Happy New Year! Friday, January 2, 2015
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New DA ready to take over R
By Julie Silva icardo Rodriguez intends to be a district attorney who’s tough on domestic violence, treats everyone equally and intolerant of any violence spilling over from Mexico. As he prepared to take over the office from Rene Guerra, who’s reigned over Hidalgo County prosecutors for more than 30 years, Rodriguez said he’s doing everything he can to hit the ground running. Rodriguez has said he wants to do more to fight public corruption and find grant money to help fund investigations. “I’m excited, I’m nervous
Children’s home alum aims to help others
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By Lea Victoria Juarez ogelio Salazar returned to the children’s home he lived in for 10 years to work with kids who were dealt a similar hand he was dealt as a child. He lived in poverty until age 6 after his mother placed him and five of his seven siblings in the Rio Grande Valley Children’s Home. Although he is from Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Salazar considers Palmview his home, and attributes that to growing up in the children’s home in Mission. The now 29-year-old said he doesn’t remember much of his time before the home, but he understands that his mother did what was necessary for the family. “I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am now if I wasn’t placed here,” Salazar said. “Everything happens for a reason.” At the time of his admission, the center was privately owned by Buddy Owens, so the ins and outs of foster care worked differently. Family visits weren’t required as they are now by the state, and Salazar enjoyed his time at the children’s home so much that he only visited his mom during summers and winter holidays. He discharged himself at 16 years old and made his way to the Dallas area with his mother, promising his caseworker that he would graduate high school and pursue a higher education. “I needed to do something more. Just getting by without a high school diploma was rough, and I saw the importance of having a high school diploma,” Salazar said.
“I think this is an amazing place. I got closer to God because of this place.” – Nicole Soto
“That helped me moved forward into my associate’s and bachelor’s and so on.” Now a husband and father of two, Salazar graduated high school at 20 years old. About 54 percent of children who transition from care to adulthood graduate from high school, and only 2 percent go on to earn a degree, according to Foster Care Alumni of America. Salazar returned to the Valley for college. After sifting through a number of majors, he finally decided on social work and found his way back to the children’s home to which he once belonged. The Rio Grande Valley Children’s Home celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2014. The children’s home takes responsibility for hundreds of children and families each year, providing necessities such as food, shelter and clothing for those whose lives lack stability. The Christian-based home works to heal children and aid in emotional growth. “If you want positivity, put it in your life and you’ll get it. That’s what I learned from this place,” Salazar said. “There’s always going to be someone that cares about you. But you have to let them care about you. I think this place does that to people if you’re willing to open up to them.” They call him Mr. Roger
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and I’m scared,” Rodriguez said. “I think it’s just human instinct. That’s the same way I felt when I was elected to take the bench.” Rodriguez took a risk last year when he stepped down from the 92nd District Court judge post–he was in the middle of his second term– to take on the three-decade incumbent. It paid off on election night when Rodriguez received 64 percent of the more nearly 46,000 votes cast. There’s a lot more to the district attorney’s office than capital murder and burglary of a habitation cases, he said. Rodriguez wants to find a way to help low-level
offenders who still have a chance to reform and function in society, but keeping in mind the overall safety of the community. Everyone, Rodriguez said, knows someone who has made mistakes in life and looked back to regret them. “If we help them in a sense of, ‘I’m going to give you a little more rope to play with, but you’ve got to show us that you can do good,’ we’re trying to do good. We’re trying to do what’s right,” Rodriguez said. “Yes, we’re going to take some risks, but we’re going to take well informed risks using all the resources that we have at the DA’s office, probation of-
fice, the judge.” Rodriguez said he’s already reached out to some of the staff inside the district attorney’s office. There are good prosecutors in the office now, he said, particularly in the felony division. He said he understands there’s going to be some loyalty among employees because Guerra’s been in office so long, but Rodriguez is giving them the benefit of the doubt. In the weeks leading up to the transition, Rodriguez was putting together an organizational chart laying out assistant chiefs of certain divisions, with a couple
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THE GOOD
THE BAD
THE UGLY
2014 full of action in western Hidalgo County
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By Julie Silva he landscape of western Hidalgo County is evolving as new construction projects made progress in 2014, but new businesses, services and infrastructure weren’t the only benchmarks of the year. From corrupt politicians to retirements after decades of service, there were many changes in public office around the county. Mission’s long-time fire chief Ricardo Saldaña retired at the end of October, joking that he was, “going out with a boo.” The city quickly named Rene Lopez, deputy fire chief, as interim. And in February the city of La Joya hired former Hidalgo County sheriff candidate Geovani Hernandez as chief of police after firing Julian Gutierrez, stating the move was in the best interest of the city. Meanwhile Patty
Bazaldua, was arrested on theft and forgery charges in September and remains on the school board. On June 8, the Mission community mourned the death of Kenneth White, the longest serving superintendent in Mission Consolidated Independent School District’s history. By the time White retired in 1988, he’d served 23 years. He died in his sleep at the age of 87. Also over the summer, the region made national headlines as an influx of Central American immigrants, particularly unaccompanied minors streamed across the border. The federal government responded with increased facilities to hold detainees and the state sent in Department of Public Safety and National Guard troops. Still, 2014 saw its fair share of successes. Royal
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TOP: Viviana Villalon sings and plays along with her ukulele during a photo shoot in January. Villalon was featured in the first episode of American Idol. MIDDLE: La Joya ISD students, staff and board members break ground on the district’s sports and learning complex. BOTTOM: John Da Graca, director of the Texas A&M University Citrus Center, discusses a long-term approach to combating citrus greening across the globe.
INSIDE
Historically significant
INDEX
Blank slate means fresh start
Home-cooked Christmas
City of Peñitas celebrates settlement in state landmark unveiling ceremony.
Area residents share their New Year’s resolutions as 2015 begins.
National Butterfly Center hosts community meal for National Guard troops.
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Entertainment | pg. 2
Lifestyle | pg. 6
Opinion | pg. 4
Sports | pg. 10
Obituaries | pg. 13
Classifieds | pg. 15