Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 16, 1978 Page: 1 of 8
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To Be Honored At Sweetheart Dance
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BETA SIGMA PHI SWEETHEART—Mrs. Daniel
Villarreal, Jr. will become the Beta Sigma Phi
Sweetheart of 1978 at the annual Sweetheart Dance to
be held this weekend. Mrs. Villarreal has been a
member for the past seventeen years. She was
president for one year and Girl of the Year for 1975-76.
She is employed by the Rio Grande City School .
MARIA ISABEL PENA—Fifteen year old Maria
Isabel Pena is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Apolonio
Pena, Jr. An honor roll student at Rio Grande City
High School, she is on the tennis team and was elected
to Who's Who of Foreign Languages in Texas and
Oklahoma High Schools. Her hobbies include playing
the piano and sewing.
MARIA ANTONIETA SANCHEZ—The daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio Sanchez, Maria Antonieta is
fifteen years old. She is a member of the Foreign
Language Club, the Science Club, and is on the
Sophomore Congress at Rio Grande City High School.
She is an enthusiastic basketball fan, and her hobbies
include cooking, reading, and music.
NORA PENA—Mrs. Ninfa P. Saenz is sponsor of
sixteen year old Nora, daughter of Pablo Pena and the
late Mrs. Cruz V. Pena. She is a junior in high school
and an honor roll student. Playing the piano and
painting top her list of hobbies
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TEXAS PREbS
ABtOCI AT I ON
RIO GRANDE
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The Largest Paid
Circulation Going
In Starr County"
VOL. XXXV
NO. 18
FEBRUARY IS,1978
FIFTEEN CENTS
Construction Begins
On Old Schools
Judge Orders Architect
To Explain Bills
Construction is about to
begin in the re-cycling of
sevt .11 Fort Ringgold
buildings, in a near $2
million effort to provide Rio
Grande City Consolidated
Independent School District
children with decent, safe,
and sanitary classroom
facilities.
The work is to be carried
out under the owner-
architect management
concept. Bids received by
the school district were far
above the budgeted amount
so this route was chosen as
the most practical, ac-
cording to Alan Y.
Taniguchi, architect from
Houston and Austin.
Under the owner-architect
concept, the school district
will contract separately and
directly with the sub-
contractors.
Ron Harkey, of the ar-
chitect's firm, will be in Rio
Grande City during the
duration of the project to
supervise and assist the
school district. The project
should take about 18 months
to complete, Taniguchi said.
Harkey will have an office
in the old High School
Science Building and will
begin interviewing ap-
plicants and subcontractors
by the middle of next week.
Taniguchi said, "To
proceed with this project
under this type of
arrangement will save the
school district a substantial
mark-up on all equipment
ordered directly by the
district as well as many of
the subcontract portions of
the work."
Local resources are to be
used as much as possible,
such as school district
equipment and local man-
power programs, to ef-
fectively reduce tthe total
project cost, the Architect
said.
In other school district
news, five of the board
members and their wives
have tentatively made plans
to attend the national con-
vention of school boards in
Anaheim, Calif., April J-5.
A. E. Garcia, superin-
tendent, said most of the
Valley school boards will
attend the meet.
In another school
development, Coach Ramiro
Villegas picked up his letter
of resignation, electing to
stay with school district The
district champions
producing coach had
submitted his resignation
sometime last week.
Garcia said, "We were
concerned, had several
conferences. We are pleased
that he decided to stay with
us."
Mrs. I). L. Munsell
To Head Drive
Diaz Announces
Hotel Plans
Pedro Diaz Jr. Friday
announced to the Rotary
Club of Rio Grande City the
construction in the near
future of the Fort Ringgold
Motor Inn and Apartments.
The announcement came
during the regular luncheon
meeting of the Rotary at the
Rattlers Den. Diaz, ac-
^ companied by Pedro Diaz
III, said the new hotel will
have 64 units and 32 apart-
ments, swimming pool,
tennis courts, a dining room,
a coffee i open 24 hours), and
a carousel lounge.
Diaz said he wants local
investors to come in with
him on this $2 million plus
project, which will be
situated on six acres bet-
ween the Pizza Hut and
Dreumont Bros. He said
there will be additional land
for future expansion of the
hotel.
Mrs. D. L. Munsell of Rio
Grande City will lead
Bellringer workers in a
house-to-house drive during
May, Mental Health Month.
"Prtrcc
"Proceeds will benefit the
Mental Health Association in
Texas," said Shirley K.
Camfield, state President of
the voluntary citizens'
association.
As a non-governmental
agency the association can
and does speak for the
consumer- the person who
needs professional help for
an emotional disturbance.
"The association is a
moving force to get services
established where there are
none. It also serves as a
monitoring agency to see
that treatment services are
doing what they were set up
to do," said Camfield.
