The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 12, 1990 Page: 1 of 8
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H o a & B o k B i n d e r v ~
127 Rail Read"
Sprinsfport Michigan 49204-
Valley Mart
Inserts
Inside
IRE RIO GRANDE HERALD
Published weekly in Rio Grande City. Te*a . every Thursday by The Rk> Grande Publishing Co.
H.E.B
Inserts
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USPS 466-200
Vol. 80, No. 20, Thursday, April 12, 1990
25 Cent*
Lv^v'" ' ' - i:*
OPENING FOR BUSINESS- Valley Mart has been busily preparing to open its
second grocery store in Rio Grande City. The store is located on U.S. Highway 83
on the far west side of Rio Grande City. Jorge Recio, the owner and operator of
Valley Mart, said early this week that the new store was scheduled to open for
business on Wednesday, April 11. This new store will be in addition to the five
Valley Mart stores located elsewhere in the Rio Grande Valley. The stores are owned
and operated by Jorge and Mary Recio. Jorge Recio indicated that this new store
"will have a good variety of meats, produce and groceries."
Commissioners Focus On
Library, Private Jail
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
Monday, the County
Commissioners devoted their
sharpest attention to approving six
appointments by a Houston
investment firm involved in the
possible construction of a private
detention facility
Also at Monday's meeting, the
commissioners heard a report on the
drive to upgrade the Starr County
Library into a full-fledged public
library, and voted to appoint a
library board to oversee the hiring
of a librarian and staff.
Michael Graham of N-Group
Securities told the commissioners,
"VVc had our meeting with the bond
attorneys in Dallas. The general
counsel was there, and we went
through all the documents. The
Attorney General's office is
preparing to approve all these
items. We're asking you to name
various participants."
After an executive session that
lasted approximately an hour,
N-Group presented six
appointments and asked the court to
approve them. The commissioners
voted without dissent to approve all
six appointments.
The following appointments were
approved: General Contractor, H A.
Lott, Inc.; Bond Underwriter,
George K. Baum, in substitution of
Drcxel; Bond Counsel, Johnson &
Gibbs of Dallas; Feasibility
Consultants, Southwest
Econometrics Inc.; Subcontractor,
Pricor as Operator; Local Counsel,
Romero Molina.
Graham indicated that the above
contracts arc subject to bond
funding, and that all fees will be
paid out of the bond funding.
In December, N-Group Securities
received authorization from the
commissioners to conduct a
feasibility study about the
possibility of constructing, with
their private funds, a 750-bcd
dctcnuon facility in Starr County
Ncna Garza of Starr County
Friends of the Library told the
court, Ms Bundy ol the State
Library Board has let us know that
$65,000 in grant money is readily
available. A requirement for that is
to have the library in full operation.
We want to get started with what
we have by July 1. A summer
reading program is ready to go."
She continued, 'We would need
to be open for at least 40 hours per
eek, including after 5 p.m. Our
biggest need is for a librarian and
staff. We are asking you to appoint
a library board to hire a librarian to
staff the library.''
County Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr.,
asked, "Can you recommend seven
people for our approval?" Precinct
One Commissioner Jose Maria
"Chema" Alvarez read s.veri
possible names from a list put
together by the Friends of the
Library.
Precinct Three Commissioner
Eloy Garza insisted,"The precincts
should share equally (in the board
representation)." It was agreed that
each commissioner would in effect
name one board member.
The commissioners recommended
the following names: Elia Solis of
La Grulla, Olga Montalvo of San
Isidro, Noel Benavidcs of Roma,
and Nena Gar/a of Rio Grande City.
Also named to the board were
Aldonza Ruelas, Roy Cantu, and
Mrs. Blanche Trevino. Precinct
Two Commissioner Amando Pena
moved that these seven names be
accepted.
This board will thus be
empowered to appoint a librarian,
staff the library and name a board
chairman.
Gar/a indicated that space is very
limited now at San Juan I'la/.i
Marline/, responded, The state
welfare board people arc moving
out of the courthouse very soon.
Perhaps some people that are now
at San Juan Plaza will move there
(into the courthouse). This is just
in the thinking stage."
Sheriff Gene Falcon told the
court, "The perpetrators (in the
shooting of two deputies in Roma
on Apru s) w i.iken to Mission
and Harlingen hospitals at the
request of the doctors at Starr
County Memorial Hospital."
Martinez said, "I'm not in favor of
paying this (for the accused
assailants' treatment at Valley
hospitals.")
