Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 6, 1995 Page: 1 of 8
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215
Hoag Rook Bindery
Rail Rd
Springport, MT 49P04
i?one 6)
USPS 466-zuu
id weekly in Rio Grande City, Texas every Thursday by The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
VOL. 82, NO. 27, THURSDAY, JULY 06, 1995
25 cents
1
' ' ■■■**+ '■
Aldermen to seek
Fire Dept. transfer
More than 300 Starr County residents celebrated good health and tasted nutritious
food at the Fiesta a la Salud on Thursday evening, July 29 at the Multipurpose
Center in Rio Grande City. The event featured food tasting, food demonstrations,
refreshments and prizes. The event was sponsored by H-E-B Food Store in Rio
Grande City, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and The University ot 'Mas
Health Science Center Graduate School of Biomedical Science.
Fiesta a la Salud evaluated as
tremendous success
Fiesta a la Salud, the health fair
sponsored by H-E-B Food Store in
Rio Grande City and several health
organizations, was attended
Thursday evening by hundreds ol
Starr County residents and
proclaimed to be a tremendous
success by its organizers.
Organizers indicated that more
than 300 individuals attended the
e. .i'.ich took place from 6
p.m. to ) p.m. Thursday, June 29
at the ultipurpose Center.
Fiesta a la Salud was a
community effort to address the
I .ilth concerns of Starr County
residents. Fifteen health agencies
and health providers had
information booths at the health
fair.
The event featured food tasting,
food demonstrations, refreshments
and prizes. Everyone attending was
encouraged to "eat their hearts out -
guilt free."
A variety ol no-fat and low fat
meats and desserts were offered, in
addition to a tasty variety of fresh
fruits and vegetables. Organizers of
the event provided several food
demonstrations to show the
importance of a balanced, healthy
RGC powerlifters
excel at Seguin
The summer youth powcrlilting
team traveled to Seguin, Texas
recently to compete at the South
Texas Powerlifling Championships
endorsed by the United States
Powerlifting Federation.
Fight high school students, one
college student and two coaches
competed, making a total of 1 I
lilters. The team placed two for the
runnerup position.
One ol the coaches said, "Because
of the generous offerings from IBC,
Whataburger, H-E-B, McDonald's,
Wal-Mart, Andy Lopez, Coaches
Rolando Mancha, Fred Sanchez and
Rolando Mancha, and the l.aGrange
and Planner families and many
other community members, the
team was able to spend two nights
and tour the Alamo and River Walk
to make it an educational trip as
well as an athletic event."
The team included the following
members:
* Jesus Gutierrez, sophomore,
first place, 242 weight class, teen
division.
* Desiree Florcs, sophomore,
first place, 148 weight class, teen
women division.
* Joe Ben Elizondo, sophomore,
lirst place, 114 weight class, teen
div is ion.
* Huber Trcvino, college student
and ex-Rattler powerlifter, first
place, 242 weight class division,
open division.
* Ricky DcLeon, Jr., third place,
132 weight class, teen division.
* Mario Gomez, Jr., second
place, 132 weight class, teen
division.
* Roy Rodriquez, sophomore,
foutlh place, 148 weight class, teen
(See POWERLIFTERS, Page 8)
diet.
Il-E-B donated a variety of
healthy, nutritious foods that are
now available in grocery stores.
Twenty local businesses
contributed door prizes as part of
Fiesta a la Salud.
Mayor Basilio Villarreal
presented awards to Unidos en Salud
members who participated in a
physical activity contest Over 40
members of the program were
involved in the contest and received
numerous prizes. The winners were
determined by the numbers of
points accumulated by the physical
activity.
Mayor Villarreal also made brief
special remarks stressing the
importance of the event and
praising its organizers.
The pi v -k ;il activity contest
began on May 1. Anyone who
attended classes in the past or
present was eligible to participate.
During each week lor the next six
weeks, each participant recorded the
type ol physical activity engaged in
and also the number of minutes of
activity each day on their exercise
record.. The total number of
exercise minutes each week was to
be added up and turned in to the
instructor every week.
Fifteen minutes of exercising
alone was equal to one point. At
the end of the six weeks, the
instructor added up the total number
of minutes each participant
exercised and converted it into
points Based on the total points
earned, each name was entered into
a drawing lot the prize at one of
three levels: Level One- 151 or
(See FIESTA, Page 8)
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their special meeting Thursday
evening, the Rio Grande City Board
of Aldermen agreed that the city
government should request that the
Fire Department be transferred to
the control and supervision of the
city.
Alderman Fred J. Margo
indicated, "We had a joint meeting
to sec what we could do. The ad hoc
committee has met twice. 1 was
appointed chairman of the ad hoc
committee."
Earlier in June, the aldermen and
County Commissioners agreed to
set up a committee with
representatives of the county, the
Rio Grande City government, the
Starr County Water District and
Union Water Supply Corporation
and the Starr County Volunteer Fire
Department. The committee's
purpose is to evaluate and study fire
protection issues.
Margo indicated, "We reached a
consensus that the city should take
over the Fire Department. I
recommend that we go before the
Commissioners Court and make
this request, hopefully by Oct. 1. It
seems obvious that fire protection
is not all it should be. There's lack
of direction and leadership."
Margo predicted, "If it is under
the city's direction, there will be
more accountability." He indicated
that the proposal calls for the city
to have a fire chief and six or seven
paid firefighters, in addition to
volunteer firefighters. He
commented, "We need to address
problems like equipment or water
pressure in the not-too-distant
future."
