Friday, May 11, 2018_ PT ISSUE

RUNOFF EARLY VOTING: MAY 14-18 • ELECTION DAY: MAY 22 “From pursuing opportunities at the state, national & international level to returning to her community roots & family business – Lita has proven herself a natural leader. The citizens of Hidalgo County deserve no less.”

Dr. Filomena Leo Interim / Superintendent of Schools

(Donna, Weslaco, Sharyland and La Joya)

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Friday, May 11, 2018

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Vol. 46 No. 39

Mail-in ballots could swing Mission mayoral race — if they're actually in the mail

By Dave Hendricks

Mission Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas fell just three votes short of victory on Saturday, according to preliminary election results, likely sending him to a runoff with City Councilman Armando “Doc” O’caña.

While the Hidalgo County Elections Department ballot board will meet Friday afternoon to review provisional ballots and mail-in ballots, Salinas said he doesn’t expect them to make a difference — and he’s already preparing for the runoff.

“Four years ago we did the same thing and ended up with more votes in the runoff,” said Salinas, 71, a rancher and land developer.

“Those things happen when you have three people running. It’s very hard to win without a runoff.”

Salinas, who’s running for a sixth term, received 49.97 percent of 6,174 ballots cast, according to pre-

Norberto “Beto” Salinas

liminary numbers published by the Elections Department.

He fell three votes short of a majority.

O’caña placed second with 41.63 percent of ballots cast. They trounced businessman Jaime Gutierrez, who placed a distant third.

Between them, though, Gutierrez and O’caña had support from the majority of Mission voters.

“Some people want change,” said O’caña, 64, a

Armando O’caña

La Joya school district administrator and member of the City Council. “A change in operations and a change in direction.”

If all the voters who want change support him, O’caña said he’ll win the runoff.

The ballot board will meet Friday afternoon to review provisional ballots and mail-in ballots for May elections across Hidalgo County.

The Elections Department will count ballots cast

Mission Student Advocate for Autism Awareness: Meet Alvaro

By Jamie Treviño

A daily commute has led to Hilda C. Escobar/Alicia C. Rios Elementary School gaining a first grade advocate for autism awareness.

Before school every day, Alvaro Ramirez and his mother Naila FloresRamirez take a longer route to the elementary before drop-off, so he has more time to read. On the morning of April 1, the beginning of Autism Awareness Month, Alvaro was reading “All My Stripes,” an educational

children’s book by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer, about Zane the Zebra, a special foal who happens to have autism.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, autism spectrum disorder is “a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior” and “there is a wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience.” It covers several conditions, including challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communica-

Alvaro Ramirez reads “All My Stripes” to his classmates during Autism Awareness Month at Escobar/Rios Elementary School. Photo courtesy of the Mission CISD Public Relations Department.

tion, as well as individual strengths and weaknesses.

Alvaro was diagnosed with autism in 2016, and found a new understanding of the spectrum, and who he is as a person, from “All My Stripes.”

“I began to learn more about myself,” Alvaro said.

“We [Zane and I] both have autism, and he’s the one that taught me about myself.”

Zane is a zebra that, in the beginning, feels different from classmates and worries that his differences will make him stand out. With the help of his mother, Zane realizes that autism is one other part of himself to appreciate.

“I’m special, I didn’t have to be the same as everyone else,” Alvaro said. “So I learned that being me is actually a great thing.”

It was on their routine drive in the morning on April 1 that Alvaro brought up the idea of telling his classmates about Zane the Zebra.

“He was reading that book on the way to school, and he said it himself,” Flores-Ramirez said. “He said, ‘Mom, I wish I could read this to the kids, to my friends, to the kids in my class so they could see what it’s like for me sometimes.’”

Flores-Ramirez called the school and met with the

See AWARENESS Pg. 8

by provisional voters who return with photo identification. More complicated problems typically result in provisional ballots being discarded. They’re handled on a case-by-case basis.

Mission also had 735 mail-in ballots, according to information provided by county Elections Administrator Yvonne Ramon.

Voters returned 558 mailin ballots. Another 41 people canceled their mail-in ballots to vote in person. Two ballots were returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable. One ballot was returned after the deadline. Another ballot is waiting for the ballot board to review. And another ballot is what the Elections Department calls an “error upload” entered in the system by mistake.

Another 131 ballots remained outstanding on Wednesday afternoon.

Depending on the circumstances, mail-in ballots involve different deadlines.

See MAYORAL RACE Pg. 8

Petra Ramirez, Veronica “Betty” Mendoza and Herminia “Minnie” Rodgers. Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.

A+ Team sweep MCISD school board elections

By Jose De Leon III Two incumbents and a former member of the Mission CISD school board will continue to serve on the Mission school board of trustees after winning in their respective races during election day Saturday, May 5.

Petra B. Ramirez and Herminia “Minnie” Rodgers-who were in the “A+ Team” Slate-will remain in their Place 6 and 7 seats.

Both of them beat their opponents, newcomers Xavier Longoria and Lucia Leo-Diaz, with nearly 52 percent of the votes Saturday.

Though she wasn’t an official member of their slate, the duo is joined by Veronica “Betty” Mendoza- a life skills coach who served on the school board in 2014 for two years. She beat her opponent, current school board Vice President Roy Vela,

See MCISD ELECTIONS Pg. 9

Team L1berty sweeps Agua SUD election, cements control of the utility board

By Dave Hendricks Team L1berty swept the Agua Special Utility District election on Saturday, winning all four seats on the ballot — and cementing control of the utility board.

Candidates backed by Team L1berty defeated challengers in Sullivan City, La Joya, Peñitas and Mission on Saturday, according to preliminary results published by the Hidalgo County Elections Department.

The results hand Team L1berty, the dominant political party in western Hidalgo County, a commanding 6-1 majority on the utility board.

“I just want to thank God for the opportunity, honestly,” said incumbent utility board Director Ivan Sandoval, who won re-election Saturday. “Thank everyone who supported me. Especially my family, who were there with me day after day.”

The campaign pitted Team L1berty against four challengers backed by Team Agua SUD: Sullivan City Incumbent utility board Director Ivan Sandoval won 54 percent of 956 ballots cast, defeating construction contractor Julian Peña.

La Joya Police Chief Adolfo Arriaga won nearly 67 percent

of 287 ballots cast, defeating union organizer J.J. Luna.

Peñitas Incumbent utility board Director Lloyd Loya won 61 percent of 844 ballots cast, defeating Pharr police Sgt. Juan Gonzalez and independent candidate Noe Garza.

Mission Incumbent utility board Director Cesar Rodriguez Jr. won 51 percent of 133 ballots cast, defeating businessman Eric Sanchez by just three votes.

The results shocked Sanchez, who accused Rodriguez of voter fraud.

Sanchez said he filed complaints with the Hidalgo County Elections Department, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office and the Texas Attorney General’s Of-

fice. He also contacted state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, a persistent critic of the utility board.

“It’s a waiting game now,” Sanchez said, adding that he wants to see whether or not the state will take action before filing a lawsuit.

“I’m hoping something can be done.”

Mail-in ballots and provisional ballots, which the Elections Department will review on Friday, may impact the results.

Without any city council or school board races on the ballot west of Mission, the utility district election became the marquee race.

Nearly 40 percent of registered voters cast ballots,

See AGUA SUD ELECTION Pg. 8

INSIDE Pioneer Gold Favorite

Public Corruption Arrest

Agua SUD Audit

Johnny Howell, the son of two track coaches, is predicted to take gold at this weekend’s state meet. See page 6 for more details about Howell and other Big 7 athletes who qualified.

FBI Agents recently arrested a Hidalgo County Court of Law bailiff for providing fake documents to drug smugglers. More information on the accused, inside.

The utility district ran a large deficit last year, according to the audit approved by the board this week. Dave Hendricks has the details.

See Pg. 6

INDEX

Entertainment | pg.2

See Pg. 8

Lifestyle | pg.3

Sports | pg. 6

See Pg. 10

Obituaries | pg. 9

Classifieds | pg. 11

entertainment

Coming Attractions

May 18 • Join with the award winning University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Mariachi Aztlán and the Mariachi Juvenil Aztlán for the “End of the School Year Celebration!” at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Complex on the Edinburg campus. Tickets are $5 general admission and available at tickets.vendini.com.

For questions, call 956-665-3881.

May 19 • Berry Fritz will lead a drawing workshop, “Draw like the Old Masters,” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Upper Valley Art League, 921 E. 12th St. in Mission, with a break for lunch.

Class members will bring their own supplies and should request a supply list at the time of registration. Some drawing experience is preferred. Work clothes are recommended.

Cost is $60 for members and $70 for nonmembers, payable to UVAL. To register, stop by the UVAL gallery. Payment is required at sign up. Call 956-583-2787 for information.

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

May 11, 2018

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

Percunova to perform May 11

EDINBURG – On Friday, May 11, at 7 p.m., the Percunova Percussion Duo brings contemporary art music and global percussion rhythms together at the Performing Arts Complex on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg.