Falcon said, "As soon as one of
the oil iters is released, there will be
room at our hospital. The officers
are doing very well this morning."
County Attorney Romero Molina
said. At the time they (the
suspects) were hospitalized, they
were formally arrested."
Federal Program Coordinator
Javier Margo reported on the
progress of the current paving
project. He said, "We're going
according to schedule."
Engineer Eloy Vera said. "Most
of the paving in the current project
has been done. We're working on
the drainage project in
Commissioner Alanizs precinct.
There is some touchup work to be
done in the precincts of
Commissioners Alaniz and
Alvarez."
Margo informed the court, "We
(Sec LIBRARY, Page 4)
Youth Killed During
Break-In into Salineno
Home
A 17-year-old Mexican national
from Cd. Micr, Tamaulipas,
Mexico was shot and killed by a
homeowner in Salineno while
trying to break into the residence in
the early morning hours Friday.
Sheriff Gene Falcon indicated that
Rosalio Gomez Cruz, 17, was shot
several times with shotgun between
2:50 and 3 a.m. Friday. He was
pronounced dead at the scene by
Justice of the Peace Raul Pena.
Falcon indicated, "The District
Attorney and myself have decided
not to file charges, pending a grand
jury investigation this week. 'Ihat
is the law and typical procedure
The sheriff said that after the
shooting, the woman volunteered a
statement to the Sheriff's
Department and was then released.
District Attorney Heriberto Silva
indicated Friday afternoon that he
would not file charges in the
episode, but would instead present
the matter to the grand jury for
Deputies Heal Swiftly;
Suspects Formally Charged
The two Starr County sheriffs
deputies seriously wounded in the
April 3 shootout in Roma will be
released from the hospital later this
week, while their two accused
assailants have been formally
charged with attempted capital
murder.
On Wednesday, April 4, Rodolfo
Gaiza, 26, of Mission was arraigned
before J ustice of the Peace Arnoldo
Corpus of Mission and charged
with two counts of attempted
capita! murder. Bond was set at
5250,000 per count for a total of
$500,000 bond.
The other accused assailant,
Eduardo Espinosa Castellano, a
Mcxican national was arraigned the
same day before Justice of the Peace
Eloy Cano of Harlingen and also
charged with two counts of
attempted capital murder. Bond was
set at $600,000, or $300,000 per
count.
Sheriff Gene Falcon said that
Deputies Javier Garza, 37, and Luis
Cava/os, 55, were progressing so
well in recovering from their
serious wounds that they wculd be
released from Starr County
Memorial Hospital later this week.
Deputy Garza was shot three
times in his right side and once in
the leg, while Cavasos sustained
bullet wounds in the hip and
abdomen. The sheriff said that the
prompt medical treatment that
Garza received definitely saved his
life. Garza underwent 4 1/2 hours of
surgery late on the afternoon of
April 3
Falcon said that both accused
assailants were armed with .380
caliber handguns, adding that Garza
is believed to have fired all the
shots. Castellano, who was injured
in the auto mishap, was captured a
short time later about 200 feet away
from the shooting scene.
Falcon said Lliat Garza was armed
with a .380 Colt handgun and
Castellano was armed with a .380
Browning.
Alter the auto mishap, Garza is
accused of firing into the windshield
of Deputy Garza's vehicle, and then
firing several shots through the
front passenger window, three of
which struck Garza in his right
side.
Sheriff Falcon said '.hat Rodolfo
Gar/.a, himself wounded in the
gunfire, had been released from
Mission Hospital and had been
incarcerated in the Starr County
Detention Center Monday under
maximum security conditions.
Falcon said ihat Castellano
remained hospitalized at Valley
Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen
as a result of injuries sustained in a
three-car auto mishap only
moments before the deputies were
wounded.
A third individual, Jose Espinosa
Castellano, a Mexican national, has
been charged with tampering with
evidence. His bond was set at
$50,000 by Justice of the Peace
Amoldo Gonzalez, Jr.
The sheriff said Friday that a
pedestrian, Margarito Trevino, 70,
of Roma, who was injured as a
result of the mishap was recovering
well and would be released from the
hospital in the next day or two.
Falcon said, "The Sheriff's
Department, the Hidalgo County
Sheriffs Department, and other
police departments in the Valley are
investigating the possible
involvement of these people in
violent crimes in the Valley. These
people are alleged to have been
involved in several extortion cases."
He added that the suspects were
allegedly "involved in worshipping
different culls." He said, "These
people look at Pancho Villa as a
good luck charm that would protect
them from harm and enable them to
carry out their activities."
