DECEMBER 4, 2024

New Location STARR VISION

CENTER

Dr. Angie Ramirez Therapeutic Optometrist

487-2440

CASTAÑEDA Auto Insurance & Bail Bonds

488-0808 487-7000

302 E. 2nd St., R.G.C.

280 W. 2nd St. R.G.C.

The Law Office Of

J.M. “Chema” Garza Criminal Cases (Federal/State) Car Accidents/ 18 Wheeler Divorces • Real Estate/Deeds

Office (956) 487-6544 • E-Mail: sctc78582@aol.com • issuu.com/starrcountytowncrier Vol. 39, No. 49

WEEKLY - WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2024

956-317-1167 206 N. Britton Ave. Ste.B, R.G.C. jmchemagarza@gmail.com

487-2596 Starr 4350 E. US HWY 83 R.G.C.

County Memorial Hospital Hosts Roma High School Diving Team Community Gathering for Strategic Planning participated at The La Copa Championship

Installment Loans 311 E Main St Rio Grande City TX 78582-4448

Phone (956) 487-3925

In a strong demonstration of our commitment to the health and wellbeing of the local population, Starr County Memorial Hospital recently hosted a gathering of the Hospital Board Members, community members, local leaders, healthcare providers, and hospital staff. This important event focused on developing a long-term plan to address the healthcare needs of the county. The gathering served as a platform for open dialogue and participants were allowed to share their insights and perspectives of the healthcare landscape. Community members were encouraged to discuss challenges being faced in accessing healthcare services. Local leaders and healthcare providers shared valuable information on available resources and future plans for improvement and enhancement of services.

San Isidro High School Lady Tigers Basketball Team won 3rd Place at Santa Rosa Tournament

Dr. Raymond Cruz Best FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Dental Insurance, Medicaid and Chip Accepted

487-2999 419 East 2nd St. Rio Grande City, Tx.

Congratulations to the Roma High School Diving Team on a great showing at their 2nd meet of the season at The La Copa Championship at the Carrol E. Summer Aquatic Center. They did an outstanding job with their performances and are continuing to improve towards District! Jayda Perez-2nd place and Dayanetzy Moran-7th place.

Way to go Mighty Gladiators!! (Report courtesy Coach Clemente Martinez.)

Starr County Appraisal District Announces Name Change Effective January 1, 2025

The Starr County Appraisal District has announced that it will change its name for the first time since its establishment.

The district’s board of directors voted on May 14, 2024, to change the name to Starr Central Appraisal District, effective as of the district’s new fiscal year, beginning January 1, 2025.

This change distinguishes that the appraisal district is not part of the Starr County Government, but a separate and unique entity that is a subdivision of the state.

This subdivision is governed by a board of directors representative of the taxing entities in our county.

The Texas Legislature established appraisal districts in 1979 to take the tax valuation process from the taxing entities and place it with appraisal professionals for an equal and Congratulations to the San Isidro ISD High School Lady Tigers basketball team for finishing 3rd Place uniform standard of appraisals. at the Santa Rosa Tournament!!!! Special congratulations to Aryanna Garza for being selected for all- The first Appraisal Roll for Starr County Appraisal District began tournament honors!!! Awesome job, ladies and coaches!! San Isidro ISD are proud of you!!! in 1982.

The appraisal district sets the taxable value of every property in the county based on the condition of the property as of January 1st of each tax year, which in turn The Rio Grande City Cross Country team will host their annual 5K determines the tax base for each Glow Run/ Walk on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at the Fort Ringgold taxing entity. Property owners Campus starting at 7:00 PM. For more information contact Coach have an opportunity to file a Ricardo Altahif 956-500-1502 or Coach Joe Ramirez 210-380-4130. protest for the appraised value

RGC Cross Country team Annual 5K Glow Run/ Walk

• Individual • Partnership • Corporations • LLC’s • Bookkeeping • Payroll • Financial Statements • Form 2290 • IRS Audit Representation

Mario A. Méndez, EA Licensed to practice before the IRS (Internal Revenue Service)

(NEW LOCATION)

201 S. San Antonio. St. Rio Grande City, TX (956)

317-1124

of their property and can either meet with an appraiser to seek an adjustment or can appeal before the District’s Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The Appraisal Review Board members are community members, and per state law, district judges are required to appoint the panel of members to provide an extra layer of independence from appraisers.

Additional duties and responsibilities of the office include but are not limited to: Property Tax Administration.

• Reporting to the state comptroller’s office: School Property Value Study (SDPVS) and Methods & Assistance Program review (MAP).

• Reporting certified values to taxing entities.

