The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 15, 1990 Page: 1 of 8

n
Ramirez Ford
Specials,
Page 8
THE RIO GRANDE HERALD
Published weekly in Rio Grande City, Texas, every Thursday by The RK^Grande Publishing Co.
H.E.B.
Inserts
Inside
WPS 466-200
Vol. 80, No. 13, Thursday, February 15,1990
25 Cents
,
The individuals pictured above were recently promoted to full-time employment at
H.E.B Food Store in Rio Grande City. From left to right are Emigdio f.'ahue,
Gerardo Silva, and Ruben Dario Saenz.
RGCCISD Trustees Okay
Lease Purchase Financing
At their regular monthly meeting
Thursday night, the Rio Grande
City CISD board of trustees gave
final approval to a lease purchase
financing arrangement to carry out
the construction of at least 18
portable classrooms.
Superintendent Dr. Leobardo
Cano indicated, "We discussed the
$1 million lease purchase financing
transaction." He indicated that Chris
Vela of the San Antonio based
investment firm Lovett,
Underwood, Neuhaus, and Webb
made the presentation to the board.
Vela termed the proposed type of
financing "public property finance."
Attorney Tom Spurgeon of the San
Antonio law firm McCall,
Parkhurst and Horton was also on
hand to give his evaluation of the
proposed lease purchase financing
procedure.
Cano noted, "It is a seven-year
obligation. We have the
opportunity to pay in full by 1992,
if we desire. Hopefully, we will
receive the money by Feb. 27."
In January, Cano noted, "The
agreement with Ix)vctl, Underwood,
Fair Association
Social Friday
The Starr County Fair
Association will be holding us
annual fundraising dinner for the
organization's building projects on
Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
The dinner, designed to raise
funds for the Fair Association's
Building Fund, will take place at
I the Starr County Fairgrounds
Pavilion on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7
p.m. Dinner and cocktails will be
served. Donations will be accepted.
Anyone seeking further
information should call First
National \Bank President Rodolfo
Cantu at 487-5257 or 487-5681.
Neuhaus and Webb is for SI
million over 7.5 years, at 8.251
percent interest."
The trustees passed a motion
accepted the lease purchase
agreements and documents as
proposed.
Stanley Campbell and
Associates, a Helotes, Texas firm
thyt spgcializes in developing
energy conservation procedures,
gave the board a progress report on
his work in trying to develop new
ways for the RGCCISD to
maximize energy conservation in
its schools and buildings.
Campbell told the trustees that he
would be returning in the near
future to give an update on his
findings. Campbell indicated that
through his energy conservation
recommendations, he will seek to
counterbalance expected increases in
rates by utility companies. Cano
indicated, "He's looking at all the
air conditioning sites in the
district."
Cano noted that Campbell
recommended that the district come
up with a number of energy
conservation measures of their own
Six bids were examined by the
trustees for leveling work in order
to build a playground at Hinojosa
Elementary School. Cano noted,
"This is for the purpose of leveling
some hills in back of the school
into a playground."
The low bid of Escobar's Earth
Work Company of Rio Grande City
at $37,800 was approved. The six
bids ranged in price from the low
bid of $37,800 to $49,700.
The trustees approved an
arrangement with Grande Garbage
Collection for the collection of
garbage at the main cafeteria only,
at $320 per month.
Cano said of the Dyslexia Plan
Report, "This is an alternative
k
Some of the participants in the recent meeting of the
American Association of University Women are pictured
above. From left to right are Mrs. Juanita Volpe,
Julianita Moreno, Mrs. Marta Moreno, Mrs. Pongsri
Tamthong, and Ana Maria Alvarez. (See related story on
Page 2).
reading program for students with
auditory and visual perception
problems. This program is
mandated by the TEA, and is being
implemented across the state for the
first time this year."
Cano indicated, "We're trying to
determine how many students have
these problems." The program to
help students hampered by auditory
or visual perception problems was
approved by the board, at a cost of
$5832.
The superintendent noted, "We
have hired a consultant, Dr.
Amadita Muniz, a UT-Pan Am
professor, to help us in this area.
She'll be training our teachers and
providing the necessary technical
assistance and conducting
followups."
The trustees approved the
elementary school handbook as
presented. Cano noted, "This year,
for the first time, we have put
together a handbook compiled of all
rules as they apply to the
elementary grades."
The trustees also approved the
District Improvement Goals. Cano
pointed out that this means that
"the different campuses will be
responsible for providing the
activities and time guidelines in
order to meet the district goals."
