The Valley Times – October 11, 2017

VOL. I, NO. 11

McAllen To Hold Election To Replace Cortez

By Davis Rankin The new year will bring a new city commissioner for McAllen’s District 1. Commissioners voted unanimously at their regular Monday meeting to set Saturday, January 20 as the date for a special election to fill the seat. The northeast McAllen district became vacant when Commissioner Richard Cortez announced in late September that he will run for the Democratic Party nomination for Hidalgo County Judge in 2018.

Cortez’s announcement triggered his resignation although he will occupy the seat until a replacement is selected.

Commissioners set the deadline to file for the seat as Monday, November 20, just days before the Thanksgiving holiday. The winner of the District 1 seat will serve the balance of the unexpired term until May 2021. Early voting starts Wednesday, January 3, and continues through Tuesday January 16.

The election has already drawn protagonists with three men announcing they will run. They are businessman Tim Wilkins, former Hidalgo County Republican Party Chairman Javier Villalobos, an attorney, and Dr. Joseph Caporusso, a podiatrist, who has served on the McAllen school board.

Polling places will be those used in the past: Fireman’s Pump House at 201 N. 1st St., Palm View Community Center at 3401 Jordan Avenue, and Lark Community Center at 2601 Lark Avenue.

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STC KICKS OFF 5TH ANNUAL INNOVATION CONFERENCE OCT. 20

Mission Student Earns National Hispanic Recognition P.4

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OPINION

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THE GOP DESPERATELY NEEDS THE CHARISMA OF CONVICTION

By MICHAEL GERSON WASHINGTON -- Not long ago, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., -- the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee and a man physically incapable of hyperventilation -- questioned Donald Trump’s “stability” and “competence.” Now he has said that chief of staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are the “people that help separate our country from chaos.”

In this case, chaos has a name. Corker has essentially described the commander in chief as a danger in need of management. The doctrine of containment, evidently, must begin at home.

Elected Republicans will eventually be judged, not so much for what they have believed, but for what many have tolerated. They have tolerated Trump’s irritable narcissism and rule by ridicule. They have tolerated nepotism, incompetence and malice on a grand scale. They have tolerated Trump’s unique brand of disaster management -- divisive, self-serving, conspiratorial (in attributing Puerto Rico’s desperate pleas for help to a Democratic plot) and more concerned with discrediting critics than demonstrating competence. And they have tolerated a string of presidential reactions -- including to the Charlottesville protests and murder and to the sincere sideline activism led

by African-American athletes -- that amount to a racially charged pattern.

“I know his heart’s in the right place,” vouches House Speaker Paul Ryan, at the low point (so far) of Republican self-abasement. This indicates a GOP establishment so shaken, so uncertain of its place, that it is willing to swallow broken glass on presidential demand. A Republican establishment surrendering the last remaining redoubts of its integrity. A Republican establishment that justifies all the contempt that Trump heaps upon it.

Giving up on an occasional economic principle, or making a compromise on social policy, is an uncomfortable but unavoidable part of a public life.

Accommodating racial demagoguery is a failure of courage and morality that won’t be forgotten. Many elected Republicans are earning Prufrock’s judgment: In short, they were afraid.

Many, but not all. “If the party can’t be fixed,” said Ohio Gov. John Kasich, “then I’m not going to be able to sup-

port the party, period.” Leaving the party entirely might be the natural instinct of a serious and centered politician.

But it also plays into the Breitbart/ Steve Bannon strategy of ideological conquest. They hope to return the Republican Party to the nativism, protectionism and isolationism of the 1930s.

And if their movement also reflects some of the prevailing racial attitudes of that time, so be it. Wink. Nudge.

This vision may be rancid, but it is clear and powerful -- rooted in the fear of rapid economic and social change and propelled by reliable resentments.

The 1980s ideology of tax-rate cuts -embodied in the current Republican tax bill -- looks pale and weak in comparison. If the GOP struggle comes down to ethno-nationalism vs. supply-side economics, there is little doubt about the outcome. Human beings are wired for tribal loyalties, not for the appreciation of economic principles. Powerful movements, good and bad -- from prairie populism, to the original America First, to civil rights -- have embodied a conception of the nation and its true identify.

What would a compelling alternative to the Bannon appeal look like?

