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Vol. 46 No. 35

La Joya pushing for summer completion on new City Hall

By Jose De Leon III After a year and a half since its groundbreaking ceremony, progress is being seen at La Joya’s new city hall.

City Administrator Mike

Alaniz announced this Monday after a city council meeting where council members approved the payment of nearly $330,000 to the McAllen-based construction firm Holchemont Ltd. In total, the city has paid around

$1 million to the firm so far for constructing the new city hall.

“It’s been a long awaited project that our community needs,” Alaniz said. “We’re shooting for an opening at the end of May or first week

The new La Joya City Hall and police station with construction underway.

Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III

of June.”

In October 2016, the city broke ground for a new city hall and police station along U.S. 83 on the lot that a Plains Capital Bank branch stood before closing the year before. The city purchased the lot through a $3.5 million loan they received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

At the groundbreaking, Alaniz said the former bank building will be expanded on the west and east side to accommodate the police department and administrative offices.

Initially, the project was due to be completed last summer, but the start of construction was delayed until last September due to the cost of the project turning out to be about $400,000 more than originally projected. Because of this, the city had to apply for a $500,000 certificate of obligation to

See NEW CITY HALL Pg. 10

Mission Mayoral Candidates Forum to be held Monday Want a chance to talk to Mission Mayoral Candidates Norbeto “Beto” Salinas, Armando O’caña and Jaime Gutierrez?

Monday, April 16, the Progress Times will be hosting a forum for the candidates running for Mayor of the City of Mission. The Q&A Forum will include questions submitted by citizens of the city.

The event will be held in the Community Room at the Speer Memorial Library, located at 801 E. 12th St., Mission,

Norberto “Beto” Salines

Texas. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the forum begins at 6 p.m. and will end at approximately 8 p.m.

The Community Room holds 100 seats for those who wish to attend, so make plans to be there early if you want to grab one. Once doors are closed, we will not be admitting people into the room.

As of press time, candidates O’caña and Gutierrez have both confirmed their attendance.

Armando O’caña

Jaime Gutierrez

Attorney: Palmview may be preparing Police chief, union organizer vying to to fire police chief represent La Joya on Agua SUD board

by Dave Hendricks Palmview police Chief Chris Barrera returned to work Monday, but questions about how long he’ll actually run the department remain.

Interim City Manager Leo Olivares prepared a five-page memo last month detailing “multiple policy violations” and a “laissez-faire management style” at the Palmview Police Department.

“I think it’s pretty obvious,” said attorney Javier Peña, who represents Barrera. “This is what certain employers do: They try to ‘paper files’ before they set someone up to try to terminate them. And that seems like what the city manager has been doing.”

City Attorney Gus Acevedo sent the memo — marked “confidential” — to Barrera and members of the City Council last week. A source provided the memo and other documents to the Progress Times on the condition of anonymity.

Asked about the memo, Olivares said he couldn’t comment on personnel matters.

“I do look forward to, at the appropriate time, discussing what we can,” Olivares said.

The memo documents

nine problems: Poor supervision of asset forfeiture funds The city didn’t properly manage federal asset forfeiture funds, according to the memo. Palmview borrowed against asset forfeiture funds, hired a third-party bookkeeper to handle the accounting and couldn’t find records approving the purchase of a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado.

Barrera actually approached the city manager with concerns about how Palmview managed the money, Peña said, adding that the city manager responded by blaming Barrera for the problems.

The Palmview Crime Control and Prevention District The memo also blames Barrera for various problems with the Palmview Crime Control and Prevention District board, including failure to adopt a budget and improperly depositing funds.

Members of the board also failed to secure bonds after being appointed.

Problems with the Criminal Interdiction Traffic Enforcement program Barrera recommended the city purchase two vehicles at 12 percent interest, which wasn’t a good deal, according to the memo. The police

Border Wall Construction The recent passage of a spending bill, may have an affect on many city attractions in the area. Jose De Leon III have more information, inside.

See Pg. 5

INDEX

Entertainment | pg.2

department also failed to buy insurance for the vehicles.

The City Council terminated the program last week.

Failure to pay communication bills Palmview failed to make annual payments to the Rio Grande Valley Communications Group, which handles the regional radio system.

“Annual payments for 2015, 2016, and 2017 (totaling $37,080) were not timely processed as contractually required, and became delinquent,” according to the memo.

Policy violations The memo accuses Barrera of failing to request permission before starting a private security company.

After he started the company, Barrera hired two city employees — one Palmview Fire Department employee and one Palmview Police Department employee, according to the memo.

Misuse of city resources Barrera promoted his private security company, DefenseCom, with city resources, according to the memo. Barrera disputes the allegation.

Failure to secure police files The memo accuses Barrera of failing to secure re-

See PREPARING TO FIRE Pg. 10

By Dave Hendricks While much maligned by western Hidalgo County leaders, Senate Bill 814 had a silver lining for La Joya: a seat on the Agua Special Utility District board.

Authored by state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, the bill included provisions designed to protect the utility board from political pressure — by banning elected officials from hiring each other.

Over objections from Sullivan City, La Joya, Peñitas, the La Joya Independent School District and the utility district, which called the provisions “unconstitutional limitations” on public employment, the Texas Legislature passed the bill in May. Another provision, though, attracted little attention.

The bill added a seat on the seven-member utility board for La Joya, the only city in western Hidalgo County without a representative.

“Now they’re going to be having a voice there, in the community,” said La Joya police Chief Adolfo Arriaga, who’s running for the La Joya seat.

Arriaga faces J.J. Luna, a union organizer with the La Joya American Federation of Teachers, during the May

election.

The winning candidate will replace utility board Director Ricardo Ochoa and represent more than 300 utility customers in La Joya.

Adolfo Arriaga Team L1berty, the dominant political party in western Hidalgo County, and La Joya Citizens Working Together, the political committee affiliated with Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas, backed Arriaga for the utility board.

“I’ve lived all my life here in La Joya,” Arriaga said. “I think that the community can see that I’ve always been here and been for the community.”

Arriaga started working at McDonald’s at 16 years old and became a manager after graduating from La Joya High School. After six years

J.J. Luna

Age: 61 Occupation: Union representative with the La Joya American Federation of Teachers

at McDonald’s, he decided to switch careers and become a cop.

The La Joya Police Department offered Arriaga a full-time job in October 2013. He quickly won a promotion to sergeant and took over the department in December 2017, when the city fired police Chief Ramon Gonzalez.

If elected, Arriaga said he would bring leadership skills from law enforcement to the utility board.

“I think I can represent and have a voice for the community now,” Arriaga said, adding that he wanted the utility board to address complaints or concerns from La Joya customers. “I can bring them up in the committee and help out, and have a

See AGUA SUD CANDIDATES Pg. 10

Adolfo Arriaga

Age: 28 Occupation: La Joya police chief

INSIDE

Big 7 Softball and Baaseball

Agua SUD Investigation Update

Big 7 softball and baseball teams are vying for spots in the playoffs. Luciano Guerra has a look at the Big 7 teams that are going for a district championship or playoff spot.

Five months after the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office started a review of Agua SUD, Texas Rangers say the case is now a criminal investigation.

THE

BIG7

SCHOOLS Lifestyle | pg.3 Sports | pg. 6

See Pg. 8

See Pg. 6

Obituaries | pg. 9

Classifieds | pg. 11

entertainment

UVAL hosts UTRGV juried exhibit this Saturday

The Upper Valley Art League is hosting the12th Annual UTRGV School of Art Juried Exhibition, beginning with an opening reception on Saturday, April 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E. 12th St. in Mission. It runs through Saturday, May 5, and is free and open to the public.

The exhibition will feature the work of students from the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who belong to the student group Artists Unanimous. Artists Unanimous is a membership-based student organization focused on engaging students in opportunities tailored towards artistic growth and development. With the help of UVAL, the juried exhibition helps to prepare the young artists for their future careers.

At the reception, the public will have the opportunity

UVAL seeks instructors

Camarata Cellista to perform in concert

The McAllen Music club is hosting a free concert by Camarata Cellista this Sunday, April 15, at 3 p.m. at Valley Keyboards store, 900 Harvey in McAllen. The group is under the direction of Benjamin Ponder, principal cellist for the Valley Symphony Orchestra. Camarata Cellista is a performing group comprised of a cello choir with one string bass. The students are young cellists from across the Rio Grande Valley. Admission is free, but donations to the McAllen Music Club’s scholarship fund will be accepted.

The scholarships benefit high school students who will pursue a degree in music.

2018 MISSION / ITOR S B I H X E S! IVITI E T C A KI D

AVE H E M CO FU N! SOM E

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Coming Attractions

to vote on their favorite artwork to receive the “People’s Choice Award.”

The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. For additional information about UVAL membership, classes, events and exhibitions, visit uppervalleyartleague.org or call 956-5832787.

The Upper Valley Art League board officers are seeking for members or nonmembers to teach workshops during the months of May, June and July. They are looking to offer low cost workshops that will appeal to the members. Interested persons should contact Linda Lewis, workshop chair, at lewis1997@hotmail.com or 469-328-8525.

April 13, 2018

April 21, 2018 10am - 2pm

April 13-15 • The UTRGV Department of Theatre’s spring Studio production presents “Theatre People,” an original play by Eric Wiley, set to run April 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on April 15. Performances are held in the Albert L. Jeffers Theatre and the Studio Theatre in the Edinburg Liberal Arts Building South (ELABS) at the corner of University Drive and Sugar Road. For subscription information or tickets, school matinees, groups and special accommodations, contact Elva Galvan, University Productions Box Office, at 956-665-3581, or email her at elva.galvan@utrgv.edu.