Mayor Basilio Villarreal said,
"The Fire Department takes care of
rural fires. The city can charge the
county for going to rural fires."
Margo declared, "Commissioner
(Eloy) Garza has said he wants the
pumper kept here (in RGC) until he
can make plans to move the unit.
We're all in this together. The way
the Fire Department is operating
right now, it's almost
non-existent."
City Administrator Jose
Escamilla suggested, "We could
consider what the city of Alamo did
in setting up a private corporation
and getting volunteers. The main
thing is to have direction."
Alderman Jesus "Chuy" Solis
then offered a motion that the city
request that the county begin
transfer of the Fire Department to
the city. As discussion continued,
Margo contended, "I think we can't
afford not to. A total of S250.000
is a lot, but consider the cost of
houses burning to the ground."
Escamilla emphasized, "We need
to request the transfer as soon as
possible." Alderman Lauro Lopez
asked, "Do we or the county have
anyone who knows how to operate
the pumpers?"
Villarreal and others commented
that the shortcomings of fire
protection were shown this past
week when two major fires
occurred, one in Rio Grande City
and one in the La Casita area.
Villarreal said, "The Roma people
were putting water on the fire (in
Rio Grande City) in a matter of
seconds."
The aldermen then proceeded to
unanimously approve the motion
calling for the city to request that
the county begin the transfer of the
Fire Department facility and
equipment.
The aldermen discussed whether
to approve the continuation of
construction of the parking lot for
the Detention Center on North
Britton Avenue.
Escamilla said, "Mr. (Eloy) Vera
and Mr Beattic (of Vera
Engineering) came before us some
time back. Our initial idea was not
to eliminate the boulevard. The
construction was basically begun
without our involvement. One of
the commissioners was approachcd
and the project was stopped (for the
time being)."
Engineer Eloy Vera said, "We
proceeded in the manner we thought
would best expedite the process. We
had no intention of demeaning Rio
Grande City."
Mayor Villarreal declared, "I
think we were asked at the
beginning and we did not say yes. I
think it was very improper the way
it was done."
Margo said, "As I understand, the
sheriff said six months ago they
needed to spend the money by
December. I think we were going to
receive two or three proposals. The
city needs to be made aware of
what's going on. Nothing was ever
finalized. Nobody wants to be
difficult; I understand the sheriff
needs more parking. The project
needs to be completed, but there
needs to be more communication m
the future."
Vera said, "The change order
requires the signature of the mayor,
(See TRANSFER, Page 8)
House northwest of RGC
gutted in June 26 fire
A house located northwest of
Starr County Memorial Hospital
was completely destroyed by fire
during the late morning and early
afternoon hours on Monday, June
26.
A volunteer firefighter indicated
that the call came in to the
Volunteer Fire Department at
approximately 11:43 a.m. on June
26. Firefighters arrived at the scene
roughly 10 minutes later and spent
more than three hours fighting the
fire that engulfed the home of
Lelicia and Ruben Villarreal.
Fortunately, there were no
injuries as a result of the blaze,
even though witnesses indicated a
maid and two children were inside
the house.
Starr County Fire Marshal David
Villarreal told The Rio Grande
Herald on Friday, "It was complete
and total destruction."
Villarreal indicated that the cause
vt the blaze has not been
determined. The Deputy State Fire
Marshal was on hand Friday to
conduct an investigation. Villarreal
stated, "Basically, all investigation
is pending the Fire Marshal's visit."
Villarreal said, "It (the fire) may
have started in the washroom area
in the northeast part of the house."
The Fire Department firefighter
indicated, "The entire house burned;
it was a complete loss...There were
flames coming through the roof
when we got to the scene...All the
inside was gutted."
He noted that "no one was hurt.
According to witnesses, a maid and
two kids were in the house."
The firefighter declared, "We are
not sure about the origin of the fire
or where it started...The cause of
the fire is under investigation by
the local Fire Marshal and the State
Fire Marshal."
He continued, "It took about an
hour to get the main fire under
control...We wre out there about
three hours. There was one truck
from Rio Grande City, one truck
from Roma and one truck from La
Rosita...There were about 15
firefighters from all departments."
The firefighter declared, "The lack
of water plugs was a major
hindrance. There was some wind,
about 10 miles per hour, but it
wasn't extremely windy."
1
Rio Grande City's summer powerlifting team recently competed at the South 1 vas
Powerlifting Championships in Seguin. I his competition was endorsed hv the
United States Powerlifting Federation. In the front row, pictured left •<> >i M. ire
Huber Trevino, Jesus Gutierrez, Desire* Flores, .lot Ben F.li/ondo, Rick\ Hi •>.
Mario Gomez, Coach Jesus Lo/ano and lavi. i I o/.ano. In the hat 1 r«• <
Andy Plattner, Rita Hinojosa, Roy Rodriquez and Leo I eal.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL GRADUATES- The 19<>5 eighth grade
graduates of Immaculate Conception School were honored with a mass and banquet at
the end of May. Pictured with their teacher, Ms. Blalock, at left, and Principal
Sister Christine Garcia, SSNI), and Pastor Father Eddie \ ilia, at right, they are
seated I r, Irma Y. \aldez, Alexis Marie Smith, Maycla Teresa Pope, l.orie An*
Ramirez, and Monica Guerrero; standing l-r, Olga d< la lorre, Monica Caren Garcia,
Maria Angeles Garcia, and Elias Gonzalez.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 6, 1995, newspaper, July 6, 1995; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195503/m1/1/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.