PALMVIEW HIGH SCHOOL PALMVIEW HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
Friday, October 23, 2015
www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents
MEN, WOMEN HONORED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
F
By Lea Victoria Juarez our members of the community were recognized for their superior services to the City of Mission on Oct. 15. At the annual Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce banquet, two men and two women became part of the more than 50-year tradition that Progress Times has continued. Catherine Garcia was awarded 2015 Woman of the Year and David Deanda Jr. became the 2015 Man of the
Year. This year’s First Lady of Mission and Mr. Mission are Genevieve “Gen” Long and Amancio Chapa, respectively. The nominations had been open since the latter part of August, but the winners were kept secret until banquet night when Progress Times Publisher Jim Brunson and his wife, Mendi, the community news editor, announced the honorees. FIRST LADY OF MISSION Twenty-five years after
2015 Man of the Year David Deanda Jr., right 2014 Man of the Year Carl Davis, left
she won the 1990 Woman of the Year award, Genevieve Long was escorted to the stage at Mario’s banquet hall to receive the First Lady of Mission award. The City of Mission’s logo is emblazoned on Long’s heart and flanked by the Texas and U.S. flags, according to Mendi Brunson. Long and her husband have been financially vested in the community, state and nation for decades. She was founder and first president of Texas Agriwom-
2015 Woman of the Year Cathy Garcia, right 2014 Woman of the Year Maritza Esqueda, left
en in 1985 and served as vice president on numerous committees. She worked actively on issues, legislation and budget processes affecting agriculture in Texas and the Valley. “We often refer to males as a city’s ‘favorite son.’ She’s Mission’s ‘favorite daughter,” Mendi Brunson said. Long was appointed to the USDA Advisory Board by President George H. Bush to oversee funding marked from the president’s budget
and allocated for agricultural research and scientific development. She served as that board’s representative to meet with colleges and universities in Washington, D.C. Through her activity in agriculture, she has received multiple recognitions on the state and national level and has traveled to numerous countries in cooperative outreach on agriculture issues. She is a former president of Texas Municipal League, Amigos Del Valle and the North American Butterfly
Amancio Chapa, 2015 Mr. Mission, left Ruben Rodriguez, 2014 Mr. Mission, right
Association advisory board. Long was also a city councilwoman from 1992 to 2007 and served as mayor protem. As president of the Mission Downtown Merchants and Old Town Mission Committee, Long worked on the revitalization of the downtown area. She and her husband have invested in several of the old buildings downtown, including the Historic Border Theatre. The Tom Landry Mural was commis-
See AWARDS 14
2015 First Lady Genevieve “Gen” Long, left 2014 First Lady Joyce Geary, right
Businesses, community recognized at chamber banquet Texas Butterfly Festival
is Oct. 31 to Nov. 3
Bert Ogden Auto Group – Business Leader of the Year
F
By Lea Victoria Juarez or the second year in a row, Navin Buxani will serve as chairman of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The director of operations at Holiday Inn Express has been a member of the Mission Chamber of Commerce since 2006. In that time, he said he’s been fortunate
enough to meet members who have been long time supporters of the Chamber and learn about the organization’s history. He hopes to continue building the membership and adding even more programs and services for the community. “When people from outside the area think of Mission and the rest of the Valley, they don’t necessarily view us in the best light,”
Buxani said. “But let me tell you, unequivocally, that we have some very innovative and progressive people in this city’s management.” Buxani singled out Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas and his achievement of lowering taxes. He acknowledged Alex Meade, CEO of Mission Economic Development Corporation, for the Code the Town initiative – a program where students learn
computer programming. “I would be extremely remiss if I didn’t mention the city council and all of the city’s employees, along with, most importantly, all of you guys -- the citizens and the business leaders of Mission,” Buxani said. “You guys are helping Mission reach its true potential.” The Mission Chamber
See BANQUET 14
The Texas Butterfly Festival offers a rare opportunity to enjoy guided field trips to butterfly hot spots throughout the Rio Grande Valley, and it’s headquartered right here in Mission’s backyard. Scheduled for Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, the festival also offers a variety of butterfly seminars, including an introduction to macro photography to show participants how to photograph these beautiful insects. Nearly three decades ago, an increased awareness of what an ecological treasure the Rio Grande Valley is and how many species of birds and butterflies can be found here resulted in an effort to preserve habitat for migrating animals. The nine sites of the World Birding Center were created out of that awareness, as was the National Butterfly Center, located in Mission. Less well known than the birding centers, the butterfly center has played a vital part in the preservation of butterflies, as well as
birds, that live in or migrate through the Rio Grande Valley. The center plants habitat and host plants for many of the species of butterflies, and approximately 400 species have been spotted there at different times of the year. It is also a great place to spot the birds of the Rio Grande Valley that love to dine on the center’s tasty caterpillars. One of the ways the National Butterfly Center is letting butterfly watchers know about its work is through sponsoring the Texas Butterfly Festival. Originally started by the Mission Chamber of Commerce, the center has now grown to a point where it can take over the festival. Last year, there were participants from 18 states who came down for the festival. Keynote speaker for this year’s event is Cuauhtemoc Saenz Romero, a forester in Mexico who has dedicated his life’s work to studying the fir forest in Michoacan where Monarchs migrate annually.
See BUTTERFLY 14
INSIDE
VMHS students headed to nationals
INDEX
Early voting under way through Oct. 30
La Joya ISD honors former music director
SeaPerch team earned second place with underwater robot at HESTEC competition sponsored by the U.S. Navy.
There are three slates of candidates vying for three open seats on La Joya’s Board of Aldermen. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Leaders at the school district dedicated its performing arts center to Alejandro “Alex” H. Saenz in a ceremony Tuesday evening.
See story page 10
See story page 10
See story page 8
Entertainment | pg. 2
Lifestyle | pg. 3
Opinion | pg. 4
Sports | pg. 6
Obituaries | pg. 12
Classifieds | pg. 13