April 15 • The McAllen Music Club is hosting a concert by Camarata Cellista under the direction of Benjamin Ponder, principal cellist for the Valley Symphony Orchestra and string instructor at Brown Middle School, McAllen I.S.D. It begins at 3 p.m. at Valley Keyboards Music Store, 900 Harvey in McAllen. Camarata Cellista is a performing group of young cellists from across the Rio Grande Valley, comprised all cellos with one string bass. Admission is free, but donations to the McAllen Music Club’s Scholarship Fund will be accepted.

April 16 • The UTRGV Guitar Ensemble performance, under the direction of Professor Hector Rodriguez, features guest performer Marco Guerra on Latin percussion in “The Traveling Guitars: from Europe to the Caribbean.” The musical journey includes works by Celso Machado, Ignacio Cervantes and Eduardo Martin. It begins at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Complex of the UTRGV Edinburg campus. General admission is $5. For tickets, go to tickets.vendini.com. For questions, call 956665-3881.

(For more Coming Attractions, go to ptrgv.com)

Tragic Corrido of Romeo & Lupe’ to play at PTC

LIVE M US IC !

FR E E EVE NT !

City Hall Courtyard - 1201 E. 8th St. • Mission, TX

In Celebration of

PHARR – Seres Jaime Magaña’s “The Tragic Corrido of Romeo and Lupe,” an adaptation of Shakespear’s Romeo & Juliet, plays April 19 through 29 at the Pharr Community Theater, 213 W Newcombe, Pharr. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

In this adaptation, a youthful John Campbell came to the RGV, from Ohio, lured by the fertile soil he had heard about. He falls in love with, Elena Martinez, a landowner’s daughter. After the elder Martinez died Elena became “Mrs. Campbell” and the new proprietor of her father’s land. They established a prosperous farming industry, The Campbell Irrigation Company, and had a son who they named Romeo. Their vast lands, full of prized crops, consisted of citrus, sugar cane, onions, carrots and cabbage.

On the other side of the tracks lived the Roman Diaz Family and their beautiful daughter Lupe and lots of

cousins and neighbors who worked hard on the Campbell land. Lupita’s cousin, Placido, a worker and human rights activist, organized a protest against the land owner for better wages and working conditions for the workers. During the turmoil, Lupita and Romeo cross fate and become a pair of starcrossed lovers.

Sara Lopez plays the role of Lupita. In the role of Romeo is Edgar Rodriguez Tiburcio. The play is bilingual, and consists of a cast of nearly 20 local actors and eight crew members with a special appearance

by Tejano/Conjunto singer Veronique Medrano from Brownsville who plays “The Corrido Singer,” and Julian Arizola, from McAllen, on guitar and as “Balti.”

Tickets are $8 general admission and $6 for students, veterans and seniors. The play is equivalent to a PG-13 movie.

For advance tickets or more information call 956-2390412 or 956-655-9308.

UTRGV hosts goldsmith artist Nanz Aalund

Activities: Tree Planting Event Fire Safety House by Mission Fire Department

Mascots!

Several Mascots From Businesses & Departments

Fingerprint ID

for Kids

by Mission Police Department

Toy Giveaway

(winners by raffle drawing)

• Bikes • Toys

Butterfly Garden Recycling Birdfeeders

Sponsored by: Mission Historical Museum

Entertainment

• Serjio & Roping the Wind • Tony Longoria - Local Singer • Folklorico & Mariachi

Book Raffle!!

Adopt a Pet!

Free books provided by: Speer Memorial Library

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL:

(956) 580-8670

EDINBURG – The UTRGV Jewelry Studio and UTRGV FABLAB will host award-winning goldsmith artist Nanz Aalund for a series of lectures, April 16 to 18, on the Edinburg Campus.

All the events are free and open to the community and will be held in the UTRGV Visual Arts Building, 2412 S. Closner Blvd., in Edinburg.

Aalund will kick off the series by demonstrating techniques in cold connection stone setting, at 2 p.m., Monday, April 16, in EVABL 1.303.

The series continues with One-on-One Artist Critiques for Students, 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, in EVABL 1.303.

On Wednesday, April 18, the final day of the lecture

series, Aalund will share her secrets to being a successful artist, 2 p.m. in EVABL 1.225. The session will be followed by an open house at 6 p.m. in the Jewelry Studio and UTRGV FABLAB, EVABL 1.303.

Nanz will close the event at 7:30 p.m. with a lecture on apprenticeships, based on her book, “A Jeweler’s Guide to Apprenticeships,” in EVABL 1.225.

Aalund holds a master’s in metal and jewelry one in eduction from Western Washington University. She is a Gemological Institute of America graduate diamond grader and served on the board of directors for the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

lifestyle

EVENTS

CALENDAR

Pictured are VMHS cosmetology students as they worked on a service project for Mujeres Unidas/Women Together. The students decorated donation boxes, delivered donations to Mujeres Unidas and provided salon services.

VMHS student project serves givers and receivers

By Craig Verley When Veterans Memorial High School students, Victoria Saenz, Nicole Flores, and Alessandra Razo decided to work on a community service project for competition through SkillsUSA Cosmetology, they chose to do something that was somewhat personal to them. At the time, the trio admits they had no idea what an impact a school project would also have on them.

The students reached out to Mujeres Unidos/Women Together, an area organization that provides shelter and services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

After learning more about the organization, the girls then proceeded with getting permission from Mujeres Unidas officials and their school principal. They developed an action plan that included surveying fellow students about the subject of domestic abuse, organizing a donation drive for items needed by women and families served through Mujeres Unidas, incorporating awareness messages into their requests for donations within the campus and from outside companies.

They worked with their fellow cosmetology students to provide salon services to the women and families at the shelter. In addition, they developed special coupons for the shelter. The shelter could give those coupons to women who might need help with a haircut, or other salon services to better prepare the women and help them feel more confident going into

Master Naturalists offer May workshops SAN BENITO – During the month of May, the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist will offer a series of workshops on Wednesday nights open to its members and the general public. Classes will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cameron County Extension Offices, 1390 West Expressway 83 in San Benito.

Classes are $25 each or $100 for the entire series.

All class supplies are provided and included in the class fee. All five classes are designed for adults 18 and over.

An introduction to basket weaving will be the first and second class in the series on May 2 and 9 with instruction

by Jolaine Lanehart.

Photographer Greg Storms will lead the May 16 class to help novices to become familiar with their camera all the way up to experienced photographers who need to polish their game.

The fourth class is designed for budding nature artists who want to create a nature journal. It will be led

by Linda McGonigle The final class on May 30 will be taught by Heidi Linnemann to show how to recycle plastic bags into yarn and to make things needed for the summer, such as mats, totes and other accessories.

Additional information is available at rgvctmn.org.

The registration period for the first class ends on April 30. For additional information, contact Alicia Cavazos at info@rgvctmn.org.

job interviews while moving on with the new paths in their lives.

Saenz, Flores, and Razo said the response from their fellow VMHS students was so strong that they were able to donate several large boxes of clothes, toiletries, diapers, backpacks, and more to Mujeres Unidas. They said it felt good to see how many of their fellow students cared about the cause. They have also been able to let other students know that there are places for help if they ever find themselves in a situation that they need to break a cycle of abuse.

The young ladies and the organizations involved in the effort all agreed that what started out as just a school project for SkillsUSA competition has turned into something more. They have learned more about the subject of domestic abuse, touched the lives of families served through Mujeres Unidas, and have learned the power one person can have to help change a life for the better.

Their project is not over.

The three students will be graduating in May but have taken steps to keep support in place for Mujeres Unidas next year. They are working with underclassmen in their cosmetology program to provide services for shelter clients next school year.

Their entry into the SkillsUSA Cosmetology contest in the area of community service projects has scored well in competition. Their efforts have qualified them for state competition that will be held in early April in Corpus Christi.

April 14 – From 1 to 3 p.m., Gladys Porter Zoo, 500 Ringgold in Brownsville, hosts “Tortuga Tales” where kids can learn about the sea turtles that visit the Texas Coast. A zoo tour, arts & crafts, animal encounter and snacks are included. Cost is $15 per child or adult. Pre-registration is required.

For more information or to register, call 956-548-9453 or e-mail educ@gpz.org.

April 19 – At 6 p.m., Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center hosts Victor De Leon in a program about the history of Quinta Mazatlan and the families that built and lived there for 60 years before the City of McAllen purchased the estate and opened it in 2006 to the public. Quinta Mazatlan is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen. Call 956-681-3370 for information.

April 20 – South Texas College’s Business Administration Department will host a conference on the possible changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the STC Cooper Center, 3200 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen. The conference will include roundtable discussions on strategies that can be applied to prepare for changes in NAFTA. There is no admittance fee to attend and lunch will be provided. For more information contact Kevin Peek at 956-872-3502 or kmpeek@southtexascollege.edu.

April 21 – Celebrate Earth Day in the dirt at Quinta Mazatlan. Volunteers can give back to nature in a community service event from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Groups must register in advance. Quinta Mazatlan is at 600 Sunset in McAllen.

Call 956-681-3370 for information.

April 21 – The Edinburg World Birding Center is offering the iNaturalist and eBird platform workshop at 3 p.m.

Learn how to use wildlife observations platforms, eBird and iNaturalist, for spotting, identifying and receiving help from others involved with the platform. For more information, call 956-381-9922 or visit edinburgwbc.org. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. April 21 – Join in the Party for the Planet at Gladys Porter Zoo, 500 Ringgold in Brownsville, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day and to learn more about conservation.

The event spotlights conservation with games and activities for children. For more information or to register, call 956548-9453 or e-mail educ@gpz.org.

April 27-28 – Registration is open for the Mission Lions Club Sixth Annual Mud Volleyball Tournament and the Texas Lions Camp Cook-off to be held in Alton. Mud volleyball runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For players age 15 and over, teams may be co-ed, all male or all female.

