March / April 2015 - RGVision Magazine by RGVision Magazine

M a r c h / A p r i l 201 5

S T A R T I N G

T H E

C O N V E R S A T I O N

SINK OR

SWIM McAllen ISD \

approves a historic bond issuance

LIFE AT SPI’S

SPRING BREAK

THE

AIRPORT

HEALTH CARE

RACE

ON THE GO

Are competing cities choking the future of air travel in the Rio Grande Valley?

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Valley Care Clinics brings the doctor’s office to your doorstep

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Illuminate

your everyday.

LIGHTING & HOME DÉCOR ( 9 5 6 ) 6 8 2 - 6 9 8 6 | 4 8 0 1 N . 1 0 t h S t . M c A ll e n w w w. i l l u m i n a ti o n s r g v. c o m

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

STARTCOMPLETE COLLEGE NOW! EARLY! GO FAR!

harr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District has rapidly become a state and national leader in creating academic opportunities for all students. A tri-city public school district offering a pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum, PSJA caters to a 32,000 student body and is focused on graduating all students College Ready, College Connected and College Complete. With a High School Completion Rate of almost 97 percent, PSJA ISD is leading the region, state and nation in the percent of students graduating from High School. PSJA has a very successful Early College program, with four High Schools designated as Early College and almost 3,000 High School students enrolled in College courses each semester through dual and concurrent enrollment programs. Some of PSJAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful programs such as the Dual Language Program, Early College Initiative and Dropout Recovery Program have been highlighted nationally for effectively closing the gap in post-secondary educational attainment.

AT PSJA ISD ALL STUDENTS CAN: EARN COLLEGE CREDIT (up to an Associate Degree or 2 years of College FREE)

GRADUATE BILINGUAL AND BILITERATE BE PART OF ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE & RENOWNED FINE ARTS PROGRAMS

www.PSJAISD.us

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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Deciding to take the road less traveled, or moving in a direction that is not the most popular by choice is permissible ONLY IF we have acknowledged the brutal honesty of that fact. We have to train our eyes on the final destination, whatever you believe that to be. Likewise, the mission statement behind RGVision can be defined as having the ability to see past oneself in order to benefit the greater good. Sharing RGVision Magazine across the Rio Grande Valley means to entice and encourage that philosophy, and in the process gain a regional sense of civic pride. Our cover story on the abundance of airports within the Rio Grande Valley region found that there is still a disconnect between the cities here. It's a testament, looking into that point where all the positive talk about regionalism from our leaders

breaks down, and we are left with some very old challenges that need to be overcome if we are to join our rightful place in the global dialogue. This is the legacy we have hoped for, and will continue to strive for in each issue. We look forward to sharing your legacy! If you are interested in advertising or sharing your story please contact us at (210) 618-8930 or email info@rgvisionmagazine.com Thank you for picking up this issue! Stay informed, educated, and inspired. "Wisdom: Knowledge rightly applied. We assimilate lots of knowledge. Whether or not we do anything with that knowledge is a measure of our wisdom. That implies some change ... and change can be diff icult." Hyrum W. Smith

Mark 3:24 -25 “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Copyright by rgVision Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The opinions and views expressed in the magazine don’t necessarily reflect those of our advertisers or collaborators. rgVision magazine is published bi-monthly and circulates 12,000 copies across the Rio Grande Valley in 389 locations with a direct mail distribution to major hospitals and Superintendents within Region 1. The rgVision office is located at 1100 E. Jasmine McAllen, TX 78501 ste 201. To receive an annual subscription of RgVision publications for $29.99, email info@rgVisionMagazine.com.

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STAFF

EDITORIAL MANAGER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER /ILLUSTRATOR

JOEY GOMEZ

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

MARIELA PEÑA

ALEXANDRIA RIVERA

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

ANNIE SYKES

IVAN RAMIREZ

RACHEL ZANARDI

JOHN FAULK

LAURI REVILLA

CLARK TERRELL

MARCOS SOLIS

JOHNNY QUIROZ

ADRIANA DOMINGUEZ

JAMES HORD

MARITZA GALLAGA LETTY FERNANDEZ AUDREY OCAÑAS

For editorial comments and suggestions, please send e-mails to info@rgvisionmagazine.com.

ANNE PRADO JOE LILLI

BUSINESS CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR BILL MARTIN, CFP

For advertising information, please call us at 210.618.8930 or e-mail us at info@rgvisionmagazine.com.

HEALTH CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR ALFONSO MERCADO, PH.D.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

HEALTH CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR DAVID SAUCEDA, M.D.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS EDUCATION Sink or Swim

McAllen ISD approves a historic bond issuance to improve its facilities

ON THE COVER THE

AIRPORT RACE

pg. 34

With three major airports within roughly 70 miles, are competing cities choking the future of air travel in the Rio Grande Valley? This is a glimpse into the race for business, and the competitive world within the Valley’s top airports. By Joey Gomez | Illustration by Mariela Pena

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

Preparing Engineers

History is Made

Engineering programs continue to grow with UTRGV

Harlingen CISD opens Harlingen School of Health Professions facility

It’s All about Pride

San Benito CISD selects a new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mark Puig

We’re On A Mission

UTRGV Diabetes Center

PSJA and DHR make their move, addressing the future of healthcare

An unparalleled opportunity for researchers and medical students

2015

BUSINESS The Airport Race

HEALTH

A glimpse into the competitive world within the Valley’s top airports

QUALITY OF LIFE 52

Affordable Homes

Helping Valley area children reach their highest potential for over sixty years

A non-profit organization helping families in the Valley achieve home ownership

Carpe Noctem

The Moody Clinic

CORE Business Solutions

Sudoscan

Are in the business of eliminating office chaos

A new test that evaluates sweat gland function through galvanic skin response

United Brownsville

Dr. Ravi Mydur, MD

Lower Valley Dental

48 The Robot Surgeon

Tax-Efficient Investing

A collaborative effort in leading the way to a stronger regional economy

Not just you’re regular dental office

Are you doing everything possible to improve your portfolio’s bottom line through tax-efficient investing?

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2 March / April

A monthly electronic music event known as the Squeeze Box

Bringing hope to the terminally diagnosed

Spring Break on SPI

Life at the biggest beach party in Texas

Dr. Mario del Pino brings the future of medicine to Rio Grande Regional Hospital

24/7 Emergency Care

Health Care on the Go

Rio Grande Regional Hospital opens in Edinburg

Valley Care Clinic brings the doctor’s office to your doorstep

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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EDUCATION

McAllen ISD approves a historic bond election to improve its facilities, infuriating county citizen groups who say the Valley cannot afford additional taxes. by Joey Gomez

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

40%

Over of McAllen ISD facilities are

40 years old... or older

The original bond would have set aside

$440 MILLION

in new construction upgrades E

A FIN

NCIAL BREA

$67M

cAllen ISD trustees and school administrators say they are at a crossroads when it comes to improving school facilities in the district. Considering that a significant number of schools are over 40 years old, and an even greater number are over 20 years old, volunteers say they have concluded more than 18 months of work in which they were tasked to identify the needs of the district, and then prioritize those needs among 46 facilities. At their regular school board meeting on Feb 23, the McAllen ISD Board of Trustees approved a reduced bond election scheduled for May 9. The amount on the ballot will be $297 million, with about one-third reallocated from the $440 million proposed. Property tax implications of the $297 million bond issue, which may be sold in up to three packages based on market condititions may result in a 17 cent per $100 valuation tax increase by 2020. Administrators say projects funded through the $297 million bond should be complete by 2023. “We couldn’t just fix what was broken,” said Gina Millin, who is co-chair of the district's Facilities Forecast Advisory Committee, the entity that was charged with identifying the needs of schools in the district over an 18 month period. “Once you start doing that, then you have to become compliant. We knew that option in the $200 million range was not going to cut it. Plus, we just didn’t want to return McHi to the way it looked in 1962. We wanted to incorporate 21st century teaching styles into that facility and others across the district.” In one instance, volunteers say they looked at the lowest option, which was just fixing what was broken at the schools, and returning them to the condition they were in when they opened. The cost amounted to nearly $200 million, according to the FFAC. The problem with that option, according to Millin, is that when you have old schools, you don’t have an ADA compliant basis. When you start to remodel them, then you’re no longer grandfathered in, so you have to expand doorways, along with a whole range of other projects, Millin said.

$169 M

$72 M $129 M

Facilities 50 years or older Facilities 40 years or older Facilities 30 years or older All remaining facilities Source: Facilities Forecast Advisory Committee

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EDUCATION

Then the group started exploring the option of “tearing down and building new.” The question posed was ‘what if we took every building that was over 40 years of age, and we just demolished it and rebuilt it?’, Millin said. When the numbers were calculated, the estimated cost to do that was in the $700 million range, which was not reasonable. "So, then we started really exploring the buildings and whether they were structurally sound…could we incorporate a 21st century type of environment into these older schools? The answer was yes. The buildings were structurally sound, and yes we could do extensive remodeling to transform it,” Millin said.

did that, we ended up in the $400 million range, and then we kept going back and looking at numbers. We brought in local builders and looked at their numbers and compared them to our numbers to make sure we were right on target when we considered we wouldn’t start building for another two to three years. That’s how we verified that the numbers we were recommending were good numbers.” According to the FFAC, it is imperative to make the investment now for a variety of reasons. School district buildings will get worse over time, and will become more expensive to renovate. Also, the district will save millions in interest by locking in at today’s current low rates. “The numbers we are talking about are not un-

“The idea was like the McAllen Public Library. You can’t tell it was once a Wal-Mart. That’s the kind of

transformation

we are talking about, where you keep the bones but you go in and gut certain spaces and truly transform,” Millin said.

The FFAC consists of 165 volunteers from all areas of the district. The group says it has spent countless hours over the last 18 months reviewing all data to make a well reasoned recommendation to the MISD Board of Trustees regarding the proposed bond. Nearly half of all schools at MISD are over 30 years old. Of the 33 schools in the district, six of those are 50 years old; four are over the age of 40; and 7 are over the age of 30. The original bond was set to inject $440 million in new construction upgrades; including $169 million to facilities that are 50 years or older, $129 million for facilities 40 years or older, $72 million to facilities 30 years or older, and $67 million for all remaining facilities. “The idea was like the McAllen Public Library. You can’t tell it was once a Wal-Mart. That’s the kind of transformation we are talking about, where you keep the bones but you go in and gut certain spaces and truly transform,” Millin said. “When we

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precedented,” Millin said. “They are not numbers that we have never dealt with before, and then the other thing is you get what you pay for. Even at the highest projected level, PSJA and Hidalgo will still be higher than McAllen residents. Look at the facilities that PSJA offers. They are paying higher taxes, but they have much better facilities. We are paying lower taxes, but our facilities are horribly outdated and in need of significant renovations. “There are some people who cannot see past the front door. For those people who are going to be moving to the Valley because of industry that is coming like Space-X or UT-RGV, these are professionals who want to see modern facilities,” Millin said. At a school board meeting on Feb 29, the administration said it was working to develop a solution that continues to ahdere to the FFAC's principles, while addressing the needs identified through the committee's extensive review. Trustees say they have utilized a funding combi-

MARCH/APRIL 2015

nation that establishes the mechanism for "systemic long-range planning" for maintenance and staff compensation. The mechanism will allow taxes to be increased in gradual increments rather than one lump sum, according to a district statement. It cuts approximately one-third of the indebtedness that would have come from the original $440 million. A proposed increase in taxes drew the ire of citizen groups who say they are watching the events closely. “How much more of a burden can they put on the taxpayers,” said Objective Watchers of the Legal System (OWLS) member Fern McClaugherty who was present at the Board meeting on Feb. 29. “I'm hoping that the people of McAllen will vote 'no'." At issue, according to the OWLS, are the cumulative effects of two bonds recently passed in Hidalgo County. Voters approved a bond referendum on Nov. 6, 2012 in favor of the drainage board of directors issuing $184 million to upgrade the county drainage system; which added an additional $25 in taxes annually per $100,000 property valuation. Voters also narrowly approved a $159 million bond issuance in 2013 to South Texas College in order to fund new buildings and operations. That bond was passed as a result of the ballot in Starr County. Taxpayers in Hidalgo County rejected the proposal, which amounts to an additional $35 annually per $100,000 property valuation. “The taxpayers can’t afford it. There are just so many taxes. You have the county drainage that is taxing your property, STC is tacking on another one. Then we have the county, which is at 59 cents,” McClaugherty said, referencing Hidalgo County’s tax rate, which ranks among the highest in the state “Look at Chicago or New York, those buildings they are using are more than 100 years old,” McClaugherty said. “The primary function of a school is to educate. If they want to spend money, hire some good teachers and pay them well.” Among other scenarios orginally proposed by the district included selling the $440 million at three different intervals; $169 million in 2015, $142 million in 2017, and $129 million in 2019, avoiding a big tax hike, according to MISD superintendent Dr. James Ponce.