It would be an improvement for mainstream Republicans to even ask the question. Kasich is. So are Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Ben Sasse, R-Neb., at great political risk. Republican reconstruction will involve a new policy agenda, focused particularly on miti-

gating the painful adjustments brought on by globalization and technological change. But Trumpism has succeeded as a political movement in the total absence of serious policy, and it’s unlikely to be defeated by avenging wonks.

At the least, the Republican renovation project will need to show some moral outrage that American politics has been hijacked by blind partisans and those who make a living through inciting division. It will require a healthy nationalism free from nativism; a populism that recognizes the failures of the political class but responds with reform rather than recrimination; the elevation of empiricism and competence as political ideals; an appeal to the healing and bridging role of faith; a touch of Lincoln’s belief in the shared responsibility for failure and the shared calling of forgiveness.

Most of all, this project will require a leader (and, eventually, leaders) who actually believes in something, totally and convincingly. The simple force of contagious principle is often underestimated. Look at interviews with Margaret Thatcher during her political rise.

She radiates confidence. She is certain that her ideas will persuade. This charisma of conviction is the single greatest need of the GOP today. And its most glaring absence.

Michael Gerson’s email address is michaelgerson@washpost.com. (c) 2017, Washington Post Writers Group

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STC Kicks Off 5th Annual Innovation Conference Oct. 20

South Texas College’s 5th Annual Binational Innovation Conference (INNO 2017) will jump start the school’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship and business locally and south of the border with it Innovation Conference.

INNO 2017 is a bi-national collaborative effort between STC and El Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores in Reynosa, Mexico, and takes place on Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the STC Technology Campus located at 3700 W. Military Highway in McAllen.

This year’s keynote address will focus on an economic overview for the Rio Grande Valley presented by Blake Hastings, representative with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Laura Warren, President of Warren Group Architects Inc., will also speak about Urban Development in the Valley.

“The Valley is changing rapidly,” said Mario Reyna, Dean of Business, Technology and Public Safety at South Texas College. “We must see from a 5,000 ft. level what our region will look like to give our entrepreneurs an opportunity to plan their next venture.”

The INNO Conference provides entrepreneurs and the business community with information about the new

Students participated in a workshop at STC’s INNO conference in 2016.

The INNO Conference 2017 takes place Oct. 20 centering on Urban Development in the Valley.

cross-border economic opportunities that could arise so they are enabled to develop new business plans, and adjust existing strategies to potential opportunities.

Developer and businessman Mike Rhodes will also speak about the upcoming Tres Lagos development taking

place in north McAllen.

INNO will also include two distinct panels. Panel One will include representatives from Urban Development planners including those from the city of McAllen, Hidalgo County, RGV Partnership, Hidalgo County RMA and Starr County.

Panel 2 will include representatives from the various Economic Development Corporations (EDCs) in the region including Keith Patridge, President & CEO of McAllen EDC; Augustin Garcia, Executive Director of Edinburg EDC; Victor Perez, Executive Director with Pharr EDC; Alex Meade, Chief Executive Officer with Mission EDC; and Leticia Flores, Community Relations Specialist for the Lower South Texas Region representing Texas Gov. Greg Abbot.

“Our region will have a loop that will redirect traffic from our congested areas which means a lot of new opportunities for our business community,” Reyna said. “New neighborhoods around our metropolitan area will change how be buy our services, so this too needs to be analyzed in order to better understand what impact this will have to our business community, and what steps they will need to take to reposition themselves in the near future.”

For more information, to register, or a full schedule of events please visit www. southtexascollege.edu/info/inno/. For more questions, please call the STC Business Administration Department at (956)872-2764.

Edinburg Implements eBill Service For Water Customers

Edinburg residents can now receive their residential and commercial water bills electronically. The new eBill service became available this week, and residents can now enroll in the online service and go paperless.

Customers will enroll their account by visiting https://paymentus.com/cp/ ebrg or go to www.cityofedinburg.com and click on “Pay Your Utility Bills” under Online Services.

Additionally, if customers register to receive the eBills and register to pay their bills online, they will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win two (2) tickets to the December 24, 2017, Dallas Cowboys game, courtesy of Paymentus the company that provides the new service.

The City’s goal is to save money by reducing the number of paper statements

printed and mailed each month and help the environment by reducing the amount of paper used yearly. The City has more than 26,000 utility accounts with only 2700 taking advantage of the City’s monthly online payments. Edinburg utility bills include water, sewer, and garbage costs.