Volleyball team registration or sponsorship is $300. Registration forms and additional tournament information are available at progresstimes.net or on the Mission Lions Club Mud Volleyball Facebook page. Sponsorships are needed for teams, and corporate sponsorship packages are available.

For information or registration, contact Adela Ortega at 956458-9066. The cook-off is Friday and Saturday and is IBCA sanctioned. For complete IBCA rules, go to ibcabbq.org.

Entry fee for the three main categories is $175. Entry is $25 for the Jackpot categories. To register a cook-off team, contact Esmer Flores at 956-212-5485 or via email at esmer. bernal26@yahoo.com.

(For more Events, go to ptrgv.com.)

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April 13, 2018

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Palmview plans Community Fest cook-off April 21 PALMVIEW – The City of Palmview Community Fest is sponsoring the Guadalupe “Sonny” Hernandez Third Annual Cook-Off. It will be held on Saturday, April 21, at 400 W. Veterans Blvd. in Palmview. Cook-off team check-in begins at 12 p.m. on Friday, April 20.

Entry fee for the IBCA-sanctioned event is $200 per team for one or all three categories of brisket, pork spare ribs and half chicken. Ten prizes will be given ranging from $75 to $500.

Grand champion is $700 prize and $500 for reserve grand champion.

Jackpot entry fee is $25 with payout at 75 to 25 percent for the fajitas, beans and pan de campo categories.

Besides the cook-off, the event features live music with La Costumbre, a car and semi-truck show, games, tree planting and food.

For more information or to register, call Gilbert Casanova at 956-655-0036 or Gloria Casanova Acevedo at 956-330-6689.

MCISD theatre students heading to state finals

Mission C.I.S.D. students Luana Sanchez, Caryssa Ozuna and Nadia Reyna have been named as state finalists in the 2017-2018 UIL Theatrical Competition.

Sanchez is a senior at Mission High School representing MHS ENCORE Theatre. Her entry is in the Hair and Makeup design category.

She is the first student from MHS to receive the honor.

Ozuna and Reyna are Veterans Memorial High School students. Ozuna advances in Makeup and Hair while Reyna is moving forward in Set Design.

The Theatrical Design Competition is part of the UIL Theatre Competitions which include One-Act Play and Young Filmmakers and Theatrical Design.

Sign-up is open for Dentists Who Care charity golf tourney

WESLACO – Dentists Who Care is getting ready to host their 18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, April 21, at Tierra Santa Golf Club in Weslaco.

The tournament will be a three-person scramble best ball format. Tournament day check-in begins at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. Entrance fees are $150 per player, and include breakfast, green fees, cart fees and lunch.

Guests are welcome and individuals will be paired with other players. Prizes include first through third place, closest to pin, door prizes, drawings and more.

There will be a special green to add an additional element

of fun with putting with a toothbrush.

The tournament is presented by Dentists Who Care and its volunteers. All proceeds support the dental needs of the children in the Rio Grande Valley.

Corporate, individual, and team sponsorships opportunities are available. Donations are welcomed.

To register an individual, a team, or to become a tournament sponsor, enauk jim@ dentistswhocare.us and ask for the official entry forms.

For more information, contact Tony Gomboa at 956454-9728, Dr. Miguel Castillo at 956-584-1554, or Debra Valenzuela or Jim Solis at 956-318-3383.

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April 13, 2018

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By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Decision to send troops to border draws mixed reactions

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on April 4 welcomed the announcement by Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen that the federal government would deploy some 4,000 National Guard personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist in stemming the flow of illegal immigration.

“Today’s action by the Trump Administration reinforces Texas’ longstanding commitment to secure our southern border and uphold the rule of law and I welcome the support,” the governor said. “Going forward, Texas will continue to implement robust border security efforts and this partnership will help ensure we are doing everything we can to stem the flow of illegal immigration.”

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said using the National Guard in a supportive role “is a commonsense way to temporarily assist law enforcement along the border.

It’s critical that the Administration continue to work in close consultation with state and community leaders to ensure the border region can remain safe and prosperous.”

Cornyn noted that the decision to deploy troops is consistent with actions taken

by President Obama in 2010 and President George W. Bush in 2006.

But state Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, reacted differently. “Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to our

border communities is unjustified, irresponsible and dangerous,” Blanco said. “In 2017, apprehensions for illegal border crossing hit a 46year low — a 23.4 percent drop from 2016. Some of our border communities, such as El Paso, are consistently ranked as some of the safest communities in the country.”

State Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, also questioned the deployment.

“The President and other Republicans have manipulated the fears of Americans, many of whom know very little about life in on the border, into a potent political weapon,” Rodriguez said.

“In his latest anti-immigrant action, Mr. Trump proposes to use the U.S. military as actors and the border as a stage to create electoral theatre in hopes of appeasing his political base.”

Miller asks for workers Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on April 4 asked the federal government to allow an increase in temporary workers to help meet the Lone Star State’s need for labor in various agricultural sectors and in the Gulf shrimp industry.

Miller wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta requesting action. “Currently, many agricultural and related entities are making final decisions on this season’s production efforts. Your action

on this matter will determine the economic success of many of these businesses and the jobs they create,” Miller wrote.

“As commissioner of agriculture for the state of Texas, I am encouraging the Trump administration to take immediate action and open the petition process under the H-2B Nonimmigrant Temporary Worker Program. This is critical for our agricultural economy, as well as the small and seasonal businesses that rely on the temporary workers provided through the H-2B program in Texas,” Miller added.

Currently, the H-2B program allows U.S. employers, after meeting certain criteria, to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs.

Pensions face shortfalls The two funds that provide retirement benefits and healthcare to public school teachers and other state employees may need reforms to maintain solvency in the future, according to members attending an April 4 hearing of the Senate State Affairs Committee.

“It’s just a cold, hard fact that we can’t keep doing things the way we’re doing it,” Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said of funding strategies for the Teachers Retirement System and Employees Retirement System. “We can’t keep go-

ing down this path.”

Over the last 20 years, Nelson said, investments have only returned about 7 percent and the gap between anticipated and actual returns is where potential unfunded liabilities arise. The board of the Teachers Retirement System will meet on April 20, expecting to decide whether

to make adjustments based on the how much the fund is earning.

Tax revenue increases Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on April 3 said state sales tax revenue totaled $2.4 billion in March, 7.2 percent more than in March 2017.

Sales tax revenue rose for almost all major economic

sectors, indicating growth in both business and consumer spending, Hegar said.

Receipts from the oil and gas mining, construction and manufacturing sectors, as well as retail trade and restaurants, were up, while receipts from the information sector were slightly down from a year ago, he added.

Show us the money!

Early voting starts in less than two weeks in a $25 million bond issues proposed by McAllen city commissioners and the city has started a campaign to tell voters what the money would be used for.

Commissioners will host town hall meetings and city staffers will provide information on drainage and traffic improvements on the ballot but they are not to campaign for or against anything, says City Manager Roy Rodriguez.

Civic group FUTURO McAllen will host a forum Wednesday, April 11, at the McAllen Public Library auditorium, starting at 6:30. At the FUTURO event, staffers will lay out plans and explain how they arrived at the figures. In addition, in order to put the city projects into context, Hidalgo County Drainage District #1 General Manager Raul Sesin will explain how McAllen drainage efforts tie into the county system, and Andrew Canon will talk about plans for roadways around McAllen. Canon is Director of the Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is a crucial, though little know, transportation planning agency.

Voters will have two propositions to decide. Proposition B would spend $3 million on traffic issues: new traffic controllers, signal detection maintenance and a traffic congestion management study. Rodriguez says the money would go “spe-

cifically to improve mobility through signalization.”

If voters approve the spending, he continued, it would take three to five years before there is visible improvement in traffic flow.

Needing to ‘do something about traffic’ has been a continuing topic brought up at commission meetings. Mayor Jim Darling has said the city needs to start establishing east-west fast-moving streets now that the city has dedicated certain streets as north-south fast-movers.

Rodriguez said they hope, one day, to have a ‘traffic central’ which would allow managers to check lights and make signalization changes remotely rather than having to send someone into the field to trouble shoot and fix problems. This spending would move the city toward that goal, he said.

Proposition A would raise $22 million for 23 projects throughout the city.

The 2015 Citizens Survey undertaken by the city, said the city manager, showed residents’ three top concerns as flow of traffic, stormwater management and maintenance of facilities. The city takes care of maintenance in its yearly budget but traffic and drainage are “big ticket items.”

City staffers drew up a list of drainage projects, their costs and identified revenue sources for each one, he said. They figured out six different money sources, including grants and feder-

al and state money. When they were done, said he, the total amount was almost $50 million and after taking into account all the other money sources, a bond issue is the last revenue source needed to complete the projects.

For many years, Rodriguez explained, the city’s capital improvement projects were paid for with natural gas royalties the city collects. That used to be as much as $7 million a year but it has dwindled to “$100200,000” a year.

The city has set the following Town Hall meetings at which commissioners and staffers will be available to answer questions: Mon. April 16 5:30 pm Palm View Community Center, 3401 Jordan Rd Tues. April 17 5:30 pm McAllen Public Library, 4001 N. 23rd St Wed. April 18 5:30 pm Lark Community Center, 2601 Lark Ave. Tues. April 24 6 pm Lark Community Center, 2601 Lark Ave. Thurs. April 26 5:30 pm Tres Lagos Community Center, 5100 Tres Lagos Blvd.

Early voting runs April 23 to May 1. The city website has more information at these addresses:http://www. mcallen.net/departments/ secretary/city-elections/ bond-election-2018 and https://www.mcallen.net/ docs/default-source/2018Bond/bond-2018.pdf?Status=Temp&sfvrsn=6

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Border wall construction expected to affect many city attractions

By Jose De Leon III When Marianna Treviño-Wright heard of the passage of a house bill that funds construction of a border wall in the Rio Grande Valley, she was not surprised.

