Friday, April 8, 2016
www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents
RV park creates native habitat for butterflies
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By Jeff Crider
ISSION — Development in the Rio Grande Valley and across Texas is great for the economy, but not for the region’s famed Monarch butterflies, which are rapidly losing habitat along with other butterfly species. But Oleander Acres RV Park is doing something about it. During the past six months, Winter Texans and park staff have planted more than 200 milkweeds, creating more than a dozen butterfly gardens across the park that are attracting about 100 different types of butterflies. “Monarchs will feed on the nectar of any nectar producing plant. But they only lay their eggs on milkweed,” said Bill Grant, a Winter Texan and butterfly expert from the Rio Grande Garden Club who helped oversee the planting effort. “The good news is that if you plant the right plants, the butterflies will come.” Both the Rio Grande Valley Garden Club and the Native Plant Society of Texas provided funding support for the habitat project. Seven different types of milkweed were used, including tropical, ballon, twedia, slim, gigantic, zizotes, antelope horn and narrow leaf varieties. Grant said milkweed is favored by migratory Monarchs, which spend the winter in the Michoacan area of Mexico and gradually make their way north to southern Canada during the summer. They make their return trip to Mexico in the fall, arriving in the Rio Grande Valley area around the time of the annual Texas Butterfly Festival, Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
The same milkweeds also provide critical habitat for numerous other species of butterflies, Grant said, as well as the smaller cousins of the Monarchs, which have white dots on their wings and do not migrate. Oleander Acres co-owner Salome Welliver said Winter Texans have been intrigued with the butterfly habitat project, which has also attracted numerous tropical species, including a rare butterfly from Costa Rica called the Erato Heliconian or Red Passion Flower Butterfly, which visited the park a few weeks ago. Welliver said the new butterfly habitat areas at Oleander RV Park should boost the numbers of butterflies that pass through the Rio Grande Valley this fall. “Every year, we see clouds of butterflies come through here,” she said. “So why not give them a spot to eat or rest?” Unlike honeybees, butterflies do not provide a direct
commercial value to agriculture, but Grant said their decline in the Rio Grande Valley and in other parts of the country is taking place as a result of economic development, including the continued growth of corporate farming. “They are kind of like the canary in the coal mine,” Grant said. “They represent a decline in the ecology of the country. The widespread use of corporate farming, the use of neonicotinoids insecides and the use of roundup ready crops have eliminated that habitat for the butterfly.” “This is why the work that Oleander Acres is doing is important,” he said. Welliver, for her part, said visitors are welcome to come to Oleander Acres and see their butterfly gardens, which should help increase the numbers of butterflies in the area in time for the next Texas Butterfly Festival. For more information, visit www.oleanderacres.com.
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Joe Louie Sanchez running for City Council Place 2
oe “Louie” Sanchez Jr. is a new face in this year’s elections for Mission City Council. He has filed for Place 2, running against incumbent Councilman Ruben Plata, who is seeking reelection. A more familiar face among Mission voters is former Mission CISD trustee Oscar Martinez, who is also seeking Plata’s seat on the council. A 2004 graduate of Mission High School, Sanchez is the son of local artist and Vietnam veteran Jose Luis Sanchez and Dora Sanchez and the grandson of Eduardo “Lefty” Sanchez. He currently works for Flores Funeral Home in Mission where he serves as the public relations manager. “I’ve always desired to run for public office,” Sanchez said in his campaign announcement. “I felt that Mission wasn’t growing as fast as other cities. I want to work with the mayor and other council members to improve Mission … [and] to attract more businesses to Mission.” He states he is running as an independent candidate to be a voice for Mission. As part of his campaign platform, he states he believes elected officials here should have term limits. He is also pro law enforcement, wants to strengthen the Police Department and also sees the need to support the Fire Department. He said he firmly believes in transparency, in education, economic growth, tourism, public safety and our senior citizens.
Gutierrez seeks council position
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Guava Skipper butterfly Salume Welliver
Nature photography and butterfly enthusiasts take advantage of the work done by residents of Oleander Acres RV Park in Mission. During the past six months, Winter Texans and park staff have planted more than 200 milkweeds, creating more than a dozen butterfly gardens across the park that are attracting about 100 different types of butterflies.
aime Gutierrez, who ran for mayor in the last city election, is now seeking a seat on the Mission City Council in Place 4. The incumbent for Place 4 is Dr. Armando O’Caña, who is seeking reelection. In his campaign announcement, Gutierrez said, “My commitment to public service has only continued to grow. I know I can bring my experience, energy and my dedication to our citizens to help build upon our great city. After much thought and lots of encouragement, I’ve decided to declare my candidacy for our city council.” He adds, “Challenges have never stopped me. There is a tremendous opportunity, right now, to make a difference in our city. I will listen to your concerns of the community through conversation, town hall meetings, neighborhood meetings and whatever it takes. You will be heard. I take a lot of pride in serving our citizens in a personal way, giving our citizens the opportunity to be heard. My contributions are from the grassroots citizens and I will represent your interests. I will listen and be accountable to you, the City of Mission.” As examples of prior service, he states he has served as a board member of Silver Ribbon Community, Zoning Board of Adjustments, OCN, and is a member of Mission Historical Museum. “From these groups I learned various skills in different areas, collaboration, policy development, being a good listener and I learned an electric approach to problem solving. I will stand up on the city council for my convictions and for the concerns of our citizens,” he said. He said he is running for city council because he cares about Mission and the citizens of Mission. He wants to be a part of the solution in resolving the problems city might be facing. He said he is running on a platform of Service, Integrity, Transparency, Equal Opportunities.
INSIDE
INDEX
Agua SUD elections
Mission city manager gets pay raise
A look at three of the candidates in the running for a place on the utility district’s board of directors
Martin Garza received a hefty pay raise and extension to his employment contract
The local will tell the tale of his family’s journey from Italy to Mission for a series of historical lectures.
See story page 5
See story page 5
See story page 8
Lifestyle | pg. 2
Entertainment | pg. 3
Opinion | pg. 4
Sports | pg. 6
Museum hosts Amancio Chapa
Fun Page | pg. 9
Classifieds | pg. 10