Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 54, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 28, 1982 Page: 1 of 14
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County, .Itate Taking Steps To Insure Honest Election
Next week's general election will be clean
and honest in Starr County, and local and
state officials are making sure that there
will be no question about it.
Starr County attorney A.J. Vale has been
appointed as an official election inspector
by Secretary of State David Dean. Vulewill
be joined election night by inspectors from
Dean's office in Austin, Texas Rangers, and
manpower from the Starr County Sheriff's
"Wp're making a major effort to stop the
speculation about the elections." remarked
Community
Roundup
Vale. We're making a major effort to make
sure they're honest."
Starr County has been notorious since its
existence' for holding questionable elections,
and county and state officials want to
change that image. "We want to put Starr
County back on the make map, CLEAN,"
said Vale.
Vale reported that local officials are
pleased with efforts the state is making to
assure everyone that the general election
will be an honest one. "The District Judge is
happy that these steps are being taken." he
said.
"We've had quite a bit of cooperation"
Vale said. He also remarked that no one had
offered any resistance to helping. He had
spoken to County Judge Bias Chapa who
was pleased that there would be monitoring
of the election.
The County Attorney Alex Gabert has
offered his services to help, and his office
will be used election night as a command
post for the inspectors. Vale suggested that
if anyone has complaints election night
to call Gabert's office at 487-2636.
To further insure that the election is
properly run, there will be a school, run by a
representative from the secretary of state
for all election judges, presiding judges*
clerks and workers.
County Clerk Jose Hinojosa is handling
the arrangements for the school, to be held
Oct. 28 in the county courtroom. The school
has been held here before, and the county
election board asked for it to return for this
election.
Questionable elections are not new to
Vale, who commented that he had
"defended 30 or 40 election contests during
the period of the Guerra Dynasty."
His duties that night will be to report to
the secretary of state any irregularities he
sees.
South Texas is one of the few areas of the
country where voting machines are not
used. Oily three ^ounties in South Texas
have voting machines: Hidalgo, Cameron
and Webb. Vale believes that the future of
the integrity for elections in the county is
the usage of the machines.
Vale says that he has received bi-partisan
support for his efforts to keep this election
clean. Hopefully, he said "this will stop the
suspicion regarding Starr County Elections.
Saenz
Wins
Contest
The winner of this week's football contest
is David O. Saenz, of Rio Grande City. He
correctly guessed 10 of the 12 games '
correctly. Placing second was Fidencio
l^ara, and third was Maria Yolanda Garza. ,
This week's winners may pick up their
winnings at the office of the Rio Grande
Herald, 115 North Britton Ave.
Comm issioners Meet
The Starr County Commissioners' court
held a brief meeting, Oct. 22. At the meeting
they approved obtaining another loan from
the First National Bank of Rio Grande City
to pay the October payroll.
They also approved the Lopez and Villa de
Munoz subdivisions.*
Rio Bund
PUu 'es First
The Rio Grande City Marching band took
the grand champion award, placing over
bands from across the Valley.
The band will next take their show to the
annual Pigskin Jubilee, a UIL competition
to be held in November in McAllen.
liUingim I/ESI, (* roup
Stales Meet
The Advisory Committee of the Title VII
Bilingual ESL Program of the Rio Grande
City Consolidated Independent School
District will hold their regular monthly
meeting on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 2:30 p.m.
at the Bilingual Office.
All committee members are asked to
attend and the public is invited.
Reward Offered
The Sheriff's Department is offering a
$200 reward for information leading to the
arrest and conviction of the person or
persons who burglarized a residence on the
north side of town belonging to a Rio
Grande City Border Patrol officer.
For more information contact Sheriff
Gene Falcon at 487-5571.
SB. i Monies
Now Available
Congressman E. (Kika'de la Garza an-
nounces that he was notified by the Small
Business Administration that direct loan
money has been released to Harlingen. The
Harlingen SBA office will work over the
weekend to begin processing loan ap-
olications.
Tips Make
Halloween
Safer
Sheriff Gene Falcon would like to urge al.
parents to make sure their child has not only
a happy Halloween, but a safe one too. The
sheriff suggests the following tips for trick
or treat night, this Saturday.
SAFF.TY TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN
1. Be sure to wear reflective clothing or
• light colored clothes.
2. Wigs if used should be non-flammable.
Hair spray can be used to create desired
effect.
3. The use of a flashlight can be used to
make a child visible and let him see where
he's going.
4 Reflective strips, patches, or paint will
increase visibility after dark.
5. Toy weapons should be made of card-
board so they won't injure if fallen upon.
6. Walk on the sidewalk whenever you can.
C If no sidewalk, walk way to the left facing
traffic.
7. Be alert for cars.
8. Do not eat any unwrapped candy, and
make sure the parents inspect all candy
before you eat it.
9. Fruit-should be washed and cut into
small pieces to be sure nothing has been
placed inside.
10 An adult should accompany the child
while walking.
11. If you find anything wrong notify the
Q police right away.
12. Do not approach houses with the lights
off, and do not accept rides from strangers.