“The more money you throw at something like this won’t affect the quality of education for the children. They were saying that these wonderful new buildings were going to help their education, but it’s not the buildings that do it. It’s the fam-

“The primary function of a school is to

educate

If they want to spend money, hire some good teachers and pay them well.” ilies and teachers,” McClaugherty added. “What happens if families can’t afford their homes? Kids would like a roof over their head or something on the table at night. How many of these kids are going home hungry? They may get fed at school, but that may be the only meal they have. These people are hanging on to their tiny homes, and they are going to lose it when each one of these entities raise the value of their properties.” Members of the McAllen Tea Party also voiced their concerns. “They increase the property values, so people have to work harder. That means they have less time with their kids, and they delegate the responsibility of educating to the school district, and then the district bitches about the fact that they have no home life. You are creating poor people by doing this,” said Richard Montesdeoca, who is a member of the McAllen/Hidalgo County Tea Party and member of the OWLS. “This means people have to make one of two choices. They can work harder, or they can move to San Juan. The school district doesn’t seem to realize that. They are giving us the old standby saying ‘it’s better’, but it would be better if our population wasn’t poor.”

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EDUCATION

Preparing engineers SINCE THE 1900s Engineering programs continue to grow with UTRGV By Letty Fernandez

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

he civil engineering program that began in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas-Pan American in 2011 came at just the right time for Dora Robles, now an assistant to the city engineer of Pharr, Texas. Robles was then a junior mechanical engineering major waiting to enter the program that held her passion and would allow her to stay close to home. “It was up to par with any program that had a much longer history. I had a lot of one-on-one time with my professors and program director and I was able to do an internship with the Texas Department of Transportation where I helped supervise a highway construction project,” she said. Robles, who earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Pan American in 2013 and her master’s in civil engineering at Texas A&M University at Kingsville, now works as an engineer in training for the City of Pharr. Her duties have included the review of development plans and the design and oversight of sidewalk and drainage projects. “It doesn’t sound like much--sidewalks, but it does entail from finding money from grants and applying for them to surveying and going out for bids to managing the construction side of it, “ she said. “The most exciting part of the job is to see what you put on paper come to real life.” Civil engineering will be one of many engineering degrees offered when The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley opens this September. UTRGV will offer bachelor’s degrees in computer engineering, electrical engineering, engineering physics, engineering technology, manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering. UTRGV will also offer the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management. “We want to expand existing programs and add new ones, including doctoral and certificate programs,” said Dr. Miguel Gonzalez, who was appointed interim dean of UTRGV’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (COECS). “We will be the university of choice for students who want to practice engineering not only in this region but across the country.”

At UT Pan American, producing graduates with engineering degrees has a long history. COESC - a college that grew from a program within the former College of Science and Engineering in the mid1990’s to its own college in 2010 - currently has undergraduate programs in computer engineering, computer science, as well as electrical, manufacturing and mechanical engineering and graduate programs in computer science, electrical, mechanical and manufacturing engineering, information technology and engineering management. Enrollment and graduation statistics show skyrocketing growth. In 2001, UTPA had 1,080 students enrolled in engineering programs and by 2014, enrollment climbed to 2,285 students. From

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2001 to 2014, UT Pan American awarded 1,773 undergraduate degrees and 574 graduate degrees in its various engineering disciplines. “We’re continuing to grow, we’re solving our problems with outsidethe-box solutions, we’ve received support from the administration and UT System and plans are for it to continue to flourish and play a transformational role throughout the region, from Laredo to Brownsville,” Gonzalez said. Many UTPA graduates have gone on to work for major contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon as well as the automotive industry and other corporate giants. In addition to providing employers in the region and beyond highly qualified workers, the college also was involved in creating UTPA’s first multi-million-dollar start-up company, FibeRio Technology Corporation. That company was born of an invention from two mechanical engineering faculty members and was incubated at the University before moving to its own location in McAllen in 2011. Its sister institution that will also be a part of the new UTRGV, UT Brownsville, began offering a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics and Engineering Technology in 1996 and has awarded 180 degrees in those two majors. The Engineering Technology program is the only bachelor’s program of its kind offered south of San Antonio and provides students with a strong engineering technology background combined with the opportunity to specialize in one or more technology areas Engineering Physics degree has a general engineering core with four specialization tracks including electrical, mechanical, computer and bioengineering. “Our engineering physics program provides our students with a palette of engineering skills, including designing, developing, building and testing

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

devices and tools,” said Dr. Yong Zhou, Program Director. “We are preparing our students for jobs in engineering services, research and development, manufacturing industries, and the federal government.” Gonzalez said UTRGV will continue the success of the programs through its dedicated faculty who are focused on student success while maintaining rigorous programs so that students not only thrive in the classroom, but are ready to compete in the working world. As a young engineer early in her career, Robles foresees a bright future for potential UTRGV engineering students. “You need engineers to grow,” she said. “The new university will bring even more opportunities for students - not just from the Valley but from other areas - to find internships and fill well-paying jobs that are in high demand.”

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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EDUCATION

B y Ad r ia na Dom ing u e z

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

Marking the beginnings of medical careers, the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD) opened the Harlingen School of Health Professions (HSHP) facility this past December. Dressed for the historical occasion, students filed in for their first day on the new campus with excitement and discovery. The new facility features state-of-the-art rooms and labs where students will have the opportunity to apply knowledge and procedures that they’ve learned in class. “I’m very excited about the hands-on equipment,” said Angelica Montes eighth grade student. “I look forward to using the surgical lab and the patient care room. Also, I look forward to getting to work in my field of study – surgery. I want to be an anesthesiologist.” Jacob Harms, who hopes to one day become an endodontist, is most excited about the wealth of resources available to him at the new facility. “We have every piece of equipment that we could possibly need here at our disposal; from the chairs to the little things such as toothbrushes, said Harms. “We also have many computers at our disposal and an excellent library, as well as, knowledgeable teachers that we can use as resources for information.” The college-like atmosphere throughout the facility will foster the collaborative style of learning, which will prepare students for a post-secondary education in the medical field. Along with furthering their medical education, students will be able to choose one of six areas of study in their sophomore year to focus on throughout their high school career. Schools of Study include: The School of Pharmacology/Biomedical Technology, The School of Dental Science, The School of Patient Care, The School of Medical Science Research, The School of Sports Medicine, and The School of Surgical Procedures. Students will also have the privilege to work with local medical professionals to observe real-life medical practices.

The School of Pharmacology/Biomedical Technology The School of Dental Science The School of Patient Care The School of Medical Science Research The School of Sports Medicine The School of Surgical Procedures

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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EDUCATION

“The opening of the Harlingen School of Health Professions facility marks yet another milestone in our transformational journey as it opens up countless opportunities for our students to get a head start in a career in medicine and the medical school process,” said Superintendent Dr. Art Cavazos. “I want to thank the Board of Trustees for their commitment to excellence and their commitment to choice within public schools. By advancing our schools our students remain on the path to global achievement.” At HSHP it is essential that students have opportunities for collaboration, as much of the design and curriculum of the school is based on project-based learning. Classrooms will enhance their medically focused curriculum with a design aimed at exposing students to the different medical areas so they can see what’s being learned in the class and how it’s incorporated into that field. Solidifying its opening, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held on Dec. 17. Over 400 members of the community including Senator Eddie Lucio, Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell and Valley Baptist Health System President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manny Vela were present to

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celebrate the event. With the support of the community apparent, it was a memorable day for all as it marked the collaboration that took place to between the district and community members. “What happens here changes public education and expands the educational opportunities that we can afford our students,” said Board President Greg Powers. “It took a collaborative effort of many individuals to achieve what you see here today. We want to thank those members of our community who volunteered their countless hours to participating in design meetings to bring this vision to a reality.” The inaugural year of HSHP marks the beginning of a new world of possibilities for Harlingen students. During its initial year, the legacy class is comprised of eighth and ninth grade students with the campus designed to add an additional grade level each year until 12th grade is reached with a maximum enrollment of 550 students. The design allows students to be able to continue their enrollment from eighth grade to the completion of their senior year. To enroll in the campus, students had to be accepted through an application-based process.

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The campus curriculum and mission aligns with the district’s strategic plan. Created through a collaboration between district officials and over 800 Harlingen community members, the plan’s main themes include developing learning environments conducive for collaboration; creating curriculum to fit the individual needs of students; opening specialized and unique schools for students at all levels of education; and to align high school programs with post-secondary endorsements and certification programs for college and career readiness. HCISD Board of Trustees adopted the plan during their regular February 2014 meeting. For more information on HSHP please visit

www.hcisd.org/HSHP or call 430-4078. To f ind

out about HCISD’s additional Schools of Choice visit www.hcisd.org or call 430-9500.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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EDUCATION

IT’S ALL ABOUT

PRIDE

New SBCISD superintendent ready to take the reigns of troubled district By Audrey Ocanas

hen it comes finding the right formula for success at San Benito ISD, we are our own worst enemy, according to the district’s new superintendent Dr. Marc A Puig. What is the key to that formula? It amounts to unleashing the talent and intelligence of staff in the district, and that is only achieved by working together, Puig said. “People make San Benito CISD successful,” Puig said. “The people are amazing. Our focus, and one of the biggest challenges is making sure we are all working together as a team. I have seen the enemy,

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and it’s us. We are our own worst enemy. We have to look inward, and look at what we have and celebrate and promote the great things we have here.” Leadership has been a key issue in San Benito over the last few years. Former superintendent of schools Antonio G. Limon served as the district’s leader fro 2004 until May of 2013, when he was placed on paid administrative leave following an internal investigation. That investigation closed last year, and Limon was reinstated on an interim basis until the next superintendent was hired.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

“I’M PROUD TO SERVE HERE... IT WILL BE A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE BUT THERE’S NOTHING TO BE GAINED IN PLAYING SMALL.”

With Limon on leave, the district paid interim superintendent Dr. Alfonso Obregon $91,000 for his work from May 2013 to November 2013. He was followed by Dr. Ismael Cantu who earned $51,000 during his tenure as interim superintendent from Dec 2013 to June 2014. The district continued to pay Limon while he was on leave. He received $179,000 during his absence. In total, the district paid three superintendents $321,000 in a span of about 13 months. Limón was reinstated May of 2014 and went back to work June 5, 2014. However, a condition for Limón’s return included a search for his replacement. Puig emerged as Limon’s best-suited replacement by the district. Puig’s resume is extensive, having been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent. After his duties as the superintendent of schools at Culberson County-Allamoore ISD in Vanhorn near El Paso , Puig began his duties for SBCISD on Jan. 5, 2015. His contract is for three years and 177 days, ending on June 30, 2018. Key points of his contract include a starting salary of $140,000. That salary will increase by $5,000 during each of the first two years, and $10,000 the third year.

“I’m proud to serve here,” he said. “I’m humbled by this opportunity, and I can’t wait to touch the lives of every child through the team in this district. It will be a tremendous challenge but there’s nothing to be gained in playing small.” According to the 2010 Census, only 14.9 percent of Cameron County residents over the age of 25 held undergraduate degrees. Puig said he intends to not only see his students succeed at the secondary level, but go on to pursue higher education. “I’m a schoolteacher. I’m on special assignment as superintendent but I’m a schoolteacher first and I love my special assignment,” said Puig. “Going the extra mile is what it’s going to take to get us to where we need to be. First and foremost, we are servants. The trustees are servants. The clients that we serve are the children. We work for children,” Puig remarked. With his hiring, Puig said the students at San Benito have a mentor and friend. With 19 schools and approximately 11,300 students, he acknowledges his task is an arduous one. One challenge Puig said he intends to meet head on is the issue of proper pay for his employees. Last year, the San Benito school district was subject to a lawsuit by its police officers who claim they were improperly paid for overtime in addition to other numerous workplace violations. At Puig’s State of the District Address held on Jan. 19, 2015, he referred to a similar challenge at his previous school district. The staff and teachers were underpaid when he first started but Puig stated that by the end of his third year, the teachers at Culberson had a 15 percent salary increase. “We want to work together to create a premier district; not only to be a flagship of the Rio Grande] Valley but to be recognized statewide and nationally,” Puig said. “We do that by creating tremendous programs of which we already have in place; everything from automotive to cosmetology, trades, robotics, and we have a surprise coming up that I’m working on. It will be unique to the Valley but I won’t tell that now, it’s a big idea so we’ll see how that goes.”

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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EDUCATION

WE'RE ON A

MISSION PSJA and DHR make their move, addressing the future of healthcare in the Valley; one student at a time

by Joey Gomez In anticipation of the Rio Grande Valley’s future medical school, school districts are teaming up with hospitals and higher-education institutions to address the dire shortage of nurses locally and statewide, according to PSJA superintendent Dr. Daniel King. PSJA ISD has begun its collaboration with Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, South Texas College, Region One ESC and South Texas ISD to train the next generation of nurses in the Rio Grande Valley.