“It’s something that we were expecting for a while now,” she said.

On Friday, March 23, the

House and Senate approved a $1.3 trillion spending bill that allocates $1.6 billion to build 33 miles of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley.

As the executive director of Mission’s National Butterfly Center, Treviño-Wright has been an outspoken critic against border wall construction in the Valley. Her center entered the national spotlight

last summer after she caught a group of men trespassing on the center on orders from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to clear land for the border wall, leading her to file a lawsuit against the federal government last December.

The butterfly center, she explained, is home to over 300 species of butterflies

April proclaimed Animal Cruelty Prevention Month in Mission

By Jamie Treviño With the recent addition of the Mission Pawsible Advisory Board, as well as the groundbreaking for the Dog Park at Bannworth, Mission is furthering advocacy for four-legged residents across the city.

At this week’s city council meeting, four proclamations were made for the month of April having to do with various causes in Mission. The first proclamation to be approved by the council was naming April Animal Cruelty Prevention Month.

City Secretary Anna Carrillo presented the proclamation to the city council, and introduced some members of the Mission Pawsible board.

“There are more than 73 million cats and 68 million dogs living in more than 63 million households across the United States,” Carrillo said, as she read the proclamation. “Acts of animal abuse, animal fighting and animal neglect by way of denying basic necessities of care such as fresh food or shelter are considered to be animal cruelty.”

According to the proclamation, many people are unaware that legal action can be taken against acts of animal cruelty. Mission hopes that this proclamation brings more education and awareness about animal cruelty.

Homer Garza, the president of the Mission Pawsible Advisory Board, was one of the board members present at the meeting. He spoke about the importance of the proclamation in Mission.

“In our short time we’ve created an amazing rescue-transport program which has saved almost 600 lives since we joined in November,” Garza said. “We are moving forward, and we

have some great things coming for the four-legged citizens of Mission.”

The week of April 8 through 14 was proclaimed National Library Week, and the Speer Memorial Library celebrated by putting donated books on the chairs of City Hall, free for the public in attendance.

The library hosted several events this week in honor of National Library Week, including a craft day, book discussion, bingo night and a screening of the film Coco.

Today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the library will hold a sidewalk sale, and Saturday April 14 will be the second book festival.

April 8 through 14 is also now Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Presented by Chief of Police Robert Dominguez, the proclamation was made in order to call attention to guaranteeing rights for victims of crime.

“Americans are the victims of more than 20 million crimes each year,” Dominguez said. “A multidisciplinary response involving collaboration among victim service professionals, criminal justice officials, legal professionals, medical and mental health providers and community leaders is essential to reach and serve all victims, especially those who are marginalized, have disabilities or live in remote locations.”

Dominguez said that strengthening these responses and noting the difference in perspectives of victims will add to their resilience, as well as the resilience of victims to come forward. He also gave the proclamation naming April 8 through 14 Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

The police chief thanked the city for the new radio

system recently purchased for dispatchers and 9-1-1 operators.

“Our dispatch center actually just went operational this past week with all the new equipment you allowed us to purchase on this $2.2 million project,” Dominguez said. “So far, obviously, everything is working fine.”

The City of Mission will be hosting a Community Round-Up to celebrate these proclamations made this month on April 21. The event will be held in the rotunda outside City Hall, in honor of Animal Cruelty Prevention Month, Fair Housing Month, National Library Week, Arbor Day, Earth Day, the Trash Bash and Dia de los Niños.

There were a few planning and zoning recommendations, as well as approvals and authorizations that were made during the meeting.

The council approved the request made by the County of Hidalgo Elections Department, which will use the Mission City Hall as a voting location for the Primary Runoff and November General Election for early voting and election day.

A request was made by South Texas College to use the city facility for their early voting and election day for their Board of Trustees Single-Member District #2 election to be held May 5.

STC will share the community room with Agua SUD, which was also previously approved to hold voting at the city hall.

It was also authorized that the next city council meeting, held on April 23, will take place at the Mission Event Center located at 200 N. Shary Rd., due to the fact that this is also the beginning of early voting for the May elections.

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and also houses several endangered animals and plants.

The border wall is expected to go through the center, cutting off two-thirds of the center’s 100 acres, effectively destroying the center.

“Less than five percent of our native habitat remains in Texas for our native wildlife,” Treviño-Wright said last summer. “Birds, butterflies and other animals are looking for natural landmarks as guides when they travel, not unnatural ones that obstruct their movement. Construction will desiccate them.”

Now, however, Treviño-Wright worries about other areas that will be affected by the border wall.

Among these areas include several Mission attractions such as 800-acre long Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, the city’s namesake La Lomita Mission Chapel and local businesses such as the Riverside Club and Chimney RV Park, which are all expected to end up on the other side of the wall.

Other areas in the Valley expected to be affected include the Anzalduas County Park, Pharr Settling Basin, and the Cottam Tract in the city of Granjeno. In total, The 33 miles of wall won’t just fragment the dwindling wildlife habitat on the border — they’ll also create around 6,500 acres of “no man’s land,” cutting off human access to nature and trapping wildlife the next time the Rio Grande flood, according to Scott Nichols with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Sierra Club.

“People need to see what’s at stake here, there will be a lot of habitat destruction due to so many areas being cleared out,” Nichols said.

“Now that there’s money appropriated for this construction, it will get harder to stop it.”The bill passed the House by a vote of 256-167 while it passed in the Senate by a vote of 65-32. Sen. John

Cornyn, R-Texas, voted in favor of the bill while Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, voted against it.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, voted in favor of the bill to prevent a government shutdown, he said Wednesday, adding that he is working with Cornyn on an appropriation bill that would exempt the Butterfly Center and Bentsen State Park from being affected by border wall construction.

“I’d rather see more technology and men and women patrolling the border instead of spending billions to construct a wall,” he said.

The one bright side of the spending bill, Nichols notes, is that it included language which exempted border wall construction on the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, a 2,000 - acre refuge that for months was eyed as the area to start border wall construction sparking several protests.

“Santa Ana is saved and it shows that activism and reaching out to Congress does have an effect, but it’s disappointing that they didn’t get the larger message that we oppose border walls everywhere in the Valley,” Nichols said. “It wasn’t just Santa Ana we wanted to protect, it was La Lomita, the National Butterfly Center and other areas.”

ECONOMIC IMPACT Treviño-Wright notes that several of the areas in the city that will be affected are frequently visited by tourists and Winter Texans. She said she worries many visitors to the city won’t feel welcomed by the border wall construction.

“The loss of two major, well known and popular attractions that help in bringing money to the economy every year, is going to be felt,” she said. “There will be a negative economic and environmental impact that will be felt from the diverse venues we have.”

Mission City Manager Martin Garza agreed with

her.

Business and property owners will probably worry whether or not they should shut down or what they can do to not lose their investment,” he said in reference to the Riverside Club and Chimney Park RV Resort.

Earlier this week, the auction website J.P. King put up a listing for an online auction for Chimney Park that runs through Monday, April 16 at 1 p.m. Even though the owner of Chimney Park declined to comment, Garza said he was aware of the auction and assumed the border wall construction was the deciding factor in the park going on sale.

“We passed a resolution [last August] against the border wall and those sentiments are still there,” Garza said.

“We want to support our local businesses as we can see that eco-tourists and Winter Texans come to the area because of sites like Chimney Park and the National Butterfly Center.”

Instead of a border wall, Garza said the city will push for other solutions that won’t involve infrastructure.

“Even though construction dollars has been set aside, we’ll still work with the Border Patrol to use more technology and personnel to secure those areas that create a big impact in the city of Mission,” Garza said, adding that arrests for illegal border crossings in the area are down, as evidenced by a December 2017 article from NPR that states Border Patrol arrests are at a 46-year low.

“We’ve been able to participate in securing our borders without a wall in place,” Garza said. “We’re reduced the amount of crossings and illegal activity within the river. While the border wall is a federal project, ultimately it’s not one the city is supporting. We’re behind our businesses.”

THE

April 13, 2018

Sports week

BIG7 SCHOOLS

page 6

www.ptrgv.com/sports

Covering Mission, Veterans Memorial, Sharyland, Pioneer, La Joya, Palmview & Juarez-Lincoln Sports

Big 7 teams look to finish strong

By Luciano Guerra With only one week remaining in the local high school softball season and two weeks remaining in the baseball season, it’s do-ordie time for the Big 7 teams with playoff aspirations.

This is especially true for those teams that currently find themselves trailing the top four teams in their respective districts since they have some catching up to do just to get into one of the top four playoff-qualifying spots in each sport’s district.

If the District 30-6A and District 31-5A softball and baseball seasons were to end today, three Big 7 softball teams and four baseball teams would have their playoff berths all locked up. And of those seven teams, one would be district champions.

Let’s take a look at each of these four districts and the Big 7 teams that remain in the hunt for either a district championship or a playoff spot.

District 30-6A Softball The 8-0 La Joya Lady Coyotes are not only the only Big 7 team to have already punched their ticket into the playoffs, but they are sitting pretty atop the 30-6A stand-

ings with only three games remaining on their schedule.

Having outscored their district opponents by an average of just over 10 runs a game thus far this season, the Lady Coyotes are as dominant as any softball team across the Valley. And with two of their remaining three games being against the sixth place Palmview Lady Lobos and the seventh place Juarez-Lincoln Lady Huskies, who they defeated by a combined score of 32-2 in the first round of games, there should be no stopping the Lady Coyotes from adding a district championship trophy to their trophy case very soon.

Currently in fifth place and one-and-a-half games behind the fourth place McAllen High Lady Bulldogs, the 3-6 Mission Lady Eagles not only need to win their remaining games to have any chance of leap frogging the Lady Bulldogs and claiming the fourth and final playoff spot in the district, but they will need a lot of help as well. However, the fact that the Lady Eagles will be going head-to-head against the Lady Bulldogs in the last game of the regular season could mean that Mission will control their own playoff destiny should they

move to within one game of McAllen going into that game.

