star of Disney’s “Liv and Maddie”; U.S. Army Latin Invasion, 323rd Army Band; Renaissance Rockers, a group of Valley doctors; and Costello, country music artist. Rounding out the evening, interactive educational exhibits, tours and activities are planned for the entire family. On the technical side, it includes the NASA exhibit featuring an inflatable Mars Science Laboratory and Orion displays, and its Rollover Rover.
Raskolnikov, the murderer; Porfiry Petrovich, the detective; Sonia, the young prostitute; and many other characters in this famous story. The “conversation on the nature of evil” is set in the mind of the murderer where he relives and explores, through the urging of Porfiry and Sonia, the thoughts, ideas and feelings that drove him to his horrible crime. The play becomes a psychological landscape that creates a thrilling journey into the mind of a killer and his search for redemption. Raskolnikov speaks directly to the audience at times, addressing his
case, so that they become another character in the production. This is an intimate psychological and spiritual journey which seeks to unveil hidden dimensions of the human condition. General admission tickets are $5. The Oct. 18, matinee production will be interpreted in American Sign Language. Tickets can be purchased one hour before the performance at the box office. For additional information about the show or for group rates, call 872-2301 or email namaro1@southtexascollege.edu or jrodriguez@ southtexascollege.edu.
Houston Ballet II performs Oct. 16 at UTRGV
E
DINBURG – Rio Grande Valley ballet enthusiasts are invited to enjoy a performance of the Houston Ballet II on Oct. 16 at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg Campus. Houston Ballet II is the second company of the nationally acclaimed Houston Ballet, America’s fourth-largest classical ballet company. The two-hour performance, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will feature six dance pieces, including classical ballet (August Bournonville’s Flower Festival in Genzano), neoclassical ballet (George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante), and several contemporary ballets. Houston Ballet II will bring 15 dancers, and also will conduct a master
class for UTRGV dance majors and community members. The master class will be at 11 a.m. on Oct. 16 in the Dance Studio on the Edinburg campus. The company, consisting of talented young dancers from around the world, performs nationally and internationally. Under the direction of Stanton Welch, artistic director and an internationally celebrated choreographer, and Shelly Power, academy director, the dancers are led by distinguished coaches and teachers Claudio Muñoz, ballet master, and Sabrina Lenzi, ballet mistress. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students (valid student ID required) and children. For more information, contact the UTRGV Dance Program at 665-2230.
October 9, 2015
page 8
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Events Calendar
Oct ober 10 – The Aglow Mission Spanish Lighthouse monthly meeting takes place at Taco Ole Restaurant, 2316 N. Conway Ave. in Mission. The afternoon merienda begins at 4 p.m. following by the meeting. The Aglow Team leadership will present “Prayer for Our Family” to teach how to pray while in crisis, financial distress, healing for others and prayer in general to help others understand their empowering role in prayer. For information, call Liza Gomez at 776-8505; Connie Escamilla, 279-7887; or Delia Bazan, 240-5813. Oct ober 10 – The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) hosts a Scout Workshop for Brownies and Cadettes. Brownies will study bugs for their requirements from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Cadettes will explore trees. All workshops are led by certified merit badge counselors. Program capacity is 25 scouts. Admission rates are $5 for IMAS members and $10 for nonmembers. Call 682-0123 to register. IMAS is located at Nolana and Bicentennial in McAllen. Oct ober 10 – Join staff at Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center for the “Big Sit,” a tailgate party for birders. They will count all of the birds seen and heard from a 17-foot diameter circle between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The event is free to participants. Quinta Mazatlan is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen. Call 681-3370 for more information. Oct ober 10 – The Museum of South Texas History 39th annual fundraising auction ¡FANDANGO! 2015 begins at 6:30 p.m. at the museum at 200 N. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg. This year’s theme, “Escape to Fun and Games,” merges the world’s number one board game of “Monopoly,” into an evening of fast-paced auction as patrons “Go to Jail,” “Get Out of Jail Free” or are “In Jail Just Visiting” while dining with friends. Funds raised provide for the museum’s preservation and education programs. Reserved tables for 10 are available for $3,000 (Premium) and $1,500 (Standard). Individual tickets are on sale for $150 per person. For more information, tickets or tables, call Lynne Beeching at 383-6911. Oct ober 13 – Alternatives and variety are available when it comes to planting native plants in Rio Grande Valley landscapes. To learn more, take part in Quinta Mazatlan’s Backyard Habitat Steward workshop over a series of six classes. Registration is open now. It is held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information, call 681-3370. Quinta Mazatlan is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen. Oct ober 13 – Guest speaker Arbor Consultant Salvador Alemany will present a program on tips for taking care of trees at the next Rio Grande Valley Chapter Texas Master Naturalist meeting at 7 p.m. at the Cameron County Annex Building located at Williams Road and Hwy. 83/77 in San Benito, 1390 W. Expressway 83. The public is invited. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. Oct ober 15 – Family Fun Night at the International Museum of Art & Science features Salt Art using salt to make crystallized artwork. Not included in the regular museum admission, fees are $2 per person and supplies are included in the fee. IMAS is located at 1900 Nolana in McAllen. Call 682-0123 for information. Oct ober 16 – Join staff at the Edinburg World Birding Center at 6 p.m. for a presentation by local butterfly expert Mike Rickard. Admission is free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Seats are limited; call 381-9922 to reserve a spot. It is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. Oct ober 16-17 – The Goodwill Cook-off celebrates its second year at the Valley Race Park, 2601 S. Ed Carey Dr. in Harlingen. Professional and amateur barbecue cooking teams will compete for best fajitas, beans, chicken, ribs, and brisket. Entry fee is $150. The $4,000 cash prize payout will be given to top winners in each category and one overall Grand Champion will be named. Proceeds benefit Goodwill’s job training and job placement services, serving people with disabilities, at-risk youth, veterans, and the homeless. The event is free to the public and food judging available for attendees. Teams can register at GoodwillSouthTexas.com or call Nick Posada at 361- 884-4068 for more details. Oct ober 22 – Family Fun Night at the International Museum of Art & Science features Disappearing Art working with special paper as a pH indicator: learn to use acids and bases to make a drawing and then make it disappear. Not included in the regular museum admission, fees are $2 per person and supplies are included in the fee. IMAS is located at 1900 Nolana in McAllen. Call 682-0123 for information. Oct ober 23-24 – The Native Plant Festival with award-winning author Douglas Tallamy will be held at Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center, 600 Sunset in McAllen. Enjoy Tapas & Talks on Friday in the courtyard from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with an outdoor presentation by Tallamy on the big screen. Admission is $15, which includes tapas, drinks, music and the program. On Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tallamy returns with other experts, tours, booths, a book signing, plant sale and more. The fee is $5 for adults. (For daily events and upcoming weeks, see the full calendar at www.ptrgv.com.)
