Friday, October 27, 2017
www.ptrgv.com | 25 Cents
Vol. 46 No. 12
‘Back to basics,’ goal of Mission’s Chamber of Commerce Jim Brunson announces sale of the Progress Times
By Joe Hinton
Getting “back to the basics” of helping its members grow their businesses is the goal of the head of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. That’s the message Robert Rosell, the chamber’s president and chief executive officer, delivered to about 200 people attending the organization’s annual banquet Thursday, Oct 19 at Mario’s Banquet and Conference Center in Mission where several city businesses received chamber awards. The Progress Times newspaper also bestowed five citizenship awards at the banquet. (See related report.) “What does that mean?” Rosell asked the crowd, many of whom were decked out in large hats for the ladies and bow ties for the men
in a Kentucky Derby-themed event dubbed, “A Night at the Derby.” “It means we are going to provide the tools and resources to our members so that they may have the best opportunity to run a successful business. We are going to provide a collective array of resources so our members use and understand the value of being a member of Mission Chamber of Commerce.” Outgoing board of directors president, Dan Martin, noted some of the measures to which Rosell alluded include smaller educational and informational events for members. And incoming Chamber Board President Trung Nguyen, said the chamber plans to work with Mission’s leadership and Economic Development
See BASICS Pg. 7
Guadalupe “Lupita” Ramirez
Mission Publishing Company President Jim Brunson has announced the sale of the Progress Times newspaper. Denise M. Rendon, Progress Times director of sales and marketing and owner of Savy Publishing LLC, has purchased the Progress Times and has already assumed the role as the newspaper’s
Roberto Ruiz
Robert Rosell and Veronica Ghavidel
The man heading the agency tasked with attracting business and industry to Mission has received a special award for his contributions to the city over the past several years. Alex Meade, chief executive officer of the Mission Economic Development Corporation, received the special “Innovation Award,” from the Progress Times’ former publisher, Jim Brunson, as part of the paper’s annual citizenship awards. The award, and four others, were presented during the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet Oct. 19 at Mario’s Banquet and Conference Center. Meade’s recognition was the culmination of the paper’s recognition the city’s Man and Woman of the Year
and the awarding of the Mr. Mission and First Lady of Mission titles. The man and woman of the year awards go to persons for outstanding community service for two or more years and the Mr. and First Lady titles go to persons who have provided outstanding service to the community for at least 11 years.
See CITIZEN Pg. 13
Jim Brunson, former Progress Dolores Cantú, First Lady of Times Publisher and Alex Meade Mission
Bob Dyer, Man of the Year
Overview: last of seven state constitutional amendments Second of two part series By Joe Hinton Last week the Progress Times gave an over view of the first three of seven state constitutional amendments that will appear on the Nov. 7 election ballot. This week
the paper looks at the last four proposed amendments. The overview is based on information obtained from The League of Women Voters of Texas, Ballotpedia and published reports. When not otherwise at-
New Progress Times publisher, Dee Rendon confers with graphic designer Marko O. Gonzalez Thursday afternoon.
NBC prepares for 22nd annual Texas Butterfly Festival By Jose De Leon III
April Chapa, Woman of the Year
Mr. Mission Ruben Moreno
tributed, the majority of the arguments presented for and against a proposition were authored by the Texas House Research Organization and published by the League of Woman Voters and Ballotpedia. The HRO is a nonparti-
See PROGRESS TIMES Pg. 7
Debra Franco
Mission’s EDC CEO recipient of special recognition at this year’s citizen’s awards banquet By Joe Hinton
new publisher. Rendon began working for the Progress Times as an advertising account representative in 2012 and was named director of sales and marketing in 2016. Brunson said, “I am pleased to have Dee Rendon taking over as the newspaper’s new publisher, as I am
san, independent department of the Texas House of Representatives comprised of 15 House members elected by the House membership. It provides impartial information on legislation and issues
The National Butterfly Center received national attention this past summer not because of new butterflies in the area, but due to the federal government trespassing on the center’s private property to clear land for the border wall. The discovery, made by the center’s Executive Director Mariana Treviño-Wright, was covered by major news outlets such as The Texas Observer, NBC News and the BBC. The center ultimately became a flashpoint in the debate regarding President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, which several outlets have reported would tear through the butterfly center and other nature and wildlife refuges across the border. Despite the attention, Treviño-Wright is looking forward to the center’s 22nd annual Texas Butterfly Festival,
a four-day celebration held at the peak of the butterfly migration season. “The people who come down here for the festival are predominantly out of towners who come down here at the peak of butterfly migration season to experience what happens here during that time,” Treviño-Wright said. “Last year we had visitors from 25 states and five different countries.” The festival, which is set to run from Saturday, Nov. 4 through Tuesday, Nov. 7, celebrates the more than 1,200 species of plants, 500 species of birds and more than 300 species of butterflies in the area. For this year’s festival, Treviño-Wright said the center will be adding a new activity for attendees, while keeping many of the familiar activities the public has come to enjoy. New this year is the Monarch 5K Trail Run & 1Mile
See BUTTERFLY Pg. 16
See CONSTITUTIONAL Pg. 6
Mission High School’s last home football game will be away By Joe Hinton On Wednesday Mission CISD officials decided to move Mission High School’s last home game of the season to Hidalgo after state inspectors failed to approve the el-
evator at Tom Landry Hall of Fame Stadium. “There are still a lot of different issues aside from the elevator,” said Leticia “Letty” Ibarra, MCISD athletic director, following a meeting of district officials
Wednesday morning. Ibarra said state inspectors were going to reinspect the elevator on Thursday after the builder had an opportunity to address the issue but that the decision had already been made Wednesday
to hold the game between the Mission High School Eagles and the Palmview High School Lobos at Hidalgo High School’s stadium. Neither Rick Rivera, MCISD’s assistant superin-
See TOM LANDRY Pg. 15
A group of nature enthusiasts explore the National Butterfly Center during the 2016 Texas Butterfly Festival. Courtesy photo
INSIDE Winning ways With six straight wins under their belts the Sharyland High School Rattlers football team faces another top district winner tonight, the Laredo Nixon High School Mustangs. Bryan Ramos has the story.
Little princess
Palmview seeks to recoup loss
With great pageantry the Texas Citrus Fiesta last Saturday selected from among 15 entrants its Princess Anna 68th for the upcoming 81st Texas Citrus Fiesta season. Find out who it is inside.
Long after paying a CPA over $15,000 the city of Palmview has not received the fixed assets report and is threatening legal action to get restitution. Jose De Leon III has the story.
See Pg. 5
INDEX
Entertainment | pg.2
Lifestyle | pg.3
See Pg. 5
Opinion | pg.4
Sports | pg. 8
Obituaries | pg. 15
FOOTBALL $50 WEEKLY PRIZE
& $200 BOOSTER CLUB GRAND PRIZE
Classifieds | pg. 17 See Page Inside
CONTEST