District 31-5A Softball With the 10-3 Mission Veterans Lady Patriots, the 10-3 Rio Grande City Lady Rattlers and the 9-3 Sharyland Pioneer Lady Diamondbacks all within one-halfgame of each other atop the District 31-5A standings, it is really anybody’s championship to take.

Tonight’s head-to-head matchup between Mission Veterans and Rio Grande will most likely go a long way towards determining which of those two teams will be in the driver’s seat for the championship and which will most likely have to settle for a playoff berth.

The 7-5 Sharyland Lady Rattlers are still in the playoff hunt themselves as they are currently in fifth place, one game behind 9-5 Laredo Cigarroa. With games against Mission Veterans and Rio Grande City still on their schedule however, Sharyland certainly has their work cut out for them if they are going to make up ground on Cigarroa and claim the fourth and final playoff spot in the district for themselves.

District 30-6A Baseball While the 6-2 Mission

Eagles and the 5-3 La Joya Coyotes are within striking distance of the first place McAllen Bulldogs (7-0), chances are that they will each have to settle for one of the district four playoff spots.

But with the 4-4 McAllen Memorial Mustangs and the 3-4 Nikki Rowe Warriors nipping at their heels, the Eagles and the Coyotes are by no means assured of qualifying for postseason play. That is because they both still have work to do and with Rowe, Palmview and McAllen High on the Eagles’ remaining schedule, and McAllen Memorial, Juarez-Lincoln, Rowe and Palmview on the Coyotes’ schedule, there’s no rest for the weary as the 12 game regular season begins to wind down.

As for the 2-6 Palmview Lobos, while they are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, they have two games to make up just to earn a tie with the fourth

place McAllen Memorial Mustangs. As a result, it’s looking as if the Lobos will miss out on the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.

District 31-5A Baseball After enjoying a brief stay atop the District 31-5A standings, back-to-back losses to Valley View (8-2) and Laredo Martin (6-4) dropped the 8-3 Sharyland Rattlers into second place, one half game behind the Tigers and half a game ahead of Rio Grande City (8-4). Even so, the Rattlers are having quite a bounce-back season from their 7-9 2017 season in which they missed out on the playoffs all-together. Still remaining on the Rattlers’ schedule are Pioneer, Laredo Nixon, Mission Veterans and Rio Grande City.

As for the 7-4 Pioneer Diamondbacks, they are currently occupying fourth place in District 31-5A, half a game behind Rio Grande City and

half a game ahead of Laredo Cigarroa (7-5). With Rio Grande City, Sharyland, Valley View, Laredo Martin and Roma still on the Diamondbacks’ schedule, there is still plenty of time for Pioneer to make up some ground on the three teams ahead of them in the standings. But even if they don’t move up at all, maintaining the status quo will be good enough to earn the Diamondbacks a spot in the state playoffs for the first time in school history.

With five games remaining on their schedule, it’s not too late for the 4-7 Mission Veterans Patriots to make a run at the playoffs. However, they will pretty much have to win all five of their remaining games to have any shot of breaking into the top four spots in the district. While stranger things have happened, much stranger things have not.

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Angel Chapa (center left) and Hunter Rodriguez (center right), surrounded by family, after they signed letters of intent for East Texas Baptist University. Both will be attending the university on football scholarships.

Chapa was a three-year starter for Pioneer Football, was Honorable Mention All-State in 2017 and 2018 and was the 31-5A Defensive Player of the Year. Rodriguez is a two-year letterman and an All-District selection as a linebacker. Pioneer High School’s Athletic Coordinator, Thomas Lee, spoke at the event, and praised not only their athleticism, but their academic achievements. “It’s really nice to see both of our inside linebackers now moving on to the next level,” Lee said. “Both these young men have, I’m sure, bigger plans than just football. They have bigger plans to be great members in our community, and great future Diamondbacks that will be able to come back and talk to our kids.”

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Veterans Memorial High School student athlete Giovanni Grimaldo has officially signed with Central Methodist University. The campus hosted an official signing ceremony Monday to celebrate Grimaldo taking his football talents to the next level at CMU, located in Missouri, and participate in the NAIA Division II. Courtesy image.

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page 7

Lady Patriots crowned district champions Mission Veterans Memorial girls track team wins 12th title

The Mission Veterans Memorial Lady Patriots track team earned its 12th district championship in 15 years after scoring 225 points at the 31-5A District Meet on April 7 at Mission Veterans Memorial High School. The Lady Patriots are sending 12 student-athletes to compete at the April 20 Area Meet hosted by Edcouch-Elsa.

By Bryan Ramos For the 12th time since opening its doors 15 years ago, the Mission Veterans Memorial Lady Patriots track team has been crowned district champions.

The Lady Patriots hosted the District 31-5A track meet at VMHS April 4 through 7 and posted a first place finish with 225 team points, 43 more than the second place Sharyland Lady Rattlers.

Mission Veterans girls track head coach Kathy Howell said the district title was a sweet surprise as the Lady Patriots exceeded expectations to send the team’s lone senior, team-captain Nyla Vela, out on top as a district champion.

“It was a sweet surprise; we weren’t expecting some of the things we got out of them and they just stepped up and decided to put things together for our only senior,” Howell said. “We told them we don’t like sending seniors out without a district championship, so they had a responsibility to get that taken care of and they did.”

Vela scored 39 points for her team at the district meet, qualifying for the area meet in all five of her events-4x400 meter relay, 400-meter run, 800-meter run, triple jump and long jump. Vela also brought home a gold medal in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:22.76.

In addition to Vela’s senior leadership, a large part of the Lady Patriots’ success at the district meet came

from their three relay teams, as the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 each earned a place on the medal stand.

The 4x400 relay team, composed of Vela, junior Charlize De La Garza, junior Lizeth Sanchez and sophomore Stephanie Torres, has been dominant all year and continued the trend by taking first place with a time of 4:10.07. The Lady Patriots’ also finished second in the 4x100 relay with a time of 51.94 and third in the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:52.17.

Just as the Lady Patriots dominated the 4x400 relay, the team tore up the individual competition as well, placing three girls in the top four, with each of them qualifying for the area meet. De La Garza finished first with a personal record of 59.95, Vela set a personal record of 59.97 in a second place finish and Sanchez finished fourth while setting a personal record of 1:02.16.

De La Garza delivered an all-around solid performance as the junior qualified for the area meet in seven different events, including the high jump, long jump and triple jump. While the team district championship may have been a surprise to Howell, De La Garza’s performance at the district meet was anything but that.

“She’s been consistent all year for us, especially in the high jump,” Howell said.

“She’s one of those kids that if you ask her to do something she says “yeah, coach I’ll do it.”

The Lady Patriots also had two throwers qualify for the area meet in junior Ashley Navarro in discus and sophomore Charlee Salinas in shot put. Navarro earned gold with a throw of 108 feet and 6 inches.

Underclassmen continued to perform well for the Lady Patriots on the district stage as sophomore Alyssa Villarreal won gold in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal record of 48.09, and freshman Halle Milam earned the bronze medal in the 100-meter dash with a personal record of 13.33.

Howell credited the student-athletes she’s been fortunate enough to coach for the success at Mission Veterans.

“There’s kids here at this school that are willing to step up and do whatever’s necessary, and I’m blessed to be able to work with them.”

With the district meet in the rearview, the Mission Veterans Memorial Lady Patriots track team qualified 12 girls to compete in 13 events at the April 20 Area Meet, where district’s 31-5A and 32-5A will clash for a shot to advance to regionals.

“It’s just a little bit more intensity, a little more focus on what they’re doing because now there’s only 12 of them that need to pull it together in order to win an area championship,” Howell said.

The 31/32-5A Area Meet is scheduled for April 20 and will be hosted by Edcouch-Elsa High School, the district champion of 32-5A.

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page 8

April 13, 2018

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Texas Rangers say Agua SUD case is a ‘criminal investigation’

By Dave Hendricks

Two MHS FBLA students advance to nationals The Mission High School (MHS) Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) sent 15 members to compete at the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Dallas, earlier this month. Advancing as national qualifiers are Kenya Salinas, who placed fourth in word processing, and Juan Reyna, who placed third in computer problem solving. Salinas and Reyna will compete June 26 to July 2at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Md. Waiting in the wings, as alternates were, Ashmin Torres in database design and application and Ruben Cantu in accounting. Pictured are, left to right, Ashmin Torres, Ruben Cantu, Kenya Salinas and Juan Reyna.

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Roughly five months after the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office started a “review” of severance payments approved by the Agua Special Utility District, the case is now a criminal investigation.

The Texas Rangers consider the case an “active criminal investigation,” according to a statement released by Lt. Johnny Hernandez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez said he’s comfortable calling the case a criminal investigation, but cautioned that nothing had changed — no smoking gun or bombshell evidence prompted the new label.

“It’s just about semantics,” Rodriguez said.

Prosecutors started the probe during November, when the District Attorney’s Office sent the utility district a grand jury subpoena.

The subpoena requested all records showing severance payments to La Joya school board President Oscar “Coach” Salinas, the community relations coordinator for the utility; and school board Vice President Armin Garza, a project manager for the utility.

Salinas and Garza re-

ceived severance payments last year, when the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 814. Authored by state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, the bill prohibited elected officials from hiring each other.

For example, if any member of the utility board worked for the school district, the utility district couldn’t employ school board trustees.

A majority of the seven-member utility board worked for the school district. Salinas and Garza faced a decision: resign from the school board or remain employed.

They decided to stay on the school board. Attorneys negotiated severance payments, which allowed them to leave amicably and settled any potential legal claims.

