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Friday, November 2, 2018
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Vol. 47 - #11
Your Hometown Newspaper, Bringing Communities Together.
This year, Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 AM Sunday, November 4.
Sgt. Fieldy named Military Hero Dog of the Year
INSIDE
Ted Cruz visits Mission
McAllen native Corporal Nick Caceres and his K-9 brother reunited in 2014, and are still going strong By Jamie Treviño
The incumbent candidate for Texas Senator recently held a campaign rally in the city of Mission this week. Jose De Leon III has the latest on the event and what happened during his visit, as well as local early voting numbers.
See Pg. 12
Mission Amnesty period
After being deployed to Afghanistan four different times with the U.S. Marine Corps, Sergeant Fieldy is enjoying retirement with his second handler, Corporal Nick Caceres, and his family. Sgt. Fieldy was recently named the 2018 Military Hero Dog of the Year by the American Humane Association, and he and Caceres were flown to New York City for the awards ceremony and an appearance on the Today Show. In 2010, Sgt. Fieldy, who had already been deployed once, met Caceres in South Carolina while in training with a group of specialized units created to combat IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in Afghanistan. “Fieldy is just like someone I served with,” Caceres said. “That experience, the things that we went through, we went through it together,
so it’s a bond just like brothers in arms, it’s the same connection, it’s just that he’s
a K-9.” Originally planning on choosing a different dog to
work with, Caceres said that during a demonstration given by the K-9s there, Sgt.
Fieldy stood out as the clear choice. While stationed, their job was to look for IEDs. “We were there to be in front of the patrol,” Caceres said. “And Fieldy led the way.” If they were patrolling in vehicles and spotted anything questionable, Caceres would send Fieldy to double check and see what it was. Sgt. Fieldy would sniff out and source any potential explosive devices and signal to Caceres. “When he got the scent [of IEDs and explosives] that we worked with, he would pinpoint it,” Caceres said. “When he found where it was coming from, he would lay down on top of it, looking at me, and that would let me know that’s where it’s at.” Sgt. Fieldy wouldn’t get off the spot until Caceres called him back, gave him
Corporal Nick Caceres and Sergeant Fieldy while serving in Afghanistan in 2011 (left) and them today (right). Photos courtesy of Facebook.
See DOG OF THE YEAR Pg. 14
White Cane Walk & Resources Fiesta held After resignations, La Joya hires new fire chief to rebuild in Mission for the first time
The city of Mission Municipal Court will be making an amnesty period available to the public from Nov. 5 through 17. More details about the program, as well as Municipal Court Week, can be found inside.
See Pg. 4
SPORTS VMHS Volleyball
VMHS volleyball has earned their seventh bi-district championship and are moving on in the state playoffs. Bryan Ramos has more information about what their goals are and what they hope to achieve.
See Pg. 6
INDEX Entertainment...... pg. 2 Sports....................... pg. 6 Lifestyle.................pg. 10 Obituaries............pg. 11 Classifieds..............pg.13
By Jamie Treviño Mission residents got to experience walking while “blind” for the first time outside the Parks and Recreation Center and Mission CEED building last Saturday. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) held their 8th annual White Cane Walk and Resources Fiesta for the blind and visually impaired for the first time in Mission last weekend. The event drew crowds from all over the Rio Grande Valley, and included the participation of about 20 vendors. Macarena Peña, the president of the RGV Chapter of the NFB, was excited to hold
the gathering in Mission and observe how it would open up new possibilities for the visually impaired in the city.
“We want to reach out to the blind community, we
See WHITE CANE WALK Pg.13
Mayor Armando O’caña and other participants of the white cane walk participating during the White Cane Walk & Resources Fiesta for the Blind and Visually Impaired last Saturday. Progress Times photo by Jamie Treviño.
Sullivan City hires former Palmview city manager as consultant by Dave Hendricks The Sullivan City Commission hired former Palmview City Manager Ramon Segovia on Tuesday. Sullivan City will pay him $3,000 per month for consulting services, according to the proposal Segovia submitted. He agreed to work a minimum of 10 hours per week. “He’s very easy to get along with,” said police Chief Richard Ozuna. “Very easy to work with.” Sullivan City depends
Ramon Segovia on Ozuna, who doubles as the interim city manager, and City Secretary Veronica
“Vero” Gutierrez, who doubles as the municipal court supervisor, to handle a dizzying array of duties. They’re responsible for everything from purchasing and payroll to economic development and drainage. Segovia — who spent nearly 17 years working for Palmview, including four as city manager — will lighten the load, tackling projects assigned by Ozuna and the City Commission.
See SULLIVAN CITY Pg. 3
by Dave Hendricks Roughly a month after La Joya firefighters resigned en masse, leaving the all-volunteer department largely defunct, the city hired a new chief on Wednesday. The La Joya City Commission hired Frankie Joe Salinas, 43, of Edinburg — a driver for the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department — on Wednesday afternoon. “He’s willing to come to us, recruit and work hard for the city of La Joya,” said Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas. Frankie Salinas faces a daunting task. His predecessor, Fire Chief Leroy Salinas, resigned Sept. 30 to join the Peñitas Volunteer Fire Department. The La Joya volunteers followed Leroy Salinas, leaving the city in the lurch. Frankie Salinas will start over from scratch, recruiting new volunteers and rebuilding the department. “I’m excited,” Frankie Salinas said, adding that he wants to bring new ideas to La Joya, including public education about fire prevention and hands-on training for volunteers. “There’s going to be a lot of training.” Frankie Salinas joined the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department after graduating from high school. “But prior to that I was a
Frankie Joe Salinas
fire boy scout for the city of Edinburg,” Frankie Salinas said. “So I was actually in the ninth grade when I got involved with the fire service.” The volunteer job, though, didn’t pay. Frankie Salinas supported himself by working for Hidalgo County, taking jobs with the Motor Vehicle Department, the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office and the District Clerk’s Office. Edinburg eventually offered him a full-time job in May 2011. He spent five years inspecting commercial buildings and investigating fires before taking a driver position. “I’ve always liked serving the community,” Frankie Salinas said, adding that he views firefighting as public service. When he heard La Joya
See NEW FIRE CHIEF Pg. 8
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