lifestyle
26th Annual Pow Wow set for Oct. 23-24
M
cALLEN – The South Texas Indians Dancers will gather for the 26th Annual South Texas Pow Wow on Oct. 23 and 24. It will be staged at the Lark Community Center, 2601 Lark Ave. in McAllen. The group keeps the traditional dances alive with a colorful program of
dancing and music for the general public to watch. Public participation is open on some of the dances, and admission is free. The Friday grand entry begins at 6:30 p.m. The Saturday line-up begins at 11 a.m. with an exhibition dance followed by gourd dancing from 1 to 4:30 p.m. and the grand entry at 6:30
Coming Attractions
October 10 The annual Upper Valley Art League Members Exhibit goes on display from with an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kika de la Garza fine Art Center, 921 East 12th Street in Mission. It will remain on display, with works for sale, in the UVAL gallery through Nov. 7. The reception is free and open to the public. For more information, call 583-2787. October 11 Check out the court action as the Houston Rockets take on the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo. The game starts at 7 with doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Prices range from $30 to $275. October 12 The Upper Valley Art League will host a workshop, “Perspective and Composition,” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 12 with Ines Kowalyszyn, instructor. All supplies will be furnished; cost is $35. UVAL membership is required. UVAL is located at the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E. 12th St. in Mission. Call 583-2787 for more information. October 17 Tracy Byrd headlines at the Sharyland I.S.D. Education Foundation’s annual “Denim
& Diamonds” benefit concert. Tickets are now on sale for the concert, live auction and dinner at Las Palmas Race Park in Mission. Four sponsorship levels from $400 Denim sponsorship to the $10,000 Platinum Title are offered with benefits ranging from seating for 10 only for the concert and auction all the way to multiple tables complete with the steak and chicken dinner, beverages, company recognition and more. Individual SRO tickets for the show and auction are $25 pre-sale and $30 at the gate. For information or tickets, stop by the SISD Administration building, 1200 N. Shary Rd. or call Judith Ramirez at 580-5200, Ext. 108, or via email at jramirez@sharylandisd.org. Tickets are also available at laspalmasracepark.com or at Cavender’s Western Outfitters. October 18 Heart throb Marc Anthony travels to the Rio Grande Valley with his “Tour 2015.” The show begins at 7 p.m. at State Farm Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $69.50 to $225.50. Call 800745-3000 or go to ticketmaster.com to purchase. (To see the complete Coming Attractions calendar, go to www.ptrgv.com.)
p.m. There will be a special appearance by vocal artists Sayani, Jorie and Christine West of the Cherokee nation, from Springtown. Featured dancers and musicians include Carlos Gonzalez, Southern Drum – South Wind; Robert Bass, Northern Drum – Eagle Point; Eloy Solis, head man dancer; Rachel Soto, head lady dancer; and Lee Walters, head gourd dancer. Bob Woolery is the emcee, and Danny Villarreal will be the arena director. A variety of activities are planned and an array of Indian jewelry, dream catchers, arts and crafts and jewelry making supplies will be sold. For more information, contact Robert Soto at 648-9336.
October 9, 2015
page 9
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS
Veterans Golf Tournament
Bert Ogden Chevrolet in Mission is putting up a 2016 Chevy Cruze as the hole-in-one prize for the first Veterans Golf Tournament benefiting Catholic War Veterans Post #1065 of Mission. With plans to become an annual event, it will be held Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Mission Shary Golf Course, 1900 N. Mayberry. Pictured in front of the care are David Silva, State Commander; Manuel Tanguma, Past National Cmdr.; Cipi Saenz, Bert Ogden Megaplex, general manager; Ernesto Flores, Post member; and Robert Garza, treasurer. In back are Rogelio Peña and Felix Ramirez, members. The public is invited to enter three-man scramble teams for the event which includes door prizes, drawings, food and more for the players. Sponsorships are available ranging from $300 to $1,000. To sign up a team, or to become a sponsor or make a donation, contact Robert Garza at 222-3871; David Silva, 581-6973; Ernesto Flores, 240-6319; Tomas Ocana, 821-5185; or the Shary Pro Shop, 580-8770.
EWBC presents fishing for beginners
Children ages 7 and up and their parents or legal guardians can sign up for a beginning angler program at the Edinburg World Birding Center on Oct. 17.