Through diverse repertoire and virtuosic performance, with a collaboration history of 10 years in a wide variety of musical genres, Jonathan Ovalle and Neeraj Mehta have appeared together and independently throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Their experience includes performances at the Percussive Arts Society

International Convention, Midwest Clinic, Detroit International Jazz Festival, Art Tatum Heritage Jazz Festival and numerous guest artist residencies, including the Juilliard School, Northern Illinois University, the University of Texas A&M-Commerce, Baylor University, Florida State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Their current work together as PERCUNOVA includes concertizing and developing a body of repertoire which features contemporary duo percussion works, new commissions, transcriptions and original co-composed and improvised music.

Admission is $5 and tickets are available at tickets. vendini.com.

UVAL hosts Fritz exhibition May 12

The Upper Valley Art League is hosting an opening reception for an exhibition of artwork by local artist Berry Fritz. “Birds, Beasts and the Saint Who Loved Them— Drawings by Berry Fritz,” will open with a reception on Saturday, May 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E. 12th St. in Mission. Known for her still-life oil paintings, Fritz’s artistic roots began through drawing as a child, which she came to comprehend was a means to an end. In this exhibition, she comes full circle with a series of drawings dedicated to the animal world and St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. The exhibition runs through June 2. The reception and exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, go to uppervalleyartleague.org or call 956-583-2787.

MHS choir presents ‘Rock this Town’ spring show

The Mission High School (MHS) Eagle Choir Spring Show, “Rock this Town,” will be held on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the school auditorium on campus.

The choir members, eager to show there is more to the group than just great

voices and music, will show off their dancing and acting chops at this year’s annual show. The show was written by choir director Kat Callaway and features music from the 1950s through some of the most popular tunes of today.

Tickets for the show are

$3 and are are available from any Eagle Choir member.

Tickets can also be reserved by calling 956-323-8715.

A limited number of tickets may be available at the door.

All seating is general admission.

Radio show ‘Stories from Texas’ headed to print, audio book

By Maria Elena Hernandez

EDINBURG – Most Texans know “Stories from Texas” – and its signature tagline, “… and some of them are true” – as a radio program and podcast.

Now that radio program, produced by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, is being adapted into a book.

“I’m excited about it because it’s my first creative work. I’ve done textbooks, academic works before,” said Dr. William F. Strong, the UTRGV communications professor who created the radio program.

He called the show “a kind of an accident, really.”

“I had this idea that I would like to teach Texans and non-Texans alike with these great stories that a lot of people don’t know, the great literature of Texas that a lot of people aren’t aware of,” he said.

He reached out to the staff of the Rio Grande Valley’s NPR-affiliate KMBH-FM, now 88FM, with the idea.

The first segments covered fun, pop culture stories, like the history of Whataburger and the 12 words Texans mispronounce most. The show’s popularity grew, and Strong produced more segments.

“Other NPR stations started picking them up, and that surprised me,” he said.

He gets feedback from listeners, like story suggestions, but he also gets one particular question about the stories featured – “Which ones are true?”

Strong chuckles at that.

“Some people take it perhaps a little too literally, but I guess the inside joke from my perspective is that they are 99 percent true. I work really hard to nail them down and get it nailed down to fact. If there are two interpretations of it, or two possibilities or two understandings, I’ll give you both of them and you choose.”

The UTRGV professor said the early stories he shared involved Texas folklore and tall tales.

“So I said, well, that’s

Dr. William F. Strong’s radio show, “Stories from Texas,” is about to be released in both a print and audio book. Popularity gained over time for the radio program created by UTRGV communications professor, and the books became a natural evolution.

kind of what we’re known for – stretching things – so I’ll just say that some of them are true,” he said.

Strong is excited about wrapping up the book, which he started working on three years ago. He also said he’s fortunate to know several photographers who are giving him photos of Texas landscapes and more to include in it.

“I’m doing the audiobook right now. That is quite an ordeal,” he said. “I’m even experienced in doing a lot of recording, and I assumed, ‘Oh, I’ll just go and read the thing.’”

He records in a special audio booth housed at UTRGV, with the help of Juan Ramirez and Ricardo Camargo, members of the video team in the UTRGV Marketing and Communications Department.

Strong learned he can only record segments for about 20 to 30 minutes before losing quality. “I found it’s difficult to do in long stretches,” he said.

When the book is complete, Strong will follow it up with a book tour.

“I’m excited about going on tour around Texas to do readings and talk about the book,” he said.

Interest already has built up for the book release, and it was featured recently in “Texas Country Reporter,” which airs across Texas and on a national cable channel.

While the book is scheduled for release in June, interested individuals can check the 88FM schedule to hear the latest “Stories from Texas,” or listen to past episodes online.

We humbly ask for your support for Mission CISD Board of Trustees.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and No everyHidden single person who helped throughout our campaign.

In Education, everyone matters.

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Ausvoice for All! Thanks for allowing us to place our signs at your homes and businesses and calling us to tell us you believed in us. We are proud to work for YOU and for our children. We have said it from the beginning, our intention is to put our children’s education first and we continue with that same mission. We will proudly serve you and continue to thank God for the opportunity you have given us.

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lifestyle

Future Heroes 5K Challenge is May 19

MCALLEN – The South Texas College Police and Fire Academies will host their Future Heroes 5K Challenge Run on Saturday, May 19, at Alamo’s Central Park, 800 E. Main St., Alamo.

Proceeds will support police and fire cadets on their journey to becoming the newest public servants.

“The run has the dual purpose of bringing awareness to our community about the programs being offered at STC,” said Victor Valdez, Law Enforcement program chair. “The event will aid the students in offsetting the

costs of the completion ceremony held at the end of each academy.”

Registration is $25 per runner. The race begins promptly at 7:30 a.m. and consists of a three-mile run.

Prizes will be awarded to top finishers in men’s and women’s divisions. T-shirts will be given to the first 50 registered participants and medals to the first 50 finishers.

Participants can register online at southtexascollege. edu/info/future-heroes. Registration deadline is May 16.

For more information, call 956-872-5671.

LJISD honored with music education recognition

LA JOYA – La Joya I.S.D. has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify, the district had to meet standards in funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruc-

tion time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. After verification, it was reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

This award recognizes the district is offering learning opportunities presently outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing – while leaving behind subjects such as music.

Program highlights RGV cactus species McALLEN – Join in a “cactus walk” with Ken King, on Thursday, May 17, at 6 p.m. at Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center to observe and learn about the 24 species of native cacti on display.

King, along with other colleagues, has studied, documented and discovered new cacti in the Rio Grande Valley for over 30 years. He came to the Rio Grande Valley in 1983 to attend graduate school at Pan American University, and continued his education with field studies in herpetology and pursuing his own interest in local cacti. For 10 years, he grew cacti and other succulent plants commercially, and has planted cactus gardens at the Valley Nature Center, Frontera Audubon and others. King has

Ken King

been a biology teacher at Donna High School for the past 25 years.

Admission is $3 per person. Quinta Mazatlan is located 600 Sunset in McAllen.

Call 956-681-3370 for information.

May 11, 2018

page 3

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NEWS | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | PHOTOS

EVENTS

CALENDAR

May 15 – Speer Memorial Library will host a discussion of “Hidden Figures” in the library’s Community Room at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish, and at 6:30 p.m. in English. For more information or to reserve a copy of the book, contact William Renner or Rose Alvarez at 580-8754 or 580-8750 or by email at reference@missiontexas.us, or stop by the reference desk at the library. This title is also available as an eBook at hidalgocotx.oneclickdigital.com. The library is located at 12th and Kika De La Garza in Mission.

May 19 – The Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) will host a Toddler Play Date for families with children ages 18 months to four years old from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. This month the theme is “Seeds.” Toddlers can discover nature through interactive play with puppet shows, story-telling, puzzle time, free play, coloring, crafts and guided walks throughout the grounds. The fee per toddler is $2, with one free guardian. Additional visiting family members must pay regular EWBC admission. Space is limited, so registration is required. The EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Road. For more information, or to register, call 956-3819922.

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

Mission rehab counseling graduate student snags national awards

EDINBURG – Winning a national award is an accomplishment. But winning three national awards in one school year is an achievement. Rigel Piñón, a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) master’s in clinical rehabilitation counseling graduate student, did just that.

The Mission resident has been named the 2018 National Council on Rehabilitation Education Graduate Student of the Year, the 2018 American Rehabilitation Counseling Association Graduate Student of the Year, and the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals Graduate Paper of the Year for 2017-2018.

She started the graduate program two years ago, earning an undergraduate degree in general rehabilitation at UTRGV, a goal sparked by a disability in her own family.

“My mom lost her sight when I was 4, so we didn’t know of my mom as a sighted person,” she said. “She’s

Congratulate Your Graduate

Rigel Piñón the president of the National Federation of the Blind RGV Chapter, and since I was young, my brother and I would have to go to everything. From there, we kind of got sensitive to people’s needs.”

Dr. Irmo Marini, a UTRGV School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling professor who has been Piñón’s mentor since

Stamp Out Hunger May 12

Join with the National Association of Letter Carriers, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, sponsors and volunteers to help in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive this weekend. Area residents can request brown paper bags from their letter carriers, fill it with non-perishable foods and leave it by their mailbox on Saturday morning, May 12. Do not put items in glass jars or opened packaging in the bags. All donations will be used to fight hunger in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information, visit helpstampouthunger.com or contact Omar Rodriguez at 956-904-4514 or omarir@foodbankrgv.com. Volunteers are needed to sort the food. To help, contact Carla Lopez at 956-682-8101 or sign up at foodbankrgv.com.