• Meeting mandatory comptroller’s deadlines for reporting, including but not limited to Electronic Appraisal Roll submission and Electronic Property Transactions Submissions.

Property Tax Cycle (Basic information below) • Appraisal Phase (January 1st to MAY 15TH): property renditions, appraising property, applying limitation on residential homestead value APPRAISAL, page 4

CHUY Alvarez ATTORNEY AT LAW

J.M. “Chuy” Alvarez

501 N. Britton Ave • Rio Grande City, Texas

956-487-4871 Cell: 956-208-0282 NOT CERTIFIED BY THE TEXAS BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 2

RGC Economic Development Corporation Hosts Inaugural Business Breakfast Club The Rio Grande City Economic Development Corporation (RGCEDC) hosted its first-ever Business Breakfast Club on Thursday morning,

Nov. 14. Local business owners and organizations gathered for the event, which focused on enhancing their online presence with step-by-step guidance on

how to add their business to Google.

The session, held at Faby’s Restaraunt, aimed to equip participants with the tools

PUBLIC NOTICE: Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) is proposing to modify equipment on an existing 307-foot guyed-type telecommunications structure located near 3009 N Hwy 83, Roma, Starr County, Texas (26° 34’ 11.4” N, 99° 5’ 35.1” W).

HISTORIC PROPERTIES EFFECTS - Public comments regarding potential effects on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: to Environmental Corporation of America, ATTN: Annamarie Howell, 1375 Union Hill Industrial Court, Suite A, Alpharetta, GA 30004 or via email to publicnotice@eca-usa. com. Ms. Howell can be reached at (770) 667-2040 x 108 during normal business hours. 24-003377 MMT

needed to increase visibility and business profiles, a crucial accessibility for their businesses. element for attracting customers Attendees were provided advice in today’s digital age. on managing their Google Sara M. Hernandez, Interim

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Executive Director of RGCEDC, highlighted the importance of the initiative. “Our goal with the Business Breakfast Club is to provide resources and hands-on support to our local businesses.

Adding their business to Google is a simple but powerful way to connect with customers and grow their presence. We are excited to see the impact this will have on our community,” Hernandez said.

The event marks the beginning of what RGCEDC hopes will become a regular opportunity for businesses to network and gain valuable insights.

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 3

Rio Grande City Library Awarded Gator Wrestling Teams Season Start Great!!

2024 Texas Book Festival Grant

The Rio Grande City Public Library is thrilled to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 Texas Book Festival Collections Enhancement Grant. This generous award, totaling $2,500, will support the expansion of the library’s nonfiction collection, with a focus on a variety of important genres including Self-Help, Health, Fitness & Dieting, Cookbooks, Business & Money, Parenting & Relationships, and Poetry.

“This grant will greatly enhance our ability to offer valuable resources to our community,” said Norma Gomez Fultz, Director

for the Rio Grande City Public Library. “With the help of the Texas Book Festival, we are excited to expand our collection and provide patrons with books that will inspire personal growth, improve well-being, and foster lifelong learning.”

The Texas Book Festival’s Collections Enhancement Grant program has become a vital source of support for libraries across the state, and this year, it awarded a total of $112,500 to 45 libraries.

Since the launch of the grant program, the Texas Book Festival has contributed more than $3.6 million in funding to libraries throughout Texas.

The Rio Grande City Public Library is among the many Texas institutions that benefit from the festival’s commitment to fostering literacy and supporting

local communities. “We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing our mission of providing quality resources to those we serve,” the Fultz added.

The funds from the 2024 grant were used to purchase new materials in the specified categories, enhancing the library’s ability to meet the diverse interests and needs of its patrons.

This investment in educational and self-improvement resources underscores the Rio Grande City Public Library’s dedication to supporting the growth and development of individuals in the community.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Texas Book Festival for their ongoing commitment to the advancement of libraries and literacy in Texas.

What a night for the Grulla High School Gator Wrestling teams at the dual against McHi! The boys came out on top with an impressive 42-30 victory, showcasing their hard work and determination. The girls fought hard in a close match but fell short, 30-24. On behalf of the entire Grulla High School, we’re proud of their effort and resilience on the mat. Great job to both teams for their performances! The season is just getting started, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 4

APPRAISAL Continued from Front Page

increases, issuing notices of appraised value, applying for exemptions, applying tax ceiling, agricultural appraisals.

• Equalization Phase (May 15th to July 25th): receiving protests on appraised values, issuing hearing notifications, protest considerations, limited binding arbitration for certain procedures, and appeals to ARB Orders.

• Assessment Phase (July

25th to October 1st): calculation and determination of tax rates, calculation of taxes due, issuing tax notices.