The Mental Health
Association strongly
promotes more community -
based care as well as more
research into the causes and
prevention of mental illness.
For free information about
mental health topics, such as
depression, contact the
Mental Health Association in
Texas, 103 lantern Lane,
Austin, Texas 78731.
Game Busing
Available
R.G.C. schools Superin-
tendent A. E. Garcia said
that any parent wishing to go
the bi-district basketball
game in Kingsville Tuesday,
who need transportation,
may call his office for
possible arrangements.
Garcia said parents may
call 487-5591, Ext. 12, to
confirm reservations on
school buses, free of charge
to the parents.
J . . . .-.T
YOUTH FAIR PLANNED-Mrs. Connie Nye,
General Chairman fcr the 1978 Starr County Youth
Fair, and Bernardo de la Garza, President of the 4-H
Adult leaders and Parents Club, discuss plans for the
thirteenth annual county-wide fair. This year's fair
has been set for the first week in March, with the
weekend of March 4 and 5 to highlight the event.
Anyone wishing to help with the fair in any way please
contact Mrs. Nye or Mr. de la Garza.
Heroin Charges
()n Local Man
Silva Quits EdinburgHospital
A Rio Grand<; City man
was arraigned before U.S.
Magistrate William Malett
in Brownsville Tuesday,
Feb. 7, on charges of con-
spiracy to import heroin, to
possess with intent to
distribute heroin, and with
, VliUWft
possession with intent to
distribute 510 grams of
heroin and using a telephone
in facilitating the com-
mission of a felony.
.Antonio Marrowuin, 28,
was placed under $100,000
cash or surety bond on the
charges.
t
Stating only that they had
"lost confidence" in the
performance of Edinburg
General Hospital ad-
ministrator Amador Silva,
the hospital board accepted
Silva's resignation in a
• hastily-called meeting
Monday.
No other explanations
were offered for Silva's
departure-other than one
board member's comment
that the board was generally
dissatisfied with hospital
operations
The board discussed
Silva's job in an executive
session Friday. The ad-
ministrator reportedly left
4 that meeting, cleaned out his
desk, and has not been back
to his office since.
At yesterday's noon
luncheon, board chairman
Ted Hinojosa said Silva had
told him of his intentions to
resign at that Friday
meeting. Silva was expected
to attend Monday's meeting.
He did not, however, and the
board accepted the
resignation in absentia, on
the basis that he had
previously indicated he
would resign.
Silva was hired last
summer as assistant ad-
ministrator He became
acting administrator after
the board asked former
administrator Robert
Manley to resign. Only
recently was he named
permanent administrator.
Silva had been a hospital
administrator in Rio
Grande City
The board has initiated a
special audit of the hospital
funds Members stated this
measure was for the
protection of whomever
should succeed Silva as
administrator, so that he or
she knows what shape
the hospital's finance are in.
The yearly hospital audit
was presented only last week
to the city commission by'
Silva. The audit notes
hospital finances as of
September 30, 1977.
Nina Flores, head of the
hospital's in-service training
programs and former
nursing administrator,
agreed to assume the
position of acting ad-
ministrator of the hospital's
operations. She will serve in
that capacity at least until a
new permanent ad-
ministrator can be chosen.
The board authorized the
advertisement of the job
position, to be published in
various medical journals.
The acting administrator
was chosen after Hinojosa
consulted with the various
department heads and
medical staff.
Mayor Ron Case, City
Manager Ralph Garza and
City Finance Director Pete
Trevino attended yester-
day's meeting They asked
that the city be kept in-
formed of any further
developments- -especially
where city money is con-
cerned.
The city authorized the
additional sales of hospital
bonds last week.
Silva was reportedly out of
town today, and could not be
reached for comment
mm
3>;.
The County Court of
Commissioners met at 10.15
a.m. Tuesday for the 9 a.m.
regularly scheduled meeting
end among other
questioned architects bills,
and the Housing Authority
Board.
The Court, all members
present, questioned B. L.
Nelson's bill to the county
auditor. The bills concerned
work done for the county
concerning the new Roma
bridge.
Count}' Judge Mario E.
Ramirez said he felt Nelson
was already being paid
plenty under his contract
with the county and the bills
presented by the auditor
seemed to him to
be questionable.
"There seems to be some
questions. I think he should
come before the Court and
explain. It seems to me we
are paying a large amount to
him already," the County
Judge said. Nelson's bills
were for rock work done at
the bridge, for telephone,
mileage, time, and in-
spection.
It was agreed that Nelson
should go before the Court
and explain.
County Judge Ramirez,
during the course of the
meeting, commented he has
had many complaints
concerning the County
Housing Authority program.