E
DINBURG –The Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center (EWBC) presents “Basic Fishing for Beginners” on Oct. 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 714 Raul Longoria Rd. Beginning anglers of every age are encouraged to sign up for this hands-on, instructor-led training course. Learn basic fishing skills such as tackle assembly, fishing knots, baits and lures, fish I.D., fishing regulations and practice casting with a rodand-reel combo. Roy Rodriguez, Bentsen State Park naturalist will lead the course. The program is for
children, ages 7 and up and their parents/guardians. The goal is to increase participation in recreational fishing so children and families can be safe, ethical anglers and responsible stewards of aquatic resources. Upon completing the course, students will receive a Basic Angler Certification and a fish recognition pin. The course is free, but registration is required. The registration deadline in Oct. 10. To register, call 3819922. For more information, visit www.EdinburgWBC. org.
page 10
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
October 9, 2015
State ups passing standards on school STAAR exams By Kiah Collier The Texas Tribune
I New Chromebook distribution underway Distribution of new Chromebook computers is underway at Mission Consolidated Independent School District. This marks year three of the district’s Chromebook initiative. Incoming freshmen are provided the computers that are to be used for their four years of high school. Over the next two weeks, more than 1,400 Chromebooks will get distributed to freshmen at the district’s three high schools. The 2016-2017 school year will complete the phased rollout of the district’s main Chromebook initiative.
t will get harder for Texas public school students to pass standardized tests this year, Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams announced Tuesday, ending speculation that new, higher standards might be delayed. But Williams said the state will ease into the tougher passing standards more slowly than originally planned. Since they were launched three and a half years ago, scores have remained flat on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exams, prompting some to guess that the state would again delay upping the number of ques-
2016 TEXAS CORN PRODUCERS BOARD ELECTION Voting Region 5 The Texas Corn Producers Board is conducting its 2016 biennial election pursuant to the Texas Commodity Referendum Law, Texas Agriculture Code, Title 3, Ch. 41, Subchapter C, Section 41. The TCPB elections will only be conducted in the 196 Texas counties within three of its five regions, for the purpose of electing five board members to fulfill expired board seats. There are a total of fifteen TCPB voting board members. There is one seat open for election in Voting Region Five, which consists of Atascosa, Bexar, Brooks, Cameron, Delta, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Hardin, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Starr, Uvalde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata and Zavala counties. Corn producers eligible to vote in the election are persons, in-
cluding the owner of a farm on which corn is produced or the owner’s tenant or sharecropper, engaged in the business of producing corn or causing corn to be produced for commercial purposes. The producer must reside within the counties stated above to vote in this voting region. Any eligible voter-producer may place his or her name in nomination to serve as a director on the TCPB. Nomination applications must be submitted to TCPB, signed by the applicant and ten additional eligible voters. Nomination forms will be available in all 196 counties where elections are to be held or can be obtained by writing TCPB, 4205 North I-27, Lubbock, TX 79403. Please state your county of residence if you request a nomination form in writing. Nomination forms will be available Nov. 23, 2015 and must be filed no later than Dec. 23, 2015.
The director elections in three voting regions will be held by mail ballot. Ballots containing the nominations of all persons who have validly filed petitions under Section 41.025 of the above stated code will be available Jan. 9, 2016. Ballots will be available at grain elevators and county agent offices in each of the appropriate voting regions, or by writing TCPB at the address stated above. Voters may also vote for board members by “writing in” the name of any eligible persons. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Jan. 23, 2016 to be counted. TCPB is certified under Section 41.011 and Section 41.021 of the Texas Commodity Referendum Law to conduct this referendum and has obtained all approvals and determinations required by law from the Commissioner of Agriculture, Texas Department of Agriculture.
tions students must answer correctly to pass. The lag had already prompted Williams to delay implementation of the stricter standards, which were set to take effect two years ago. But Williams unveiled a more gradual phase-in of the stricter standards to replace a stair-step approach he announced just last year that would have implemented more dramatic increases this year and again in 2018-19 and in 2021-22. The so-called “standard progression approach” is designed to be gentler, Williams explained in a statement Tuesday, saying it “is intended to minimize any abrupt single-year increase ... for this school year and in the future.” The standards will progressively increase until the 2021-2022 school year when students will be required to perform at levels of “postsecondary readiness.” Williams’ announcement was not unexpected. In remarks at a conference in Austin Saturday, Williams confirmed the increased standards, which had been set to take effect under a 2014 plan that delayed them for the 2014-15 school year. Citing his remarks, the Texas Education Agency said in a statement this week that “the announced move should not have been a surprise to superintendents because the state has been at Level I for the past four years and the Commissioner had already advised several months ago that the state would be moving to the next higher standard.” Tuesday’s announcement confirmed the launch of the Level II standards. Still, critics said the move won’t do anything to help
The standards will progressively increase until the 2021-2022 school year when students will be required to perform at levels of “postsecondary readiness.” Texas students whose performance has not improved on the harder exams even with a laxer passing standard. “I think it’s really kind of almost cruel to raise passing standards at such a time,” said Theresa Trevino, president of Texans Advocating for Meaningful Assessment, a statewide grassroots organization that has successfully pushed for standardized testing reforms. This graph depicts the difference between the Texas Education Agency’s previously proposed phase-in of tougher STAAR passing standards (blue line) and its newly proposed phase-in (orange line), which Education Commissioner Michael Williams says “is intended to minimize any abrupt single-year increase.” Texas students in grades 3 through 8 must take two or more subject-specific exams under the testing regime launched in spring 2012. STAAR is considered more difficult and rigorous than its predecessors. Under the high-stakes system, some students are expected to pass their exams before advancing to the next grade level, and high schoolers are expected to pass five end-of-course exams (15 before lawmakers opted to reduce it) before receiving a diploma, although lawmakers
created a major exception to that requirement earlier this year. Passing standards on exams administered last year varied by grade and test. That will remain the case under the new passing standards, said TEA spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe. “Students will have to answer one to two questions more correctly to pass” under the tougher requirements, she said. “If we (had) stuck with our previous phase-in plan, they would have had to answer on average four more questions correctly,” she said, explaining that the agency thinks teachers and students have had enough time to adjust to the new regime. “You can’t increase the standards without knowing that potentially the passing rate is going to decline, but hopefully with that extra year of instruction the scores will go up,” she said. On the reading exam administered last spring, eighth graders had to answer 28 of 52 questions correctly to pass — less than 54 percent — while fifth graders taking the math exam had to answer 23 of 50 questions correctly or 46 percent. Student performance on state standardized tests is a focus of a long-running school finance lawsuit involving more than two-thirds of Texas school districts pending before the Texas Supreme Court. During the trial, lawyers for the state said poor performance on the state exams the first time around was to be expected as schools adjusted to STAAR. School districts argued that they had not received enough resources to meet the new, more rigorous standards.