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A new pilot program will begin this spring to provide students interested in a nursing career the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing through the first ever in the nation dual enrollment program in nursing. “There has been always been a shortage of doctors, and a medical school is going to increase the number of professionals in related fields,” King said in a phone interview. “We are going to need even more nurses. We’re going to need other kinds of support

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personnel for the doctor’s offices and the different healthcare facilities. Dual enrollment programs allow eligible high school students to enroll in college courses while in high school. They are able to complete high school and college-level courses at the same time. Through the dual enrollment nursing program, PSJA ISD high school sophomores interested in the nursing field will be able to take college courses that can be applied to their Associates Degree in Nursing upon high school graduation. The dual enrollment program allows for expanded educational opportunities while also addressing the healthcare needs of the region by working to alleviate the nursing shortage that challenges local healthcare providers. The program will open up an additional 25 slots for nursing students, King said. “This is a really big deal,” King said. “We all accomplished several things in one. Through this program, we are going to be able to increase the supply of nurses. Even though there is a big nursing shortage in the Valley and statewide, we can start making progress towards this shortage. “It gives more access to more of our students to a rewarding nursing career because it builds on the programs UTPA and STC already have,” King said. PSJA began its talks with STC and DHR last spring. They announced the start of the pilot program at a press conference in January. In attendance at that event was U.S. Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, D-McAllen, STC president Dr. Shirley Reed, DHR CEO Israel Rocha, South Texas ISD superintendent Dr. Marla Guerra, and Region One ESC deputy director Eduardo Cancino. Texas and the nation are facing a critical shortage of registered nurses, according to a report by the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies (TCNWS), an organization created by the Texas Legislature to act as a resource for data and research on the nursing workforce statewide. Texas will not produce sufficient RNs to meet the healthcare demands of Texans through 2020 without major interventions to increase the RN supply, according to the TCNWS’s report entitled “Strategic Plan for the State of Texas To Meet Workforce needs of 2013”. Texas schools produced 7,031 RN graduates in 2007, but for supply to meet demand, the number

of new graduates must grow to 18,000 in 2015 and 25,000 by 2020, according to the study. Among other findings in the report: Demand for RNs is expected to increase by 86 percent between 2005 and 2020 but supply will only grow by 53 percent. Increasing capacity in nursing programs will involve acquiring the financial resources to recruit and retain additional qualified faculty and students; acquiring additional clinical instruction sites; and fostering innovative public-private partnerships, according to the TCNWS. “The partnership between PSJA , South Texas ISD, South Texas College and DHR will no doubt become one of the most beneficial collaborations in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Congressman Hinojosa, ranking member of the Subcommittee of Higher Education and Workforce Training. “This innovative Dual Enrollment Pilot Program will create career opportunities for many of our high school students in the field of nursing. “Our medical community and our residents will benefit from the advanced education, training and experience that await our students,” the congressman said.

“Through this program, we are going to be able to increase the supply of nurses.”

Dr. Daniel King, superintendent of PSJA

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CULTURAL HISTORY A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER

FIND IT ALL ...

Discover the historic culture and heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico. Behold the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of our historic and contemporary buildings. Stroll through our enchanting gardens landscaped with native plants. View an extensive collection of artifacts and archival documents and enjoy programs and seasonal special events. To learn more call +1-956-383-6911 or visit MOSTHistory.org MARCH/APRIL 2015

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Museum of South Texas History H 200 N Closner Blvd H Edinburg, TX 78541 H USA

EDUCATION

SOUTH TEXAS

DIABETES & OBESITY INSTITUTE:

Changing the Face of Health Care in the Valley By Lauri Revilla

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and exciting things are coming to the Rio Grande Valley in the near future. Although the Valley has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years, it still has a reputation of lagging behind in innovation. The recent groundbreaking of Space X and the upcoming launch of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and its School of Medicine are quickly changing this image. Soon, the Rio Grande Valley will also gain international recognition as a leader in medical research and treatment with the new South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute. The Institute will bring an elite, 22-person research team led by one of the most recognized names in biomedical research- Sarah Williams-Blangero, Ph.D. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to the Valley. After receiving her Doctoral Degree in Biological Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Williams-Blangero devoted her entire career to studying genetic epidemiology at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to the field and has been named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the recruitment of Dr. Williams-Blangero and her team, UTRGV will

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We have experts in molecular genetics, stem cell biology, and statistical genetics-we are focusing a wide range of expertise on the health crisis associated with diabetes and obesity facing the Valley.. ..........

achieve instantaneous national and international recognition for our health sciences research capabilities,” says Francisco Fernandez, M.D., Founding Dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs. The research team she has brought together boasts an impressive background - including work in large-scale population studies focused on the genetic factors behind infectious and cardiovascular diseases all over the world. “It’s a really unique group that will apply the full range of available genetic tools to understanding diabetes, obesity and related disorders,” explained Williams-Blangero. “We have experts in molecular genetics, stem cell biology, and statistical genetics-we are focusing a wide range of expertise on the health crisis associated with diabetes and obesity facing the Valley.” The Rio Grande Valley’s huge diabetic population and the opening of the UTRGV School of Medicine presented an unparalleled opportunity for William-Blangero’s team to develop an innovative research program. “We wanted to come here because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a world-class research program from the groundup,” explained Dr. Williams-Blangero. The program will allow researchers and medical students to work closely together to understand the root cause behind diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and other chronic and infectious illnesses. The diabetes epidemic continues to be one of the biggest health problems facing the nation today. According to the 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 29.1 million Americans suffer from this disease, while an estimated 8.1 million remain undiagnosed. Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States although it is believed to account for more deaths than those reported. “As UTRGV and the School of Medicine come to fruition, we are focusing on connecting science and research with the South Texas community,” said UTRGV President, Dr. Guy Bailey. “We are working to create the best possible outcomes for our patients through research, clinical care and education.”

When You Come To A Fork In The Road, Take It … “When I woke up this morning, I dragged a sensor across my head and found my cells at night had gone awry. For some reason, cancerous cells were going amuck on my 120th birthday. Confirming the findings, my tri-corder rid me of my neoplasm in seconds. I then boarded my inflatable starship at ‘Just Read the Instructions’ to start the day with the first of 10 pan-galactic house calls.” How is that for 2115 Rio Grande Valley medicine! It has all the makings of sci-fi but not too far from reality, maybe a 100 years from now. Not all that unbelievable like the unbelievably fast year that has passed since Susan and I were warmly welcomed to the Valley. And yes, we are glad that when we came to that fork in the road, we took it. As we celebrate our first RGV year, we have been blessed with many blessings. Let’s count them … We begin with the hospitals in the Valley’s cities - all CONT. ON PAGE 33

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EDUCATION

According to the South Texas Diabetes Initiative, an estimated 76,000 Rio Grande Valley residents have diabetes. Its prevalence rate of 26 percent is one of the highest in the nation. Every year, approximately $720 million are spent on diabetes-related health care services in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy County alone, although a big percentage of the population is uninsured. The premiere research team at the South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute has raised over

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$200 million dollars in grants from the National Institute of Health over the past fifteen years. The scientists plan to continue their aggressive search for NIH funding to support research in the Valley. H-E-B already is supporting the Institute’s work on diabetes in the Valley, an area where 7% of the population is living with the disease. The research team’s goal is to develop long-term collaborative studies to identify the role of genetics in this disease and related disorders to hopefully develop new, more effective interventions. Valley residents will have a unique opportunity to participate in these studies and become familiar with the research process, while obtaining access to educational materials and support for managing their disease. The team hopes that these studies will lower the prevalence of diabetes for future generations in this area. “As we progress in our research, we will find genetic characteristics that place people at high risk for developing diabetes and obesity. That will allow us to target dietary interventions and exercise regimes,” explained Williams-Blangero. “Ultimately, the research will lead to identification of targets and pathways that can lead to drug development for diabetes and obesity.” Although the Institute’s main focus will be diabetes and obesity, it will have an impact on the entire medical landscape of the Valley and even the United States. Former UT System Chancellor, Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. said that the research team will completely change education and healthcare in South Texas. “They will bring substantial federally funded research – and expertise-in the genetics of many disorders, not only diabetes, but also heart disease and infectious disease,” explained Cigarroa. “They will do their research across the Valley and interact with many other research, public health and community programs.” As the Valley moves towards innovation and growth, the arrival of the South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute will ensure that it is up to par in medical advancements and health care. The presence of this research center, along with the UTRGV School of Medicine, will not only bring highly competent health care providers and investigators to the area, but will also create a more health-oriented culture among its residents. There will be plenty of opportunities for residents to participate in the Institute’s research initiatives and they will be posted regularly on its website.

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working with us to establish on-site training and residency programs for our first cohort of 50 medical students, who will begin classes in fall 2016. They joined us in our efforts to attain accreditation of our undergraduate medical education program by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, our MD degree program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, our residency programs by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and our continuing professional education initiatives also have to have approval from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education … You get the picture. With their support, they are part of the new culture of excellence in medical education in the Valley.

Another blessing is our faculty. I could not have asked for a better cadre of scholars than those at UTRGV. The accreditation work is grueling – yet all agree, it is equally, if not more, invigorating. All the faculty is committed to our goal of providing education that is state-of-the-art in terms of the advancing the science of medicine with technology in concert with a humanistic approach. An added blessing is all the individual investments and philanthropic foundation support we have been the beneficiaries of. Within weeks of my arrival, Dr. William C. Head, M.D., a distinguished orthopedic surgeon from Dallas, granted the medical school its first major contribution – a $600,000 gift to establish the Jean Marie Rodriguez-Ayers Scholarship – to benefit UTRGV’s inaugural class of medical students. Others followed and in one year, we are 40% to our goal for a debt-free inaugural class. With a combined $4,523,342 in grants from Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, H-E-B, United Health Foundation fostering interprofessional, team based care and our research initiatives, we are off to a great start. Now add the $4,750,000 from Hidalgo County, and the cities of McAllen, Edinburg, Mission and Pharr to support our medical school programs to maintain its high level of excellence and expand promising programs to build the medical school of the future, our learning environment will be second to none. On the day I was announced, I said what I said… and meant what I said. “I am excited and humbled by this tremendous opportunity to build the UTRGV School of Medicine into a world-class educational center. The chance to build a medical school from the ground up in a region as richly diverse and wonderful as South Texas is a dream come true” Thank you for the honor of serving you. Dr. Francisco Fernandez is the inagural dean of of the School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He was introduced to the valley in February of 2014.

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BUSINESS

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THE

AIRPORT RACE With three major airports within roughly 70 miles, are competing cities choking the future of air travel in the Rio Grande Valley? This is a glimpse into the race for business, and the competitive world within the Valley’s top airports. by Joey Gomez An interesting conundrum about airports in general is that it comprises a business model that often doesn’t make sense, according to some leaders of the Rio Grande Valley’s major airports. At McAllen International Airport, production is growing, but costs are doubling. Revenues are dipping, but enplanements, the number of people physically boarding, are forecasted to be the highest they have been in years. The city-run airport continues to see service like it has never seen, according to McAllen’s newly minted aviation director, Elizabeth Suarez. She credits McAllen’s business community and a need for constant connectivity as a driving force for the airport, but the “delicate balance” needed in the business requires that enplanements be sustained in order to pay off debt. A Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program allows the collection of fees up to $4.50 for every boarded passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies. McAllen’s airport garnered more than $1.6 million in enplanements (PFC) as of November 2014, according to figures provided by all the major airports in the region.

By Joey Gomez

The amount was taken by multiplying the yearly enplanment figures, in this case 356,214 enplanements in McAllen as of November, by the $4.50 fee for every passenger. Airports use these fees to fund FAA-approved projects that enhance safety, security, or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air carrier competition. If the airport’s service threshold changes, and if those enplanement patterns start to decline, that means less money, Suarez said. “At the end of the day, high enplanements means higher aeronautical revenue, it should. In an administrative airport, it should mean higher aeronautical revenue and non-aeronautical revenue. So, that enplanement threshold is just a very intricate balance,” Suarez said. McAllen International currently has about $30 million worth of construction projects taking place. The airport has its terminal expansion, a runway safety area project, a lighting project in the parking lot that is just about finished, as well as landscape project currently in its final stages.

