Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 54, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 26, 1978 Page: 1 of 7
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RIO GRANDE
"The Largest Paid
♦ Circulation Going
In Starr County
VOL. XXXV
No. 54
October 26,1978
FinTEEH CENTS
1*
Editorial
John L. Hill
HILL IS BEST CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR
A new governor tor Texas will be elected
Nov. 7. The Herald believes John Hill should
be the choice of Starr County voters.
Hill is the Democratic candidate who
defeated incumbent Dolph Briscoe in the
primary on Vlay 6. Hill's service to the state
is attorney general since 1973 has been
outstanding. He served earlier as secretary
of state.
Hill's top priority as governor will be
* duration. He has said he will ask for an
education bill that will bring teacher's
salaries up to the national level.
Hill has also pledged that no new taxes w ill
be levied if he is elected. His plans call for
returning a portion of the state budget
surpluses to taxpayers; a limit on state
spending; tighter budget management;
keeping property taxes down, and minimal
utility bill increases.
Hill is not an advocate of big government.
We have seen that Hill has a healthy and
understanding respect for the rights of all
people, lie is especially interested in South
Texas.
We believe that John Hill is imaginative,
iggressive, responsible. His past service
proves this. Starr County should vote for
John Hill for governor of Texas Nov. 7.
Mn rcclo Si Ira
1.11 itor
*
m
~ *r< "
Funding Source Ends,
County Loses 8'/aM ill ion
Starr County was notified
Tuesday that the Anti-
Recession Fiscal Aid
Program has ended
The county will have to
operate with at least $500,000
less next year, County
Auditor Guadalupe
Villarreal informed the
commissioners during an
emergency meeting
Tuesday.
The Anti-Recession
Program, which w as created
by the federal government to
create employment, pumped
over $1 million into the
( ountry during 1977 and 1978,
according to Villarreal.
The notification, received
by the county Tuesday,
comes in the form ot a
memorandum from the
Revenue Sharing Advisory
Service of Washington, D.C.
The memorandum states:
I.aek of House action in
the closing days of the 95th
Congress has ended the anti-
recession fiscal aid
program..
"There were several
factors contributing to the
demise of the anti-recession
KFKA MAKES PRESENTATION—-Rep. Kika de la Garza presented the Texas
Vegetable Association's first "Award of Merit" to Starr Produce Co., Inc. of Rio
Grande City. Accepting the award is A.V Pete" Peterson, president of Starr
Produce. The award was made on Thursday, October 19, at the opening session of the
annual TVA conference held at the Hilton Inn in McAllen.
Starr Produce Receives
'Award Of Merit'
*
*
: Trek
Starr
Rio Gr;
honored
Vegetable
its first '
roduce Co., Inc. of
ande City was
by the Texas
Association with
Award of Merit"
*
*
BY MARCELO SILVA
EDITOR
I am slightly upset with the economic and
political situation of Stan- County, Past optimism
expre> sed in this column is changing to anger, but
I refuse to be pessimistic-about knee-deep
iwtholes in the better streets of Rio Grande City;
about the continued fear of the people to stand up
.iixl be counted; about a false illegal smuggling
and federal program economy; about being
publicized nationally as the poorest, most
apathetic," county, about the countless sanganos
queen bees i who live off tax payers pockets.
No, I will not I*' pessimistic, because there is
good news-it cannot get any worse!
The Herald received an unsigned letter with a
roquet that it be published It concerns political
candidates, and it makes certain accusations. The
i andidntcs received appropriate coverage in the
Herald at the respective times of their an-
nouncements to seek office If the writer of that
letter wishes for the letter to be published he or
-,he may come b> the office and buy political
ad\ertisement space.
Rio Grande City has again made headlines, as
The City of Eternal Apathy "The story appeared
in valley newspapers Not everybody in R.G.I', is
apathetic, certainly not Pete Diaz Jr.
Stan I'la/.a Shopping Center employs a large
number of people. Diaz has plans for more job
generating businesses in the town. An on top of
runnirn his valley-wide multi-million dollar, job
generating grocery chain, Diaz finds time to get
politically involved—to stand up and be counted.