As a reminder, customers will need a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Debit card or electronic check to make payments online. If the customer is already registered for online payments, then the customer will only need to opt in for the eBill service.

Again, to be eligible to win the Dallas Cowboys tickets customers must enroll in both eBill and recurring online payments before Nov. 30, 2017. Once registered, the customer will automatically be entered to win.

Hidalgo County Clerk’s office shows their support for Breast Cancer Awareness -- Employees from the Hidalgo County Clerk’s Office are bringing awareness to Breast Cancer during the month of October. The employees from County Clerk Arturo Guajardo Jr.’s office are wearing pink every Monday to show love and support for all cancer survivors and honor those taken by this deadly disease. As a way to educate employees, Guajardo asked MarioLizcano, Doctor’s

Hospital at Renaissance Administrator of Corporate Affairs, to give a shortpresentation to the staff. Lizcano spoke about the importance of annual checkups, how to recognize symptoms and the different types of preventativemeasures available. Pictured in the photo are Hidalgo County Clerk Arturo Guajardo Jr. (center) with Mario Lizacano, Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance Administrator of Corporate Affairs (in suit, far right) and County Clerk employees.

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MCISD Students Earn 1000+ Professional Certifications

Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association members Veronica Sepulveda and Frank Guerra donate school supplies to Edinburg CISD students.

Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association Donates School Supplies To Edinburg CISD EDINBURG – The Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association recently donated hundreds of school supplies for students at the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District.

The organization gathered the items by hosting a happy-hour event for the community, encouraging their colleagues to bring crayons, folders, paper, glue and other school supplies.

“We as young attorneys want to give

back to our community,” said Veronica Sepulveda, an attorney and a member of the organization. “We were concerned with the children of our community and we want to make sure that they are taken care of.”

Sepulveda said that the school supply drive is just one of many donation drives the organization hosts throughout the year.

More Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) high school students earned professional certifications this past school year than ever before. The district recorded an almost 20 percent increase from last year.

Students at the three Mission CISD high schools earned 1,076 professional certifications, professional licenses or other certifications during the 2016-2017 school year. The previous year students earned 903 certifications or licenses, an increase of 19.15%.

In addition to the certifications and licenses earned, the class of 2017 earned a total of 12,322 dual enrollment college credit hours during their high school careers. That equates to a savings of over $3.8 million in college tuition for Mission CISD students as they enter the colleges and universities of their choice.

A total of 56 Mission CISD students in the class of 2017 also earned Associate’s Degrees while in high school.

District officials credit a combination of increased student participation in programs offering professional training and an expansion of certificate opportunities. These certificates and licenses mean students can enter the professional workforce upon graduation with licenses and certifications that make them better candidates as they enter the competitive job market.

District officials say they are continuing to develop more opportunities for students to better prepare themselves for either college or the workforce.

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Mission Student Earns National Hispanic Recognition Alyssa M. Garza, a senior at Mission High School, has been recognized by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP). This program provides national recognition of the exceptional academic achievement of Hispanic high school seniors and identifies them postsecondary institutions.

Students enter the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT) as high school juniors and by identifying themselves as Hispanic. The student must achieve the minimum required PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score, and achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher by the end of their junior year.

Each year, the NHRP honors about 5,000 of the highest-scoring students from over 250,000 Hispanic/Latino ju-

Make your reservation with us: 956-585-0832 niors who take the PSAT/NMSQT. The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Their programs includes the SAT, the PSAT/ NMSQT, and the Advanced Placement Program (AP).

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PSJA ISD Celebrates National Manufacturing Day

Hidalgo County Commissioners Court declared October as National Manufacturing Month. Pictured are, from left, South Texas Manufacturers Association Executive Director Mike Willis; PSJA ISD CTE Coordinator Belinda Garza; Pct. 4 Commissioner Joseph Palacios; Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia; Pct. 2 Commissioner Eduardo “Eddie” Cantu; Pct. 1 Commissioner David L. Fuentes; Pharr EDC Director of Business Development and Infrastructure Cynthia Garza-Reyes; and Workforce Solutions CEP Frank Almaraz.

Manufacturing Month Initiates Economic Impact

National Manufacturing Day is held annually on the first Friday in October. Residents are encouraged to support the work of manufacturing companies by purchasing products manufactured in Hidalgo County and in the United States of America.

At last week’s, the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court unanimously proclaimed October as Manufacturing Month in Hidalgo County.