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BUSINESS

The airport is currently undergoing a CBP extension on its general aviation said of the house. That section is expanding as the agency increases its protection on the border, Suarez said. McAllen International houses American Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Aeromar. It’s cargo service is provided by United Airlines Cargo as well as United Parcel Service. “Coming in, we are supposed to make an important impact in our economy and if we are not doing that, we are not doing a good job,” she said. “It’s a crazy business. I know, because I come from transit, I know transit well and I know the federal agencies well, but I have never had sleepless nights like when I got here because it’s an intricate balance.” It’s a constant struggle. As the airport she runs starts looking at aeronautical revenues and begins to approach the major airlines, administrators are very conscious to show them that the airport is looking for ways to reduce its overhead and its costs. Suarez said her biggest concern is making sure that the airport’s financial snapshot changes so that the trends are changing when they sit down and talk to airlines. The airport has to show upward growth on the non-aeronautical side, and at the same has to show a decline in expenditures, as well as an increase in enplanements, she said. “We have to keep the airlines happy. We have to keep them here. We have to keep costs competitive to sustain us and to grow,”she said. “I think if it’s important for that community willing to make the investment, we have nothing negative to say about that. At the end of the day, I think we do need to work together as a region. I know that our leaders in McAllen have really pushed that notion forward.” McAllen International is only one of three Part 139 commercial service airports within close proximity to each other. If you count airports in Reynosa and Matamoros in Mexico, there are five major airports within striking distance to each other in the Rio Grande Valley region including those in Harlingen and Brownsville. Valley International Airport’s new director of aviation Marv Esterly doesn’t agree with a regional approach when it comes to air service. Esterly, a former Marine Corps Air-Traffic controller whose career spans nearly three decades in aviation management, said he doesn’t buy into that philosophy

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Source: BRO, HRL, & MFE Airport Managment Assembled and Distributed by HRL Management

33% 30% 28%

6% BRO AIRLINES

HRL AIRLINES

MFE AIRLINES

Allegiant American Airlines United Airlines US Airways

United Delta Allegiant Republic Southwest American Airlines Sun Country (seasonal)

United American Allegiant

Source: BRO, HRL, & MFE Airport Managment Assembled and Distributed by HRL Management

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because no one benefits from the competition. Harlingen’s airport currently houses Southwest, United, Sun Country and Delta airlines. Valley International Airport garnered $1.2 million in enplanement fees (PFC) as of November 2014, according to regional data provided by the Valley’s major airports. The amount was taken by multiplying the yearly enplanment figures, in this case 276,494 enplanements in Harlingen as of November, by the $4.50 fee for every passenger. “I don’t want to say they’re wrong. Obviously, there is a marketshare if you want three non-hub airports. That’s common sense,” Esterly said. “If you want to have one small hub or medium hub airport like Austin and San Antonio, you are going to have one facility that everybody will utilize. That definitely helps for that facility to be profitable.” Careful to say that he is not advocating shutting down any airports in the region by any means, Esterly says he is merely supporting a common sense question with a common sense answer. In a nut shell you have to “put all the eggs in one basket” for the other baskets to grow. Moving all the traffic into one regional airport in the valley will only create more traffic for the other airports eventually, according to Esterly. VIA offered some examples of this plan in action. In Chicago, O’Hare’s international boom and major hub for 2 legacy carriers created more demand at Midway. Rockford Airport is quietly growing 70 miles away from Chicago. Houston will soon have 2 international airports. Cities like Hong Kong, Denver and Austin have opted to completely shut down their old airports to take advantage of the real estate for a mall, stadium or other facilities. “I understand that every city is entitled to an airport. It just so happens that these cities are so close together,” Esterly said. “You can look up north, in a lot of cities up there you will see there are cities that are a lot larger than all three of these cities(McAllen, Harlingen and Brownsville) put together that have very small airports. Often, you will drive to a major metroplex area in order to get to the larger or medium hub airports or service that you want.” Esterly acknowledged that airlines have significantly contracted over the years, pulling a lot of capacity out of the market, and have a more business-oriented mindset which is driving their profits.

Source: BRO, HRL, & MFE Airport Managment Assembled and Distributed by HRL Management

Because of this mindset, airlines have pulled capacity back out of markets. These days, if airlines have 150 total people waiting for a flight, but have a plane that seats 100, gone are they days when they would employ a second plane to seat the other 50 andhave it half full, Esterly said. “In other words, they would rather go with one plane and fill it to capacity. It helps their bottom-line revenue numbers and helps them be more profitable,” Esterly said. “They are running tighter ships and so airports of this size and even larger airports have suffered because of the cutbacks. Air service is definitely a big challenge, and something where I intend to take the bull by the horns and be more aggressive in seeking new air service and retention of our current air service.” The airport in Harlingen is currently looking at the potential for mixed-use development on the airport’s east side that would incorporate air-type businesses and also other types of businesses, including support for the upcoming Space-X launch facility in Brownsville or support for United Launch Alliance. The key is supporting businesses that can attract jobs to the community and to the area. The formula according to Esterly includes diversifying the economy of the airport, diversifying the revenue stream and also assist in the diversification in the economics of the region and the city.

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BUSINESS

Since an airport is a business, putting it in the hands of city government is also problematic, Esterly said. Because all decisions for Valley International are considered by a board of directors, there is no need to tap into city tax dollars. The airport is self-sustaining as required by the FAA, and there are federal dollars that are paid on ticket taxes. The airport, he said, is a self-sustained airport that utilizes all the revenue that comes in to pay its expenses. Because of that, the city doesn’t have to worry about it. It doesn’t have to subsidize the airport. That should be a big thing for taxpayers. It’s a benefit to having one regionalized airport if it ever happens, Esterly said. “I think it’s more common for an airport to be run by a city. It’s becoming more and more the thing to do. I couldn’t tell you if the exact figures are 50/50, but an airport this size are typically run through a city government,” Esterly said. “An airport under the city will tend to compete with other departments in order to get the management to look at things. It takes longer to make decisions, and airports will tend to miss windows of opportunity because of the delays. “With it run under an airport commission, an airport board or authority, those decisions can be made within 30 days,” he said. Larry A. Brown, currently the director of Aviation at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport since 2002 believes that airports in the Valley are necessary to support the dynamic growth happening in the region. Brown, who has been employed with the City of Brownsville for 42 years, and has served in various capacities, said he was called upon by the city to provide leadership to the airport. “What’s the population of the region? Define the region,” Brown said. “In other words, you have Matamoros, Reynosa, McAllen and Brownsville. Those are the major population sectors that exist.That’s where the growth is occurring. That’s also where the key airports are. That’s the reason. Those airports will continue to grow along with the population we have in the Valley,Brownsville, Matamoros, McAllen and Reynosa.” The Brownsville airport garnered $393,268 in enplanements (PFC) as of November 2014, according to regional data provided by airports. The figure was calculated by multiplying the number of enplanements, in this case 87,393 in Brownsville as of November, by the $4.50 per passenger.

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The airport in Brownsville currently houses United, American and Aeromexico Airlines. VIA also houses six cargo airlines, and is serviced by ABX Air, FedEx, United Airlines Cargo, DHL and Southwest. American increased it number of daily flights from three to four in February, Brown said. More are possibly slated for March. The airport also currently has more than $9 million worth of taxiway construction taking place, as well as new ramp construction. The airport is also about to start construction on a 20,000 square foot hangar. It has just completed one, and is leasing the hangars as it builds them. “The passenger service we offer out of this airport is very important in terms of the growth and development of not just Brownsville, but the region as well,” Brown said. “Take American Airlines for example. You can fly from here and be off the plane at Ellis in an hour and twenty minutes. That allows people to have a connection that comes to and from the Valley, not just Brownsville, quickly from Dallas. Or from Dallas to any point on the planet. It’s the same thing in terms of United. United can get you any place you need to go and back again. We provide those things. That’s aviation. But this airport also has two industrial parks. We have an industrial park coming into the airport, and a foreign trade zone over there. When you start looking at what we provide, with proximity to the site for Space-X, we are 18 miles from the launch site. We provide a key location that helps support Space-X in its launch activities.” The airport in Brownsville is one of the most historic of the region, and was the first airport to be established in the Valley. Inaugurated by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, who were present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in March of 1929, the airport thrived when people in the community saw an opportunity to develop air service to various communities. At that time, it was very important because there was propeller-driven aircraft and so forth that had fuel links and fuel stops before flying into Mexico and clearing Customs coming out of Mexico, according to Brown. More than 80 years later, the airport still provides Customs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Before you fly a plane in from overseas, you have to clear customs. This is the only airport in the Valley that you can into and land at any point in time, walk over to customs, clear customs, and then go on to your destination,” Brown said. “If you are going to do that

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“Before we can start talking mergers, we should better understand each other and try to work more in collaboration with each other. We can celebrate each other’s success’ because that should be the south Texas way, the Rio Grande Valley way,” Resendez said. at any other airport, you have to pay for it. Here, you don’t do that. The other airports don’t have it 24/7. You can’t do that. That’s one key feature about this airport.” “In order to operate an airport, you need a whole range of state, federal, local and private sector. You need private sector to invest in the facilities that you have to help create the jobs, to put fuel in the planes, etc. The airports don’t do that,” Brown said. The airport also brandishes a Foreign Trade Zone on one side with 200 acres, and another 200 acres in the front, where it is looking to provide space and amenities that will help support Space-X in its efforts. “You need have those partners if you will to grow the airport. At the same time, you need to have the funding that is necessary to put in the infrastructure to support that private sector investment. The runway, the taxiways…the communities do that. The airport does that. The private sector doesn’t do that. You have to have the access to the capital to be able to do that. It’s just part of the job to be able to go out and get grant funds from the feds to find a way to make those work so your airport can grow. “It’s sort of like a garden. You have to fertilize it every once in awhile in order to get it to grow,” Brown said. ‘Not a chance’ When asked about the possibility of a merger of the airports in the Valley, Brown said there is no chance of that happening. While administrators at Harlingen may look at that situation more favorably, and directors in McAllen taking a middle of the road approach to the question, Brown says airports are meant to serve the populations where they are located. “What is the possibility of getting everyone to merge the population centers? What is the possibility of the populations of McAllen and Brownsville just abandoning their cities and moving together? It’s not going to happen,” Brown said. “The airports serve a certain population called an encatchment area. It’s the market

area. They provide services for people who are coming into that area and who are potentially going to invest, as well people who are leaving that area to go and do business with another company, wherever it is. That is what drives the location of where the airports are. The idea of putting in one big airport?Maybe 100 years from now? That is something that could be considered when the populations all grow together in one big population. But you are a long ways away from that. In the meantime, you have provide airservice where people are living to get them where they need to go.” ‘We are incredibly optimistic’ Acknowledging that there is an inability among Valley communities to work together for a common goal, Valley International Airport board chairman Tito Resendez says he rather favors a merger of the region’s major airports. Resendez said the first step could possibly include the leaders from Valley airports forming some kind of coalition, or at the very least begin a dialogue to see what challenges each has. “Before we start talking mergers, we have to play nice in the sandbox. Be happy for each other’s success because that is the south Texas way, the Rio Grande Valley way,” Resendez said. “Unfortunately, sometimes personal egos have become more important than what makes sense and what would benefit the citizens of the Valley. So absolutely yeah, I think that could be an obstacle,” Resendez said “However, I am optimistic considering some of the mergers that have been occurring the past couple of years. More friendly playing if you will amongst the cities; alliances that hopefully continue to be fostered. The winner would be the flying public and the tax-paying public.”

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BUSINESS

by Joe Lilli | Photo by Clark Terrell

ll the inspiration David Armstrong needed to start a company helping businesses become more productive and efficient came from what he observed as a business counselor and later as director of the UT-PanAm Small Business Development Center. During that time, he worked with nearly 1,000 businesses annually – helping entrepreneurs/small business owners obtain SBA and bank financing, and deal with business problems. He also wrote business plans and coached people in areas they

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were weak. “Many businesses used outdated technology and struggled with lots of inefficiencies due to a lack of processes and poor business practices,” Armstrong says. Later, as CFO and general sales manager for a vehicle dealership, he got to practice what he preached as a business counselor. It was then that Armstrong decided to start a business to help local businesses identify and eliminate their office chaos.

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“We are an

all-in-one

solution company. We spend time understanding what our customer needs to accomplish, then offering the best solution..”

He partnered with three colleagues – each with his own area of expertise. Using his experience helping others with financing, Armstrong and his partners financed the entire business without having to spend a dime. Their objective was wildly optimistic – Core Business Solutions would become the premier office solutions company in South Texas. Today, nearly 12 years since startup and after buying out his partners, Armstrong believes he’s achieved that objective. “We are the largest local company offering this type of service. And, in my opinion, we are the most capable of meeting all of the needs of a small to medium-sized business located in our territory.” All-in-One Solutions Company So what sets Core Business Solutions apart from its competitors? The answer can be found in its motto: Solutions That Work. Armstrong and his entire staff strive to ensure each solution provides measurable benefits to their customers. “We are an all-in-one solution company. We spend time understanding what our customer needs to accomplish, then offering the best solution,” he stresses. “To make that happen, we have all the technology and office equipment a business would ever need to

DAVID ARMSTRONG

CEO OF CORE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

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BUSINESS

remake their office or open a new one. “For example, it might be a faster copier with better scanning capabilities, a phone system linking their offices in five different countries, or a workflow and document management software that moves documents through their organization more smoothly, then retains them so they can be located in seconds from anywhere in the world. “But we not only provide equipment, we know how to use it. Everything we offer, we use in our own business to make it better. So our customers can take full advantage of our knowledge and expertise. “In addition, we repair and maintain all their equipment, manage network services where we act as their IT department, and offer variable data bulk mail services. We don’t sell customers something, then walk away. We become their technology partner,” he says. Armstrong’s customers include banks, insurance companies, furniture stores, and medical and legal offices. Each had a unique efficiency challenge, but thanks to Core Business Solutions is now operating in a highly productive environment. Eliminating Office Chaos Equals Success As the number of success stories accumulated, Core Business Solutions grew and prospered. It added offices in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, besides its Pharr headquarters. The company

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currently serves customers across 17 South Texas counties and the Maquila business in parts of Northern Mexico. There are several reasons for his company’s success. Armstrong is quick to acknowledge the hard work of his 42 full-time employees and the outstanding service they provide their customers. “Their level of service brings to mind the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I believe it’s a major reason why we’ve retained 94 percent of our customers,” he says. Another success factor is Armstrong’s business mindset. He understands that every business decision he makes today can affect his business today, tomorrow, and well into the future. So he looks at all facets of his business today in context of where he’s trying to go. He reacts quickly with the unexpected. And, he says he welcomes change and turns it into opportunity. “It’s really hard to gain market share and grow if everything remains the same. Fortunately, we’re in an industry in which technology is constantly evolving and changing day to day. So we subscribe to many forums and magazines, and attend numerous vendor meetings across the country. We’re willing to put in the time to keep up with it, while many of our competitors haven’t,” he says. One might say Armstrong lives by the old Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” For many South Texas business owners, this means that Core Business Solutions gives them the systems and processes for creating sustainable productivity for their business – and their life.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Schools of Choice

Early College

Harlingen School of

High School

Health Professions

Learn more at www.hcisd.org/ECHS

Learn more at www.hcisd.org/HSHP

Dr. Abraha m P. Cano

Freshman Academy Learn more at www.hcisd.org/CFA

For more information, call 956-430-9500 or visit www.HCISD.org Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, disability, or any other legally protected status in employment or provision of services, programs, or activities.