Danny Thomas
Had <res Identify
v m/
Volunteers
given at the opening day of
its annual meeting held at
the Hilton Inn in McAllen
October 19 and '.0,, A.V.
Pete" Peterson, president
of Starr Produce, accepted
the award for the company.
The Texas Vegetable
Association presents the
Award of Merit to recognize
progressive leadership and
outstanding contributions to
the vegetable industry.
The presentation was
made by Rep. Kika de la
Garza, who expressed his
confidence in the farmers to
feed the people of our great
country , and he spoke of his
own personal commitment
to the area and to the in-
dustry He stated that the
TVA Award of Merit is to
honor the group because of
that, its dedication, deserves
to tx' recognized publicly, He
praised Starr Produce for
operating in "The American
way," a family enterprise,
working together
Peterson accepted the
award, and introduced the
family members and asked
them to receive the award
with him. They are Bob
Peterson, general manager
of Starr Produce; James
Peterson, manager of
Starrco Farm; David
Peterson, manager of Los
Puertos Farm; Ross
LaG range, manager of
Suntex Farm, and Charles
LaGrange, sales manager
for Starr Produce, Also
introduced were Beto Garcia
and Rogpr Williams of Starr
Produce.
Starr Produce Company
has the capacity to pack
40,000 packages of can-
taloupes per day along with
10,000 cartons of peppers and
cucumbers. Another shed
can pack 20,000 cartons of
honeydews daily. Onions,
lettuce, and other vegetables
are also grown by the firm,
rotated with cotton and grain
crops to maintain a good soil
condition.
The crops are grown on
more than 0,500 acres ol
fertile Starr County soil,
irrigated by water pumped
directly from the Rio Grande
River after release from
Falcon Reservoir. All of the
farms are involved in a land
improvement master plan
involving permanent un-
derground irrigation water
systems, large block land
levelling and a master
drainage system which
permits year-around use of
field roads by harvesting
equipment.
It all began in 1944 when
Peterson and E.I. LaGrange
bought a bulldozer and
began clearing land
northwest of Rio Grande
City They quickly adopted
the practices still in use-
today, vegetables, grain,
and cotton grown under
irrigation to assure a crop
every year in this drought-
orone area.
Mercedes Salinas, 52, of
Bayview, Texas, was
charged Monday. Oct 9,
with possession of weapon
and possession of a stolen
weapon, Justice of the Peace
Arturo Clarke reports.
The arresting officer was
Department of Public Safety
i DPS i trooper Gerardo De
Ixis Santos. According to
Clarke, Salinas claimed that
he had won a handgun at a
raffle but he decided to
exchange it for another gun
which turned out to be
reported stolen.
Salinas is out on bond, and
is to appear in County Court,
Judge Clarke reports.
Paul Douglas Luther was
charged with failure to
control speed on Oct. 20 by
DPS trooper Gene Falcon Jr.
after I.uther smashed the
. er I of ■ R r >. school
Auto Rams Rear
Of Roma School Bus
A Roma school bus con-
tinued on its route after it
suffered minor damages
when an automobile plowed
into its rear end Friday.
Paul Dougias i.uther
apparently fell asleep on the
wheel as he was driving into
the Valley from California.
He was accompanied by his
wife and a son.
Roel Saenz, transportation
for the Roma School
District, said there was only-
one student on the bus, along
with the driver. Neither the
student nor the bus driver
were hurt. Saenz said.
RGC Young Farmers To
Hear Speaker
Rincon Conoco Plant
Maintains Record
^ (in Saturday. < )ctol>er 28,
Grande City Chapter of the
National Honor Society will
be marching to collect
money for the St. Jude
Children's Hospital. These
National Honor So< iet>
^Members will be wearing a
Danny Thomas badge when
they call on citizens of Kio
Grande City
Miss Man Doyno. cam-
paign chairman, said that
these young volunteers
• iskin foi upport ot the
leading childhood cancer
research center in the world
will be i learly identified by a
paper badge they will be
wearing
When these voung
| ^jnarchei • i nine to y our dooi
f please . ivc whatever you
i an to help sav e children's
lives." Miss Doyno said.