Salinas received $221,000, according to utility district records. Garza got $268,000.

Concern about the six-figure severance payments, which the utility district kept secret for months, prompted questions from the District Attorney’s Office.

The Texas Rangers “joined the review” in January, according to a news release from the District Attorney’s Office.

Rodriguez said he called the case a “review” rather than a criminal investigation

because prosecutors had just started collecting evidence and didn’t want to unfairly malign the utility district.

“That’s why we approached it as an inquiry,” Rodriguez said. “And then, depending on the inquiry, it’s either going to develop into a criminal investigation or it’s not.”

Days after the announcement, prosecutors sent the utility district four more subpoenas.

“On our end, we’re still cooperating with what’s requested of us,” said attorney Frank Garza, who represents the utility district. “And as late as this week we were advised it was still a ‘review.’”

Rodriguez said prosecutors also requested records from the La Joya Independent School District.

When the utility district approved the severance payments, four of the seven people who served on the utility board worked for the school district.

Among the many lines of inquiry prosecutors want to explore is whether or not the school board rewarded members of the utility board for authorizing the severance agreements.

“That was a possibility, an issue, that we’re still looking at,” Rodriguez said.

La Joya ISD looking to implement transportation plan for student parents

By Jose De Leon III With a total of 14 students across the district who are parents, the La Joya Independent School district is looking into ways to ensure those teen moms stay in school as they care for their children.

During Wednesday’s school board meeting, Ricardo Villarreal, the district’s assistant superintendent for student services, presented to the board a Pregnancy and Education Program that will

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ease transportation issues for these teen parents.

According to Villarreal, a report done by his department revealed that for most of the district’s teen parents - who are mostly high school students - couldn’t afford daycare for their children, leading them to miss out on school to take care of them.

“A lot of moms can’t afford sending their kids to daycare so they stay home, kids and their moms aren’t learning as a result,” he said.

“A lot of these moms don’t end up graduating, or they come back and don’t graduate with their cohort and when they send their kids to kindergarten, they’re underprepared because they don’t know the basics.”

To assist these teen parents, Villarreal offered a solution: a program in conjunction with the district’s transportation department and area daycares to provide transportation for the parents to attend school and drop off their kids at daycare.

“We’re looking to get this implemented by the next school year,” Villarreal said.

“The transportation aspect of

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it will need to be smoothed out, but at least the students won’t have to worry about transportation costs.”

Students under the program will also have flex scheduling, where they start school at a later hour to be able to balance their parenting and student duties.

The district’s Pregnancy Education and Parenting Program would be similar to the ones implemented by the Brownsville Independent School District and PharrSan Juan-Alamo ISD, Villarreal said.

Under the district’s Pregnancy Education and Parenting Program, participating students will have to have good grades, no disciplinary issues and a 95 percent attendance rate, Villarreal said.

A budget of around $35,000 would be needed to fund the program, Villarreal said.

According to La Joya Superintendent Alda T. Benavides, the program would be a benefit for students.

“Sometimes kids make mistakes and if they don’t go to school, it’ll be impossible for them to improve the quality of life for them and their kids,” Benavides said.

“We’re trying to find every possible way to educate them to be better teen parents.”

The district’s student services department will have to come up with an action plan that will show the implementation of the program and present it to the board before it is approved, Benavides said.

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MCISD approves Midkiff Playground Equipment Project

By Jamie Treviño This week, the Mission Consolidated Independent School District held a board meeting at Bryan Elementary school to discuss the new Midkiff Elementary School Playground Equipment Project, the Tom Landry Stadium Renovations Project and

honored several students.

Board members approved the project and proposed budget for the Midkiff Elementary School Playground Equipment Project. The estimated costs for this project are $55,000, and the district plans to get this budget from the campus Parent Teacher Organization and fundrais-

ing funds.

The board also approved structural engineering services for this project, and will be utilizing Ricardo Hinojosa, from Hinojosa Engineering, Inc. to carry out the plans for Midkiff.

Ricardo Rivera, the Assistant Superintendent for Operations at MCISD, pre-

sented on the Tom Landry Stadium Renovations Project. The board carried motions involving installing sound system raceways, which will take an additional 14 delay days of work from Alvarado Architects and Holchemont LTD. The board also approved a grievance agreement for the

Capture bronze at state competition The La Joya High School Winter Guard captured a bronze medal at the 2018 Texas Educational Color Guard Association (TECA) State Championship. They competed in the Scholastic Regional A Division and were the only team in that division from the Rio Grande Valley to place in the top three. The group is under the direction of Everest Guerra.

obituaries Opal Billman MISSION – Opal Louise Matheny Billman, 86, passed away on March 13, 2018.

Mrs. Billman was born on Sept. 23, 1932, in Edinburg and was raised on a farm in the Edcouch-Elsa area. She graduated from high school at age 16 and began working with Bell Telephone where she met her future husband, Joe Billman. They created two businesses where she managed Billman Fill Sand and Fill Dirt before marketing and managing Twin

Lakes RV Park.

Survivors include her children, Cynthia Jo Billman-Sherman, Anastacia Louise Billman and Jason Bruce Billman, and four grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joe Devlin Billman; parents, Ubie Blackshire Matheny Sr. and Laura Baggett Matheny; and siblings, Ubie Matheny Jr., Laura Coker, Marie Neuhaus and Marvin Matheny.

Her ashes were laid to rest in the family lake during

a private ceremony. A celebration of her life will be held at the Sherman family residence in San Antonio on April 28.

Notices

Javier Balderas MISSION – Javier Balderas, 66, passed away on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at his home in Mission.

Herlinda Chapa MISSION –Herlinda Chapa, 78, passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2018, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen.

Elodia Garza PALMVIEW – Elodia Ramos Garza, 92, passed away on Tuesday, April 10, 2018,

at her home in Palmview.

Fern Kiel MISSION –Fern M. Kiel, 86, passed away on Thursday, April 5, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Ernestina Sanchez MISSION –Ernestina Sanchez, 68, passed away on Friday, April 6, 2018, at her home in Mission.

Francisco Santellano PALMHURST – Francisco Santellano, 60, passed away on Monday, April 9, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Dorothy Zaleski MISSION –Dorothy J. Zaleski, 82, passed away on Monday, April 9, 2018, at her home in Mission.

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CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Missonaries • 580-2570 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH 911 N. Main - McAllen 686-4241 CONWAY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 2215 N. Conway • 585-2413 EL FARO BIBLE CHURCH 15 miles W. of Mission on Exp. 83 Sullivan City, TX • 585-5617 EL MESIAS UNITED METHODIST 209 E. 6th • 585-2334 FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 3 miles N. Shary Rd. • 581-1465 FAITH FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH 1 mile N. Exp. 83 on Tom Gill Rd. 519-6311 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 1302 Doherty • 585-1442 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 12th and Miller - Mission 585-7281 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1102 Ash St. • 585-4829 for worship schedule.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1101 Doherty • 585-1665 FREEDOM LIFE CHURCH 2214 W. Griffin Pkwy. • 519-7000 Mission GRACIA DIVINA MINISTRY 11809 N. Shary Rd. • 584-3112 GREAT OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2722 N. Conway • 451-5500 Mission HERITAGE BAPTIST MCALLEN 2549 Lindbergh Ave. McAllen • 451-6358 IGLESIA ADVENTISTA DEL SEPTIMO DIA 1725 W. Griffin Parkway 581-9008 IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETANIA 851 S. Breyfogle Rd. • 585-5688 IGLESIA BAUTISTA CRISTO EL REY 1600 E. Bus. 83 - Mission IGLESIA BAUTISTA COLONIAL 3713 N. La Homa Rd. • 585-5332 IGLESIA BAUTISTA DEL VALLE 217 W. Mile 3 Rd. • 424-1602 Palmhurst IGLESIA DEL PUEBLO 7500 West Expressway 83 581-1900 IGLESIA DEL DIVINO REDENTOR 1020 North Los Ebanos Rd 585-5898

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Tom Landry Stadium Renovations Project. The agreement will ensure $2,350 credit back to the district because of the use of district utilities as part of the project.

In terms of legal action regarding parking lot repairs for the same project, the board approved a motion to have them use the self-help provision of the contract.

The district will do the repairs to the parking lot, and release the contract for Holchemont Ltd. to do the repairs. Money will be kept from whatever funds are owed to the contractor at that point in the project process.

MCISD has also approved the budget for the basic architectural and engineering services for the Leo Najo Baseball Stadium and the Veterans Memorial High School Football Stadium Bleacher project. After some discussion debating on cost efficiency of going forth on the project with Alvarado Architects & Associates, Inc. The budget for this project will be set at $1,120,000, and the architect’s fee would be 6.75 percent of the total construction costs. The board approved the budget, but plans to wait on entering a contract with an architect in order to ascertain if a cheaper option is possible.

During the meeting, the board was set to award a contract for independent financial audit services. The item was presented by Rumalda Ruiz, the Assistant Superintendent for Finance, and it was pulled from the agenda for further review.

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“We did review the proposals we received, and administration doesn’t have a recommendation,” Ruiz said.

“We visited with our existing independent auditor, we had an extensive meeting with them on Monday, and we discussed the timeline we’re going to follow, and administration will continue using their services.”

The Education Foundation of Mission CISD gave a presentation about their annual report during the meeting, and Gus Martinez spoke on the foundation’s behalf.

The 501(c)(3) has been active for four years.

“It’s a non-profit, so all the proceeds we get we give back in student scholarships and teacher grants,” Martinez said. “To date, we’ve raised close to a quarter million dollars.”

According to Martinez, as of this month the foundation is at about $70,000.

He mentioned the Summer Concert Spectacular that will take place in July, which will feature The Spazmatics. The event will happen at the Mission Event Center.

Craig Verley, the MCISD Director of Public Relations and Marketing, presented 222 students with various achievements at the board of trustees meeting.