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BUSINESS

UNITED BROWNSVILLE

LEADS THE WAY TO A STRONGER REGIONAL ECONOMY By Joe Lilli

Although Brownsville has ranked for decades as one of the poorest cities in America, there’s hope this will soon change. This hope flourishes thanks to a partnership of public and private sector members working in collaboration to address the root cause of this crippling poverty – a local economy unable to grow and attract enough high paying jobs in exporting industries.

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The partnership originated in 2009 with the creation of the Imagine Brownsville Comprehensive Plan. It was Brownsville’s first major effort to bring substantial improvement to multiple sectors – economic development, transportation, education, infrastructure, wellness, the environment, and more. Because of the vast scope of this plan, the city realized it couldn’t do it alone. This led to the creation of United Brownsville in 2010, a public non-profit organization comprised initially of seven Brownsville public institutions representing government, business, academia, and the nonprofit sector. While Imagine Brownsville outlined the vision or blueprint of how the city could create a more sustainable, competitive community, United Brownsville became the backbone organization charged with executing that plan. United Brownsville Executive Director Mike Gonzalez explains, “We were created to implement and monitor the plan, to help everyone work together on a shared agenda of economic improvement, and to capitalize on game-changing opportunities.”

SpaceX: A Potential Game Changer

Gonzalez says a good example of a game-changing opportunity is Elon Musk’s decision to build a SpaceX launch complex at Boca Chica beach. “I believe United Brownsville and the community can leverage this opportunity by building an entire aerospace-support cluster industry here to support SpaceX. Look what happened with San Antonio’s Toyota plant. The city aggressively pursued and convinced suppliers and parts makers to relocate to the area. “The city made it happen. They put it on their agenda. They got everyone to back it. It’s what we need to do with SpaceX,” he says. The payoff is significant. SpaceX alone can create hundreds of high-tech jobs. But it can also open additional jobs as space cluster suppliers move into the area – plus attract tourists and even inspire students. United Brownsville also is encouraging each of its charter members to be more proactive in the way they operate in order to open the door to other promising opportunities. The Public Utilities Board is a good example. To offset the fact that Brownsville didn’t have

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the electricity to attract major manufacturers, the Utilities Board made it a priority to increase the area’s electrical transmission. They partnered with Sharyland Utilities, a private utility, to double the transmission capacity. They also partnered with the Nebraska-based energy company Tenska to develop an 800-megawatt power plant. “These two partnerships will boost the Brownsville economy and help it maintain a competitive edge in recruiting new companies,” Gonzalez remarks. “But getting more electricity is just one piece of the economic puzzle. You have to add other pieces as well,” he adds.

The BiNED Initiative

Possibly an even larger job-creating opportunity is the United Brownsville-led BiNational Economic Development Zone (BiNED) initiative. It involves several government and private entities throughout the Rio Grande Valley and the Mexican cities of Matamoros and Reynosa collaborating to create an advanced regional manufacturing strategy that will benefit both sides of the border. “Our goal of working together with the maquiladora industry in Matamoros is to see how we can combine an advanced manufacturing infrastructure on the Matamoros side with research, development, and capital resources on the U.S. side,” Gonzalez says. The maquiladora industry is currently comprised of 117 manufacturing firms, which export more than $8.4 billion annually into the U.S. through Brownsville. But $6.4 billion comes from materials produced outside the region. Gonzalez wants to see the Rio Grande Valley capture a much greater slice of the supply chain activity that supports the maquiladora plants in Matamoros and Reynosa. As a strong endorsement of this initiative, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently issued United Brownsville a $300,000 grant for a BiNED supply chain analysis. “We believe this grant was a seal of approval for us. It tells us this is the way to rebuild a poor economy,” Gonzalez says. While visiting Brownsville recently, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams commented that the EDA’s

investment in United Brownsville will ultimately encourage trade and export in the U.S. border region. This will help make the region more competitive, strengthen its supply chain strategy to meet global demand, and spur economic growth along the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Gonzalez also sees the BiNED strategy as an alternative to controlling illegal immigration and reducing security on our borders. How? By creating legitimate economic development opportunities and jobs for citizens on both sides of border. “This economic development strategy also helps us avoid alienating Mexico,” Gonzalez remarks. “Instead of wasting additional funds on the militarization of the border and the construction of additional fences, it gives us an opportunity to recognize Mexico’s importance as this country’s third largest trading partner and our strategic, economic and political ally.”

Everyone Has To Pull Together

The key to Brownsville’s success is having the community come together in partnership. If not, the alternative is more of the same poverty and economic stagnation that’s continued for decades. When asked if United Brownsville is close to meeting its objectives of shoring up the economy and reducing poverty, Gonzalez says, “We’ve made Brownsville more competitive over the last several years. We’re responding faster to opportunities. We’re seeing more partnering and collaboration among both public and private entities. “And, for certain, we’re working hard in the right direction.”

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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BUSINESS

Lower Valley Dental Associates Not Just Your Regular Dental Clinic By Lauri Revilla | Photos by James Hord

he moment Dr. Melissa Uriegas walked through the door at Lower Valley Dental Associates in Brownsville, Texas; she knew she had to be part of that team. While completing her General Practice Residency Program at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey, Uriegas was scouting dental practices in the Rio Grande Valley to continue her career as a dentist. The search was over when a mentor recommended Lower Valley Dental Associates and she drove down to Brownsville to meet the staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As soon as I walked in the door, I knew this was a special place and I would be so lucky to work with these people,â&#x20AC;? recalls Uriegas. After growing up in Edinburg, Dr. Melissa Uriegas left the Rio Grande Valley to attend dental school at the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston, Texas. She always knew that she wanted to come back to South Texas and serve the people in her community. When the time came to settle down

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Dr. J. Patrick Pirtle, Dr. Claudia Rodriguez, and Dr. Melissa Uriegas

Everybody here is a step above and beyond... in the Valley last summer, Lower Valley Dental Associates became the obvious choice for her. She was immediately drawn to the clinic’s high energy and wellness-oriented environment. “The environment is really happy and active,” explained Uriegas. “The LVDA team is motivated to do their best in everything that we do.” Lower Valley Dental Associates is not your typical dental office. The practice’s founders, Dr. Claudia Rodriguez and Dr. J. Patrick Pirtle, met while in dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. They decided to establish a dental clinic in an area that had a great need for highly trained and experienced dentists.

When they met Dr. Uriegas, they felt she would be a great fit with the team because of her positive attitude and extensive training. “One of the reasons we chose her was because everyone in our office doesn’t have just a dental degree, but also has some advanced training in an academic setting post dental school,” said Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez is one of the very few Board-certified pediatric dentists in Brownsville and is the only one that can practice sedation dentistry in the area. Dr. Pirtle completed post dental school training in prosthodontics and specializes in the restoration and replacement of teeth. Lower Valley Dental Associates is the only practice in the area that practices hospital dentistry and is able to provide dental treatment for medically compromised patients. “Everybody here is a step above and beyond,” explains Dr. Rodriguez. “Everybody is very motivated and wants to take it a step further than just your regular dental visit.” The entire team has a strong commitment to not only providing quality dental care, but also promoting prevention and a healthy lifestyle with their patients. The office offers state-of-the art equipment and technology with digital X-rays, to reduce the effects of radiation by up to 70 percent, and 17-inch monitors in all operatories. Services offered by the clinic range from basic procedures, such as cleanings and examinations, to more complex procedures like root canal therapy, extractions, periodontal therapy and orthodontics. Lower Valley Dental Associates’ commitment to the Rio Grande Valley doesn’t just stop there. The clinic’s staff regularly participates in numerous community activities and charities throughout the year. Patients can expect to run into their dentists at local marathons, walks and other wellness events. Every staff member at the clinic understands that it’s not just about providing quality dental care, but about encouraging a holistic approach to health in every single one of their patients.

Lower Valley Dental Associates are located at: 4920 N. Expressway, Suite E Brownsville, TX 78256. For more information, contact: (956) 350-0059 or staff@LowerValleyDental.com

MARCH/APRIL 2015

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BUSINESS

By Bill Martin

With higher top tax rates now in effect, it may be time to ask yourself: Are you doing everything possible to improve your portfolio’s bottom line through tax-efficient investing? Here are five tried-and-true strategies to help lower your tax bill while improving your net return.

Take Advantage of Tax-Sheltered Accounts

To encourage Americans to save for retirement, Uncle Sam offers tax incentives in the form of IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and other qualified retirement savings plans. These accounts provide the opportunity to defer paying tax on contributions and earnings or to avoid paying taxes altogether on earnings, depending on the type of vehicle you choose. By contributing as much as possible to these accounts, you can realize significant savings over time. For instance, contributing $400 per month to a traditional IRA (assuming deductibility rules apply) will save you nearly $22,000 in taxes over 20 years, assuming a 5% annual return and 25% tax rate.1 (Taxes, however, will be due on distributions at the time you make withdrawals.) For 2014, you can contribute up to $5,500 to a traditional or Roth IRA. And if you’re over 50, you

can contribute an extra $1,000. For employer-sponsored retirement savings vehicles such as 401(k) or 403(b) plans, you can contribute up to $17,500 in 2014 and an additional $5,500 if you’re over 50. But keep in mind that most withdrawals prior to age 59½ from a qualified retirement plan or IRA may be subject to a 10% federal penalty in addition to any taxes owed on contributions and accumulated earnings.

Turn to Municipal Bonds for After-Tax Yield

In today’s low-rate environment, finding yield can be a challenge. Rates on high-quality corporate bonds have hovered at historical lows, and the yield on US Treasuries has not topped 4% since 2008. While municipal bonds, or “munis,” are no exception, they carry one significant advantage: Interest

Article by Wealth Management Systems, Inc. and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor. The author(s) are not employees of Morgan Stanley Smith article or publication has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or com with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, investment, strategy or product that may be mentioned. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanle (under the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise) with respect to the services or activities described herein except as otherwise agreed to in writing by Morgan Stanley. and legal advisors regarding any potential tax and related consequences of any investments made under such account. Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor(s) engaged R com/1845group/. Transacting business, follow-up and individualized responses involving either effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rend © 2014 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 942158 6/14 50

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paid by muni bonds is generally exempt from federal and, in some cases, state and local taxes. Consider this: A municipal bond yielding 4% translates to a tax-equivalent yield of 5.33%, assuming a 25% tax rate. In other words, you would need to earn 5.33% on a taxable bond to receive the same after-tax yield as a 4% municipal bond. Remember, however, that any capital gains arising from the sale of municipal bonds are still taxable (at capital gains rates), and that income from some municipal bonds may be taxable under alternative minimum tax rules.

Avoid Short-Term Gains

Before you sell an investment, check to see when you purchased it. If it was less than one year ago, any profit will be considered a short-term gain. If it was more than one year ago, the profit will be considered a long-term gain. That’s important because long-term capital gains are taxed at significantly lower rates than short-term capital gains, especially if you’re in a high tax bracket. • Short-term capital gains are taxed at ordinary income rates which can be as high as 39.6%. • Long-term capital gains are taxed at a maximum rate of 20% in 2014.2 Considering those different rates, it can pay to look at the calendar before you sell a profitable investment. Selling just a day or two early could mean that you’ll incur significantly higher taxes.

Make the Most of Losses

Get a Professional’s Perspective

As most taxpayers know, the IRS lets you use long-term capital losses to offset long-term gains. In any given year, you can minimize your capital gains tax by timing your losses to correspond with gains. What’s more, you can carry forward unused losses to future years, and use them to offset future gains, subject to certain limitations. You can also offset up to $3,000 of unused capital losses per year against ordinary income. So before taking a long-term capital loss, consider the timing of gains as well as ordinary income.

Keeping an eye on taxes is a prudent way to try to enhance your investment returns over time. However, tax laws are complex, subject to change and may have implications you haven’t considered. Footnotes/Disclaimers 1 Example assumes monthly pre-tax contributions of $400 over a 20-year period, a 5% annual rate of return, compounded monthly, and a marginal tax rate of 25%. Example is hypothetical. Your results will differ. 2 Does not take into consideration Medicare tax on certain unearned net investment income or state or local taxes, which will vary.