Cano added, "This plan was
developed with much input from
parents, teachers, administrators,
students; everyone who would be
affected."
The superintendent stressed,
"This is based on the six Effective
School Correlates: Instructional
Leadership, School Climate, High
Expectations, Testing and
Assessment Procedures,
Community Involvement, and
Instructional Focus. These are the
correlates necessary to have
effective schools."
Upon Cano's recommendation,
the board passed a motion to the
effect that the school district open
bids during regular or special
meetings of the board of trustees.
Cano also recommended, and the
trustees approved, that all school
cafeteria personnel be given seven
hours of work per day, rather than
(See FINANCING, Page 7)
Little Miss Roma
Pageant Saturday
A Little Miss Roma Pageant will
be held on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7
p.m. at the Roma High School
Gym.
The contest, sponsored by Alpha
Sigma Phi of Beta Sigma Phi, will
be the first of its type in Roma.
Thirty three girls ages 6-8 will be
competing in the contest
Detention Facility, Library
Highlight Meeting
By KENNETH ROBERTS
The decision to expedite the
process toward building a
privately-financed detention facility
and the presentation of local
citizens urging increased county
support of a public library facility
highlighted Monday's regular
monthly meeting of the County
Commissioners.
Jim Brunson of the Houston
investment firm N-Group Securities
told the commissioners that they
would need to take four actions. He
said, "We're now ready to take
another step toward bringing a
private detention center to Starr
County.' N-Group Securities needs
to be designated as the operator."
Brunson urged the commissioners
to approve the appointment of
Drexel Burnham Lambert as the
construction lender and bond
underwriter. He also asked that the
Houston law firm of Keck, Mahan,
and Cate be named as the law firm
to handle financing and other legal
matters involved in the project.
Michael Graham said that a
private non-profit corporation
would need to be formed. He said
that this corporation would be
formed by N-Group at its own
expense. Graham stressed, "This
will enable us to proceed to more
formal finalization of financing."
-Graham emphasized, "We would
complete the process that has been
started. The court would be under
no obligation to continue this
program."
Following an executive session
of slightly more than 30 minutes,
the commissioners approved the
hiring of the bond underwriter, as
well as the law firm.
Commissioners Jose Maria
"Chema" Alvarez and Amando Pena
and County Judge J.M. Martinez,
Jr., were named to serve on the
board of the non-profit corporation.
Michael Graham indicated, "We
need an ad-hoc committee to
oversee hiring practices."
Commissioner Reynaldo "Moreno"
Alaniz was named to chair that
committee. Also serving on the sitting on the shelves. There's no
committee will be Commissioner
Eloy Garza and Michael Graham
and Jim Brunson of N-Group.
Following the meeting, Graham
told The Rio Grande Herald, "The
feasibility study is being worked on
now and the architectural work is
pretty close to being resolved. The
bulk of the work now being done
involves financing."
Judge Martinez told The Herald,
"It's pretty much a sure thing,
unless there's something we don't
like in the final contract." He said
that if and when a final contract is
drafted, the document will be
subjected to thorough scrutiny by
the County Attorney.
In December, N-Group Securities
received authorization from the
commissioners to begin work on a
feasibility study concerning the
possibility of constructing, with
their own funds, a 750-bed
detention facility in Starr County.
The commissioners heard a
presentation from a group of
citizens urging increased
involvement by the county
government in a public library
facility for Starr County.
Mrs. Nena Garza of "Friends of
the Starr County Library" told the
commissioners, "We've been
making some studies about a public
library, and we've talked with the
commissioners."
She stressed, "Starr County is in
dire need of a public library.
Illiteracy, poverty, and
unemployment work hand in hand.
A public library will help alleviate
some of these problems. We want
to legally establish the library."
On behalf of the group, Mrs.
Garza brought a proposed resolution
before the court. She said, "This
would say that you support the
library and would support it
financially (to some degree)."
She added, "Commissioners
before you have informally
supported the library. Rep. Kika De
La Garza has donated a number of
volumes, as have a number of local
clubs. The books there are just
organization and no checking in and
checking out of books. We would
like someone employed by the
Texas Library System."
Commissioner Pena said,
"There's no money budgeted for this
year." Martinez contended, "A new
department would be created by
this." Alvarez stressed, "They need
$2000 right now to get going.
Then we can budget funds next
year."
Alvarez added, "This project
deserves first priority in our
community. These ladies have
carried out a lot of volunteer
efforts." Mrs. Garza indicated, "A
seven-member board would need to
be appointed."