He said he heard many of the
people housed in the public
housing units were not from
here.
"I want to know what the
situation is," Ramirez said.
He added that local people
should have prefence to the
use of the units.
The County Judge ap-
pointed Commissioner
Reynaldo "Moreno" Alaniz
to find out what the situation
really is.
The Judge also requested
Soft ball
that the Housing Authority
Board come before the
County Commissioners
Court at 10 am Friday.
Ramirez informed tht
Commissioners to be
prepared to appoint new
Housing Authority Board
members.
The Court also heard Joe
Davis, County Industrial
Foundation Director, con-
cerning 29 county-owned
acres near Fronton, for a
possible industrial site. The
matter will be looked into.
The 29 acres were trans-
ferred to the county by the
United States after a
N.A.S.A tracking station
there closed.
Bernardo Montalvo of La
Casita appeared before the
Court questioning why
nothing had been done to
complete Mayorga Plaza at
\a Casita Montalvo showed
L, i«i. ui? • i iiK iiaif ajJpj'ijvfcu
the Plaza since 1972.
Ramirez informed
Montalvo that Mayorga
Plaza was a good project,
however, the county did not
have any money to spare at
the present time.
Montalvo was told that an
application is presently-
pending for a grant to fund
the project.
The Court also heard
reports from Bridge
Manag Ernesto Trevino;
Federal Programs coor-
dinator lavier Margo. and
Director of Starr County Gas
System Ovidio Pena.
Starr Prosecutes
Drunken Drivers
I
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USE AUDIO-VIEWER—Mrs Maria Nela Sanchez's
sixth graders are at work with the Hoffman Viewer
Audio Presentation at the lab in Ringgold In-
termediate Pictured above are Maria Guadalupe
Alaniz and Selenia Gonzalez. (Photos by Martha
Anderson) Mrs. Petra Vera aide
To Meet
The Rio Grande City
Softball League will hold the
first general meeting of the
season at 7:30 p m. Thurs
day Feb. 2.3 at the San Juan
Plaza Community Center,
according to Joe Guerrero,
president
All persons interested in
sponsoring a team are urged
to attend. Guerrero said He
added that rules, entry fee^.
and other eligibility
rr yirpments Will b<
discussed
The Starr County At-
torney's office prosecuted
238 cases in County Court in
1977, and collected in fines
and court costs $37,300.40,
according to Starr
Prosecutor Alex W. Gabert.
Gabert said this is an
increase of over $11,000 over
1976. He said this amount
does include the several
thousands of dollars more
collected as probationery
fees under conditions im-
posed by the Court
The presiding judge of the
County Court is the County
Judge, Mario E. Ramirez,
M.D.
The County Prosecutor
said the fines collected for
the County is the result of the
combined efforts of the
County Judge, the County
Attorney s Office, the
County Clerk, and all law
enforcement agencies
working in the county
"We intend to do better in
1978 should the drunken
driver insist on making our
highways and streets
unsafe," Gabert said.
The County Attorney's
staff consists of Gabert,
Jesus "Chuy" Solis, in-
vestigator, and Ana Maria
Ramirez, secretary.
Forty cases are set for
arraignment, pre-trial and
trial in County Court at 9:30
a.m. Feb 24, "hie majority of
these cases i DWIs,
Gabert said
"Regardless of the speedy
prosecution of DWI cases,
highways in Starr County
are full of drunken drivers.
We have seen the results of
too many acridents because
of drunken driving," Gabert
explained
The C inty Prosecuter
explained that in the trial of
a DWI case, the State of
Texas, represented by the
County Attorney, must prove
beyond a reasonable doubt,
seven elements found in the
complaint filed against the
alleged drunken driver.
I ^ually only the element of
intoxication is questioned.
Intoxication is defined by
the Courts to mean the loss
of the normal use of one's
mental and hysical
faculties due to the use of an
intoxicating liquor. The
State does not have to prove
the Defendant was drunk as
this term is commonly
defined, Gabert said
"Did you know that the
State of Texas cannot refer
to the fact that a Defendant
refused to submit to a
Breathalyzer Test?"
Gabert asked.
Juries usually find the
Defendant innocent because
they feel that the arresting
officers were convinced the
Defendant wasn't drunk and
therefore didn't offer the
Defendant a Breathalyzer
test to prove his innocence,
Gabert said
The fact is that a
breathalyzer is always
available for h Defendant to
convince hi- arresting of-
ficers that he is not in-
toxicated, the County
Prosecuter continued.
Regardless of the
restrictions imposed by the
Courts on Texas
prosecutors, the Starr
County Attorney's Office
prosecuted and tried 238
cases in County Court,"
Gabert said
ft.
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Silva, Marcelo. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 16, 1978, newspaper, February 16, 1978; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194650/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.