October 9, 2015
page 11
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
Students gain hands-on insight into STEM career possibilities during HESTEC 2015 By Cheryl Taylor Rudy De La Torre, Anthony Garcia, Isaiah Ray and Odette Banda were among the Weslaco High School GEAR UP students who spent the day at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley during HESTEC Student Leadership Day on Tuesday, Oct. 6. After breakfast in the Fieldhouse with about 1,200
other high school students from across the Rio Grande Valley, followed by an inspiring address by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the group dispersed to attend informational sessions. Inside the Engineering Building, De La Torre and Garcia spent time at a demonstration table where UTRGV students were showing off some of their renewable ener-
gy robots. “That’s the first time I’ve seen a 3-D printer, and the models they showed us are so cool. Also, we got to see a go-cart in the Baja lab made by the students – that really caught my attention,” said De La Torre, who thinks he would like to study electrical engineering. Isaiah Ray said going to HESTEC was a good way
theclassifieds buy • sell • trade • rent • hire
this page is your oyster opening up to a world of opportunity
autos
NISSAN VERSA 2014 only 3,500 miles, like new, $10,400, call 956778 -5720. 2009 NISSAN SENTRA, must see, low miles, lots of extras, $7k, call Paula to set up a showing at 956-616-4016. 2014 FORD FIESTA, must see, like new. Only $10K, call for more information 956-616-4016. DODGE AVENGER 2014 for sale, call Gaby 956-6164020 for more information. 2014 HONDA CIVIC, gas saver, auto, 4 cyl, and factory warranty sill applies. Great price, must sell, cal 956-2390859.
forrent
NEW LUXURY APARTMENTS, 3 b e d ro o m / 2 b a t h , gated community, brand new appliances, rent $950/mo plus deposit, call 956-360-4494. MISSION: 1002 BURNEY Drive, 3/2 carport, newly remdl, incl. new a/c unit, appliances, cabinets. W/D room. Stucco fenced backyard, handicap
access, 3 mins. to MHS, Marcell elem. $900 mth. For more info call 956-5814333.
forsale
HAPPY JACK ONEX: wound dressing repels flies and kills hatching larvae. Allows healing. Border Enterprises 487-2570, kennelvax.com. MOBILE GARDENS 55+, several mobile homes, possible contract, prices right, plus lots for rent, 956-5328600.
helpwanted
SEÑORA PARA HACER tortillas Antojitos La Güera Mexican Food, llame al 956-655-4661. SWIMMING POOL SERVICE job, full time in the Mission area, must have driver license, social security on hand, must provide with own pick up truck, call for interviewing 956-240-4979. NOW HIRING BOLERO, for more information call Henry at Tatan’s Barber & Styling Shop, 956585-7406 or 956739-0012.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS SHARYLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT’S Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Sharyland Independent School District will hold a public meeting at 5:45 p.m., October 20, 2015 in the Sharyland High School Auditorium, 1216 N. Shary Road Mission,Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss Sharyland Independent School District’s rating on the State’s Financial Accountability System.
mobilehome
MOBILE HOME FOR sale, 2 bed, 1 bath, 16X48, fully remodeled and furnished, 55+ park, call 712-259-2120. 14X52 SHULTZ MOBILE home, 2 br, 1b, add on room 10X22 and deck, new roof on July 2015, city gas and electricity, 956-5859892.
restaurants
ANTOJITOS LA GÜERA Mexican Food, open M-Th 11am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm, 2901 N. 23rd St. McAllen 956-631-2770.
services
PIANO LESSONS, BEG., intermediate adults, 956-2129900.
to see the different branches of engineering sciences the UTRGV campus has to offer. And Banda, who hopes to pursue nursing after high school, said she knows there is a lot of science to be learned on her career path. One particularly fun learning experience was a marshmallow tower building competition between the boys’ team and the girls’ team.
Personal classified rate: $7 for 15 words
25¢ each additional word thereafter
Business classified rate: $15 for 15 words
25¢ each additional word thereafter
EscalEra WrEckEr Inc. 1515 W. 3 MIlE rd. MIssIon, TExas 78573 (956) 585-8245 Fax: 581-6668 Tdlr VsF lIc. no. 0548371
Led by UTRGV civil engineering students Ana Pruneda and Roel Morales, the teams built their towers with large and small marshmallows and toothpicks. Morales measured for height and Pruneda simulated an earthquake on their paper towel foundations. The boys’ team won, but everyone walked out with a piece of chocolate candy. After lunch, the group
stopped to admire a shiny new Toyota Tundra pickup on display outside the Engineering Building. The truck was an eye-catcher on exhibit for students to hear a message: Lots of jobs at Toyota – and innumerable other corporations – are available for students who major in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields in college.