2016, nominated her for all three awards. No graduate student in the same field, at any university, has won three national awards in one year, Marini said.

Piñón said she wasn’t expecting to be nominated.

“When Dr. Marini told me I was nominated, I didn’t think I would get it because it was nationwide. And then when I heard I won, I started crying,” she said. “Words couldn’t describe how I was feeling. It made me want to try harder, put more effort into my career. It was a team effort between my parents, Dr. Marini and myself.”

Marini said he nominated Piñón based on her accomplishments, community service and advocacy.

“The qualities I look for to nominate a student … is someone who excels outside of the classroom, beyond a 4.0 GPA,” he said.

“In Piñón’s case, she has two first-authored peer reviewed journal publications, but more importantly, her volunteer work with the National Federation of the Blind, and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).”

Piñón fundraised for the NFB, moderated blind artist exhibits, showed consumers how to work the various assistive technology for the blind, and served as a speaker. While working with CASA, she was a special advocate for neglected children.

The next thing she plans to tackle is UTRGV’s doctoral program in Rehabilitation Counseling. Becoming a professor, doing research, having a private practice, writing textbooks, creating a program for children with disabilities and foster children in the Valley are among Piñón’s goals.

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page 4

By Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

DPS plans to open ‘Law Enforcement Operations Center’ in La Joya

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

By Dave Hendricks

Paxton leads multi-state lawsuit challenging DACA program

AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on May 1 filed a lawsuit against the federal government to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and West Virginia joined Paxton in the lawsuit.

Paxton and the other attorneys general urged the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to declare DACA unlawful and to stop the federal government from issuing or renewing any DACA permits in the future.

Paxton noted the suit does not ask the federal government to remove any alien currently covered by DACA, nor does it ask the Trump administration to rescind DACA permits that have already been issued.

“Our lawsuit is about the rule of law, not the wisdom of any particular immigration policy,” Paxton said. “Texas has argued for years that the federal executive branch lacks the power to unilaterally grant unlawfully present aliens lawful presence and work authorization. Left intact, DACA sets a dangerous precedent by giving the executive branch sweeping authority to ignore the laws enacted by Congress and change our nation’s immigration laws to suit a president’s own policy preferences.”

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia on April 24 ordered the Trump administration to accept DACA applications, but stayed the order for 90 days to give the Department of Homeland Security an opportunity to make its arguments contesting the legality of the DACA program.

Revenue totals higher Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on May 2 announced

Re

CIT Y O

May 11, 2018

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that state sales tax revenue totaled $2.7 billion in April.

The amount is 13.4 percent more than reported in April 2017.

April state sales tax collections grew significantly across all major economic sectors, Hegar said. “While the strongest growth was in remittances from oil and gas-related sectors, tax receipts from retail trade and restaurants also grew briskly,” Hegar added.

Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in April 2018 was up 9.8 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

Sales tax revenue is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58 percent of all tax collections. Revenue from other major taxes on motor vehicle sales and rentals, motor fuel and oil and natural gas production also rose in April 2018.

Amnesty program starts Comptroller Hegar on April 30 reminded Texans about the temporary tax amnesty program giving certain delinquent taxpayers a chance to make their accounts compliant with state tax law without incurring penalties and interest on tax due.

The Texas Tax Amnesty Program began May 1 and runs until June 29. The program applies to periods prior to Jan. 1, 2018, and only includes liabilities that have not been previously reported to the Comptroller.

Passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017, Senate Bill 1 requires the Comptroller of Public Accounts to establish a tax amnesty program to encourage voluntary reporting by: — Delinquent taxpayers who do not have a Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit or are not registered for a tax or fee administered by the

Comptroller’s office; and — Taxpayers who have a permit but may have underreported or owe additional taxes or fees.

Engineers list projects The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on May 1 released an initial list of projects to address high-priority needs in states recently impacted by natural disasters, including several in Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

According to the Corps of Engineers, an allocation of some $360 million will be used to address 32 projects in 12 states. The funding is included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in February.

“As Texas continues on the road to recovery, our shipping channels and bayous are among the highest priorities for investment and repair,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “These projects and improvements will address concerns in a number of local communities affected by Harvey and help combat future flood events. I thank the Army Corps of Engineers for their commitment to these initial projects and look forward to expanding upon this list as Texas continues to recover and rebuild.”

Among plans on the list of Texas repair projects are: — Buffalo Bayou and tributaries; — Corpus Christi Ship Channel; — Galveston Harbor and Channel; — Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; — Houston Ship Channel; — Matagorda Ship Channel; — Sabine Neches Waterway; and — Wallisville Lake.

o w N ! r e t gis

F ALTON SUMMER YOUTH CA

1 0 2 MP

Kids will enjoy many fun & safe activities Breakfast and Lunch will be provided

by MCISD.

Parent night Meet the Camp Staff May 31st 6:00– 7:00 pm

an addendum, which attempted to clarify the location by adding the language: “within the boundaries of the City of Palmview to Sullivan City along Interstate 2 (Hwy 83).”

Granchelli Development Group, which proposed the Peñitas location, and nine other firms submitted proposals.

The Facilities Commission disqualified two proposals, which offered buildings in McAllen, and scored the remaining eight. Price accounted for 60 percent of the final score. Location accounted for just 5 percent.

Alonzo Cantu submitted the low bid, according to records provided by the Facilities Commission. He offered to build the Law Enforcement Operations Center and lease the building to the state for about $163,000 annually — nearly three times cheaper than the Granchelli proposal.

While the La Joya bypass project, which will reroute the highway north, would make the Peñitas location more convenient for state troopers, City Manager Omar Romero said he understands the decision.

The 10-year lease starts on Nov. 1.

UNBELIEVABLE!

8

Where: ALTON RECREATION CENTER When: Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Ages: 5-12 Birth Certificate Required Cost: $100.00 per child Camp will be from June 4 - July 27 Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Alton Recreation Center

The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to open a “Law Enforcement Operations Center” in La Joya.

Located north of the La Joya library on Palm Shores Boulevard, the building will provide office space for 30 state troopers.

The Texas Facilities Commission approved a 10-year lease agreement with the developer — construction magnate Alonzo Cantu — during March.

“We’re very happy about it,” said La Joya Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas.

The Texas Legislature budgeted nearly $3.2 million for the building last year, a significant commitment during a tight budget cycle.

With state troopers focused on western Hidalgo County, which remains a hotspot for smuggling, the Department of Public Safety needed a base of operations between Rio Grande City and Mission, said state Rep. Oscar Longoria, who serves on the influential House Appropriations Committee.

“And I just felt that if the majority of the action, the activity, is in western Hidalgo County, there’s no reason the department shouldn’t have a presence in western Hidalgo County,” Longoria said.

He added language to the state budget, setting aside nearly $3.2 million for the building and specifying the location.

Along with space for 30 state troopers, the 9,000-square-foot building will include an interview room, a conference room and reception area. The building will also provide a secure space to plan law enforcement operations and could host Texas Commission on Law Enforcement trainings.

“We want to welcome

them,” Salinas said. “And whatever the city of La Joya can offer them, we’re open.”

Along with boosting the local tax base, Salinas said he’s hopeful some of the troopers will buy homes in La Joya. A developer recently discussed plans to build nearly 30 homes on Walker Lake, which is just a few minutes away from the new building.

Originally, though, lawmakers and local officials thought the building would be located in Peñitas.

The state budget requires the building be located “in (or near) the city of Penitas in western Hidalgo County” and documents prepared by the Legislative Budget Board identified the project as the “Penitas-Law Enforcement Center.”

Peñitas informally discussed the project with the Department of Public Safety and tentatively set aside land near John F. Kennedy Elementary School.

The Texas Facilities Commission started soliciting proposals to lease office space on Nov. 21, 2017, but the initial documents didn’t specify a location beyond “in Hidalgo County.”

Eight days later, the Facilities Commission published

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The Progress Times (USPS 971-420; ISSN 0890-2666) is published each Friday by Savy Publishing, LLC, 1217 N. Conway, Mission, Texas 78572, (956) 585-4893. Subscriptions $20 annual in Hidalgo County; $30 outside of Hidalgo County. Second class postage paid in Mission, Texas 78572. ©2018 Savy Publishing, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the PROGRESS TIMES, P.O. Box 399, Mission Texas 78573.

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May 11, 2018

Mission churches gather at Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon

By Jamie Treviño Advocating for a governmental return to Christian values, Reverend Rafael Cruz’s speech-turnedsermon at a recent event in Mission called for local churches to rise up.

The Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon drew residents from across Mission to pray for the well-being of the city.

Held Thursday May 3 at the Mission Event Center, the luncheon included music from AllHeart Worship and the Veterans Memorial High School varsity mariachi group Toros de Plata.

Churches from all over the city were represented that day, as pastors and priests from First United Methodist Church, North Mission Church of Christ, El Divino Redentor, The Bridge Church, AllHeart Church, Freedom Life Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church Connections for Christ and New Hope at the Border spoke.

Reverend Rafael Cruz, father of Texas senator Ted Cruz, was the keynote speaker at the event.