Money collected vv ill go to
help St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital in fight
against catastrophic
i hildhood diseases. Children
suffering from leukemia,
Hodgkm's Disease, and
other forms of cancer as well
as muscle disorders, rare
blood diseases and other
dreadful illnesses are
treated completely free of
t barge.
Research results obtained
at the institution are freely
shared with scientists and
phy sieians all over the world
so that work done at St.
Jude's benefits children
ev ery where.
Miss Doyno urged all Rio
Grande City residents to
support the Saturday march
Please be generous," she
said, and help us help
children live throughout the
world "
Dr Robert A. Rupp,
Agriculture Extension
Livestock Specialist, will
present a program on hor-
mone implants in livestock
at th*' Young Farmers
meeting set for Wednesday,
November 1, at 7:00 p.m. at
the Vocational Agriculture
Building in Rio Grande City
Dr. Rupp is a graduate of
Texas Tech with an M.S. and
PhD in Animal Science from
Texas A&M. He currently is
involved in experimentation
with several area cattlemen
anil wilt discuss his ob-
servations at the meeting.
Everyone interested in
cattle is invited to the
meeting on Wednesday,
November 1. at 7;00 p.m. at
the Ag building.
Continental Oil Company's
natural t,as products
department has achieved a
major safety record. The
department, including 14 gas
processing plants, com-
pleted three consecutive
years ol operation without a
single lost-time accident on
October 14
The three-year record
represents a total of more
than 1.5 million manhours of
safety on the job, the com-
pany said Currently, the
Conoco department has 294
employees
In addition to gas
processing
Louisiana,
Mexico,
Wyoming,
operates
storage
Oklahoma
David LaGrange Produces
Grand Champion Hay Bale
David La Grange
produced the Grand
Champion hay bale entered
in the recent Starr County
Hay Show according to
Count) Extension Agent
David Sandefer. The
Hay grazer entry topped all
entries with 12.8 .t protein
and a phy sical score of 85 out
of a maximum 100 (xiints.
In discussing the cham-
pion entry. A.( Novosad,
show judge, stated this
entry best combines correct
maturity, color, lcafyness
and absence of foreign
material".
The score for each entry is
based on both the physical
condition and the crude
protein content as de-
termined by c h e m i c a 1
analysis. Area Forage
Specialist, Dr R.R
Hoverson explained to the
group attending the hay
show program that signs of
plant maturity could lx- used
as .in indication of quality
He illustrated this ixnnt bv
referring to a sample con-
taining a high per cent of
mature seed heads and a
protein content of only- 2.5 % .
The second place entry
was a ball of Yieldmaker
hay entered by Rupertp
Escobar Third place was
won by ' azaro Rodriguez
w ith an try of Hay grazer
hay 11). top bale of buf-
felgrass , >v was entered by
I-a Guna Ranch of Rio
Grande City
This event was jointly
sponsored by the First
program including the
improved fiscal condition of
the country, lack of support
from members of Congress,
minimum lobbying efforts
by groups representing state
and local governments, and
the present mood on the Hill
to cut federal spending.
Further, chances appear
■light that Congress will
bring this issue up again in
the 96th Congress which
convenes in January 1979."
We are just going to have
to be very careful with the
budget," Villarreal said.
bus.
Judge
Luther,
parently
driv ing.
that
Clarke report
of California, ap-
fell asleep while
He was traveling
with his wife and son. They
were treated at the Starr-
County Memorial Hospital
and then transferred to the
Edinburg Hospital, Clarke
said.
Luther pleaded guiltv and
paid a fine, .Judge Clarke
reports.
Danny Venecia of Grulla
was charged with public
intoxication and possession
of marijuana less than two
ounzes, by Sheriff Deputies
H.F Perez and John V.
Bryan Oct. 21. According to
Clarke, Venecia plead guilty
to the public intoxication
charge and bond was h-I at
*500.