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.
956 ToWIng & rEcoVEry llc 1515 W. 3 MIlE rd. MIssIon, TExas 78573 (956) 585-8245 • Fax 581-6668 Tdlr VsF lIc. no. 0640957
MIssIon ToWIng Inc. 1515 W. 3 MIlE rd. MIssIon, TExas 78573 (956) 585-8245 • Fax: 581-6668 Tdlr VsF lIc. no. 0551944
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN RULE 85.703. SUBCHAPTER F, FROM CHAPTER 85, PART 4 OF TITLE 16 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOTIFYING YOU THAT THE BELOW DESCRIBED MOTOR VEHICLES HELD IN OUR CUSTODY ARE TO BE PICKED UP, REMOVED AND ALL CHARGES PAID WITHIN (45) DAYS OR THESE VEHICLES WILL BE DECLARED ABANDONED ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW. YEAR MAKE
MODEL
VIN#
BALANCE
2009
ITALIKA
RT200
LLCLPL20491108502
$350.00
2007
UTILITY
REEFER
1UYVS25377U070405
$555.00
TOTAL CHARGES CANNOT BE COMPUTED UNTIL VEHICLE IS CLAIMED. STORAGE CHARGES WILL ACCRUE DAILY UNTIL VEHICLE IS RELEASED. PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN RULE 85.704. SUBCHAPTER D, FROM CHAPTER 85, PART 4 OF TITLE 16 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOTIFYING YOU THAT THE BELOW DESCRIBED MOTOR VEHICLE(S) HELD IN OUR CUSTODY ARE TO BE PICKED UP, REMOVED AND ALL CHARGES PAID WITHIN (30) DAYS. FAILURE OF THE OWNER OR LIENHOLDER TO CLAIM VEHICLE(S) BEFORE THE DATE OF SALE IS A WAIVER OF ALL RIGHT, TITLE, AND INTEREST OF VEHICLE(S). AND ALSO A CONSENT TO THE SALE OF THE VEHICLE IN PUBLIC SALE ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW. 2ND NOTICE
Like Us on Facebook
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.
CRIME CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING *This is not a PROPERTY TAX * *This is not a PROPERTY TAX* Esto no es una CONTRIBUCIÓN TERRITORIAL/TIERRA ATTENTION CITIZENS OF PALMVIEW, TEXAS ATENCIÓN CIUDADANOS DE PALMVIEW, TEXAS A public hearing will be held on Tuesday October 13, 2015 at 6:00 pm at City Hall, located at 400 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, Texas. Una audiencia pública se llevará a cabo el martes 13 octubre, 2015 a las 6:00 pm en el Ayuntamiento, ubicado en 400 W. Veterans Blvd., Palmview, Texas. “WHETHER THE PALMVIEW (POLICE DEPARTMENT) CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT SHOULD BE CONTINUED FOR FIVE (5) YEARS AND THE PALMVIEW CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT SALES TAX OF ONE-HALF CENT SHOULD BE CONTINUED FOR FIVE (5) YEARS.” “SI EL DISTRICTO DEL CONTROL Y DE LA PREVENCIÓN DEL CRIMEN DE PALMVIEW (DEPARTAMENTO DE POLICÍA) SE DEBE CONTINUAR PARA CINCO (5) LOS AÑOS Y LOS IMPUESTOS SOBRE VENTA DEL DISTRICTO DEL CONTROL Y DE LA PREVENCIÓN DEL CRIMEN DE PALMVIEW DE UNA MITAD CENTAVO SE DEBEN CONTINUAR PARA CINCO (5) LOS AÑOS.” All interested citizens are invited to appear and be heard. If any accommodations for a disability are required, please notify the city hall at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Se invita a todos los ciudadanos interesados que aparezcan y sean oídos. Si algunas comodidades para una inhabilidad se requieren, notifique por favor a la ayuntamiento de la cuidad de Palmview por lo menos 24 horas antes de la reunión.
YEAR MAKE
MODEL
VIN#
HOME MADE TRAILER 6X8
BALANCE $940.00
TOTAL CHARGES CANNOT BE COMPUTED UNTIL VEHICLE IS CLAIMED. STORAGE CHARGES WILL ACCRUE DAILY UNTIL VEHICLE IS RELEASED.
Yvonne Ramón Elections Administrator
FOR THE CITY OF LA JOYA’S MUNICIPAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2015 (Para la Eleccion de Municipal para la Cuidad de La Joya) (3 de Noviembre del 2015) To the Registered Voters residing within the boundaries of the City of La Joya in the County of Hidalgo, Texas (Para los votantes registrados que residen dentro de los límites de la Cuidad de La Joya dentro el condado de Hidalgo, Texas): Early Voting by personal appearance will be conducted at the polling place listed on this notice. (La votación adelantada en persona, se llevara a cabo en la casilla de esta noticia.) EARLY VOTING POLL LOCATION (casilla para el voto adelantado) “New” La Joya City Hall 701 E. Expressway 83 La Joya, TX Days/Dias
Monday/lunes
Dates/Fechas
October 19, 2015
Hours/Horas
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday/martes
October 20, 2015
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday/jueves
October 22, 2015
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday/sabado
October 24, 2015
7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday/miercoles Friday/viernes
Sunday/domingo Monday/lunes
October 21, 2015
October 23, 2015
October 25, 2015 October 26, 2015
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
10:00 am – 3:00 pm 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday/martes
October 27, 2015
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday/jueves
October 29, 2014
7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday/miercoles Friday/viernes
October 28, 2015
October 30, 2014
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
7:00 am – 7:00 pm
NOVEMBER 3, 2015 (3 de Noviembre del 2015) ELECTION DAY POLLING LOCATION 7:00 am - 7:00 pm (dia de elección las casillas electorales abren de 7:00 am – 7:00 pm) Precincts / Precinctos
Poll Location / Casilla Electoral
Address / Dirección
11, 198 & 257
“New” La Joya City Hall
701 E. Expressway 83 La Joya, TX
Applications for ballot by mail shall be mailed to Yvonne Ramón, Elections Administrator, P.O. Box 659, Edinburg, Texas 78540 or 101 S. 10th Ave., Edinburg, Texas 78539. Applications for ballots by mail MUST be received, not simply postmarked, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2015. (La aplicación para votar en ausencia por correo será enviada a Yvonne Ramón, Administradora de Elecciones, al P.O .Box 659, Edinburg, Texas 78540 o 101 S. 10th Ave., Edinburg, Texas 78539. Aplicaciones para votar en ausencia por correo deben recibirse, no simplemente sellada por el correo en la oficina, no mas tardado que las 5:00 p.m. el viernes, 23 de Octubre del 2015.)