VOL XXXVI
Ho. 54 Thursday, October 28, 1982
FIFTEEN CENTS
111!
A
K
I
Emergency Room, Ambulance
Discussed By Board
..vm
CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN—Elephants paraded around the
giant tent when the Carson and Barnes Circus played two shows
in Rio Grande City, Oct. 25. I-ef?- \ yonn" immaculate Con-
ception student smiles after she examines a llama. (Herald
photos)
You Can Still Enroll
In ECA Course
There is still time to enroll in the
Emergency Care Attendant course being
offered to help prepare for Starr County's
all volunteer ambulance service.
The goals of the course arc to provide the
introduction level of pp-i^nital emergency
medical care instru 1 train the
student in the use rmein toi
emergency care and to provide the student
with a Certificate of completion.
All applicants for the course must be 18
years old, although no other requirements
are necessary.
A schedule for the course, to run from
Nov. 9 through Dec. 16, ' <""°n.
'irst dav, the ° '.n-
*
troduced to human anatomy diagnostic
signs,patient assessment, and airway care
and resuscitation.
Nov. 11, there will be more discussion
about resusitation, and a practice session.
Nov. 16, CPR will be taught. Nov. 18, the
students will learn about shock, bleeding,
injuries to tissues and organs.
After a holiday for Thanksgiving, the
students will learn about splinting, skull and
spine injuries, and the importance of lifting
and moving patients. Dec. 2, the students
will learn how to deliver a baby.
Dec. 7, the class will cover patient
packaging, and assessment and triage in
multiple casualty accidents.
They will learn collision rescue Dec. 9,
review Dec. 14 and take their final
examination Dec. 16.
If you would like to participate in the_
beneficial and hfesaving course, call 487-
5411 for details.
The emergency room, its services, and
the closed Vocational Nursing School were
the main topics of discussion at the meeting
of the Starr County Hospital District Board
of Directors, Oct. 21
Attending the meeting was County Judge
Bias Chapa, who told the board that the
Hospital District would have to take over
the ambulance service after Ceballos
Ambulance Service ceases operation Jan, 1.
"The county is not in a position to take it
(the service)," said Chapa, also adding that
they would be glad to subsidize the service
and had set aside $40,000 in the 1983 Budget
for that purpose. He also added that they
could provide more money if needed.
For the time being, both the county and
the hospital have formed committees to
discuss solutions to the problem.
The directors agreed upon a contract with
Ceballos to provide service until Jan. 1 for
$1300 to be paid monthly.
Asking the staff, present at the meeting, if
the ambulance was servicing all calls, the
board questioned the director of nursing
who was at the scene of a recent accident in
Roma. She said that the ambulance did
arrive, "but it took a good while."
The board read a letter from Dr. Ramiro
Narro requesting that the hospital provide
emergency room Physicians coverage from
6 p.m. Thursday nights until 8 a.m. Friday
mornings.
Representing local doctors were Dr.
Antonio Falcon and Dr. Robert Cortes. "We
met in executive session two weeks ago, and
we wish the board would consider our
request and ok it," said Falcon. "The staff
needs the rest."
The hospital currently contracts with a
medical group called Spectrum to cover the
emergency room on weekends, and the five
major holidays.
The board voted to table the matter until
their next regular meeting so they could
look into the contract and the cost.
Hospital Director Bill Watts reported on a
devastating electrical storm which struck
the hospital a few weeks ago. When the
lightening struck, it burned out equipment
in intensive care, the beeper system, the
radio base station, and the cardiac monitor.
He reported' that when it struck, a
patitent was on the cardiac monitor, but
that the patient was "all right." He also
said that surprisingly the televisions in the
hospital were not effected. They board
agreed to give the insurance company a
time limit to pay for the costly repairs.
The hot issue of the night was the
reopening of the Vocational School of
Nursing, closed since October of 1983. The
board asked Watts why the school had not
reopened, to which he answered that a state
approved director c juld not be found. He
said that he was working with the Texas
Health Agency to find a director but no
qualified applicants had applied.
An approved applicant must be a
registered nur > aiti, five wars clinicai
experience and must be approved by the
state.
Board President Silvina Hinojosa
proposed that a deadline be set for Watts to
find a director. "We want to open, "she
said. "We need it open."
She pointed out that Dr. Mario Ramirez
had agreed to help find a qualified nurse.
Watt explained that he had only two ap-
plicants in the year-long search. "I had
several people in mind, but they're not in-
terested." Housing for the director is a
problem.
Dr Roberto Gonzalez, board member
said. "It was a big mistake to cl >se it (the
school.)" He proposed that t'.ey give Watt s
60 days to find a director.
Overtime and the question of nepotisim
was discussed with hospital employees in
attendance.
The head of the lab wondered why she
was being questioned about overtime, which
arupunted to over $500 in a two week period,
and Watts answered that he wanted proof of
how the time was spent.
The director of medical records asked the
nepotism question. She had recently hired
her sister to work in her department, and
the hiring was questioned. She was told that
the case was not neptotism. but that she did
not follow the proper procedure in hiring.