For generations, manufacturing has played a critical role in Texas’ diverse economy.

Texas is the home to approximately 17,600 manufacturing firms, 75 of which are located in Hidalgo County.

To celebrate Manufacturing Month, entities across Hidalgo County are partnering to host various events to showcase

modern manufacturing technology and careers.

“Every year since 2014, this initiative has grown,” said South Texas Manufacturers Association Executive Director Mike Willis. “This year we will have over 14 manufacturing companies who will open their doors to allow Hidalgo County middle school and high school students interested in technology and manufacturing careers to tour their facilities.”

PSJA and STC are both holding day-long events in support of Manufacturing Month, which will include tours of local manufacturing plants.

“Thank you for providing us this opportunity to help recognize the importance of this sector in our region’s economy,” said Willis.

In celebration of National Manufacturing Day, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA) In collaboration with the Pharr Economic Development Corporation, South Texas Manufacturing Association (STMA) and South Texas College (STC) hosted an event highlighting

the life and business of manufacturing in South Texas.

The event was held Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at the PSJA T. Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School.

During the event, PSJA ISD high school students re-

ceived an overview of the STC Dual Enrollment Program and learned more about the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology program.

In addition to hearing from keynote speaker Trung Nguyen, the Plant Manager of Royal Technologies in Mission, students heard from three current PSJA students pursuing Associate Degrees in Manufacturing and PSJA Alumni during a student panel.

During the panel, the PSJA seniors shared valuable advice and answered questions about their experience as they prepared to be the first cohort of high school students in the district to graduate with an Associate Degree in Manufacturing next May.

The National Hispanic Professional Organization – RGV Chapter will host their 2017 “Boots and Baubles Scholarship Gala” on Saturday, October 14.

Taking place at Alyssa’s Acres, 1711 E. Mile 2 Rd in Mission from 6:30pm to 12:00am, this year’s gala will highlight the Continued Education Scholarship recipients through NHPO’s UTRGV endowment fund. The night will be filled with great food, live country music by Drew & the Dancehall Dreamers, and a silent auction to help raise funds for a new scholarship fund that will be available to NHPO-RGV members and their children.

Drew and the Dancehall Dreamers was formed in 2016 here in the Rio Grande Valley.

Featuring their own unique style, the group plays a variety of country, rock and Texas Music.

Members consist of Andrew Maldonado, Andy Chavez, David Rocha, Gilbert Ramirez

and Michael Jackman. They travel throughout the RGV performing to crowds of all ages with an entertaining show of classics and some the latest hits.

The National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO) is a networking, nonprofit membership-based organization that provides a myriad of educational seminars as well as recreational and community events to foster and

promote self-improvement, professional advancement and personal achievement.

NHPO’s mission is to provide its members with professional and business development, career opportunities and leadership training.

For sponsorship or individual tickets, please contact Board Chair, Jessica Pruneda, at nhpo.rgv.chapter@gmail. com or by calling (956) 5888473.

Drew & The Dancehall Dreamers Highlight NHPO-RGV Scholarship Gala

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Edinburg Rotary Recognizes ECISD Special Education Program

Edinburg CISD students and staff pose for a photo during an Edinburg Rotary luncheon meeting. Pictured L-R (front row): ECISD Special Education Supervisor Yvonne Salinas, Vela High School Senior Stephen Salazar, Vela High School Senior Oscar Cardoza, Economedes High School Senior Jasmine Cerda, Economedes High School Senior Bobby Escamilla, Edinburg High School Senior Myra I. Martinez, Edinburg North High School Senior Adamaris Aguilar, Edinburg North High School Senior Jose Angel Lopez, Edinburg High School Senior Joel Hernandez, and ECISD Special Education Director Alida Suarez; (back row): Edinburg North High School Special Olympics Coach Jose Cavazos, Edinburg High School Special Olympics Coach Ruben Estrada, Vela High School Special Olympics Assistant Coach Yolanda Gonzalez, and Economedes High School Special Olympics Coach Oscar “OJ” Reyna.

The Edinburg Rotary recently recognized the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District’s Special Education Program during its luncheon meeting at the Echo Hotel in Edinburg.

The event honored the top eight Special Olympians from each of the district’s four high schools.

“This is the second year our students get highlighted,” ECISD Special Education Director Alida Suarez said. “This event not only highlights our Special Olympics, but our program for students with disabilities.”