Things got political as a few of the guests invited to speak, Cruz included, praised Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas’ work in the city of Mission.

“It is not coincidental that he has been mayor for 20 years,” Cruz said. “May God keep him as mayor for another 20. Jesus said, ‘He who wants to be the greatest of all must become the servant of all.’ And Mayor Salinas truly has a servant’s heart.”

Cruz, who grew up in Cuba under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, moved to America and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Cruz spoke about his pride in being an American citizen, and how it has shaped his life.

“I am so proud to be an American,” Cruz said. “This is the greatest country on the face of the Earth.”

Cruz said that revolutions are born in Christian churches, and called upon pastors to be less concerned with being politically correct and more concerned with being “biblically correct.”

“Pastors were at the forefront of the American Revolution, churches were at the forefront,” Cruz said. “You look at the Declaration of Independence, 26 grievances against King George. Did you know that each and every one of those grievances were preached at the pulpits of America for ten years? It was pastors from the pulpit calling out King George for the atrocities the British were perpetrating on the American people. The question is, where are those pastors today?”

Salinas spoke at the event as well, and said that he was glad to see so many people attending the event. The luncheon was held on the National Day of Prayer, and Salinas felt it was important people recognize the role religion plays in the city.

“This is why we have done so well,” Salinas said.

“We have always been gathered together by a bunch of churches. I support and help and want to do as much as I can to support our churches.

We have so many churches.”

Salinas said the city is blessed that so many people pray for Mission every day.

“I want to take this opportunity to tell you about how Mission has been respected by so many in the state of Texas,” Salinas said. “Because it’s something that has to do with a lot of people that care. They’ve done so much for this community, and I feel very proud.”

Pastor Cathy Garcia, from Freedom Life Church, announced that the Mission Food Pantry would be holding a food drive for Mission families starting May 28 through June 1 to provide food during the summer months. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the Mission Event Center during the drive from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Can we provide for our community?” Garcia asked.

“I believe that we can, and we invite you to be part of this food drive. I know it will help our community and the children in our city.”

Reverend Rafael Cruz (left) and Mayor Beto Salinas (middle) hold a painting of La Lomita Chapel and a bible, gifts given in honor of the event and presented by Pastor Enrique Gonzalez (right) from Connections for Christ. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

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Palmview crime victim liaison program suspended

By Jose De Leon III The Texas Attorney General’s Office has placed a financial hold on an account containing $42,000 in state funds dedicated to assisting victims of violent crimes in the city of Palmview.

The suspension of the Palmview crime victim liaison program, according to interim City Manager Leo Olivares, is a consequence of the city being suspended from the federal asset forfeiture program.

Olivares said Monday the city received an email dated May 3 from the Office of the Attorney General saying the city’s crime victim liaison program was being placed on financial hold.

“The Office of the Attorney General has become aware of potential financial management issues of Office of the Attorney General (OAG) grant funds,” the email stated.

“This email serves as notification that your grant has been placed on financial hold while these issues are investigated.”

Though the email didn’t list the program by name, a representative from the OAG confirmed on Tuesday the program being affected was the Palmview crime victim liaison program-which received $42,000 in state funds last fall.

“We’d obviously like to get reinstated as soon as possible. It’s a good program and the community benefits from it,” Olivares said.

The financial suspension came over a week after the city’s asset forfeiture program was suspended by the U.S. Department of Justice.

As previously reported, financial records from the city appeared to show Palmview spent federal asset forfeiture money-money seized by the Justice Department that is

linked to criminal activity-on food, gift cards and an employee Christmas party.

Other problems the city found in an audit of the federal asset forfeiture program included the mixing of state funds with federal money, which Olivares said happened in the crime victim liaison program. According to Olivares, the director of the crime victim liaison program was accidentally being paid with money from the forfeiture program instead of state grant funds from the OAG’s office.

Those funds, Olivares explained, were supposed to be deposited in the city’s general fund but were instead deposited into the federal asset forfeiture program.

“What’s happened here, as far as we’re able to tell, the monies have been improperly administered but they have not been misappropriated into private hands,” Olivares said. “It’s just been deposited into one account where it

shouldn’t have been instead of another account.”

The crime victim liaison program was started by the city last fall under the city’s police department, Olivares said, adding that the program’s director was hired earlier this year.

Olivares said the city will reach out to the OAG to find more information on the suspension. The city is also meeting with the Department of Justice to see if the city’s two other federal programs - the Stone Garden and Border Star programs - will also be suspended as those funds were deposited into the federal asset forfeiture account.

“We’re self-reporting to the DOJ and even though the crime victim liaison program is suspended, we’d like our program director to continue to get paid,” Olivares said.

“It’s not the employee’s fault this happened so I don’t what them to suffer for it.”

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May 11, 2018

Sports week Pioneer’s Howell

THE

BIG7 SCHOOLS

page 6

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

gold favorite

By Luciano Guerra To say that UIL State gold medals are hard to come by would be an understatement.

Literally thousands of high school athletes from across the Lone Star state dream of bringing home a gold medal, year-in and year-out, but only a handful of them ever experience the thrill and honor of standing atop the awards podium and having a state gold medal hung around their necks.

When it comes to the Rio Grande Valley, the number of athletes that bring state gold medals home with them on a yearly basis can usually be counted on one hand. That is why it is such a big deal to have a valley athlete go into the state track and field meet as the favorite to take the gold medal like Sharyland Pioneer shot putter Johnny Howell is.

As the son of long-time and highly respected throwing coach, Larry Howell, and a track and field coach at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, Kathy Howell, it should come as a surprise to nobody that Johnny not only took up the shot put and the discus at an early age, but that he has gone on to become the top shot putter in the district, area, region and quite possibly the state in this his senior year.

The fact that Howell’s best shot put throw at the UIL Region IV track and field meet,

held just two weeks ago, was nearly two feet further than any of the other state qualifiers’ best throws is why he is the favorite at this weekend’s state meet which is being held at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas Austin.

“Those rankings are coming from everybody’s best throws at the regional track meets and my best throw of 57-09.00 was my best so far this season,” Howell said.

“But as good as that throw was, it was about eight inches short of my personal record of 58-06.50 which I’m hoping to match or even surpass at the state meet. Those qualifying throws give us a pretty good idea of what everybody will be throwing at the state meet.”

Having come about as close as you can come to medaling at last year’s state meet, without actually medaling, has helped drive Howell to where he is today, on the verge of being the top shot putter across the state of Texas.

“I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to at last year’s state meet,” Howell said. “I placed fourth, and while as the only junior in that competition it was pretty exciting to place that high, I fell six inches short of medaling which was my goal. But that has driven me to be where I’m at right now going into the state meet.”

After placing a disap-

pointing second at this year’s 31-5A district meet, Howell has been at the top of his game ever since.

“After the district meet I took a couple of days to reflect about how I felt and I got myself mentally ready for the Area meet,” Howell said. “I won the Area meet by about three feet over everybody else there with a throw of 57-08.00, an Area meet record, and was my season’s best at that point in time.”

“Going into the Regional meet, I knew I had the best mark going in by a few feet, so I wanted to make sure I kept that good distance between myself and the rest of the pack,” Howell added. “My first throw at the Regional meet was an OK throw of 55 feet but I knew that wasn’t good enough. My next throw was my season best throw of 57-09.00 and from that throw on I knew I was going to the state meet.

I also knew that I’d have a very good chance of bringing home the state gold medal.”

While he is the favorite, the favorite does not always win. When asked if he would be disappointed with anything less than the gold, Howell said, “I will be a little bit disappointed if I don’t win the state championship because that has been my goal. But if I throw my best and somebody else beats me, they deserve it more than me. But if I don’t throw my

Johnny Howell personal best and somebody beats me that will be on me for not competing to my fullest.”

If Howell succeeds in winning the state championship, he will be the second Diamondback track and field athlete to do so. That is because in the first year of the school’s existence, Nora Monie took the gold medal in the discus at the state meet.

Whether or not he succeeds in topping the field at

the state meet, Howell already knows what he’ll be doing next year; going to school and throwing the shot put and possibly the hammer for the Cougars. That’s because he has already signed a letter of intent with the University of Houston.

Howell is not the only Big 7 athlete to qualify for this weekend’s state track meet.

The others are Pioneer’s Daizy Monie who qualified in the discus, Sharyland’s Vale-

ria Diaz and Blake Klein who qualified for the 1,600 meter run and the triple jump respectively, Palmview’s Brianna Robles who qualified in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs, Mission’s Alex Cordova who qualified in the 400 meter dash, and Juarez-Lincoln’s 4 x 400 meter relay team which is made up of Kenneth Gonzalez, Harley Vargas, Jose Maldonado and Elias Gutierrez.

May 11, 2018

page 7

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Smith’s Diamondbacks making program history Sharyland, Mission, Pioneer playing on in postseason

By Bryan Ramos It didn’t take long for Casey Smith’s winning ways to carry over to Pioneer High School.

After eight years as the head baseball coach at Mission Veterans lined with playoff appearances and district championships, Smith made the move to lead the Pioneer Diamondbacks. In just one season, his impact has been evident as the Diamondbacks qualified for postseason play for the first time in program history and are now onto the area round after picking up a bi-district championship last weekend.