Alvarez moved that the
resolution be approved and that the
process be started toward upgrading
the current library at San Juan Plaza
to an official public library. His
motion passed without dissent.
Mrs. Garza said, "We hope the
$2000 would be appropriated to
Friends of the Library. We are here
to promote the library and its
needed projects. It will be a free
library, except for fines for overdue
books."
Attorney David Garza said, "Rep.
Irma Rangel has pledged to provide
all the help possible from the state.
These ladies have a goal to obtain
private funds. The resolution is not
asking for any money right now."
On behalf of N-Group, Michael
Graham said, "Our company would
like to provide a matching grant of
$2000." i
Auditor Jose Guadalupe Villarreal
told the commissioners, "You could
add $2000 to the (budget)
amendment you're making."-
The commissioners agreed to
provide certification of assurance
from the county government that
future development in the county be
controlled in order to prevent
additional development of
substandard colonias. Also, the
Model Subdivision Rules were
approved as developed under the
(See LIBRARY, Page 8)
Three suspects are the subjects of
warrants and are being sought by
law enforcement officers in
connection with the slaying of a
Mexican national in Escobares early
Friday morning.
Chief Deputy Rey Guerra
indicated that the body of Ricardo
Bravo Martinez, 35, was found at
Three Suspects Sought
In Escobares Slaying
10:45 a.m. approximately two
miles from where he was shot.
Guerra said that warrants are
being sought for the following
individuals, whose ages and
addresses were unknown as of
Wednesday morning: Alfonso
Villarreal, Carlos Cantu, and Osiel
Villalobos Chapa.
Guerra said that evidence indicates
Motorcyclist Killed In
Mishap Near Roma
A 17-year-old youth from
Escobares became the third traffic
fatality of the year in Starr County
when his motorcycle.collided with a
pickup truck on U.S. 83 near Roma
Saturday morning.
Jose Guadalupe Solis, 17, of
Escobares was pronounced dead
upon arrival at Starr County
Memorial Hospital by a local
physician shortly after the accident,
which took place at approximately
10:18 a.m. Saturday.
The mishap took place on U.S.
83 approximately 1 1/2 miles west
of the intersection with FM 649.
According to a DPS trooper,
Solis was riding his motorcycle
westbound in the inside lane of
U.S. Highway 83.
The trooper indicated that a 1974
Chevrolet pickup truck attempted to
cross the westbound lanes of U.S.
83 from the north side unimproved
shoulder, in an attempt to travel
east toward Rio Grande City.
The trooper said that as the driver
of the pickup attempted to cross.
the motorcycle struck the pickup
truck on its left panel, between the
cab and rear tire. The trooper
indicated that Solis was thrown
over the bed of the truck, and that
the motorcycle slid for about 20
feet.
The trooper said that Solis
suffered a broken neck, a fractured
cervical spine at the base of the
skull, and massive internal injuries.
that Martinez was shot at
approximately 7:30 a.m. Friday at
an Escobares residence. He said,
"Witnesses say they saw several
men putting a body in the trunk of
a car."
The vehicie in which Martinez's
body was found was discovered in
front of some apartments in the
Escobares area, indicated the Chief
Deputy.
Guerra noted, "We have warrants
for three people who had been with
him the previous evening...The
victim was seen with the three men
at 2 a.m."
Guerra said that evidence indicates
that a .45 caliber handgun was used
in the murder. He said, "He
(Martinez) was shot once in the
back of the head, at very close
range. There were powder burns on
the victim's hair."
Guerra noted that the Sheriffs
Department first received the call
about the incident at 7:30 a.m.
Friday. Guerra said that Martinez,
originally from Mexico, had used
the alias "Daniel Romo Garcia".
Rabies Clinics Scheduled
A number of clinics are planned
throughout Starr County in the
next week to allow individuals to
vaccinate their pets against rabies.
The clinics are scheduled as
follows:
THURSDAY, FEB. 15- Rio
Grande City, Plaza San Juan, 5 to 6
p.m.
SATURDAY. FEB. 17- Rio
Grande City, in front of First
National Bank, 11 a.m. to noon.
MONDAY. FEB. 19- Rio Grande
City, Roquc Guerra Elementary on
Fairgrounds Road, 5 to 6 p.m.
TUESDAY, FEB. 20- Escobares,
in front of Catholic Church. 5 to 6
p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21- Los
Saenz, elementary school, 5 to 6
p.m
FRIDAY. FEB. 23- San Isidro.
Mini-Gym, 5 to 6 p.m.
SATURDAY. FEB 24- Roma,
at Ramirez Firestone, 11 a.m. to
noon.