• Collection Phase (October 1st to January 31st): collection of taxes due and distribution of tax payments to entities, action on failure to pay taxes.

The information outlined above is a basic overview of what is required by each county appraisal

district in Texas, in addition to all other requirements set out under the Texas Property Tax Code.

The location of our office will remain the same at 100 N. FM 3167, Ste 300, Rio Grande City, Texas, and any questions regarding this press release can be made to Sonia R. Garza, Chief Appraiser at Starr County Appraisal District at (956)4875613.

It is not too late to quit using tobacco Although cigarette smoking rates have been declining for decades, cigarette smoking remains the most preventable cause of serious illness and death.

• Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke cause more than 480,000 deaths in the US every year.

• Smoking cigarettes increases the risks of at least 12 different cancers.

• In the US, cigarette smoking

causes about 3 out of every 10 cancer deaths.

It is not too late to quit using tobacco. No matter your age or how long you have been smoking, quitting improves some aspects of your health immediately and even more over the long term.

Quitting smoking is a process, and success may look different for different people. There are many ways to quit smoking, and some work better than others.

The American Cancer Society can tell you about the steps you can take to quit smoking and help find quit-smoking programs, resources, and support that can increase your chances of quitting successfully.

To learn about the available tools, call 1-800-227-2435. You can also find free tips and tools at Great American Smokeout | American Cancer Society .

Message from the Starr County Community Coalition

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 5

Advance Care Planning Might Feel Uncomfortable, Rio Grande City Main Street to Host but is an Important Conversation to Have First Indoor Market at Triple L Building

Patients Can Express Care Wishes Before Serious Illness Strikes Thinking about end-of-life medical care plans can seem uncomfortable, especially for someone who is healthy – but physicians who care for older patients and those with terminal illnesses say it’s essential to plan ahead.

“Having these conversations and potentially completing documents in advance is really a gift to family members,” said Sandra Frellsen, MD, a member of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Council on Health Service Organizations. As chief medical officer at Hospice Austin, Dr. Frellsen has seen patients fall into a health care crisis without having plans in place. Their family must then make medical care decisions not knowing their loved one’s preferences.

Physicians recommend having an “advance directive” to convey your wishes concerning the care you want at end of life, and a

“medical power of attorney,” which gives someone you choose the ability to make health care decisions for you.

TMA has an informational medical power of attorney document explaining the concept with a link to a form people can use to indicate their wishes.

Today, a patient’s advance directive becomes part of their medical record including an electronic medical record which hospitals and emergency medical personnel can access easily.

By advance care planning, patients can convey treatment options they prefer, such as: •In-hospital care versus care at home.

•Treatment preferences like hospice care, that focus solely on alleviating symptoms.

•Life-sustaining measures like resuscitation or intubation.

•Designating a person to express the patient’s wishes when they can’t speak for themselves.

Hattie Henderson, MD, a member of TMA’s Council on

Science and Public Health, said she noticed after the COVID-19 pandemic more patients wanting to discuss their end-of-life wishes with her during routine checkups.

Dr. Henderson is a geriatrician and vice chair of a statewide advisory council on palliative care.

“Many of my patients lost loved ones during the pandemic who had not discussed the care they wanted at the end of their lives with their families or physicians … and now they realize why having these conversations is so important,” said Dr. Henderson.

Her patients and their families learned avoiding these conversations means they are less likely to receive the care they want at the end of their lives.

If patients do not discuss health care preferences in advance with their physicians, they may spend their final days receiving care they did not choose for themselves and will “have very little control over their end of life choices,” Dr. Henderson said.

The Rio Grande City Main Street program is set to host its first-ever indoor market, offering residents and visitors an exciting new way to shop local this holiday season. The 3-day market will take place at the Triple L Building, located at 300 E. Main St., starting Dec. 6.

The event promises a vibrant atmosphere with food and craft vendors, live music, and festive activities, including photos with Santa Claus. Entry for customers is free, making it an accessible and family-friendly outing.

“This indoor market is a wonderful addition to our community events, providing a space for local vendors to thrive while bringing the holiday spirit to downtown Rio Grande City,” said Mayor Gilberto Falcon. “We invite everyone to come out, shop local, and enjoy the festivities.”

Returning vendors can take advantage of special discounts, and those interested in participating are encouraged to

contact the Main Street Office at 956-488-0047 or 956-487-3476 for more information.

The market is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to support

small businesses and celebrate community culture. Organizers hope the event will become a cherished tradition for years to come.