If you’d like to learn more, please contact Bill Martin, CFP®.

h Barney LLC ("Morgan Stanley"). The opinions expressed by the authors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and data in the mpleteness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation by Morgan Stanley ey Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice and are not “fiduciaries” This material was not intended or written to be used for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax RGVision to feature this article. Bill Martin, CFP® may only transact business in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration http://www.morganstanleyfa. dering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made to persons in states where Bill Martin, CFP® is not registered or excluded or exempt from registration.

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HEALTH

Helping Valley area children reach their highest potential for over sixty years By Annie Sykes / Photos by Clark Terrell

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“Our goal is to help any child who comes to us reach their fullest potential in life.”

“I

t’s like a family there.” Talk to anyone involved with the Moody Clinic, a therapy center for children and longtime fixture of the Brownsville community, and you’ll likely hear this phrase. Over the past sixty years, the Moody Clinic has created a true bond with those it touches, the kind of authentic connection that public relations gurus only dream of. “The people there have a genuine passion for helping the children and families they see” says Ana Lozano, Moody Clinic board member and parent. “Just go visit the Clinic. You won’t leave the same.” The Moody Clinic has been around since 1952 when a Brownsville woman whose son suffered from cerebral palsy grew frustrated with the lack of treatment options available. She spearheaded a clinic to help children with physical handicaps like her son. Fast forward over sixty years, and what began as a physical therapy clinic is now a comprehensive treatment center for all children with special needs. The clinic offers speech-language therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. “Our goal is to help any child who comes to us reach their fullest potential in life,” says Debbie Sears, executive

director and resident speech-language pathologist. What does it look like to help a child with special needs reach their potential? It varies - on purpose. One secret to the Moody Clinic’s longevity is their commitment to serving children where they most need it. This is why on any given day in the Clinic, visitors may see anything from bike riding lessons to practising the “sh” sound to taking turns in a conversation. Take Arturo, a six-year-old Moody Clinic “regular” who was diagnosed with autism around age two. “When we first came to the Moody Clinic, Arturo couldn’t sit still, he wouldn’t make eye contact, and he wasn’t speaking,” says Arturo’s mother. “Now, he sits politely in the waiting room until he’s called. He can throw a ball and ride a bike. The biggest change is that he talks now.The difference is amazing.” These days, the Moody Clinic sees many children facing obstacles like Arturo’s. Individuals with autism, a disorder of brain development, typically have trouble with social interactions and communication, and may show other developmental delays. And because autism is a spectrum disorder, it looks different in everyone. April is Autism Aware-

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HEALTH

Easter Seal Campaign The society used to be largely financed by private donations and the Easter Seals Campaign.

Moody Clinic was incorporated under the name of The Brownsville Society for Crippled Children by a group of concerned parents and young professionals interested in providing services to children with disabilities to the Brownsville community.

The clinic moved from its first donated location by Mercy Hospital (now Valley Baptist Medical Center) to 4,000 square feet space in Fort Brown. The new location was able to provide an office, reception room as well as individual rooms for speech therapy, play, physical and occupational therapy.

ness Month. The Moody Clinic plans to celebrate by promoting understanding of this disorder that impacts so many of their patients. Debbie Sears recommends the website autismspeaks.org to any concerned parent. “Early intervention is critical. If parents have even the slightest worry, they should talk to their pediatrician as early as possible.” Debbie’s concern for children and parents - even those who are not her patients - is typical of the Moody Clinic’s generous spirit. Until a few years ago, the organization was able to provide free services. Sadly, the past decade’s economic dip took its toll on donations to the Clinic, and they were forced to charge to keep their doors open. “We never turn families away” says Christine Cavazos, the Clinic’s development coordinator. “But we now ask them to give what they’re able, even if it’s as little as $5 per session.” Support from the Brownsville community still plays a key role in the Moody Clinic’s

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continued operation. The Moody Clinic is a United Way agency, and organizations like the Zonta Club of Brownsville, the Brownsville Community Foundation, the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, and the A&V Lopez Family have been longtime supporters. “We are infinitely grateful to the community for helping us serve the children of Brownsville,” Cavazos shares. “We’ve been around for over half a century, and we hope to stay for much, much longer.” For over sixty years, the Moody Clinic has provided high-quality, low-cost therapy to more than 7,000 children. But what makes the Clinic truly a gem of the Brownsville community is not that it’s a good deal - it’s the big-hearted, family-like way they embrace their patients. The Moody Clinic’s tradition of helping Valley region children reach their highest potential looks like it will continue for a long time to come.

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McALLEN is my home!

During the national polio outbreak, the clinic was one of the few locations in Brownsville providing treatment to children stricken by polio to regain lost muscle power.

The Moody Foundation of Galveston awarded $100,000 for the construction of a new facility. The clinic changed its to Moody Clinic to recognize the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s donors.

Education

McAllen High School University of Texas San Antonio

Experience Owner

Marcos Burgers

Parent Teacher Org. President Garza Elementary

Volunteer Coach

Boys and Girls Club (8yrs)

Volunteer Coach

High School Debate team

Board Member

Roselawn Cemetery Board of Directors

Member

UTRGV Alumni Association Throughout the years, the clinic has been able to keep providing services thanks to volunteers, donors, fundraising events, grants and the overall support of the community.

In 2012 the Clinic celebrated its 60th anniversary of providing services to children with special needs in the Brownsville community. Moody Clinic has served more than 7,000 children since its inception and gives over 5,000 treatments per year.

Kappa Sigma Alumni Member Xi Delta Chapter

for M.I.S.D. School Board Pl. 1

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HEALTH EDUCATION

SUDOSCAN The SUDOSCAN device at the Center for Pain Management is a new test that evaluates sweat gland function through galvanic skin response in less than three minutes

by Lauri Revilla | Photos by Ivan Martinez > HAROLD RODRIGUEZ was struggling to raise his children as a single parent when he began

suffering from debilitating pain in his calf. At f irst he thought it was just a spider bite but when weeks went by and he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get out of bed, he decided it was time to go see the doctor. His physician informed him that he was suffering from a diabetic neuropathy and referred him to Dr. Chowdhury at Center for Pain Management, where he was able to get relief from his suffering.

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“My pain was extreme. I had to be hospitalized for the pain – I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemies,” recalls Mr. Rodriguez. His nightmare ended when he started receiving pain medication and spinal injections from Dr. Chowdhury and the team at Center for Pain Management. Harold says he will always be grateful for their patience, understanding and comforting care. “I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Sometimes I feel like I’m the annoying old man, but they never make feel that way. They are really understanding and know what I’m going through,” says Rodriguez. Like Harold Rodriguez, over 15-18 million Americans suffer from diabetic neuropathies, according to The Neuropathy Association. “Diabetic neuropathy is an abnormal effect of the nervous system, mostly peripheral nerve fibers with the possible exception of the brain,” explains Dr. Tajul Chowdhury, M.D. “It is a major cause of morbidity for uncontrolled diabetes.” This chronic condition affects an individual’s day-to-day functionality and can lead to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, impaired concentration and sleep difficulties. “The most common picture is that of peripheral neuropathy,” explains Dr. Chowdhury. “It is usually bilateral at the limbs in the stocking/glove areas and the symptoms include burning, lancinating pain that is worse at night with numbness, paraesthesia and hyperesthesia.” Center for Pain Management offers one of the most innovative technologies in the field to diagnose and treat diabetic neuropathies. The SUDOSCAN device is a new test that evaluates sweat gland function through galvanic skin response in less than three minutes. With the use of this tool, the team at Center for Pain Management can detect what kind of neuropathy is causing the patient’s pain so that treatment can be tailored to his or her particular condition. The treatments involved are to control diabetes,

increase circulation to the limbs, neuropathic drugs, sympathetic nerve block, injectable vitamins and possible neurostimulators. Dr. Tajul Chowdhury established the Center for Pain Management to offer cutting-edge procedures for pain management in the Rio Grande Valley. After receiving his M.B.B.S. from Rajshahi Medical College in Bangladesh, Chowdhury received additional training at Boston University and Havard Medical School and completed a year of general surgery training at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio. He has over 30 years of experience in anesthesia and over 20 years in the subspecialty of comprehensive and interventional pain. He established Center for Pain Management – a freestanding interdisciplinary outpatient pain management facility in the Rio Grande Valley in 1994. The clinic has been helping patients suffering from post-surgical pain, herniated disks, work-related injuries, headaches, cancer pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetic neuropathies, failed back surgeries and shingles ever since. The staff at Center for Pain Management understands that their patients are going through a great deal of suffering. Patients come to the center because of their compassionate attitude, as much as for their effective treatments. Obtaining relieve from their pain can be life changing for most individuals. “I will forever be grateful to Center for Pain Management,” says Harold Rodriguez. “Just being able to get out of bed and take my four year old son to school by the hand is life changing for me.” If you would like more information about Center for Pain Management visit http://cfpm. net or call: 956-631-9041.

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HEALTH

BRINGING

HOPE

TO THE TERMINALLY DIAGNOSED Dr. Ravi Mydur came to the Rio Grande Valley with one mission in mind â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to bring options to cancer patients that have been given none. As an interventional radiologist who specializes in radioembolization, Dr. Mydur hopes to prolong the lives of patients facing an inoperable liver cancer diagnosis. by Lauri Revilla Photos by Ivan Martinez

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“IF THEY HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS, I AM STILL A VIABLE OPTION TO HELP THEM PROLONG THEIR LIFE,” SAYS MYDUR. “IF THEY’RE GIVEN A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE, THEY STILL HAVE OPTIONS.”

After working in different medical centers around the United States and completing his fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Case Western Reserve Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Ravi Mydur returned to Texas to serve as an interventional radiologist in Dallas, Texas and Edinburg Regional Medical Center in Edinburg, Texas. He has performed multiple interventional procedures ranging from angioplasties, uterine fibroid embolizations, biopsies, drainage procedures, thermal ablations and chemoembolization. The ability to help terminally ill patients by treating pathology in real-time led him to specialize in interventional oncology and radioembolization. Although radioembolization has been around for the past few decades, it has been gaining momentum in the recent years as clinical trials continue demonstrating its effectiveness in treating liver cancer. “There’s a lot of good results from radioembolization,” explains Dr. Mydur. “A lot of patients who have no other options and are given a window of 6-10 months to live end up living an additional 2-3 years after that. The therapy has shown to be very effective.” Radioembolization consists of selectively delivering radiation-filled microspheres, or glass beads, to the area where the tumor, or multiple tumors, are located. These microspheres are filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90, and are sent directly to the tumor site. A qualified interventional radiologist uses x-ray imaging and contrast material to visualize blood vessels and determine which one supplies the tumor site. A catheter containing the microspheres is then inserted in that artery through the groin area.

The radioembolization procedure is considered a palliative treatment, meaning that it does not provide a cure, but can help slow the progression of the disease and alleviate symptoms. Because the radiation agents are delivered directly to the liver, there are less side effects and complications than with traditional chemotherapy. Patients are usually discharged a few hours after the procedure is done and can resume their regular activities within 3-5 days. Dr. Ravi Mydur works closely together with a team of oncologists and health care professionals to determine how radioembolization can be used for each patient’s specific situation. In some cases, this procedure can help inoperable tumors become operable. “I use radioembolization to facilitate treatment for the removal of a tumor for patients that have a tumor that is too large for surgery,” explains Mydur. “If I can reduce it in size, there is a possibility that it can be taken out.” He was able to experience this first-hand with a patient that presented with a very large inoperable tumor. After undergoing the radioembolization procedure, the patient was able to have full resection of the tumor. Dr. Mydur’s strong commitment to interventional oncology and to his patients led him to establish the first-ever Yttrium-90 radioembolization program at Edinburgh Regional Medical Center. He takes pride in bringing new possibilities for Rio Grande Valley residents and hopes that those facing a terminal diagnosis understand that there is still hope. “If they have no other options, I am still a viable option to help them prolong their life,” says Mydur. “If they’re given a few months to live, they still have options.”