“From the beginning, one of the things that we tried to change was the culture, and just the idea that we’re going to work at the end of the

day and keep coming back,” Smith said. “I think the most improvement I saw was in their mentality and their work ethic. … It was really neat from a personal standpoint; it’s nice because you get to see kids raise their level of play, raise their level of expectation, and can see the fruits of that labor for them come through. It’s neat to see the smile on their faces, the excitement and the feeling of accomplishment for them.”

The Diamondbacks have a sign on their door that reads “you reap what you sow”, and Pioneer reaped the benefits of their hard work with an opening round win over Brownsville Veterans Memorial, District 32-5A’s 14-0 champion. In Game 1, Pioneer pulled out a close 7-6 win over Brownsville

Pioneer head baseball coach Casey Smith gives Diamondbacks’ junior right fielder Johnny Lugo last minute instructions as he prepares to bat during the fourth inning of last Friday night’s game two of the best-of-three bi-district round playoff series between the Diamondbacks and Brownsville Veterans Memorial. Progress Times photo

by Luciano Guerra.

Vets with Jacob Rosales on the mound for the Diamondbacks. After dropping Game 2 by a score of 9-1 and facing a win-or-go-home situation in Game 3, Pioneer came out and dominated the elimination game with a 10-0 win led by sophomore pitcher Evan Maldonado, who delivered a complete game shutout.

“We were real confident that we were going to come back and play well in Game 3,” Smith said. “We didn’t play poorly in Game 2, I thought we played hard and battled. Brownsville Veterans played well and got some bounces their way but our kids continued to battle, continued to fight, and that bodes well when you see that entering a Game 3 because your kids are going to continue to fight and lay it on the line when it all counts.”

Now, the Pioneer Diamondbacks are preparing for their area round best-of-three series against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial which begins tonight.

“I think we’re loose,” he said. “We’re coming to work everyday with the idea that we’re trying to get better.

I feel fairly confident that come Friday night when we step on the field, we’ll be ready to play.”

The best-of-three series between the Pioneer Diamondbacks and Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial begins tonight at 7 in Alice at Alice High School. Game 2 is set for Saturday at 1 p.m., with Game 3, if necessary, to be played 30 minutes after, both in Alice.

Mission Eagles The Mission Eagles marched their way into the area round by sweeping San

Antonio Southwest with scores of 3-1 and 8-3 to bring home a bi-district championship.

In Game 2, Eddie Rodriguez hit a two-run bomb in the top of the fourth inning to extend the Eagles cushion of a lead helped built by J.R. Cortez and Zoy Hernandez.

Mission High began their area round best-of-three series last night against the Los Fresnos Falcons. Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. tonight at Los Fresnos High School, with

Game 3 scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mission High School, if necessary.

Sharyland Rattlers After a two-year postseason absence, the Sharyland Rattlers are onto the area round for the first time since 2015 with Head Coach Barton Bickerton leading the way.

The Rattlers picked up a bi-district championship by coming from behind to knock off Edcouch-Elsa 2-1 in their best-of-three opening

round series. After dropping Game 1 by a score of 2-1, the Rattlers stormed back to win Game 2 6-4 and Game 3 10-4.

Sharyland’s area round opponent is the Calallen Wildcats with the best-ofthree series’ first pitch set for 7 p.m. tonight at Calallen High School. Game 2 will be played Saturday at Sharyland High School at 3 p.m. with Game 3, if necessary, played 30 minutes after.

Aaron Fernandez (center) signs a letter of intent to play football for Clarke University in Iowa as his parents, principal and coaches watch on. Fernandez played as cornerback for the Veterans Memorial High School football team. Head Coach David Gilpin expressed his pride in Fernandez, and is excited to see the impact he has in the Clarke University football team. “This is a brand new university as far as football goes,” Gilpin said. “What he does up there opens the doors for other Mission Veterans Memorial athletes.”

Gilpin said that the character, dedication and work ethic Fernandez shows to Clarke University will represent VMHS in a positive way, and potentially lead to more student athletes being recruited to play at the university level. “It shows what can happen for guys that work like Aaron did,” Gilpin said. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.

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Hidalgo County bailiff accused of providing fake documents to drug smugglers

by Dave Hendricks A bailiff at the Hidalgo County Courthouse worked with drug smugglers to steal cocaine — and covered up the thefts with fake documents, according to the federal criminal complaint against him.

FBI agents arrested Hidalgo County Court at Law #6 Bailiff Oscar De La Cruz, 52, of Pharr on Friday.

Details about the case, though, remained sealed until Monday morning, when De La Cruz appeared in federal court.

Handcuffed and wearing a chain around his waist, De La Cruz stood before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker in a courtroom packed with more than 80 people facing immigration and smuggling charges.

De La Cruz acknowledged the allegations against him but said little else. He’ll return to court Tuesday, when the judge may set bond.

“I am hopeful that my cli-

ent will be released on bond since he has no criminal history, has many ties in this community, and is not a flight risk,” said attorney Santos Maldonado, who represents De La Cruz. “At this stage in the case I have not been able to review the evidence in this case. Therefore I am not able to anticipate how this case may be resolved.”

The criminal complaint against De La Cruz details a scheme to steal cocaine and cover up the thefts with fake court documents.

Agents started investigating De La Cruz in October, when an informant said someone told him “Oscar” at the Hidalgo County Courthouse could make fake documents.

The following month, FBI agents obtained a copy of one of the fake documents.

“The document lists a case number and states that it corresponds to a search allegedly conducted at an address in Edcouch, Texas on March 5, 2017,” according to

the criminal complaint. “According to the document, the search resulted in the seizure of six kilograms of cocaine by the Drug Enforcement Administration.”

FBI agents met with the informant’s contact in March 2018.

The informant’s contact said he paid Oscar De La Cruz for fake documents on several occasions.

While FBI agents searched the Hidalgo County Courthouse on Friday, the criminal complaint doesn’t include any explicit link to De La Cruz’s day job at County Court at Law #6.

The scheme described in the criminal complaint is relatively common in the Rio Grande Valley.

Depending on the purity, a kilogram of cocaine is worth roughly $23,000 to $27,000 in the Valley, according to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent who testified in federal court during December.

Smugglers who want to steal cocaine from their suppliers — and sell the cocaine to someone else, potentially pocketing six figures — sometimes claim law enforcement seized the drugs.

AGUA SUD ELECTION according to the Election Department.

Both teams campaigned hard. They blanketed U.S. 83 with signs, went doorto-door meeting voters and camped at the polls for weeks.

Donors contributed nearly $26,700 to Team L1berty from Feb. 2 to April 25, roughly double what Team Agua SUD received during the same period, according to campaign finance reports filed last month.

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To document the bogus drug busts, they provide the supplier with fake police reports, search warrants or court records.

It’s unclear how many fake documents De La Cruz is accused of providing to drug smugglers.

The informant said he dealt with De La Cruz through an intermediary, according to the criminal complaint. The informant would pay the intermediary, who passed the money to De La Cruz.

In exchange, De La Cruz provided “multiple false documents” to the intermediary, who passed them to the informant, according to the criminal complaint.

The criminal complaint doesn’t name the informant or the intermediary, identifying them only as “Confidential Source 1” and “Confidential Source 2.”

De La Cruz is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.

The judge scheduled a preliminary examination and detention hearing for Tuesday afternoon.

from pg 1 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joe Flores donated $6,500 to Team Agua SUD candidates, making him the largest contributor to either team.

“We only had Joe that helped us out,” Luna said.

Nearly all big-dollar donors supported Team L1berty, which drew on a wide circle of people affiliated with the utility district.

Peñitas Volunteer Fire Chief Jonathan Sakulenzki, an insurance broker, donated $5,500. Peñitas City Manager Omar Romero donated $5,000. And Peñitas Chief of Staff Andy Morales, who owns a consulting company, donated $4,500.

They worked for the utility district during the past two years, providing consulting and insurance services.

MAYORAL RACE

For example, the rules treat Mission residents in the military and stationed overseas differently than elderly residents who live in town.

After reviewing the provisional and mail-in ballots on Friday afternoon, the Elections Department will send the final numbers to the City of Mission. The ballot board meeting will determine whether or not the mayoral race results in a runoff.

“We’re getting ready for the runoff,” Salinas said.

“We’re not waiting for Friday. I don’t think it’s going to make a difference.”

AWARENESS

school principal and counselor to see if this was a possibility for Alvaro, and after some organization he was able to read “All My Stripes” out loud to his classmates on April 30.

“April 30th was my last chance,” Alvaro said.

After waiting one long month, Alvaro was ready.

He practiced at home, and by the time that Monday rolled around he was excited to show his classmates this part of himself.

“I was planning on making him notecards and all these things,” Flores-Ramirez said.

“And he said, ‘No, I already know what I’m going to say.

I already have everything down.’”

“I was born ready!” Alvaro chimed in.

Once he read the book, he helped a special education representative teach his peers about the nuances of autism, and how it is varied in each person who has it.

“I think they liked it,” Alvaro said. “You can learn a lot from books. Not many people know [about autism], and I want to spread the word. Because not many people really get me. So I want to tell them the big secret.”

With positive feedback from his teachers and his friends, Alvaro, his mother and the MCISD Special Education Department have bigger plans for next year’s Autism Awareness Month.