“This time of year gets to be crazy busy, but in a good way,” Verley said. “A lot of students start advancing very quickly throughout the spring semester to state-level competitions, which in turn gets them more recognitions.”

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AGUA SUD CANDIDATES voice for them.”

Arriaga said he couldn’t comment on issues facing the utility board — including controversial severance payments, which prompted a criminal investigation; the reduction in water meter fees, which helped spur development; and management turnover, which left the utility district with four administrators during the past two years — because he didn’t know all the details.

“I cannot say because I’m not actually there,” Arriaga said, adding that he would review the issues and form opinions after joining the board.

J.J. Luna When utility board Director Homer Tijerina and former Peñitas Mayor Marcos Ochoa asked him to run, Luna said he hesitated.

“I never really wanted to get involved in it — because of all the stuff you hear and see,” Luna said. “But I got tired of what’s going on.”

Luna said he joined the

from pg. 1 Team Agua SUD ticket, but told them he wouldn’t make decisions based on politics.

“I told them ‘If I go in there, I’m not going to be a puppet for no one,’” Luna said. “That’s not the reason I’m going in there. I’m going in there to, hopefully, make some change. To help out the community.”

Concern about severance payments convinced him to run, Luna said.

After the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 814, the utility district approved two severance payments: $221,000 for La Joya school board President Oscar “Coach” Salinas, the utility community relations coordinator; and $268,000 for La Joya school board Vice President Armin Garza, the utility project manager.

Members of the utility board said severance agreements allowed them to amicably part ways with Salinas and Garza, who were forced to choose between working at the utility district and

serving on the school board.

Critics blasted the board for secretly approving six-figure payouts for school board trustees.

“You can see where the power is at. The power is at the school board,” Luna said.

“And from there, well, they control everything else.”

Luna said the severance packages showed how Team L1berty rewards members with taxpayer money and cushy jobs.

“They control the Agua SUD, they control the city of Peñitas, the city of Sullivan, La Joya, the credit union, the school board,” Luna said.

“And then you see all these folks that are getting promotions, that are getting pay hikes for nothing. Some of them can’t even be certified to be teachers.”

None of the Team Agua SUD candidates work for the school district, Luna said, adding that they’ll be free from political pressure.

Early voting starts April 23. Election day is May 5.

Former Customs and Border Protection officer sentenced to time served for bribery

By Dave Hendricks A federal judge sentenced a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to time served Monday for bribery.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa sentenced Julio Cesar Trujillo, 32, of Mission to time served — the 593 days he spent in federal detention — and two years of supervised release. Trujillo apologized to Customs and Border Protection, adding that he simply got greedy.

“I have no other way of explaining it,” Trujillo said.

FBI agents arrested Trujillo after conducting a sting operation, according to the criminal complaint against him and courtroom testimony.

At 12:20 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2016, a federal informant met Trujillo outside a restaurant in Mission.

Trujillo accepted $3,600 to extend a visa for “Person A” and help “Person B” obtain a visa, according to the criminal complaint, which doesn’t identify either person by name. After taking the money, Trujillo instructed the informant to send “Person A” to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge four days later.

FBI agents recorded the

Julio Cesar Trujillo meeting.

When he returned to work, Trujillo searched for information about “Person B” on a government computer, according to the criminal complaint.

FBI agents arrested Trujillo on Jan. 28.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos ordered Trujillo held without bond. He quickly pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official, which is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Sentencing, though, took more than two years.

Hinojosa rescheduled the sentencing hearing nine times, according to court records, which don’t reveal who requested the delays or why. Many records from the case, including several motions for continuance, remain sealed.

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cords from a March 2004 internal affairs investigation on former police Capt. Saul Uvalle.

“Critical evidence in his file is now missing,” according to the memo, which doesn’t specify how missing records from the 14-year-old internal affairs case came to the city’s attention.

Insubordination The city manager told Barrera to start using the city time card system, but Barrera failed to follow instructions, according to the memo. Barrera also asked a police sergeant to clock him in and out.

Personnel matters The memo accuses Barrera of failing to process a certification pay increase for a

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from pg. 1 police department employee.

“These issues show a laissez-faire management style that has been in place for years,” according to the memo. “It has, over time, resulted in sustained instances of mis-, mal- and non-feasance.”

Peña said the memo includes many old, inaccurate claims and accusations that lack important context.

“We think this is more of a strategic memo than a substantive memo,” Peña said.

Barrera and Olivares talked about several parts of the draft memo during March.

“On March 16, Olivares and Barrera met to have an informal discussion regarding his performance, disciplinary

NEW CITY HALL pay for the extra cost.

According to Holchemont Manager Mike Diaz, a summer opening for the new city hall would be feasible.

“Construction is underway for new offices and oth-

Jaime Gutierrez

ing, Trujillo spent nearly 20 months in solitary confinement. Guards locked him in a cell for 23 hours a day, allowing Trujillo to watch TV or exercise for the remaining hour.

“I think during that time he’s had a lot of time to read and think about what he’s done,” said attorney Marcus Barrera, who represented Trujillo.

Ramos reconsidered her ruling in September 2017, allowing Trujillo to post a $75,000 bond and await sentencing under his father’s supervision.

Trujillo arrived in court Monday wearing a black suit.

He sat through sentencing hearings for two drug traffickers before the judge called him forward.

Prosecutors filed a sealed motion to reduce Trujillo’s sentence. After a bench conference, Hinojosa granted the motion.

Hinojosa admonished Trujillo for disgracing himself, dishonoring Customs and Border Protection and damaging public trust in government.

“I appreciate what you’ve done to try to correct this,” Hinojosa said without elaborating.

issues, and his possible resignation,” according to a report prepared by the city attorney.

Barrera, though, didn’t resign. Three days later, he filed a sexual harassment complaint against Olivares.

After reviewing the allegations, the city attorney determined the behavior — three text messages and an in-person incident — didn’t constitute sexual harassment.

Peña said the cursory investigation violated Barrera’s due process rights and may be part of a push to terminate him.

“I don’t know whether it’s the City Council or just Leo,” Peña said. “The evidence seems to say it’s just Leo.”

from pg. 1 er interior work, we’re at the tale-end of the project,” Diaz said of the 15,200 square feet building. It’s a building that is overdue for the city of La Joya, they are in need of it.”

Even though there are currently no plans for the current city hall and police station - an old building that stands on the corner of Leo Avenue and U.S. 83 - Alaniz said the city has appraised the lot where the building stands at $500,000.

At the city council meeting, council members also swore in two new police officers - Edson and John Garcia - and approved the hiring of reserve officers Ramiro Garza and Arnold Ochoa.

The city has also started

an amnesty program to allow residents the opportunity to clear up old fines.

The amnesty program, which started last week is so that the city can pay off more than $3 million in fines dating back from 1999, Alaniz said.

To take advantage of the program, residents have to go to the city’s municipal court and pay the fine without worrying about the additional costs of a failure to appear warrant, which can add an extra $300 to the initial fine.

“It’s so that people can come in and not have to worry about being arrested as they address these fines,” Alaniz said of the amnesty program, adding that it will run until May 31.

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ORDINANCE NO. 4621 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A REZONING OF 0.825 ACRES OUT OF LOT 265, JOHN H. SHARY SUBDIVISION, FROM R-1 (SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL) TO C-3 (GENERAL BUSINESS) READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 9th DAY OF APRIL, 2018.

Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on April 25, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. at the CEED Building, 801 N. Bryan Road, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: A 68.55 acre tract of land out of Lots 9-5, 9-6, and 10-5, West Addition to Sharyland, from (PUD) Planned Unit Development to I-1 (Light Industrial); Rezoning: A 12.47 acre tract of land out of Lots 9-4, 10-3, and 10-4, West Addition to Sharyland, from (PUD) Planned Unit Development to I-1 (Light Industrial); Rezoning: A 306.62 acre tract of land out of Lots 10-3, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 113, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6, 12-4, 12-5, and 126, West Addition to Sharyland, from (PUD) Planned Unit Development to I-1 (Light Industrial); and Rezoning: A 24.96 acre tract of land out of Lots 11-3, and 11-4, West Addition to Sharyland, from (PUD) Planned Unit Development to I-1 (Light Industrial) Discussion and Action Amending Ordinance No. 4576, Amending Various Portions of Chapter 86, Sec.86-42(d)(2); Sec.86-153(5)(e); and Sec.86-154(5)(e) - Signs of the Mission Code of Ordinances If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement.

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ORDINANCE NO. 4623 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE SALE & ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – RENEE’S OF SHARYLAND, 2600 E. GRIFFIN PARKWAY, BEING A 1.04 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF LOT 246, JOHN H. SHARY SUBDIVISION READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, THIS THE 9th DAY OF APRIL, 2018.

Norberto Salinas, Mayor Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS

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timates, call Jesse at 956-458-8555.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on April 23, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. at the Mission Event ORDINANCE NO. 4622 Center, 200 N. Shary Rd., Mission, AN ORDINANCE OF THE Texas in order to consider the CITY COUNCIL OF THE following: CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS Re-Plat of Lots 1-14, Adams GRANTING A REZONING OF THE Crossing Subdivision SOUTH 7.58 ACRES OF LOT 13, Being a re-plat of Lots One (1), Two GOODWIN TRACT SUBDIVISION (2), Three (3), Four (4), Five (5), Six NO 3, FROM AO-I (AGRICULTURAL (6), Seven (7), Eight (8), Nine (9), OPEN INTERIM) TO R-1 Ten (10), Eleven (11), Twelve (12), (SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL) Thirteen (13), and Fourteen (14) of READ, CONSIDERED AND PASSED, Adams Crossing Subdivision THIS THE 9th DAY OF APRIL, 2018.