The students’ recognition is part of the Edinburg Rotary’s Student of the Month Program, which highlights two senior students from each high school. The students’ parents are also invited to attend the presentation.

Suarez said that she was very appreciative of the Rotarians for hosting the event and allowing

the community to learn more about the Special Education Program.

“Besides our students being in Special Olympics, we have students that are out on the job sites. They are job shadowing and they are getting job skills,” Suarez said.

The Edinburg Rotary acknowledged the following students: •Edinburg High School Senior Joel Hernandez •Edinburg High School Senior Myra I. Martinez •Edinburg North High School Senior Adamaris Aguilar •Edinburg North High School Senior Jose Angel Lopez •Economedes High School Senior Jasmine Cerda •Economedes High School Senior Bobby Escamilla •Vela High School Senior Oscar Cardoza •Vela High School Senior Stephen Salazar

‘Operation WE Care’ Seeking Donations For Care Package To Send to Deployed Troops

The Game Changers McTX is seeking monetary donations and personal hygiene items from October 1 through November 30, in support of “Operation WE Care”. “Operation WE Care” is a Game Changers event that will collect and ship much needed care packages to our troops during the Christmas season.

“As a fellow Iraq veteran myself, and many of our members, we know the importance these packages have on the mental state of our deployed troops”, said Alex Almanza, Game Changers McTX President. “We know these packages will bring joy, happiness and pride to our troops during the upcoming holiday season”.

The group is reaching out to the community for assistance in sharing the shipping cost of each package and for items to include in each care package.

The cost of shipping per care package is $13.60, via USPS.

No international rates will be assessed by USPS for packages directed to our troops. Each package will be mailed out the first week of December so that our troops can receive them by Christmas Day. The number of funds raised will determine the number of packages sent out. Any leftover items will be saved and used in future “Operation WE Care” operations.

Last year, the event raised 32 care packages for units deployed to Syria.

The event will include a “Community Drop Off” event on Veterans Day, November 11, at the McAllen Food Park located on the intersection of Old Business 83 and 10 N. Broadway. The “Community Drop Off” event will be conducted from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Permanent drop off sites are available at Green Beret, Fit Science, and V.A.I.L. in McAllen; Tobacco Prevention & Control in Pharr; Weslaco Na-

tional Guard Armory in Weslaco; and at FRUIA car dealership in Brownsville.

Some essential items that can be donated to help make these care packages are baby wipes, greeting cards (all occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, holidays), envelopes, composition books, pens, travel size shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, personal hygiene items for women, soap, small bibles, and pocket notebooks. The group also wants to include letters from children and adults with each care package.

The Game Changers McTX is a local, non-profit Christian Veteran Organization. The group members volunteer time at the Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans home and place flags on every Veteran tomb located in the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, TX throughout the year. They also provide “Peer to

Game Changers MCTX deliver packages to the post office for troops during the 2016 holidays.

Peer” group support meetings for fellow Veterans, Veteran’s dependents, and Veteran caregivers who are dealing with addiction, depression, anxiety, anger, and any other mental disorder associated with PTSD. If you, or your organization,

would like to write a letter, make a donation or need more information about the Game Changers McTX or “Operation We Care”, contact Amencio “Alex” Almanza at (956) 563-0877, or by email at gamechangersmctx@gmail.com.

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STC’s ‘A Night with the Stars’ Scholarship Gala Tomorrow STC celebrates 20 years of academic excellence with Valley Scholars South Texas College will host its 12th Annual “A Night with the Stars” scholarship fundraiser tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 12. The theme “Celebrating 20 Years of Academic Excellence” will recognize the Pioneers of the Valley Scholars Program who have exemplified a tireless commitment to Valley Scholars students.

In partnership with sponsors who have been consistently dedicated over the years to the advancement of education among our youth, South Texas College has enabled hundreds of students to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams.

The annual fundraising event will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Corinthian Banquet & Special Event Center located at 1516 E. Expressway 83 in Mission. The star-studded evening celebrates supporters of education and successful alumni from the Valley Scholars Program.

Veterans Memorial High School AP Scholars are pictured, from right to left are: Alyssa Ramirez, Nyla Vela, Maia Mendoza, Amelia Medina Blanco, Bethany Duke, Daniella Pena, Luz Martinez, Stephan Jabs, Jose Chavez.