The sheriff stressed, "I want to
thank the community for their
tremendous support of these two
officers and all law enforcement
officers in this episode." He added
that numerous individuals outside
of Starr County, including some
from outside the Valley, have
expressed deep concern about the
well-being of the two injured
deputies.
The sheriff emphasized. Both of
these deputies always do a really
good job. They're very much
missed by the Department right
now."
About the Shcrilf Department's
response to the shooting, the
sheriff said, "The officers responded
with a lot of unity, which shows
the brotherhood that exists in law
enforcement,"
Concerning the luture, Falcon
>aid, "We are living in very hard
times in this country. Violent
crime is on the upswing
everywhere. 1 feel we must be
prepared for things to get worse in
Starr County. We must have
adequate resources in order to carry
out our job of protecting the
county."
Falcon added, "We are trying out
very best, and we will continue to
protect the citizens of the county to
(See DEPUTIES, Page 4)
A n o t h e r D o g C o n f i r m e d
As Rabid
The 11 th rabies case of the year
in Starr County was confirmed
Tuesday morning as a dog in the
urea east of Rio Grande City was
proven to have be :n a carrier of the
deadly disease.
Veterinarian Dr. Roberto S
Margo noted, "I sent the head in
Saturday. This dog was in the El
Arroyo area. This was a large dog,
about 60 pounds, and probably a
couple of years old. It was a family
pet. As best as we can determine,
no human was bitten."
The veterinarian took some
comfort in the fact that the three
other dogs that were sent in fot
evaluation Saturday were prover
not to have been carriers of rabies.
Margo said that another clinic is
planned this Saturday from 10 a.m.
to noon in front of the First
National Bank of Rio Grande City
to vaccinate pets against the deadly
disease. He said that he was pleased
with the turnout at the clinic this
past Saturday at the same location.
Margo noted, "That makes ! 1
cases this year. All of them have
been dogs and cats." He indicated
Tuesday night that he had sent in
four more heads, all dogs, in the
past two days alone. He said that
one of the dogs was decomposed,
* t :# ."X
which would make confirmation ol
rabies impossible.
On Wednesday, April 4, four
more rabies cases, all dogs, were
confirmed in Starr County. Two ol
the dogs were from Roma, and two
were from Rio Grande City.
One of the dogs lived in the area
close to Avasolo Street in the
northeast part of Rio Grande City.
Margo said that one person was
exposed to the disease from this
animal.
Margo said it is his understanding
that one o,l the dogs in Roma bit
two individuals.
Margo stressed the continuing
gravity of the rabies epidemic in
Stan County. He said, "People need
to vaccinate the pets that they
decide they are going to keep, and
allow the others to be humanely
disposed of." He expressed
satisfaction with the progress being
made in picking up stray animals
The veterinarian warned, "The
Texas Department of Health says
that there are 10 u ietcctcd cases for
every confirmed cases.'"
There have been a total of 43
confirmed cases of rabies in Starr
County since the outbreak began in
September 1988. Of the 11 cases in
1990, nine htive involved dogs and
two cats.
consideration
aii autopsy on the deceased was
performed Friday by Dr. Ruben
Santos of McAllen
Falcon said that "the subject
(Cruz) attempted to break into this
woman's home. He tried
unsuccessfully to enter the front
door, then took the screen off the
window, opened the window, and
put his body partially inside the
window."
The sheriff indicated that at this
time, the owner of the house took
a shotgun and hit the intruder
several times with a .20-gauge
shotgun at very close range.
Falcon said that the woman, who
is in her late twenties, and her two
small children had been awakened
by the attempts to break into the
home.
The sheriff commented, "People
an: ured of being burglarized and are
tired of being afraid to leave their
homes."
V
vi
The newly installed Starr County Hospital Auxiliary officer!, for 1990-91 are
pictured above. Seated from left to right are Thalia Munoz, Hospital Administrator;
Corinna Taylor, Auxiliary Parliamentarian; Elma G. Gonzalez, Corresponding
Secretary; Dora Perez, Treasurer; Fela Ireland, Recording Secretary; Quela Pope,
Vice-President; Dina Duran, President; and Lorraine Mannering. the president of the
Texas Council of Hospital Auxiliaries. Standing is Dorothy Anderson, who will be
installed next week as president of the Valley Council of Hospital Auxiliaries.
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 12, 1990, newspaper, April 12, 1990; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195232/m1/1/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.