If a zoning is amended during the Norberto Salinas, Mayor public hearing, it shall be pursuant to Attest: Anna Carrillo, City Secretary the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement.

THE STATE OFAnyone TEXASinterested is invited to attend.

Anna Carrillo, City Secretary NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: “You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do (does) not file a written answer with the clerk who issued to this citation by 10:00 A.M. on the Monday next after the expiration of forty-two (42) days after the date of issuance of this citation, a default Judgment may be taken against you.”

TO: THE TRUSTEES OF THE WEIDNER TRUST AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 5, 1994, WILBERT D. HOOD, CARMEN R. BAILEY, PAULA MARIE SEAMAN, DENISE ANN HOOD, WILBERT DAWSON HOOD, JR., LISA KAY KOPPEL AND TIMOTHY LEE HOOD, CYNTHIA ANNE McPHEE AND TERESA COOPER, AND THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS AND SUCCESSORS-ININTEREST OF ALL OF THE FOREGOING NAMED DEFENDANTS, Defendants Greeting: You are hereby commanded to appear by filing a written answer to the Plaintiff’s petition at or before 10:00 o’clock a.m. of the first Monday after the expiration of forty-two (42) days from the date of issuance of this citation, the same being Monday April 30, 2018 at or before 10 o’clock a.m., before the 332nd District Court of Hidalgo County, at the Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas.

Said Plaintiff’s Petition was filed on February 13, 2018 in this case, numbered C-00575-18-F on the docket of said court. An Amended Original Petition was filed February 15, 2018. A Second Amended Petition was filed March 16, 2018.

The names of the parties to the cause are as follows: CRYSTAL LYN FENCIL, Plaintiff and THE TRUSTEES OF THE WEIDNER TRUST AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 5, 1994, WILBERT D. HOOD, CARMEN R. BAILEY, PAULA MARIE SEAMAN, DENISE ANN HOOD, WILBERT DAWSON HOOD, JR., LISA KAY KOPPEL, and TIMOTHY LEE HOOD, and CYNTHIA ANNE McPHEE AND TERESA COOPER, AND THE HEIRS AND UNKNOWN HEIRS AND SUCCESSORSIN-INTEREST OF ALL OF THE FOREGOING NAMED DEFENDANTS. AND GORDON RUDD, Defendants. A brief statement of the nature of the suit is as follows, to-wit: The suit seeks to have clear title to Lot 6, Block 2, MARTIN ENTERPRISES SUBDIVISION,Hidalgo County, Texas on grounds of limitations and recovery damages as requested in the Plaintiff’s Petition.

If this citation is not served within ninety days after the date of its issuance, it shall be returned unserved. The officer executing this writ shall promptly served the same according to requirements of law, and the mandates thereof, and make due return as the law directs.

ISSUED AND GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL of said Court office in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas on this March 16, 2018.

Medical Services Medical Services Directory Directory

The Upper Valley Has Excellent The Upper Valley Has Excellent Health Care Facilities And Dedicated Health Care Facilities And Dedicated Doctors Doctors And And Health Health Care Care Specialists.

Specialists.

Family HealtH CENTER FO amily ealtH F mH issiOn 584-3353 CENTER

1920 E. Griffin Pkwy.

(River Oaks Plaza) Monday - Friday 8 a.m. -5 p.m.

Sat. Clinic 9:00 Acute Only

OF missiOn 584-3353

1920 E. Griffin Pkwy.

(River Oaks Plaza) Monday - Friday 8 a.m. -5 p.m.

Sat. Clinic 9:00 Acute Only

Sylvia Bustamante MPAS, PA-C

Lara Torres MPAS, PA-C

Tania Morales FNP-BC

Erica Robles FNP-BC

Patients Love Our Short Wait Times!

Sylvia Bustamante MPAS, PA-C

Lara Torres MPAS, PA-C

Tania Morales FNP-BC

Erica Robles FNP-BC

Patients Love Our Short Wait Times!

Mandie Navarro, MD

Daniel Contreras, MD

Matthew Johnson, MD

Roel Contreras, PA-C

Doctors Plaza

Next To Mission Hospital

Drive-In Window

Doctors Plaza

581-8833 Next To Mission Hospital

Drive-In Window

Mandie Navarro, MD

Daniel Contreras, MD Matthew Johnson, MD

Roel Contreras, PA-C

Over 25 years ago a goal was established. This goal would promise quality pharmaceutical service to residents of the Mission area, and for over two decades Mission Plaza Pharmacy has committed itself to preserving this goal. Whether you are in need of filling your prescription or find yourself in need of medical equipment, Mission Plaza Pharmacy is the answer.

We take pride in providing top-notch customer service to every customer that walks through our doors. We strive to be efficient and effective in every task that we endure.

We put you and your needs above all other activities and make every effort to satisfy Over years ago a goal was established. This goal would promise quality pharmathose 25 needs. ceutical service to residents of the area, and for overdurable two decades Mission Now remember, we just don’t fillMission prescriptions, we provide medical equipment as well. From wheelchairs to to crutches, nebulizers diabeticyou supplies, and Plaza Pharmacy has committed itself preserving this goal.toWhether are in need shower chairs to colostomy supplies, Mission Plaza Pharmacy can and will meet your of filling your prescription or find yourself in need of medical equipment, Mission needs, Also for your convenience, we can usually overnight and special type of medPlaza Pharmacyifisyou theso answer. ical equipment desire. We also bill Medicare/Medicaid for your dural medicalWe equipment. take pride in providing top-notch customer service to every customer that walks Mission Plaza Pharmacy accepts Medicaid, Workman’s Comp., Attorney accounts, through doors.

We strive to be effectiveyour in every task that weofendure. being. and mostour third party insurances in efficient order to and accomodate financial state put you Plaza and your needs above other activities andthroughout make everythe effort to satisfy WeMission Pharmacy is alsoall conveniently located Mission area in order to bring true quality healthcare to your doorstep. Mission Plaza Pharmacy is those needs. located at 906 Bryan Road, Suite 101 right by Mission Hospital, and for extra comremember, we justisdon’t fill at prescriptions, we provide fortNow a Drive-Thru window located this store. Free medical durable deliverymedical service equipis also ment as well.

From wheelchairs crutches, nebulizers totodiabetic and providesupplies, another conprovided by the people of Missionto Plaza Pharmacy in order venience to our tocustomers. colostomy supplies, Mission Plaza Pharmacy can and will meet your shower chairs Mission Plaza Pharmacy is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. -6 p.m. needs, Also for your convenience, we can usually and special type of medTotal commitment to service is more than just a overnight slogan at Mission Plaza Pharmacy.

We to fulfill a goal that was established almost 25 years agofor and continue traical strive equipment if you so desire.

We also bill Medicare/Medicaid your dural ameddition of bringing quality pharmaceutical service to the people of Mission. With the ical equipment. help of very qualified employees, we are here to meet each and every one of your Mission Plaza Pharmacy accepts Medicaid, Workman’s Comp., Attorney accounts, needs.

Mission Plaza Pharmacy...

We give 100% of our service 100% of the time.

581-8833

and most third party insurances in order to accomodate your financial state of being.

Mission Plaza Pharmacy is also conveniently located throughout the Mission area in order to bring true quality healthcare to your doorstep. Mission Plaza Pharmacy is located at 906 Bryan Road, Suite 101 right by Mission Hospital, and for extra comfort a Drive-Thru window is located at this store. Free medical delivery service is also provided by the people of Mission Plaza Pharmacy in order to provide another convenience to our customers.

Mission Plaza Pharmacy is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. -6 p.m.

Total commitment to service is more than just a slogan at Mission Plaza Pharmacy.

We strive to fulfill a goal that was established almost 25 years ago and continue a tradition of bringing quality pharmaceutical service to the people of Mission. With the help of very qualified employees, we are here to meet each and every one of your needs. Mission Plaza Pharmacy... We give 100% of our service 100% of the time.

SHARYLAND DENTAL CARE GENERAL DENTISTRY

SHARYLAND DENTAL CARE EXCEPTIONAL CARE Since 1982

581-2773 GENERAL

Timothy W. Brann, D.D.S. Richard A. Young, D.D.S. DENTISTRY

2407 E. Griffin Pkwy. • Mission, Tx 78572 EXCEPTIONAL CARE Since 1982

581-2773

Timothy W. Brann, D.D.S.

Richard A. Young, D.D.S.

2407 E. Griffin Pkwy. • Mission, Tx 78572

page 12

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com

April 13, 2018

Mission Professional Law Enforcement Association endorses

Mayor Beto Salinas

MISSION PROFESSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION 1200 E. 8th St., Mission, TX 78572 Phone: 956.207.4066

Dear Constituents of Mission, The Mission Professional Law Enforcement Association is a labor organization focused on providing a better and safer working environment for the Mission Police Department and we have been the voice of the Mission Police Officers since2012 to present day. Also the MPLEA is recognized by the Mission City Council as the bargaining agents for the Mission Police Officers.

The Mission Professional Law Enforcement Association proudly endorses Mayor Norberto Salinas for re-election for Mayor of the City of Mission. Mayor Salinas, a successful businessman, excels in the areas of land development and local government, such as the development of the Mission Events Center, without an increase in taxes for property owners. In addition, Mayor Salinas led the solid waste program to increase the cleanliness of our beautiful city, while ensuring the environment for our future citizens is upheld in a cleaner manner. He ensured the allocation of over $400,000 was used to beautify our city parks for all families to enjoy.

Mayor Salinas’ well known commitment to accountability in government will continue to promote an atmosphere of openess in the area of government business. If you wish to see continued progress of the City of Mission join us in supporting incumbent Mayor, Norberto Salinas for re-election.

Signed, Mission Professional Law Enforcement Association Members

POLITICAL AD PAID FOR BY CANDIDATE - 500 E. 9TH ST. MSSION TEXAS