17 VMHS Students Earn AP Scholar Awards Seventeen students at Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) at Mission CISD earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP (Advanced Placement) exams.

Isaac A. Martinez and Kellen R. Shults, from the class of 2017, qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award. This is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of the exams.

Fourteen students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with grades of 3 or higher. The currently enrolled student honorees are: Amelia B. Medina Blanco, senior; Jose D. Chavez, senior; Bethany A. Duke, senior; Stephan R. Jabs, junior; Luz M. Martinez, senior; Maia O. Mendoza, senior; Daniella Pena, senior; Alyssa J. Ramirez, senior; Nyla D. Vela, senior. Honorees from the class of 2017 are: Christyn A.

Cavazos, Nicholas R. Dooley, Kimberly A. Garza, Gabriel Lozoya, Mirna I. Rodriguez, Andres Vasquez.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous, college-level courses while still in high school. At the end of the course, students can earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP exams. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement, based on students’ performance on AP exams.

Tickets are on sale now at $50 per person. Net proceeds from the event benefit Valley Scholars Program scholarships.

“We are very proud of the Valley Scholars Program and are thankful for the support we receive from the community,” said Jessica S. Garcia, Coordinator of the Valley Scholars Program at STC. “Through the help of our sponsors, we are able to provide up to $1,000 annually to high performing students from Hidalgo and Starr counties. We are looking forward to celebrating their generosity at A Night with the Stars as we celebrate 20 Years of Academic Excellence.”

Since its inception in 1997, the Valley Scholars Program has provided educational opportunities, leadership development, and scholarships to more than 830 students. The Program accepted the 21st Class of Valley Scholars this Fall 2017.

To learn more about A Night With the Stars or purchase tickets, please visit nightwithstars.southtexascollege.edu or contact Jessica S. Garcia at (956)8721952 or email at jsando40@southtexascollege.edu.

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Six Doctors Enter UTRGV School of Medicine Inaugural Psychiatry Residency Program Dr. Gabriel De Erausquin (back row, at left), professor and founding chair of the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosciences, is shown here with the first cohort of UTRGV psychiatry residents: (front row, seated) Dr. Andry Shalomov, 35, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Sint Maarten; (standing, middle row, from left) Dr. Lessley Chiriboa, 28, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Dr. Karel de Leon, 34, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Facultad de Medicina; Dr. Scott Wallace, 28, University of Arizona – Tucson College of Medicine; (back row, center) Dr. Camille Merhi, 25, University of Balamand, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Lebanon; and Dr. Karachí Igwe, 29, St. George’s School of Medicine, Grenada. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)

By Gail Fagan, UTRGV The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine this summer welcomed the inaugural cohort of residents in its medical residency program in psychiatry.

The six medical residents are: •Scott Wallace, M.D., 28, University of Arizona-Tucson College of Medicine.

•Karachí Igwe, M.D., 29, St. George’s School of Medicine, Grenada.

•Camille Merhi, M.D., 25, University of Balamand Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Lebanon.

•Andry Shalomov, M.D., 35, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Sint Maarten.

•Lessley Chiriboa, M.D., 28, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, •Karel de Leon, M.D., 34, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico Facultad de Medicina.

“We made a decision to recruit the best class we could with residents who seemed to have an interest and the skills that matched what we think is important,” said Dr. Arden Dingle, UTRGV School of Medicine clinical professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, and program director of the UTRGV psychiatry residency.

The residents entering the four-year program will gain experience in a variety of disciplines within psychiatry and treat patients of all ages across the Rio Grande Valley.

“It is a community-based, public, psychiatry-focused program,” Dingle said. “The residents will see a range of types of patients and be focused on understanding the needs of the Valley, particularly those of the underserved.”

The supply of psychiatrists in relation to the population in Texas is below the national average, and the Valley’s supply is below the state average, Dingle said.

“The Valley has 1.3 million people and, not counting the three psychiatrists who work for UTRGV School of Medicine, it has 37 psychiatrists, with half of them working at institutions,” Dingle said.

This year, the new residents, who are based at the UTRGV Clinical Education Building in Harlingen, will provide in- and out-patient services at the Rio Grande State Center, a state psychiatric hospital in Harlingen, and at Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, community mental health centers located in Edinburg, Harlingen and Brownsville.