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HEALTH

Dr. Mario del Pino brings the future of medicine to Rio Grande Regional Hospital By Annie Sykes / Photos by Clark Terrell

“R

obotic surgery is the future, and the future is now” says Dr. Mario del Pino in his sure, practiced, slightly accented voice. It’s a phrase he’s spoken often, as his line of work - performing robotic surgeries using the da VinciⓇ surgical system at Rio Grande Regional Hospital - has seen its fair share of controversy. “It’s like any new technology - people are unsure about it at first. In the case of robotic surgery, patients feel nervous that they’re not really getting the doctor’s care.” Indeed, the phrase “robotic surgery” can conjure up an eerie, futuristic image of robots performing medicine’s most delicate - and dangerous - procedures. But Dr. del Pino is quick to bring his patients back to reality. “I am in full control of

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the robot. You are not under its care - you’re under my care. The robot is simply a surgical tool.” Acquiring this tool marked the start of Rio Grande Regional’s robotics program in association with the Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery. Across the nation, hospitals are developing robotic surgery programs as an alternative to surgery by hand. Why the movement for robots? Several reasons dominate the conversation. First, surgeries performed via robot are often less invasive. This means the surgical incision is smaller, there is less blood loss and scarring, and recovery time is shorter. Another advantage centers on the surgeons themselves. They operate the robot from a console, where they sit (much easier on the body than standing in

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is the fifth busiest robotic surgeon in Texas and the 31st busiest in the whole country. In the last six months alone, Dr. del Pino and his team have performed over 100 robotic surgeries. How has this hospital’s robotics program become so popular, despite the public’s questioning view of robotic surgery? Mario del Pino is a big part of it.

the O.R. for hours) in front of a screen showing the surgical field. “The optics make a huge difference - I can see everything much more clearly,” says Dr. del Pino. From the console, robotics surgeons watch carefully as the technology translates their hand motions into precise nips and fixes. About eight months ago, Rio Grande Regional Hospital decided the pros of a robotic surgery machine far outweighed the cons, and made the decision to get one. This was no small choice - robotic surgery detractors frequently point out the exorbitant cost of the machines. According to the manufacturer’s website, a da VinciⓇ system can cost up to $2.5 million, and that doesn’t even include the yearly service contract that comes with it. Nonetheless, Rio Grande Regional saw an opportunity. They had Dr. del Pino on staff, an experienced surgeon with the advanced laparoscopic surgery knowledge necessary for robotic surgery training. They also had a market of patients who could seriously benefit from one of the machine’s most successful procedures: bariatric (weight loss) surgery. The stars were aligned, so Dr. del Pino and hospital staff went to receive extensive training at Intuitive Surgical, the company behind the da VinciⓇ machines. When they returned, the robotics program kicked off in earnest. Today, Rio Grande Regional Hospital’s machine is by far the busiest one in the Valley. In fact, according to Intuitive Surgical’s records, Dr. del Pino

First and foremost, the doctor is an excellent surgeon. He completed fellowship training in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, one of the most prestigious institutions in the nation. He has years of experience with small-incision surgeries like laparoscopies, and is now expert enough at robotic surgery to be named a proctor, meaning up-andcoming robotic surgeons can train under him. But Dr. del Pino’s surgical skills aren’t the only asset he brings to Rio Grande Regional Hospital. He also goes above and beyond to ensure his pa-

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tients are well informed about his practice, robotic surgery, their treatment options, and much more. To do this, Dr. del Pino built a website complete with social media connections, a YouTube channel, and even a body mass index calculator. The website isn’t anything too fancy, but it features the smiling doctor front and center and explains in clear language patients’ options for weight-loss surgery. Other marketing materials, such as flyers and newsletters, round out Dr. del Pino’s patient communications repertoire. “Patient care is the a physician’s primary responsibility,” he explains. “I want to be sure they’re well-informed about their health and health care options.” The success of Dr. del Pino and his hospital’s robotics program is echoed by health care centers across the nation. Robotic surgery has clearly taken its place at the table of modern medicine. Even holdout skeptics are hard-pressed to ignore its benefits at this point, especially the key fact that robotic surgery has given patients a choice. And when one’s health hangs in the balance, hearing that there are options may be the most healing thing of all. Source: XXXXXX 62

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Local Leader in ED Services

24/7 Emergency Care Center In Edinburg

Open Around-The-Clock

- By Joe Lilli

aving to drive more than 10 minutes to get immediate, hospital-quality emergency care will soon become rare for most residents of Edinburg and neighboring cities. This spring, Rio Grande Regional Hospital (RGRH) in McAllen is opening its second off-site emergency department (ED) in the Valley. This latest facility will be located at 2744 University Drive in Edinburg. Rio Grande Regional Hospital is proud to contribute $7 million to the Edinburg economic development and create approximately 30 new jobs when the new state-of-the-art free-standing emergency department opens. The new off-site ED will provide the same high quality and compassionate care RGRH is known for. Patients can expect to receive superior professional care for many illnesses and injuries, including stroke and heart attack, severe lacerations, burns, broken bones, and allergic reactions. Pediatric and senior care will also be available at the free-standing facility. Patients with serious injuries or illnesses – or who require extended treatment or surgery – will be transferred by ambulance to the main hospital.

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A community leader in emergency services, RGRH became the first hospital in the Valley to build a satellite emergency department (ED) to meet the community’s health needs. It earned this distinction in 2012 with the opening of its ED facility serving the McAllen/Mission area. “Adding the Edinburg facility is part of our commitment to continue meeting the health needs of a growing Valley community, and to provide all residents with superior medical care close to home,” says Brett Stock, Administrator, Freestanding Emergency Department. “Valley residents have trusted us to meet their medical needs for over 32 years. We want that trust and reassurance to continue. So we’re making it more convenient for them to receive immediate treatment when they need it most,” he adds. The new emergency facility will be open 24/7, 365 days a year. It comes equipped with fully accredited lab services providing blood chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, microbiology, and other tests. There also will be a full diagnostic radiology department offering digital x-ray, CAT scan, and ultrasound services. The facility will be staffed by board-certified physicians, registered nurses, and certified ancillary and support services personnel. Emergency trained and licensed nurses will be on duty every day to ensure your loved ones receive the best care possible. Upon discharge from any of our RGRH’s facilities, patients will be able to access the hospital’s Patient Portal, enabling them to instantly and safely access their personal health information.

Short Wait Times “We know people value their time, so one of the benefits we anticipate providing all our patients will be short wait times,” says Bertha Guerra, Director, Emergency Department-RGRH. “Since we’ve opened the McAllen/Mission emergency facility, the average wait time is only six minutes from when patients walk in the door to when they see a qualified medical provider. We greet patients upon arrival and immediately start their medical screening process.

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To enable Valley residents to see how little wait time it takes for them to see a physician, two LED billboards in the community display the current Emergency Department (ED) wait times. RGRH takes great pride in its ability to keep wait times short – providing yet another valuable service to the community. “While our patients will welcome the short wait times,” says Kathy Dassler, Chief Nursing Officer at RGRH, “they will especially appreciate the quality of care we’ll provide them at each off-site ED. Our patients come first in everything we do. As a result of this philosophy, we have shortened our ED wait times and excelled in clinical outcomes.”

sonnel at the main hospital, to include an Advanced Level III Trauma Center. On-call medical specialties include a trauma surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, and pediatric care specialists. Any patient requiring hospitalization or advanced care can be transferred from the off-site ED to Rio Grande Regional Hospital seamlessly. “The emergency and trauma team at the hospital offers incomparable coordination of all specialty services to meet the needs of every patient,” says Richard B. Moore, MD, Medical Director-RGRH ED. “This is made possible due to a dedicated team that’s committed to offering the community the most comprehensive medical care available in our area.”

Off-Site Emergency Care Rising

Front – L-R: Richard B. Moore, MD, Medical Director-RGRH ED, Cris Rivera, Chief Executive Officer-RGRH, Carlos A. Ramirez, MD, Medical

Director-RGRH 24 Hour Care Back – L-R: Kathy Dassler, Chief Nursing

Officer-RGRH, Brett Strock, Administrator, Freestanding EDs, Bertha Guerra, Director, Emergency Department-RGRH

Access To Advanced Level III Trauma Center

There’s yet another benefit for patients going to the satellite facility. If they have a complex injury or acute illness – requiring more advanced, comprehensive care – they will have immediate access to all the resources and per-

The emergence of satellite EDs comes at a time when people are seeking emergency care more so than ever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency department visits are on the rise, and showing no signs of slowing. “That’s what we’re experiencing here in the Valley,” reports Stock. “Since its inception in 2012, our offsite facility serving McAllen/Mission has treated more than 37,000 patients.” To meet the growing patient need for emergency care in Texas, satellite EDs are increasing. And RGRH has taken the lead locally to meet this critical health care need. “In fact,” states Carlos A. Ramirez, MD, Medical Director-RGRH 24 Hour Care, “RGRH is proudly building a new healthcare delivery experience for our community, with new technologies, new products, and above all, excellent care.”

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A UNION OF

PROGRESS BY MARCOS SOLIS

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n existing partnership between Rio Grande Regional Hospital and Methodist Hospital of San Antonio has created a convenient solution for patients in need of bone marrow transplant services. This positive move forward gives people in the community the opportunity to get evaluated and prepped for transplant locally as opposed to having to travel to San Antonio. Rio Grande Regional Hospital (RGRH) has had a partnership with co-HCA affiliate The Texas Transplant Institute, a Department of Methodist Hospital staffed by transplant physicians and nurses, for several years serving solid organ transplant patients in the Rio Grande Valley. Most recently the two organizations have collaborated through a new clinic where local oncologists can partner with the San Antonio based transplant physicians to provide pre and post-transplant services. Matt Wolthoff, Chief Operating Officer at RGRH believes the new clinic will provide access to services previously unavailable to many Valley citizens. “Through our partnership with our HCA sister facility Methodist Hospital, we have been able to make bone marrow transplant possible for citizens of the Rio Grande Valley. Our community now has access to world class transplant physicians here at home, only having to travel for the actual transplant itself, and saving them countless trips to San Antonio for pre and post-transplant services,” he adds. Over 2,260 transplants have been performed since the Adult Blood Cancers and Stem Cell Transplant

Program’s inception in 1993. With over 200 transplants each year, it ranks amongst the most experienced programs in the United States accredited by the Foundation of the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. The Texas Transplant Institute ranks in the top 11% in the nation in volumes for allogeneic transplants as well, which are transplants Texas Transplant utilizing stem cells from another person with immune system mark- Institute ranks in the ers matching the patient. The program’s combined adult and pediatric program has the highest one-year allogeneic stem cell transplant survival rate among in the nation all programs in Texas and consistently ranks amongst the nation’s top transplant centers in patient outcomes. “We will continue to grow our partnership with The Texas Transplant Institute to provide access to cutting edge, life-saving treatments for our patients” says, Cris Rivera, Chief Executive Officer at RGRH. Being part of HCA, the largest healthcare system in the nation, gives us a unique network from which to draw from when specialty services are needed in our community.”

TOP 11%

For more information, please contact The Texas Transplant Institute at Blood and Marrow Stem Cell in San Antonio at (210) 575-3817 or visit their website www.sahealth.com.

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by Annie Sykes | Photos by John Faulk

massive blue-and-white Winnebago pulls up to a community center in the Rio Grande Valley. At first glance, it looks like another Winter Texan’s vacation home on wheels. Looking closer, it becomes clear that this RV is different. Instead of a kitchen and sleeper beds, it has stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors. Instead of a tiki dancer on the dash, there’s the familiar logo of the Valley Care Clinics. This is no ordinary mobile home. It’s the Valley Care Clinics’ newest way to provide healthcare to Valley residents: bringing the doctor’s office to their doorsteps. The “on-the-go” unit is a fully-operational medical station on wheels. It’s staffed with a full-time physician’s assistant, medical assistants, a rotating roster of doctors, and of course, a driver. When patients step inside the newly customized interior, they are directed to one of two examination rooms. There, they receive services identical to what they’d see at a family practice office. “It’s only been a week, and we’ve treated everything from the flu to a foot

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injury to high blood pressure,” says Flor, the unit’s physician’s assistant, during a January interview. The mobile care unit stays overnight in Edinburg but travels as far north as Brooks County and as far east as Cameron County. It usually parks for a whole day or half day in a location convenient to the community being served. Soon, interested patients will be able to follow the mobile unit’s location on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Valley Care Clinics, a multi-specialty healthcare group with offices across the Rio Grande Valley, runs the mobile care unit. “Pockets of our community are suffering from a lack of reliable, quality healthcare,” says Chris Sizemore, the Valley Care Clinics’ Market Manager. “With our on-the-go unit, we can provide primary and speciality healthcare anywhere in the Valley.” Flor, the physician’s assistant who travels daily with the unit, echoes Sizemore’s excitement. “We were in Progreso last week and we learned that the only healthcare clinic

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in that community had been shut down for months. We were able to treat health problems that otherwise might have been ignored for a long time.” Valley Care Clinics have been providing care in the Rio Grande Valley since 2005. For ten years now, they’ve met the needs of a growing population by opening new offices, adding new specialties, and hiring more doctors and healthcare staff. The mobile care unit is a natural next step in this expansion. With a portable doctor’s office, the group can provide regular access to healthcare to Valley residents that lack it. “With the mobile unit, we can serve patients in Roma, Falfurrias, Edcouch, and more. Those patients will no longer have to travel long distances to be sure their health is in order,” says Sizemore. Blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring, preventative healthcare education, psychiatry, audiology, even minor procedures and more - the Valley Care Clinics’ on-the-go unit does it all. Valley area patients are flocking for quality healthcare in convenient locations. “Within eight days of opening we had patients lining up outside the unit,” Sizemore recalls. The Valley Care Clinics team has been thrilled to have the chance to serve more Valley residents than ever before. And they don’t want to stop there - they may be adding more on-the-go units to their fleet. Keep your eyes peeled for more big blueand-white doctors’ offices on wheels.

From Left to Right: David Green - Driver Erica Morena - Practice Administrator Mariscla Salinas - Medical Office Specialist Miguel Ramirez - Medical Assistant

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Depression In Children by Dr. Sauceda The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (2009) recommends that primary care providers screen adolescents for depression annually from 12 through 18 years of age during routine visits. If the provider notes any symptoms of depression, parental concerns about their child’s mood or a family history of mood disorders, or concerns about substance use, younger children should be screened and evaluated. In the United States, it is estimated that up to 3 percent of children and up to 8 percent of adolescents suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States in people over 5 years of age. Estimates of lifetime prevalence are significantly higher at 18-20%. As a parent it is also scary to report that suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth 10-24 years of age.