Alvaro wants to read “All My Stripes” to all the grade levels, and wants everyone to hear the message it has to offer.

Flores-Ramirez, who has been a teacher for 12 years, said that in the last three years they have noticed an increase in students who are diagnosed with autism.

“After his diagnosis, we try to keep up as far as what’s

May 11, 2018 from pg 1

City Secretary Anna Carrillo said the City Council is scheduled to canvass the ballots on Monday and call a runoff election.

Regardless of what happens in the mayoral race, Mission must hold a runoff for City Council Place 4.

Hidalgo City Manager Julian J. Gonzalez won about 42 percent of ballots cast.

He'll face attorney Gus Martinez in the runoff.

Early voting is scheduled to start May 29 and end June 5. Election day will be June 9.

from pg 1

going on in the medical community,” Flores-Ramirez said.

“Because every day is a different day.”

Alvaro sees a counselor outside of school once every other week in order to refine his social skills, but gets along with everyone. He spoke about his many friends, and can remember something unique about every person he meets.

Along with counseling, the special education department at MCISD is in communication with his parents, and are able to find healthy coping mechanisms, such as daily schedules.

“I think it’s imperative that there is that awareness,” said Esmeralda Espericueta, who is part of the MCISD special education department. “And like now, within his classroom, I’m sure the entire year, the class has gotten to know him and how they can help him to be successful within his environment. It’s a learning experience, not just for the teachers, but for the peers.”

Alvaro is a straight “A” student in the first grade, and is part of the Gifted and Talented Program at Escobar/ Rios Elementary. With his own private YouTube channel, and his passion for movies, drawing and coloring, books, reading and science, Alvaro is constantly doing his own research and finding his favorite creative outlets that motivate and encourage him.

When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, his mother says it changes every week based on what he is feeling. His parents cheer him on in everything, and with his love for illustrating, creating characters and zoology, his options range from a paleontologist to a filmmaker to an artist.

“Everything,” Alvaro said.

May 11, 2018

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Mission Historical Museum holds annual Tardeada Zapateada

By Jamie Treviño For Janie Tenorio and her son Emiliano, last Friday was a fun evening out, filled with music and dancing.

Celebrating the culture of the Rio Grande Valley the evening before Cinco de Mayo, the Mission Historical Museum’s annual Tardeada Zapateada drew quite the

MCISD ELECTIONS

with 53 percent of the votes.

“The community spoke, and they said we have their support,” Rodgers said Saturday.

Longoria, Vela and Leo-Diaz ran under the “United for Education” slate.

In a phone interview Saturday night, he called the election day results disappointing.

“We’re all a little surprised and expected better,” Longoria said. “But it is what it is and we have to accept it and move on.”

Rodgers and Ramirez are both former teachers who have a combined 82 years worth of experience in education. Mendoza- who works with students and their par-

crowd to the Mission Market Square.

The event included live music, performances by local folklorico groups and vendors selling food and artesanal clothing. Two moon jumps were also available for the younger children.

Tenorio went to the Tardeada Zapateada last year as well, and was excited for

from pg 1 ents as part of her job-said this experience will help on the school board.

“That will help us understand our students and what they’re going through to do the best for them,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza became an honorary member of the “A+ Team” slate after Rodgers and Ramirez reached out to her, Mendoza said, adding that they got along well when she used to serve on the board.

“We have the same goals,” Mendoza said. “I know they’re women of integrity with no hidden agenda, they were here to serve the community. They are honest and transparent and I knew I had

obituaries Reynaldo Ruiz SULLIVAN CITY – Reynaldo Ruiz, 74, passed away on Thursday, May 3, 2018, at his home in Sullivan City.

Mr. Ruiz was born in Peñitas on March 23, 1944, to Narciso and Santos Ruiz. He worked 38 years for the La Joya I.S.D. He served as a justice of the peace from 1971 to 1981 and was a Sullivan City commissioner for several years, also serving as Mayor ProTem. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his wife, Yucselina Ruiz, and siblings, Maria De La Rosa, Elisa Cantu, Esmeralda Torres and Ramon Ruiz.

Emiliano, who is one and a half years old, to experience it.

“He loves music, so that’s why I bring him,” Tenorio said. “Because I’ve exposed him to the music, that’s why he loves it. He was clapping as soon as we got out of the car.”

The Mission Market Square was set with several

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Minerva Ruiz; parents; and siblings, Eulalia Zamora, Emilia Cardenas, Hermila Ramirez, Elidia Ruiz, Narciso Ruiz Jr. and Marcos Ruiz.

A funeral mass was held on May 5 at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Pueblo de Palmas. Cremation followed.

Notices Jesus Briseno PEÑITAS – Jesus Briseno, 75, passed away on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, at his home in Peñitas.

Yolanda Garza MISSION – Yolanda Guada-

to join them.”

The trio agreed that the school board’s top priorities are focusing on the district’s curriculum to ensure their students don’t fall through the cracks, and find a suitable replacement for their former superintendent Ricardo Lopez, who left the district last fall.

“We interviewed a few candidates yesterday and I just want to hire a superintendent who can actually stay here a while,” Rodgers said, noting that Lopez left after five years with the district. “We need an amazing leader with transparency, integrity and respect more than anything.” lupe Garza, 47, passed away on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at her home in Mission.

Antonia Manriquez MISSION – Antonia Manriquez, 72, passed away on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at her home in Mission.

Irieno Ozuna MISSION – Irineo Ozuna, 71, passed away on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Jesus Peña Jr. MISSION – Jesus Peña Jr., 62, passed away on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Mission Regional Medical Center.

Abel Rodriguez Jr. MISSION – Abel Rodriguez Jr., 70, passed away on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, at his home in Mission.

Frank Rodriguez MISSION – Frank Rodriguez, 60, passed away on Monday, May 7, 2018, in Houston.

tables and chairs so those in attendance at the free event could enjoy what the city had to offer. The director of the Mission Historical Museum, Cynthia Stojanovic, was glad that there were so many people in attendance, and spoke about the significance of folklorico in the Valley.

“It really showcases a lot of the important cultural aspects of our heritage, such as our folklorico and how important that is,” Stojanovic said. “It’s almost an everyday occurance. There are so many young people that participate in folklorico, so it’s good exposure for them, also the music is part of our heritage.”

Stojanovic said that the goal of the evening was to provide a place where all the elements of local Mexican tradition can come together.

“It all ties into that pres-

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2322 N. McColl. - McAllen 682-2092 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 5609 S 29th St. - McAllen 682-4881 CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 2Mile & Bryan Rd Mission.

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

IGLESIA PENTECOSTES NUEVA VIDA A/G 211 W. Mile 3 Road Palmhurst • 956-342-9711 Rev. Candelario Banda

LA RESPUESTA CHURCH 405 W. 12th Street • 585-0787 MISSION CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 1 mi. E. 495 • 585-6683 NEW HOPE AT THE BORDER 905 N. Conway • 369-3603 NORTH MISSION CHURCH OF CHRIST 1410 E. Mile 3 Rd. • 585-0146 Palmhurst NORTH PALMVIEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7612 W. 6 Mile Ln. ONLY THRU JESUS 1511 E. Mile 2 Rd. Mission • 918-760-1625 OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS One-half mile South Leo Avenue La Joya • 585-5223 OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHURCH 6634 El Camino Real • Granjeno OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH 2.5 miles S. Conway (FM 1016) Mission OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH 620 Dunlap • 585-2623 OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH 923 Matamoros St. • 581-2193 PALM VALLEY CHURCH 1720 E. Griffin Pkwy.

585-3203 PEÑITAS BAPTIST CHURCH 1/3 Mile S. of Exp.83 on FM 1427 583-6236 PRIMERA BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of 6th & Oblate 585-4711

By Jose De Leon III

Next month, the La Joya school board of trustees may vote on giving migrant students an early start to the district’s migrant program.

At the Wednesday school board meeting, school trustees heard a presentation from Ricardo Villarreal-the district’s assistant superintendent for student services-who talked of a possible partnership with the Texas Migrant Council to bring in 81 3-yearold migrant students into the district.

This partnership would place these students-whose parents are migrant workers-to the pre-kindergarten program at Patricio Perez Elementary School, Villarreal said. TMC would provide transportation for the students, afternoon snacks, furniture, computers and supplies for teachers and students as well as a teacher and assistant teacher for every 18 stu-

PROMISE LAND CHURCH 2300 E. Palm Circle (Corner of 495) Mission, TX 78572 • 624-9307 RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH 901 S. Shary Rd. (Located in the Holiday Inn Express Conference Room) 451-4838 SAN CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES & COMPANIONS PARISH

3805 Plantation Grove Blvd., Ste. 5

Mission • 580-4551

SAN MARTIN DE PORRES 5 mi. N. Conway, 1/2 Mile West Alton • 585-8001 & 585-8002 SPIRIT OF PEACE EV. LUTHERAN CHUCH 3104 Los Milagros Mission • 581-1822 ST. JOHN OF THE FIELDS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1052 Washington Ave. • 585-2325 ST. PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH 1119 Francisco • 585-2701 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2310 N. Stewart Rd. 585-5005 SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH 6 1/8 N. Doffing Rd. (FM 492) 580-4078 TEMPLO BIBLICO 5 Mile/Conway 581-4981or 585-3831 TEMPLO EVANGELICO, M.B. CHURCH La Joya TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 3905 W. 3 Mile Line • 585-3261 VALLEY FELLOWSHIP 1708 E. Griffin Parkway Mission • 424-7200

PRIMERA IGLESIA DEL VALLE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY 210 N. St. Marie. • 585-8651

KING, GUERRA, DAVIS & GARCIA ATTORNEYS AT LAW

DAVID H. GUERRA

to get out,” Bentsen said.