page 12
October 9, 2015
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
Participants say HESTEC’s Latina Day helped empower and encourage By Gail Fagan, Jennifer L. Berghom and Melissa Vasquez Dressed in matching pink T-shirts, about 1,200 female high school students and their mothers were encouraged to dream big and aim high at Latina Day, part of Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HES-
P
TEC) Week at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. This is the first year UTRGV has hosted the weeklong conference, but its legacy institution, The University of Texas-Pan American, had directed the event since 2002. Mothers and daughters gathered at the Fieldhouse
obituaries
Isidro Garza III EÑITAS – Isidro Garza III, 67, passed away on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015, at his home in Peñitas. Mr. Garza was born in La Joya on Sept. 14, 1948 to Isidro Garza Jr. and Guadalupe Jackson. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War and served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Okinawa. Survivors include his wife, Norma L. Garza; children, Danielle Ann Garza, Linda Ann Garza, Ivonne Christina Garza, Michael Angel Garza, Debra Lee Balboa, George Alvarado, David Waltz and Lana Waltz; siblings, Roberto Garza, Josefina Kubena, Yolanda Garza and Ana Maria Latour; and 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents. No funeral services were held prior to cremation.
Notices Maria Amaya SULLIVAN CITY – A funeral service for Maria Amaya was held on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, at Lord and I Funeral Home in Sullivan City. Burial followed at Sullivan City Cemetery. Guadalupe Benavides MISSION – Guadalupe Benavides, 92, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, at Comfort House in McAllen. A funeral service was held on Oct. 6 at Virgil Wilson Mortuary in Mission. Burial followed at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview. Marco Antonio Espinosa MISSION – A funeral service for Marco Antonio Espi-
nosa was held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Burial followed at Valdez Cemetery in San Isidro. Eduardo Flores PALMVIEW – Eduardo Flores, 74, passed away on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, at his home in Palmview. A funeral mass was held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at St. Mary’s Magdalene Catholic Church in Abram. Burial followed at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview. Maria de Jesus Gomez MISSION - Maria de Jesus Gomez, 78, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, at Aurora Hospice in Weslaco. A funeral service was held on Oct. 6 at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission. Burial followed at Garden of Angels Cemetery in Abram. Orelia Gonzalez MISSION - Orelia Gonzalez passed away on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 at her home. Mario Ozuna PEÑITAS – Mario Ozuna, 43, passed away on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 in Homer, La. 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.
early in the morning to hear from inspiring women, including Veronica Gonzales, UTRGV vice president for Governmental and Community Relations; Dr. Theresa Maldonado, UTRGV senior vice president for Research, Innovation and Economic Development; Norma O. McCormick, coordinator of the Ready, Set, College! Partnership, Region Education Service Center; and Briana M. Lyssy, Governmental and Community Affairs liaison for Marathon Oil. “We have some serious girl power in this room,” said Gonzales, the first woman to represent District 41 in the Texas House of Representatives. “We want you to leave here appreciating where life has taken you up to now, and more importantly, we want you to leave here energized and excited about the possibilities that await you as strong Latinas.” Maldonado, the first Hispanic female to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech, shared her success story, including how she attended 14 schools – four high schools – in her lifetime because her father was in the U.S. Air Force. She told the audience that at one point, she was not sure if she would go to college, or if it was right for her, or even what to study. “The biggest lesson that I have learned is how to fail. Nobody likes to fail … You think that everyone is looking at you, making judgments. But really successful
people have figured out how to fail and get beyond it. That is a huge lesson to start learning,” Maldonado said. Hard work and creativity Honored during Latina Day – also her birthday - was UTRGV’s own Dr. Karen Lozano, Julia Beecherl Endowed Professor in mechanical engineering who recently was named the Engineer of the Year by Great Minds in STEM. Lozano is only the third woman to garner this distinction in 27 years. Working with another faculty member, Lozano invented a more efficient way to produce nanofibers that led to the creation in 2009 of FibeRio Technology Corporation, where Lozano is chief technology officer. In 2013, she was invited to the White House, along with other high-achieving Hispanics to provide advice to President Barack Obama on the contributions by immigrants to the nation. She is the first Mexican to receive a doctorate in science from Rice, and the fifth woman to receive a doctorate in mechanical engineering and material sciences from Rice. The Mexico native described her path to success through photos depicting stages in her life. Her parents struggled to make a living, she said, and as a college student at Rice University, she and her husband lived very simply. “We all have struggles, we all make sacrifices. It was
super hard, but I made it,” Lozano said. Outside the box During a series of morning breakout sessions at Latina Day, the students and their mothers were challenged to solve engineering problems using household items, and heard from professionals on the myriad industries that rely on their smarts to develop new technologies. A message driven home by many of the HESTEC corporate presenters: Be creative. “Creativity is so important,” said Kim Gonzales, a digital content engineer for Texas Instruments. “You need to think outside the box.” In one session led by Raytheon, more than 30 high school girls from IDEA San Benito College Prep High School were given a sweet and simple task: make a car – using doughnuts, cookies, candy, hotdog buns and other tasty treats – that can roll down a ramp without break-
ing. Jessica Morales, 16 and a sophomore, and her team used a small chocolate doughnut, two Maria cookies, miniature marshmallows and some toothpicks to design an edible vehicle that raced down the ramp and continued traveling toward the back of the room a few feet away. Morales said she had fun making the car and learned a lot about engineering at Latina Day. “It opens your eyes, because I’m more set on law, ever since fifth grade,” she said. “And now, seeing this, I see there’s more options than I thought.” Morales, who wants to attend Harvard for her undergraduate and law studies, said she appreciates that her school district and UTRGV brought her and her fellow students to campus to hear that going to college is attainable. “It shows you there’s more,” she said.