Buyer - - Beware Of Mexican - Made Autos
GTE DONATES $500 TO INDUSTRIAL FOUNDATION ,-A presentation of a $500
check to the Starr County Industrial Foundation was made during the Oct. 22 Rotary
Club meeting. Shown are: R.D. Majors, division manager for General Telephone Dr.
Hruno Trevino, director of the Industrial Foundation; Sam Vale, Foundation
president; Bob Peterson of Starr Produce, board member; R.C. Salinas, treasurer;
and Roy Cantu of the First National Bank, Foundation vice president. (Herald Photo i
Gamblers Fill Jail Last Weekend
The Starr County Jail was full this
weekend after a gambling raid by the Texas
Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, Oct, 22.
Arrested by the agents for gambling
were: Eugenio Flores, Jr. Manuel Omar
Ramos, Daniel Vela Hinojosa, Alfonso L.
Mascorro, Eldo Garza, Gonzalo Garza, Luis
Mario Zepeda, Jacobo Xavier Solis.
Arrested the same day by the Highway
Patrol was Ralph Pidcock for possession of
marijuana and speeding.
Eliezar Escobar was arrested Oct. 23 by
the DPS officers for driving while in-
toxicated (DWI i and for failure to drive in a
single lane. They also arrested Rodolfo
Villa rreal.
Jailed that day, were Martin Flores and
Gilberto Villarreal for public intoxication
and Pablo Flores Aguilar for theft of ser-
vice. These men were arrested by the Starr
County Sheriff's Department
Sheriff's deputies arrested five men, Oct.
24, Thev are Roberto Morales, for public
intoxication, Ignacio Cruz, for public in-
toxication and possession of marijuana;
Alberto lara for DWI, fleeing and resisting
arrest, Jose Correa for public intoxication
and Rene Ramon Garcia for assualt.
Jailed that day also were three men
arrested by the DPS. They were Roel A.
Guerra, for public intoxication, Rene
Gonzalez for DWI and failure to drive in a
single lane, and Mario Cesar Vela, for the
same offense.
According to DPS officer Ray Munsell,
highway crime was down last week. The
Highway Patrol issued 18 speeding tickets,
eight citations for no Texas driver's license,
13 tickets for no motor vehicle insurance
and five arrests for DWI,
The DPS would also like to remind you
that there are still a few slots left for the
Emergency Care Attendant course . For
more information, call their office at 487-
5411.
Apparent "bargain-basement" prices on
new cars and trucks manufactured in
Mexico have prompted a number of U.S.
citizens to purchase these vehicles for use in
the United States.
While import duty on these vehicles is a
modest 2.8 percent, the additional cost of
bringing the vehicles into compliance with
federal safety and emission standards is
prohibitive... if compliance can be ac-
complished at all.
U.S. officials report that cars and trucks
manufactured in Mexico commonly fail to
meet most safety standards required for
vehicles used in the U.S....including all-
around safety glass, collapsible steering
wheel and other crash protection features.
Vehicles made in Mexico also do not have
pollution control systems.
The Texas Automobile Dealers
Association cautions consumers that unless
a buyer can find an authorized U.S. dealer
willing to modify the vehicle and certify
compliance with federal safety and
emission standards, U.S. Customs will
require that the vehicle be destroyed or
exported tack to Mexico. TADA Executive
Vice-president Gene Fondren doubts that
any U.S. dealer will be willing to engage in
this type of modification. "Difficulty in
conversion and potential liability is too
great," Fondren explained.
According to the U.S. Customs Office,
failure to declare the vehicle and pay import
duty is a felony and will also make the buyer
liable for civil penalties of up to 12 percent of
the value of the vehicle. The U.S. Customs
Office in Brownsville reports that it has
confiscated a number of vehicles that will be
exported or destroyed unless the owners can
pay import duties and obtain the necessary
work and vertification to meet all federal
standards within 90 davs.
Safety aspects of using the vehicles which
may appear to be quite similar to vehicles
meeting safety standards, is the most
serious problem for the unwary consumer.
In order to protect public safety and halt
import violations, the Customs Service has
redoubled its enforcement efforts and is
actively seeking to locate and confiscate
any vehicles that have gained illegal entry.
Customs has asked for cooperation from the
Texas Highway Department and the
Department of Public Safety in adopting
stricter titling and inspection requirements.
This is a nationwide effort, not simply
confined to the Mexican border area. TADA
is cooperating with these efforts and is
alerting member dealers to help make
consumers aware of the probelm.
GIVE DAVE THE DOG-Triumphant Rattler fans, upset that sportscaster Dave
Brown had predicted they would lose, decided he should be the recipient of this
week's 'footlong award.' Shown w ith the fans is the 'dog" they plan to pre - t to him
today. The footlong was donated to the cause by Rattler fan and owne: of Grande
Amusement, Pat Hernandez (Herald Photo)
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Mathis, Dora Barrera. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 54, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 28, 1982, newspaper, October 28, 1982; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194895/m1/1/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.