The same Sheriff Deputies
also charged Francisco
Zarate with possession of
marijuana, and Luis
Longoria Jr 1 both of
Grulla i, w ith resisting
arrest, public intoxication
and disorderly conduct on
Oct. 21. Judge Clarke
reports.
Twelve local individuals
have been charged with
issuance of a bad check,
Clarke .said. The charges
have been filed by local
businessmen and if an in-
dividual is found guilty it
carries a maximum fine of
f200 plus costs, Judge Clarke
said.
All the persons charged
have been given ample time
to clear the matter, but
refuse to honor the checks.
Judge Clarke said. Warrants
were issued for their arrest,
he said.
Two cases for criminal
non-support were filed in his
court against local in-
dividuals by DPS officers;
two possession of peyote;
fivt posse-lion of hanguns
county court rases); 90
traffic violations; 22 non-
traffic violations; and two
district court cases; from
Oct. 1 to Oct. 22. Judge
Clarke said.
The commissioner's court
was holding an emergency
Tuesday morning meeting
and the matter about the
death of the ariti-recession
fund was handled as in-
formation only
The first item on the
agenda was the matter of a
problem with ga- pressure to
areas East of Rio Grande
City, mainly La Casita
Farms, by the Starr County
Gas System.
Ovidio Pena, director,
explained to the com-
missioners court that it was
urgent to build a pipeline
from a compressor station
on FM 755 South to Old U.S.
8;i near La Santa Cruz.
Pena -.aid that with winter
coming, the matter had to be
taken care of immediately
to assure proper gas
pressure to the schools and
other users on the East part
of Rio Grande City .
The court agreed that
Pena should proceed to build
the pipeline, using county-
labor and equipment as
much as possib. . and seek
used pipes, so as to make the
project for the least cost
possible.
The commissioners court
also discussed the hiring of a
secretary for the Depart-
ment of Public Safety office.
It was agreed that the
secretary, who is already
working there, will continue
employ ed and be paid by the
Pet. 1 commissioner if he
can afford it within his
budget.
The court also gave the go-
ahead to the auditor to
transfer funds, if necessary ,
in order to meet payroll.
On the last item on the
agenda the court approved
the tax-collectors request for
$1,000 for postage.
Luther, his wife and his
son were treated at the Starr
County Memorial Hospital
and then transferred to the
Edinburg General Hospital.
Luther was charged with
failure to control speed. He
pleaded guilty and paid a
fine in Arturo Clarke's
Justice of the Peace court in
Rio Grande City
Saenz said that drivers
should lx' more careful when
they see a school bus, and
should stop when the bus is
loading or unloading school
children.
M
-jg
plants in Texas,
Oklahoma, New-
Colorado and
the department
underground
facilities in
and Louisiana
and a major gathering and
distribution system in south-
western Lousisiana.
Conoco's Rincon gas
processing plant, near Rio
Grande City , has not had a
lot-time accident since June
30, 1960, a record of more
than 12 years of safety on the
job. E.C Cooper is plant
manager.
KIKA RECEPTION—( in.ressman and Mrs Elijio Kika" de la Garza center
couple enjoyed R G.C. ho- pitality last Thursday at the home of Mr. and Mrs, Abel
Gonzalez Sr of Lo- Garcia- Ranch. About one hundred guests attended the
appreciation party hosted by the Gonzalez.
bW
National Bank •>:' Rio Grande
City and the Texas
Agricultural extension
Service. Plans and
arrangements fin the show-
were made by the County-
Hay Show Committee, Rene
Munoz chairman
Educational programs
conducted by the Texas
Agricultural Extension
Service serve people of all
ages regardless of socio-
economic level, race, color,
sex. religion or national
origin.
i •** ■ « «■ • .«•
TIGER TWIRI.ERS--leading the Tiger marching band at San Isidro High School
for 1978-79 are, l-r kneeling. Melissa Saenz and Melinda Saenz standing Dolly-
Ramirez, Drum Major Vanessa Vicinaiz, and Sandra Gonzalez
i
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Silva, Marcelo. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 54, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 26, 1978, newspaper, October 26, 1978; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194688/m1/1/: accessed May 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.