In the future, Dingle said, psychiatry residents also will work at the Veteran Affairs healthcare locations in Edinburg and McAllen, and at the Valley Baptist Medical Center, a general medicine hospital in Harlingen.

The inter-professional program is designed to have residents work with other providers at all sites, including nurses, social workers, psychologists and physician assistants, and to have the residents treat the same group of patients in an outpatient setting throughout their residency.

Chiriboa, a New Jersey native whose parents are from Ecuador, said that as a psychiatrist, she hopes to reduce the stigma and cultural barriers associated with perceptions about mental illness.

“I thought getting involved and coming in with my own culture and

heritage, I could bring another perspective,” she said.

She was attracted to the UTRGV School of Medicine’s psychiatry residency because it was new and provided a great opportunity for residents to help shape the program.

“They are going to be looking for our feedback, since there will be many things we are experiencing as the first class,” Chiriboa said.

Merhi, a native of Lebanon, said he saw a lot of people with anxiety and stress-related mental disorders in his country, due to successive wars there and its status as a developing country.

“I ask ‘why’ all the time. I like to understand people and what’s behind their behavior and thoughts,” he said.

He is intrigued by the UTRGV School of Medicine’s program because he saw at an early stage in his residency here that he could help an underserved community.

“I am really excited to see how things will play out, especially since this is the first generation of psychiatry residents here,” Mehri said. “I’m really excited about the teamwork and the cooperation that will help establish this program and help people here.”

I’m really excited about the teamwork and the cooperation that will help establish this program and help people here.

Dr. Gabriel De Erausquin, professor and founding chair of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosciences, whom Merhi was able to shadow briefly while both were in Florida, said he is looking forward to the feedback from the inaugural class.

“That’s part of the responsibilities of being part of a charter class; they will help shape the things to come,” he said.

De Erausquin said his department is unique.

“Our department is one of the few in the country that combines neurology and psychology, and we have a fairly ambitious plan for the Valley in terms of training programs for physicians, psychologists and other specialties,” he said. “Besides our initial training of psychiatrists, we are submitting applications for training programs in child psychiatry, neurology and clinical psychology to be supported by grants that will allow us to start and sustain those programs.”

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

WWW.RGVTIMES.COM

Harlingen 9th-Grader Worked With UTRGV Medical School Faculty On Genetic Research

By J. Edward Moreno Camryn Hale, 14, a ninth-grader at Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy in Harlingen, used to look at her two cats and wonder about their genetic make-up and how that might affect their behavioral traits.

“I have two cats, Mini and Maxi, and they have very different personalities,” she said. “One likes to vocalize and be with me at all times, and the other is timid and does not like to be held. I wondered what makes one creature behave so socially, while the other is reserved. So I did a lot of research on breeds and their genetic differences, and it made me curious about genetics as a career.”

This summer, she was able to address some of that curiosity. Under the instruction of Dr. Michael Mahaney, a genetic epidemiologist at the UTRGV School of Medicine’s South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, Camryn was able to study the Monodelphis domestica, also known as the Brazilian opossum, which is characterized by its relatively small size.

Unlike other marsupials, the Brazilian female opossums lack a pouch, making them perfect for research on developing fetuses. The research, which compared organ weights among the Brazilian opposums, concluded that about 41 percent of the variation in body weight is caused by genetic factors, and that there is a strong genetic link between liver weight and body weight in species.

Camryn is one of the youngest students to have worked on such research with UTRGV, and Mahaney said one of the institution’s goals is to encourage younger students in the Valley to participate in biomedical research. He also hopes a partnership can develop between STDOI and the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (CISD).

“We thought, if we can give them the opportunity to see what’s being done – at a very young age – that might increase their appreciation for biomedical research and give a sense of what it’s like,” Mahaney said. “They might be more inclined to participate, or at least be more literate on the subject.”

Harlingen Superintendent of Schools Dr. Art Cavazos said he is excited to have his students take advantage of opportunities like this in the future.

“In Camryn, I see the inquisitive nature of all our students, so we must do all we can to help develop their interests,” Cavazos said. “We are continuously exploring further opportunities for our students. Opportunities for high school students at this level of study are unheard of but, now that Camryn has had a chance to work with Dr. Mahaney, we hope to work with UTRGV to open the program to more students.”

Camryn said she now looks at her cats – and her future – with a little more certainty.

“As of now, I am not sure what exactly I would like as a career, but I will continue to investigate the genetics field,” she said.

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