“And we’re trying to build up downtown anyways, so it brings people downtown.”

Bentsen’s favorite part of the Tardeada Zapateada is the performances of the folklorico groups, especially the Parks and Recreation Folklorico group.

“They’re always the highlight,” Bentsen said. “They have all the different age groups.”

For Tenorio, the event is a great celebration for Mission to hold annually.

“I like it, I think it’s a good way to get the community involved,” Tenorio said.

“And it’s something different to do. Considering we’re so close to Mexico, and our heritage is Mexican-American, so yeah, I think it’s important.”

La Joya ISD considering early start for migrant program

ChurCh DireCtory BREAD OF LIFE CHURCH 2820 N. Conway Ave. • 581-1411

ervation of the intangible elements of our culture,” Stojanovic said.

The museum has been planning this event since February. Stojanovic has only been to the Tardeada Zapateada twice, but has already seen a shift in how the celebration has changed over the years.

“I think it’s taken a different direction in terms of emphasizing more on why we do this,” Stojanovic said.

“It’s to showcase those elements of the culture.”

Also in attendance that night was Brad Bentsen, the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Mission.

He was happy to see people having fun at the Market Square,and the significance of the event is to maintain the heritage that Mission was founded on.

“It gives people a reason

page 9

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301 E. Tom Landry • Mission • 585-1622

MISSION AUTO ELECTRIC, INC. DBA

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915 West Bus. 83 • Mission, tX 78572 • (956) 581-7433

dents, Villarreal said.

The school district, meanwhile, would just have to provide breakfast and lunch for students, and training for the TMC instructors so they can adapt to La Joya ISD’s rules and guidelines Villarreal said.

“In a nutshell, this is a win for everyone involved,” Villarreal said. “We receive a growth in student population while the community gets new prospective students who will help us close the educational and reading gaps in the community.”

As this was a discussion item, the board took no action on it Wednesday but may vote on it at the June meeting where it could be implemented for the 2018-2019 school year, Villarreal said.

In other business, the board also heard from Jose Villarreal, the district’s assistant facilities and construction director. Villarreal provided to the board an update on the department’s 7-year plan

where every seven years, the facilities and construction department does several renovations to a school.

This summer, the department will conduct renovations at eight of the district’s 43 campuses. They are: Rosendo Benavides Elementary, Kika de la Garza Elementary, Diaz-Villarreal Elementary, E.B. Reyna Elementary, Cesar Chavez Middle School, North Academy, HOPE Academy and East Academy.

The renovations to all of these campuses will include paint jobs, maintenance on their A/C, electrical and plumbing equipment as well as replacements of any damaged doors and hardware.

“We should start with the renovations by the first week of June and finish by mid-August before the new school year begins,” Joe said, adding the district is still going out for bids on the project.

page 10

May 11, 2018

www.ptrgv.com | www.strgv.com

Auditor: Agua SUD ran $1.3 million operating deficit last year

by Dave Hendricks

VMHS students qualify for internationals

Veterans Memorial High School DECA students recently competed at the DECA International Competition in Atlanta, Ga.. Rey Maldonado, Rogelio Cardenas and Ivan Pena qualified to attend and compete in the Business Growth Plan competition, and Andres Lopez for the Learn and Earn project. The DECA students also were entered in two national portfolio events for community service and promotional campaigns. That team consisted of Alek Garza, Jackie Martinez, Alejandro Martinez and Abigail Amaya. Additionally, two students, Deyla Rodriguez and Javia Cerda, attended the training as district officers.

They have been helping lead the largest DECA District in the State of Texas with over 1,200 members.

ProgressTimes Like Us on Facebook

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The Agua Special Utility District ran a roughly $1.3 million operating deficit last year, according to an audit approved by the board on Monday.

Ricky Longoria, a partner at McAllen-based accounting firm Burton, McCumber and Longoria, briefed the utility board on the audit Monday afternoon.

“I would ask you all, just as you move forward, to pay attention to those numbers because that is what I consider to be your bread and butter, right? You all bill for your services for water and sewer. And there is a cost associated with providing that service. And so, ideally, it would seem to me that you would want that to be break even or positive, right?”

Longoria recommended the utility board discuss the operating deficit with management.

“Whether it’s on the revenue side or whether it’s on the expense side, but at the net — at the end of the day — you should work towards making that a positive number, not a negative number,” Longoria said.

The utility board approved the audit without any discussion and didn’t ask Longoria any questions.

Overall, though, the utility district had a $3.6 million increase in net position, Longoria said.

How the utility district ran an operating deficit and had an increase in net position remains unclear.

Members of the utility board, including board President Roger Hernandez III and board Director Homer Tijerina, who represents rural Hidalgo County customers, wouldn’t allow the Progress Times to review copies of the audit report after the meeting.

Attorney Frank Garza, who represents the utility district, asked the Progress Times to file a public information request.

By Thursday morning, the Progress Times print deadline, the utility district hadn’t responded to the request.

Longoria said the utility district cooperated with the audit and thanked administrators for taking the time to pull documents and provide other information.

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CITY OF ALTON ORDINANCE 2018-04-0508 APPOINTING SEVEN MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS WAIVING SECOND AND THIRD READING. READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 8th day of May, 2018.

Salvador Vela, Mayor, City of Alton, Texas ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas CPM, TRMC CMC, City Secretary THE STATE OF TEXAS NOTICE TO THE 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 and Petition, a default Judgment may be taken against you.”

TO: Luis A. Cruz, DEFENDANT(S) GREETINGS: You are herby commanded to appear by filing a written answer to the Plaintiff’s Original Petition at or before 10:00 o’clock A.M. of the Monday next after the expiration of fortytwo (42) days after the date of issuance of this citation the same being the on this the 13th day of April, 2018 before the Honorable L. “Keno” Vasquez, 398th District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas at the Courthouse of said county in Edinburg, Texas. Said CITY OF MISSION’S ORIGINAL PETITION, REQUEST FOR PERMANENT INJUNCTION, AND REQUESTS FOR DISCLOSURE filed in said court on the on this the 6th day of July, 2017 in this case numbered C-3023-17-I on the docket of said court and styled CITY OF MISSION VS. LUIS A. CRUZ, TRACEE L. CARBAJAL Said petition was filed in said court by Attorney JAIME TIJERINA, 1201 E. 8th ST., Mission, TX 78572.

A brief nature of the suit is as follows: PLAINTIFF(S) PRAY FOR TEMPORARY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF RELATED TO A RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 1002 REYNOSA ST., MISSION, TEXAS, CIVIL PENALTIES COURT COSTS, POST JUDGMENT INTEREST AND ALL OTHER RELIEF PLAINTIFF MAY BE ENTITLED TO AT LAW. The officer executing this writ shall promptly serve 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 at Edinburg, Texas on the on this the 13th day of April, 2018.

Call: (956) 399-3469

1 Week = $7.00 2 Weeks = $10.00 4 Weeks = $14.00

CITY OF ALTON ORDINANCE 2018-03-0508 AN ORDINANCE SETTING GENERAL MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS WITHIN THE CITY OF ALTON CORPORATE LIMITS ON GLASSCOCK BOULEVARD, STEWART BOULEVARD, BRYAN BOULEVARD AND MAYBERRY BOULEVARD IN CONCURRENCE WITH SPEED ZONE STUDIES; CONTAINING A REPEALER CLAUSE; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE; AND ORDAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF; WAIVING SECOND AND THIRD READING. READ, APPROVED, AND PASSED on this the 8th day of May, 2018.

Salvador Vela, Mayor, City of Alton, Texas ATTEST: Baudelia Rojas CPM, TRMC CMC, City Secretary THE STATE OF TEXAS NOTICE TO THE 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 and Petition, a default Judgment may be taken against you.”

TO: Tracee L. Carbajal, DEFENDANT(S) GREETINGS: You are herby commanded to appear by filing a written answer to the Plaintiff’s Original Petition at or before 10:00 o’clock A.M. of the Monday next after the expiration of fortytwo (42) days after the date of issuance of this citation the same being the on this the 13th day of April, 2018 before the Honorable L. “Keno” Vasquez, 398th District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas at the Courthouse of said county in Edinburg, Texas. Said CITY OF MISSION’S ORIGINAL PETITION, REQUEST FOR PERMANENT INJUNCTION, AND REQUESTS FOR DISCLOSURE filed in said court on the on this the 6th day of July, 2017 in this case numbered C-3023-17-I on the docket of said court and styled CITY OF MISSION VS. LUIS A. CRUZ, TRACEE L. CARBAJAL Said petition was filed in said court by Attorney JAIME TIJERINA, 1201 E. 8th ST., Mission, TX 78572.

