81st
Texas Citrus Fiesta Mission, Texas
Come enjoy the festivities tomorrow! Friday, January 26, 2018
Queen Citrianna LXXXI
Sarah Elizabeth Forthuber
www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents
Vol. 46 No. 24
Leo Peña Park to be renovated
By Kathy Olivarez When renovations are complete, Leo Peña “La Placita” Park in downtown Mission will be fully ADA accessible and the design will match the recent Streetscape Project done a couple of years ago to brighten up the downtown Mission area. That’s according to Mission City Manager Martin Garza when asked about the renovations project, which was approved during Monday Mission City Council meeting. The project, which was awarded to Williamson Construction, will take approximately four months at a cost of $1.4 million. “Through the years, the concrete seating has deteriorated and the facility does not meet ADA standards,” added Garza. “There is also need for improved lighting.” Garza said the amphitheater would be changed so that the stage is on the west side of the park instead of in the center. The new design would allow for more seating in the amphitheater which is sometimes filled to capacity.
Garza also said there would be grassy areas where people could bring their lawn chairs
81st Texas Citrus Fiesta “Hawaiian Pirate Adventure”
and sit if they did not want to go down into the amphitheater.
Access to the theater will be via stairs or by ADA approved rampa so persons
with limited mobility will be able to get up and down without difficulty.
It runs in the family Two generations of citrus royalty discuss legacy By Jose De Leon III
Fiesta Fun Fair
Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free Gate Admission at Market Square next to Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. Food Vendors - Arts & Craft Kiddie Rides – Entertainment
Parade of Oranges
Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m. Judging, at 1 p.m. North to South on Conway, from FM 495 to Fourth Street Line up starts at 11 a.m • $50 additional charge for entries recived after the 13th of January
Fiesta Fun Run
Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 a.m. Mission Hike and Bike Trail • Call 580-8760
Mission Historical Museum Exhibit Fiesta Display 900 Doherty Ave., Mission • 956 580-8646
Heart of America Carnival
January 18-28 - FM 495 at Conway Ave
For more information Call 956-585-9724
email info@texascitrusfiesta.org or visit www.texascitrusfiesta.org.
Covered seating to protect guests from rain or temperatures on extremely hot days is a new feature residents will also see. Garza said demolition would be done “in-house” by city employees to save on the cost of the project. The total bid for the project was $1,384,803. Federal funds from the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council will amount to $597,409 and the Mission Economic Development Council will fund the final $787,394. “We are hoping the renovations being done downtown will also attract more events to our downtown facilities,” said purchasing agent Edward Belmares. “In the past the park has been used for Winter Texan events, National Night Out, Christmas celebrations, events related to Texas Citrus Fiesta and other special events. We are hoping the new design with ADA compliance, will make the facility appealing to more groups so the park will get even more use.”
When Jennifer Ruiz-Longoria and her mom first discovered she was going to have a girl, both women said the same thing out loud. “We’re gonna have a little Princess Anna,” Ruiz-Longoria recalled. “My mom and I joked about that but then when my daughter started growing up I thought ‘I hope she really does want to participate in it and shows an interest in it.’” For the Mission native, the Texas Citrus Fiesta was a big deal in her household. In 2002, Longoria-Ruiz was selected as Queen Citrianna for the 65th annual Texas Citrus Fiesta. Her younger sister, Jessica Ruiz Shields, would also be crowned queen three years later. Both women had participated in TCF since they were children through being part of the Parade of Oranges, entering the shoebox float competitions and competing in the pageants. And now, this past fall, Jennifer’s six-year-olddaughter, Camilla, is following in the footsteps of her mother and her aunt after being named Princess of Lemon Blossom at the Princess Anna Pageant last October. “I feel very lucky that I am a real live princess just like my mom and aunt,” Camilla, a student at Agape Christian
Camilla Lee Longoria
Princess of Lemon Blossom School said. “I want to be a queen like my mom was.” For Ruiz-Longoria, her love for TCF started when she was part of a dancing group at the age of three and performing with her dance team at the Parade of Oranges. “That’s the first memory I have of the fiesta, participating in it,” she explained. “It’s such an honor to participate
in it because it was such a big event in the community. I was ecstatic to be on a float and wave to everyone and see people cheering. I didn’t understand it, but I knew I was part of something big.” This led to an interest in learning more of the fiesta and its origins, Ruiz-Longoria said. As a Mission resident, her family never failed to visit the Parade of Orang-
es and eventually, Ruiz-Longoria started participating in the shoebox float competition and the pageants, which she recalled left her feeling “hooked” on the competition. However, her proudest moment was when her little sister followed in her footsteps and also became Queen Citrianna, she said. “I remember my sister was my biggest fan,” Shields said. “She would always give me advice and made sure I was comfortable in my role and that I knew everything I needed to know about TCF. I have so much pride in the fiesta and this was the only way I could show it.” CAMILLA Since she was born, Ruiz-Longoria recalled that her daughter showed an interest in pageantry-related things such as walking in heels and wearing big dresses. “I always thought ‘it’d be interesting if she displayed an interest in competing for Princess Anna,’ but I never pushed her to it,” Ruiz-Longoria said. “My husband and I agreed that we wouldn’t push her to this, she would have to come to a decision on her own if she wanted to do it.” Eventually, Camilla made her choice during last year’s
See CAMILLA LONGORIA Pg. 12
INSIDE New head football coach at Pioneer
Updates on La Joya ISD’s water park
The Sharyland ISD school board made its decision Monday when it tapped Pioneer High School Athletic Coordinator Tom Lee to be the new head football coach for Sharyland Pioneer High School. Bryan Ramos has the story.
Reporter Jaime Trevino has updates on the highly anticipated of La Joya ISD’s Sports and Learning Complex which will house a natatorium, a planetarium and a water park.
Palmview will begin to offer EMS services along with its fire service next week
See Pg. 8
See Pg. 9
See Pg. 7
INDEX
Entertainment | pg.2
Lifestyle | pg.3
Palmview to provide EMS Services
Sports | pg. 6
Obituaries | pg. 11
Classifieds | pg. 12