Symptoms of depression in children include: + Sadness + Irritability + Change in appetite + Change in sleeping patterns

(too much or too little) + Loss of interest in activities + Fatigue + Feeling slowed down or “burned out” + Excessive feelings of guilt + Inability to concentrate

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+ + + + + + + + +

Indecisiveness Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness Recurring thoughts of death and suicide Physical complaints (stomachaches, headaches) Behavioral changes Conflicts with family and friends Decline in school performance Inappropriate sexual activity Use of alcohol or drugs

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As a parent there are things you can look out for to help spot signs of depression. It is important to recognize that anxiety and depression in children do not necessarily manifest the same as in adult. A depressed child may not be sad, but irritable and angry. A child who appears withdrawn or acting out may have some anxiety issues. Kids who are acting out are, most likely, expressing an outward clue to an underlying emotional problem. For instance, if a child is bullying a sibling, he may be getting bullied himself at school. One way to get at issues with older children is to ask if they are feeling happy, mad, sad, or scared. Even adolescents will give you a specific answer to this question, which helps them categorize how they’re feeling. This then opens the door for more discussion. If you suspect depression, it is also important that you assess suicidality. Just ask the question: “Have you thought about hurting yourself ?” Kids are generally inclined to give an honest answer. And the question will not make the child think about suicide; there are years of data showing that asking about suicide doesn’t trigger the act. Family members and friends are advised to seek mental-health evaluation and treatment for a depressed child. Family 1members mayAMconsult with the child’s priRGVision.ai 2/22/2014 11:08:13

mary-care doctor or seek mental-health services. In many instances, your pediatrician may be able to assess and treat the child themselves. Components of treatment may be supportive therapy, such as changes in lifestyle and behavior, psychotherapy, complementary therapies, and may include medication for moderate to severe depression. If symptoms are severe enough to warrant treatment with medication, symptoms tend to improve faster and for longer when medication treatment is combined with psychotherapy. Most practitioners will continue treatment of major depression for six months to a year in order to prevent a reoccurrence of symptoms. Treatment for children with depression can have a significantly positive effect on the child’s functioning with peers, family, and at school. Without treatment, symptoms tend to last much longer and may not improve. In fact, they may get worse. With treatment, the chances of recovery are much more likely.

Dr. David Sauceda, M.D. FAAP Pediatrician at Valley Children’s Clinic 2226 Haine Drive Harlingen, Texas 956-423-1283

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Mental Illness Mental Health Care AND

in the Rio Grande Valley

ccording to most recent statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 9.6 million U.S. adults have a serious mental illness, such as, schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an overwhelming number, but whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even more daunting are the challenges that these individuals encounter. For instance, although there are evidenced-based treatments (treatment that has been efficacious in research), many people with a serious mental illness experience very long delays before they get the help they really need. In fact, only 58.7 percent of U.S. adults with a serious mental illness receive treatment for a mental health condition, according to a 2008 study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. There are many factors that play a role in the scarcity of people wanting to get help. For example, race and ethnicity play a role in who

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gets treated, which reflect in part the lack of access to appropriate services. In addition, the stigma associated to mental illness in minority communities is another barrier to access to services. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), African-American and Latinos use mental health services half as much as whites. Asian-Americans use them even less, just one third as often as whites. These numbers are of great concern. First, in order to combat the stigma of mental illness we need to increase literacy and understand that a mental illness is a medical condition that is more common than cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. With proper treatment, many people affected with mental illness can return to normal and protective lives. Mental Illness can and should be treated. The Rio Grande Valley is considered an underserved community of medical and mental health

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care. However, in the past few years and most recent advances by the local mental health authority along with many community stake holders are playing a critical role in the availability, quality, and improvement of access to mental health services in South Texas. Locally, several organizations are playing an important role in this mission to improve mental health care and access to emergency psychiatric services. The Mental Health Coalition of the Rio Grande Valley, NAMI-RGV Chapter, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Behavioral Health Center, and Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, along with newly elected

officials, such as, District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez, Hidalgo County Sherriff Eddie Guerra and others are collaboratively working together to enhance the delivery of mental health services across the community of the Rio Grande Valley. Working together, we can ensure that access to mental health care and treatment is consistent across our community and that psychiatric recovery becomes a reality for individuals who have a serious mental illness. For emergency mental health services the local crisis line to contact is 1-877-289-7199, and National Suicide Prevention hotline is 1-800273-TALK (8255).

Other basic facts about mental Illness + There are two distinct types of mental illnesses: 1. Serious to persistent mental illnesses which are caused by psychological, biological, genetic, or environmental conditions. 2. Situational mental illnesses due to severe stress which may be only temporary + Anyone can have a mental illness, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic level. + Mental Illness can occur at any age. + 20 - 25% of individuals may be affected by mental illness. + 7.5 million children are affected by mental, developmental or behavioral disorders. + Untreated mental illness heightens the risk of suicidality

Alfonso Mercado, Ph.D.,Â Licensed Psychologist Valley Psychological Services Assistant Professor-Department of Psychology At The University of Texas-Pan American 1201 West University Drive Edinburg, Texas 78539 www.utpa.edu/psychology

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LIFE

By Rachel Zanardi | Photos by Clark Terrel

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

ighteen years ago Bobby Calvillo left the corporate banking world to join Affordable Homes of South

Texas, Inc. (AHSTI)—a non-profit organization helping families in the Valley achieve their goal of home ownership.

He had spent 14 years working his way up the corporate ladder to senior vice president, but was ready to offer more service to the community where he was born and raised. Calvillo fondly remembers his first week as AHSTI’s executive director and assisting a 57-year-old, first-time homebuyer who told him to take as long as he wanted to close on his home because he simply wanted a home. Juxtapose that interaction next to his last banking client, whose impatience and strong language over a vacation home not closing within his desired timeline required hours spent diffusing the situation, and Calvillo knew he was in the right place from the start. “Eighteen years ago, and I still think about it all the time,” Calvillo said. When Calvillo began working at AHSTI, the organization was assisting 20 to 25 homebuyers a year. This past year, AHSTI production was 133 homes built and/or rehabilitated which is the second highest volume year in its’ 39 year existence. “What we do is essentially make loans to families,” Calvillo said. “We want to expand our services and make a bigger impact in the community.” It hasn’t been easy to maintain this growth, espe-

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LIFE

“We want to expand our services and make a bigger impact in the community.”

cially in light of cutbacks to assistance programs. Just last year, a $1million grant was cut to $100,000 and non-profit, housing-assistance programs are not typically in the business of generating revenue. So, Calvillo’s business-minded nature went into action. In 2010, he led AHSTI to open a real estate company that serves families who earn more than $40,000 (the HUD-definition of low income). His other ideas have been a bit more radical, such as buying a Blimplie franchise and opening it in AHSTI’s empty real-estate space in Weslaco. “[The board] thought it was unrealistic,” Calvillo said. “It took several months of getting them involved . . . but it passed with a 7-3 vote and one abstention.” As if that wasn’t enough, Calvillo spearheaded the launch of two new LLC’s, Neighborhood Alliance Management (property management) and Framework Homes (home builder). These two LLC’s launched in October

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2014 and serve a niche market. Future plans also include the launch of a mortgage company. All of the LLC’s, including Esperanza on Fifth, the owner of the Blimpie Franchise, were created under TuCasa Investments, Inc. with profits going back to AHSTI. Calvillo recognized that the only way more Valley homebuyers could be served was to have more funding for loans. “We need to continue being impactful and sustainable, and without revenue we can’t be,” Calvillo said. “If we make $20,000 off the Blimpie franchise then that’s a quarter of a house. We have to be creative.” AHSTI may have started a trend as other non-profit housing initiatives have been contacting him on how they can become more entrepreneurial and self-sustainable. “In the end, non-profits have to think outside the box,” Calvillo said. “It’s no longer a matter of sustainability, it’s almost a matter of survivability.”

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CARPE NOCTEM Latin: seize the night. This could be the motto for the monthly electronic music event known as the Squeeze Box, where on Saturday January 3rd, had dream wave and synthpop acts TEEEL (New Jersey) and BLSHS (Houston, TX) performing live. BLSHS, the female fronted trio was all snyths and dreamy vocals, groovy mid tempo beats iced with Michelle Miers captivating vocal delivery, all the while playing her Roland keytar. Headliner TEEEL (sole composer Jim Smith) performed his brand of moody 80’s inspired synhtpop, his heartfelt vocals over layers of melodic synth basses and arpeggiated rhythms had half the house dancing through the whole set and marked a great kick off for 2015. Going on four and a half years The Squeeze Box has been the only mainstay for alternative styles of electronic dance music in the Rio Grande Valley. Still mostly unknown to people outside the indie and electronic music scene due to its niche clientele, it’s been the hangout and hamlet for those

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desiring more eclectic sounds and styles than any heard in the typical club scene. The Squeeze Box’s sole residency has been at Metropolis Night Club, the longest running club in McAllen (formerly known as Klub X), but is organized and promoted independently by their resident DJ’s, known on their eye popping flyers as SkinOvtheNight, Ragnarok, and Electroluv. What marks the Squeeze Box nights as unique is there love of the surreal and the avant-garde, props and visuals (the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky and Fritz Lang for example) heighten the sounds of Witch House, Minimal Wave, Italo, Nu-Disco, EBM, Industrial and electro. March 28 will be a showcase for Texas record label Holodeck Records. Performing will be art-pop chanteuse Marie Davidson (Montreal, Quebec), Troller, (Austin, TX) and Ssleeperhold (Austin, TX). For more info go to The Squeeze Box on facebook.

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LIFE

LIFE AT THE

BIGGEST BEACH PARTY

in Texas

By Annie Sykes | Photos by Johnny Quiroz

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A Inside Look at Spring Break on South Padre Island

t’s hard to imagine that some of the wildest moments on MTV’s Spring Break took place in a town where the average citizen is 53 years old. It’s odd to think that each year, spring breakers from all over the nation flock to a town of less than 3,000 people. The strangest thing of all? Every March, most people in that sleepy town welcome the onslaught of boozy college students looking for some fun in the sun. In South Padre Island, spring break is a fact of life. And though it can cause the local community some headaches, the benefits seem to outweigh the downsides. For one thing, spring break is critical to local businesses. Last year, revenue from hotel, motel, and condo occupancy taxes jumped up 28% from February to March. Local bars and restaurants also make a killing. Samantha Barnett, a former South Padre Island resident, testifies to this. “All the bars and restaurants are packed during spring break month,” she recalls. “It can get a little crowded for the locals, but we all know how good it is for the businesses.”

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LIFE

Spring Break Trivia! How many Whataburgers do SPI Spring Breakers eat? 9,000 on an Average week 28,000 on Texas Spring Break

Chad Hart, president and founder of Inertia Tours, member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and special marketing adviser to the SPI Visitors and Convention Bureau, has been in business on the island for over ten years. He explains more specifically the value of spring break: “March pays the bills. Businesses that do well during spring break use that revenue to pay their expenses, which leaves the summer months for making profit.” Hart’s company, Inertia Tours, is a city-sponsored travel group that brings masses of college students to the island each spring. “We usually have at least 7,000 kids coming down over the month. That’s 7,000 seats at restaurants, bars, jet-ski rentals, you name it.” Another benefit of spring break? Lifelong South Padre Island visitors. “In my experience,” says Hart, “people like to vacation in the same spots year after year. Spring break introduces thousands of new people to our beautiful beaches and friendly locals.

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That’s thousands of people who may come back to South Padre in the future, spending summers on the beach with their spouses and children.” Of course, the flip side of the economic boost is spring break’s famed non-stop partying, which can be expensive to deal with. The city spends a pretty penny preparing for the March rush, bringing in law enforcement support, making extra ambulances available, reinforcing city clean-up crews, and more. During the month itself, the visitors’ inebriated shenanigans can be tiresome. But South Padre Islanders have learned a couple of tricks to deal with the crowds. Some take the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach and are rewarded for it -

most bars and restaurants let locals skip the lines and cover charges. And those who would just rather not deal with spring break simply leave the island. “People who live on the beach need vacations too!,” says Barnett. “Many locals plan their vacations over spring break.” Like many seasonal tourist attractions - New Orleans during Mardi Gras and Boston during St. Patrick’s Day come to mind - spring break in South Padre Island is a mixed blessing for locals. But whether they love it or leave it, residents agree that spring break is a South Padre Island institution that brings both flavor and financial gain to the community.

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Emergency care when you need it most – Now. When medical emergencies happen fast, you need care that can react just as quickly. That’s the commitment Rio Grande Regional Hospital 24 Hour Emergency Care is bringing to families in our community. • Open 24/7 • Fast, convenient care • Board-certified physicians • On-site imaging and laboratory services • What we treat: stroke and heart attack, chest pain, • allergic reactions, asthma, back pain, broken bones, • ear aches, fever, minor burns, nausea, rashes, • sprains, and more. • A Department of Rio Grande Regional Hospital For information, call 956-661-3110 or visit RioHealth.com.

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