A brief nature of the suit is as follows: PLAINTIFF(S) PRAY FOR TEMPORARY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF RELATED TO A RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 1002 REYNOSA ST., MISSION, TEXAS, CIVIL PENALTIES COURT COSTS, POST JUDGMENT INTEREST AND ALL OTHER RELIEF PLAINTIFF MAY BE ENTITLED TO AT LAW. The officer executing this writ shall promptly serve 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 at Edinburg, Texas on the on this the 13th day of April, 2018.

PUBLIC NOTICE The Mission City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on May 29, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: Lots 2 & 4, Toellner Subdivision, from (R-1) Single Family Residential to (R-3) Multi-Family Residential Discussion and Action to Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mission, Texas, designating the Honorary Naming of “Specialist Alex D. Gonzalez Street” on Barbara Street from Inspiration Road to Judy Street If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement.

Anyone interested is invited to attend.

Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

The State of Texas County of Hidalgo

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Regular Meeting on May 23, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 East 8th Street, Mission, Texas in order to consider the following: Rezoning: Lots 2 & 4, Toellner Subdivision, from (R-1) Single Family Residential to (R-3) Multi-Family Residential Discussion and Action to Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mission, Texas, designating the Honorary Naming of “Specialist Alex D. Gonzalez Street” on Barbara Street from Inspiration Road to Judy Street If a zoning is amended during the public hearing, it shall be pursuant to the City of Mission’s Amendatory Zone Policy Statement.

Anyone interested is invited to attend.

Anna Carrillo, City Secretary

CONSTABLE’S SALE

Notice is Hereby Given that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale For Delinquent Taxes issued out of the HONORABLE 430th District Court HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS, on the 20th of April, 2018, for the sum of $10,216.39 with interest thereon at the rate of 11.9% per annum from the 21st of March, 2016 and cost of suit, under a judgment in favor of TEXAS TAX SOLUTION II, LLC in a certain cause in said court, No. C-2101-15-J and styled Texas Tax Solution II, LLC vs. Erasmo Vargas, Olga A. Vargas; and CITIFINANCIAL, INC. (IN REM ONLY) and placed in my hands for service on the 3rd day of May, 2018, I, Lazaro Gallardo Jr., as Constable Pct.3 Hidalgo County, Texas, did on the 3rd of May, 2018, levy on real property in Hidalgo County, Texas, described as follows, to-wit Lot nine (9), Prairie View Heights, Phase I, Hidalgo County, Texas, as per Map or Plat thereof recorded in volume 29, Page 55, Map Records, Hidalgo County, Texas. And levied upon as property of Erasmo Vargas, Olga A. Vargas; and CITIFINANCIAL, INC. (In Rem Only) and that on the first Tuesday in June 2018, the same being the 5th day of said month, at the court house door of Hidalgo County, TEXAS in the City of Edinburg, Texas, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (sale starts at 10:00 a.m.) by virtue of said levy and said writ of execution, I will sell said above described real property at public venue for cash, to the highest bidder, as the property of said Erasmo Vargas, Olga A. Vargas; and CITIFINANCIAL, INC. (IN REM ONLY) and in compliance with the law, I give this notice by publication, in the English language, once a week for three consecutive weeks immediately proceeding said day of sale, in The Progress Times a newspaper published in Hidalgo County.

Witness my hand, this 7th day of May, 2018 Lazaro Gallardo, Jr. CONSTABLE PCT.3 Hidalgo County, Texas

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE/ AUDENCIA PÚBLICA CITY OF MISSION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM SUBSTANTIAL PROGRAM AND BUDGET AMENDMENT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN 2017-2018 In accordance with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Mission hereby announces a public hearing and approval for a substantial program and budget amendment to the FY 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan to eliminate the activity for United Charitable Programs fbo Heroes Haven funded at $2,000 and allocate funding for the Boys and Girls Club Mission – Summer Program. The program and budget amendment is requested in order to address the need to assist at risk youth and low income youth to allow them to participate in the Summer Program. The Public Hearing will be held on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 4:30 pm at the Mission City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 E 8th Street, Mission, Texas. De acuerdo con el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos, la Cuidad de Missión anuncia una audencia pública sobre el programa substancial propuesta y modificación del presupuesto de acción de CDBG del año fiscal 2017-18 para eliminar la actividad de programas beneficios unidos fbo refugio de héroes de $2,000 y permitir el uso de esos fondos para una nueva actividad del programa Boys & Girls Club de Missión. Se solicita la modificación de programa y presupuesto para hacer frente a la necesidad de ayudar jovenes de bajos recursos y jovenes de alto riesgo para que puedan participar en el programa de verano. La Audiencia Pública se llevara a cabo el lunes 14 de Mayo de 2018 as las 4:30 pm en la Cámara del Concilio, 1201 E 8th Street, Mission, Texas.

PROJECT NAME: (05D) Boys and Girls Club Mission FUNDING: $2,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Funding to provide partial waivers of summer program fees for at risk youth and low income youth ELIGIBILITY: YOUTH SERVICES 570.201 (e) Persons with disabilities or non-English speaking who need to communicate more effectively and who may need auxiliary aids or services such as interpreters for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired are asked to contact the Community Development Department at (956) 580-8670 at least three working days in advance of the hearing so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Relay Texas may also be contacted at 800-735-2999 (TTY) or 711 (Voice). Las personas con discapacidades o que no hablen inglés y necesiten comunicarse de manera más efectiva y necesiten ayuda o servicios auxiliares como intérpretes para personas sordas o con problemas de audición deben contactar al Departamento de Desarrollo Comunitario al (956) 580-8670 al menos tres días hábiles antes de la audiencia para que se puedan hacer los arreglos necesarios. También se puede hablar a Relevo Texas al 800-735-2999 (TTY) o 711 (Voz).

All interested agencies and citizens are encouraged to attend and participate in the public hearing. This public hearing is part of the Community Development Block Grant Program Citizen Participation process and complies with program requirements. For more information, please contact the Community Development Office at (956) 580-8670 or view on City Website at www.missiontexas.us. Written comments will be accepted until May 7, 2018, and may be forwarded to Jo Anne Longoria, Community Development Director, 1301 E. 8th Street Suite 102, Mission, Texas 78572. Se alienta a todas las agencias y ciudadanos interesados asistir y participar en la audiencia pública. Esta audiencia pública es parte del proceso de Participación Ciudadana del Programa de Subsidios Globales de Desarrollo Comunitario y cumple con los requisitos del programa. Para obtener más información, comuníquese con la Oficina de Desarrollo Comunitario al (956) 580-8670 o ver sitio web de la Ciudad en www.missiontexas.us. Se aceptarán comentarios por escrito hasta el 7 de mayo de 2018, y se pueden enviar a Jo Anne Longoria, Directora de Desarrollo Comunitario, 1301 E. 8th Street Suite 102, Missión, Texas 78572.

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May 11, 2018

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Now, Therefore, I, John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America,

do hereby designate May 15, 1963, and May 15 of each succeeding year, as Peace Officers Memorial Day, in honor of those peace officers who, through their courageous deeds, have lost their lives or have become disabled in the performance of duty.

Thank You To all Those In law enforcemenT who are on The fronT lIne everY DaY! Javier Ramirez Mayor Pro Tem

Gerardo Perez Mayor

Joselito Hernandez Councilman

Leo Olivares Interim City Manager www.cityofpalmview.com

Gilbert Zamora Interim Police Chief

facebook.com/ cityofpenitas Linda Sarabia Councilwoman

Ricardo Villarreal Councilman

Joel Garcia Councilman

MAYOR PRO-TEM

COUNCILMAN

ALEX GUAJARDO JOSE ROEL FLORES

MAYOR

RIGO LOPEZ

COUNCILMAN

COUNCILMAN

FELIPE QUINTANILLA RAMIRO LOYA

Saluting

Our Local Agencies:

Alton PD, Alton FD, Hidalgo Co. Precinct 3, Constables & Hidalgo Co. Sheriff’s Dept.

During National Police Week, we honor the officers who lost their lives while protecting the safety of others. Our nation’s police work hard every day to ensure safety and order in our communities, and we’re grateful for their dedication, skill, courage and sacrifice.

Ramiro J. Rodrigurez, Jr. Roberto A. Salinas Mayor Mayor Pro-Tem

www.cityofpalmhursttx.com

Ruben De Leon Councilman

Israel Silva Councilman

Jaime Aranda Councilman

Ofelia Peña-Perez Councilwoman

LOCATIONS IN LA JOYA • PALMVIEW

Insured by NCUA. Equal housing lender.

CALL OR CLICK TODAY!

(956) 585-6207

www.lajoyafcu.com

1201 E. 8th St. (956) 580-8650 www.missiontexas.us

Maria E. “Geny” Salinas Commissioner Mike Alaniz City Administrator

Norberto “Beto” Salinas MAYOR

Norie Garza MAYOR PRO-TEM

Jessica Ortega-Ochoa COUNCILWOMAN

Ruben Plata COUNCILMAN

Dr. Armando Ocaña COUNCILMAN

Martin Garza, Jr. CITY MANAGER

Jose A. “Fito” Salinas Mayor

Mary Salinas Mayor Pro-Tem

Rey Acosta Commissioner Roberto Jackson City Attorney

Anna Lisa Ruiz Commissioner Julianita Sabala Administrative Secretary