South Texas College enrollment breaks record
M
cALLEN –South Texas College announced its official enrollment figures with a record-breaking 34,641 students for the fall 2015 semester, reflecting a 10.6 percent increase of approximately 3,316 students over last year at this time. Often gone unnoticed are the annual contributions of non-credit workforce and continuing education courses that reported an addition-
al enrollment of approximately 17,065 students. The record-breaking enrollment brings the College’s total student population to 51,706 when combined with non-credit students, confirming that the College remains the largest higher education institution south of San Antonio. Highlights in the record-breaking enrollment include the South Texas College Online student
population that increased from 5,227 in fall 2014 to 5,905 in fall 2015. The Starr County Campus in Rio Grande City increased its student body by 11 percent with 1,127 students in fall 2014 to 1,252 in fall 2015. The Technology Campus in McAllen also saw an increase this fall 2015 with
approximately 124 additional students. The College first opened its doors in 1993 to just over 1,000 students. With an enrollment that has grown from 30,824 in fall 2012 to the current 34,641 in fall 2015, South Texas College projects to have a study body of 42,000 by fall 2020.
ChurCh DireCtory
BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411 CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413 EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617 EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665
NORTH MISSION CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E. Mile 3 Rd. • 585-0146 Palmhurst
FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission
NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln.
GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 11809 N. Shary Rd. • 584-3112
ONLY THRU JESUS 1511 E. Mile 2 Rd. Mission • 918-760-1625
GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008 IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688 IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332 IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898 LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787 MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683 NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 369-3603
OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223 OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623 OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193
RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838 SAN CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH
3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5
Mission • 580-4551
SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002 SPIRIT OF PEACE EV. LUTHERAN CHUCH 3104 Los Milagros Mission • 581-1822 ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325 ST. PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005
PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy. 585-3203
SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH 6 1/8 N. Doffing Rd. (FM 492) 580-4078
PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236
TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway 581-4981or 585-3831
PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711
TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya
PRIMERA IGLESIA DEL VALLE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 210 N. St. Marie. • 585-8651
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3905 W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261
PROMISE LAND CHURCH 2300 E. Palm Circle (Corner of 495) Mission, TX 78572 • 624-9307
VALLEY FELLOWSHIP 1708 E. Griffin Parkway Mission • 424-7200
MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA
ER MAE EPQOU IW PMENT
Commercial Lawn Equipment “Since 1954”
915 West Bus. 83 • Mission, tX 78572 • (956) 581-7433
KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW
DAVID H. GUERRA
DARRELL DAVIS
301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622
IMPLEMENT COMPANY, INC. MISSION 585-1618
OLG
October 9, 2015
page 13
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
EPA, Mexico continue partnership to improve environment on border
D
ALLAS – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded more than $450,000 to fund environmental projects along the Texas and New Mexico U.S-Mexico border. The funds also supported the first biennial national coordinators meeting recently held in El Paso. Grant funds aided projects such as air monitoring improvement, waste collection and recycling expansion, and improving environmental awareness and
education among area residents. “Working together, we take environmental challenges along the border and find solutions,” said Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “I look forward to continuing our efforts with our counterparts from Mexico and border communities to address the remaining complex environmental issues we face along the border.” The recent meeting between EPA and the Mexican
Environment and Natural Resources Secretariat gave citizens the opportunity to provide feedback and learn about accomplishments of the Border 2020 program. The first meeting on the new Border 2020 Program also provided an opportunity to showcase accomplishments and re-examine the goals, objectives and operations of the program. The Border 2020 program has already delivered visible and tangible results
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MISSION
1300 EAST 8TH STREET MISSION, TEXAS 78572
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice is given that the Housing Authority of the City of Mission, Texas will open the waiting list and start taking housing applications effective WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 AT 8:00 a.m. (the process to be utilized to issue housing applications will be held the 2nd Wednesday of the month, effective October, 2015). The opening of the waiting list was a decision by unanimous vote of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority at its August 19th, 2015 Regular Board of Commissioners Meeting.