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 6

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

Application has been m a d e w i t h t h e Te x a s Alcoholic Beverage Commission for WINE AND MALT BEVERAGE R E TA I L E R ’ S O N PREMISE PERMIT (BG), by: 2360 MEATS, LLC dba ROBERTO GARZA, to be located at 174 S. FM 2360, LA GRULLA, STARR C O U N T Y, T E X A S .

Manager Managed: ROBERTO GARZA.

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a WINE AND M A LT B E V E R A G E R E TA I L E R ’ S O F F PREMISE PERMIT (BQ) by: GLENDA MARTINEZ, dba MAC DRIVE THRU, to be located at 5529 FM 1430, RIO GRANDE CITY, STARR COUNTY, TEXAS.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Pursuant to the provisions contained in ARTICLE V, Section Five (5) of the Texas Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act, we are serving notice to the owners and/or lien holders that the below described motor vehicle, has been taken into custody by Rivera’s Towing. Failure of an owner or lien holder to claim vehicle within thirty (30) days after date of this notice and make payment of storage charges resulting from the placing of the vehicle in custody shall constitute a waiver of the right to reclaim vehicle. Please contact Yesenia or Hugo at (956) 352-8200, 3096 W US HWY 83 Rio Grande City, TX 78582.

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STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 7

Mexican Santa can be seen on Main Street RGCGISD senior student-athletes participated Diana Lopez-Saldana: “My father had a vision and passion for creating different things for different occasions.

We took out his Mexican Santa from storage and with a little refurbishing he came to live.

He will be greeting everyone as you pass by. The Santa can be seen on Main Street. Beautiful Memories, Triple L” Lauro Lopez “Mr. Discount” Triple L Furniture.

in

a

South

On Tuesday, November 19th, RGCGISD senior student-athletes representing the Rio Rattlers and the Grulla Gators participated in a South Texas Student Seminar designed for those considering a career in coaching. This event that took place at the Harlingen Boys & Girls Club, was hosted by Texas A&M University, the Future Coaches of Texas Association (FCTA), and Harlingen ISD, brought together senior students from across the Rio Grande Valley.

During the seminar, students engaged in sessions focused on leadership development, team building, seasonal planning, and communication through sport-

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS South Texas College is accepting competitive proposals for the following: RFP Number 24-25-1040

Description Electric Sport Utility Vehicle

Date Due December 17, 2024

Time 3:00 PM

Request for Proposals packages may be obtained at the Purchasing Department located at 3200 W. Pecan Blvd, Bldg N, Ste 145, McAllen, TX 78501 (Corner of Quince & 31st Street) or by calling 956-872-4681. Responses received after the specified time and date will not be considered and will be returned unopened. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. All responses must be submitted in a sealed envelope. Responses need to be clearly marked on the envelope with the RFP number.

The successful respondent will not be determined on opening date.

Questions regarding this RFP or requests for additional information should be addressed to Deyadira Leal, Director of Purchasing 956-872-4681 daleal@southtexascollege.edu, or Billy Langley, Senior Buyer, 956-872-4682 welangle@southtexascollege.edu. Responses to the RFP must be submitted to South Texas College, 3200 W. Pecan Blvd, Bldg N, Ste 145, McAllen, TX 78501.

South Texas College is an equal education and equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. As an equal opportunity employer, the College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, genetic information, or veteran status.

Purchases made as a result of this solicitation will be funded through The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Perkins Basic Grant Program.

Vendors are encouraged to visit the South Texas College’s Purchasing Department website to complete the 2-part Bonfire vendor registration for receiving solicitations at: https://southtexascollege.bonfirehub.com/login

Texas

specific instruction. These clinics were expertly guided by Dr. Mike Thornton and staff of the Texas A&M Thornton-McFerrin Coaching Academy in College Station.

On behalf of the RGCGISD

Student

Seminar

we are incredibly proud that our student-athletes had the opportunity to expand their knowledge, develop leadership skills, and explore a potential future in coaching. This experience not only enhanced their perspective

on coaching but also equipped them to inspire and lead our future generations of Rattlers and Gators.

A special recognition to Coach Jayne Gomez and Coach Justin Ortega for being group leaders and mentors during this seminar.

STARR COUNTY TOWN CRIER, DECEMBER 4, 2024, PAGE 8

SPACE AVAILABLE CALL 487-6544

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Arroyo:5065 Hwy. 83 ste. A - 956-570-0702 Roma: 834 E. Grant St. Ste. C - 956-570-0701 OPEN OPEN RGC: 4370 NOW Escobares: 4522 NOW E. Hwy 83 Ste. B - 956-309-3549 East Hwy 83 Ste A. 956-429-5625 Penitas - 1715 Expressway 83 Suite A-2 Penitas Tx- 956-424-0133