NOTICIA PUBLICA
Estamos notificando que el Housing Authority de la cuidad de Mission, Texas abrira nuevamente la lista de espera y aceptara solicitudes para asistencia de viviendas el 14 de OCTUBRE, 2015 a las 8:00 a.m. (el proceso que se utilizara para aceptar solicitudes sera una vez al mes - el segundo Miercoles del mes, a partir de Octubre, 2015). La decision de abrir nuevamente la lista de espera fue tomada por unanimidad de los miembros de la Mesa Directiva de Comisionados del Housing Authority en una junta que se llevo abaco el dia 19 de Agosto, 2015. Joel A. Gonzalez, Executive Director/Director Ejecutivo
in communities along the U.S.-Mexico Border, including the paving of more than 500,000 square meters of roads in Mexicali to reduce particulate matter emissions; the collection of more than 390,000 liters of used oil and 60,000 lbs of e-waste from Arizona/Sonora communities to reduce impacts to bi-national watersheds; the construction of a 1.5MW solar array at the Los Alisos Wastewater Treatment Plant in Sonora (the first in Latin
America) that will displace about 1.76 million pounds of CO2 a year; and the installation of a PM 2.5 air monitor at the San Ysidro Port of Entry to better understand the impacts of car idling emissions on the local community. The Border 2020 is the latest environmental program implemented under the 1983 La Paz Agreement. It builds on the Border 2012 program, emphasizing regional, bottom-up approaches for deci-
sion making, priority setting, and project implementation to address the environmental and public health problems in the border region. As in Border 2012, the new program encourages meaningful participation from communities and local stakeholders. For more information on the Border 2020 Program, please visit: http://www2. epa.gov/border2020/forms/ contact-border-2020
ENGINEERING Center. “What we wanted to do was open up our doors to the community, mainly to the youth, to show them what is manufacturing,” said Trung Nguyen, the Royal Technologies plant manager. “We wanted to show the community that it is a safe environment, it’s good pay. There’s opportunities for the community.” Nguyen said he foresees a growing engineering and manufacturing job market in the Rio Grande Valley because of maquiladoras or manufacturing facilities located in Reynosa. “Where we come in as manufacturers is to set up a high-tech manufacturing facility,” the plant manager said. “So those manufacturers are going to be dependant on us smaller manufacturers
from pg 1
on this side of the border.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of engineers as a whole is projected to grow 9 percent from 2012 to 2022, but that is still slower than the average 11 percent for all occupations. “We wanted to work with Sylvan Learning and set up a program to introduce engineering to grade school kids,” Nguyen said. “We wanted to attack it at a very young age, plant the seed and, hopefully, one day one of those kids will come and work in our facility.” The students taped and retaped their structures and measured its strength at their respective tables as they waited for their group to be called. It was exciting for Nguyen to see BUTTERFLY the students
participate in the competition, he said. It brought back memories of him building as a child. Christine Zayas’ mom, Jeannette, said her daughter has always enjoyed working with her hands. Christine looked on with wide eyes each time more weight was added to their structure and saw that it didn’t waiver. With an excess of 36 pounds for both structures, Salinas Elementary took home first place. “I love building,” Christine said. “I love how you get to express yourself in the work you do. When you express how you do things, you just let yourself go and you feel like you’re free.”
gardeners wanted to plant milkweed, they’d have to go to a big-box store that sells plants from commercial growers who use systemic pesticides and herbicides. Those kill caterpillars and butterflies, which is the opposite of what the National Butterfly Center wants to do, she said. Plus, she said, one of the benefits of native plants is that they’re drought-hardy. “We want to have enough seed that individual growers can grow clean, green milkweed for our monarchs,” she said. One of the center’s partners, the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District already has been working to put its lands to better use, developing vegetable and natural gar-
STREET REPAIRS agreed, stating the company conducted a review of the street issues and found some occurred in places where there are no water or sewer connections. Most of the issues are at intersections, Maldonado said. Flores emphasized that all the Agua SUD projects met standards when they were completed. The lines installed undergo an air test, where air is pumped into them and closed off for a period of time. If the pressure goes down in the line, there’s a leak. Once the lines pass the air test, the dirt on top in compacted to Texas Department of Transportation’s standards, he said. The roads in Sullivan City are flat, he said, and the county goes through and scrapes the sides of the road to give the water somewhere to go. However, Board Member Frank Flores, of no relation, said that’s not happening; still, he emphasized there were no problems with the streets in Sullivan until the sewer project. “The water should jump the street, and it did jump the street, but it doesn’t any more,” said Board Member Flores, who represents Sullivan City. “They didn’t
from pg 1
dens at many of its campuses. Through the grant, 10 butterfly gardens will be planted around the district, said Allen Williams, landscape wildlife habitat specialist at the district. “We’re shaping the way we change our curriculum to more flora and fauna specific to the Valley, and yet still tie it in to TEKS testing,” Williams said. “It is a little more of a challenge, but our kids are learning more about African savanna than they are about the native thorn bush that they’re living amongst, so we’re really trying to teach them about the eco systems here in they Valley, first, so the can better understand the eco systems on other continents.” from pg 1
collapse before. Now they do.” But General Manager Flores insisted the problem with Sullivan’s streets is drainage. “The water stays there, and then it follows the pipe under the road and collapses the road,” said General Manager Flores. “That’s a Sullivan problem, a Sullivan problem that can be solved by Agua SUD if Agua SUD should venture into stormwater utility, but that’s a lot of debt folks, easily a $10-15 million project. “ He added he didn’t think there were enough utility connections in Sullivan City to pay back that kind of debt. Already, he said, a rate showed Agua SUD should increase its rates in the area. “Every time I see the weather and I see rain in Sullivan, I know tomorrow morning somebody’s going to call saying this caved in, that caved in,” Flores said. “And we’ll go out there, and it’s an issue. It’s an issue with drainage … Even though we laid the sewer line in there, it doesn’t mean we have to go back and refill caliche every 10 minutes because that’s your road Sullivan. Take care of it.”
page 14
www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com
Mission Pink 5K
October 9, 2015