Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1997 Page: 1 of 8
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215
Hoag Book Bindery
127 Rail Rd
Spririgport, MI 49204
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> inserts, LFD specials on Pg. 8
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Published weekly in Rio Grande City, Texas every Thursday by The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
USPS 466-200
VOL. 84, NO. 24 THURSDAY, JUNE 12,1997
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Status of Task Force
grant discussed
Rio Grande City school district Personnel Director Gilberto E. Garcia (centeri
congratulates the district's elementary teacher of the year Dahlian Aberin of Grulla
Elementary (left) and secondary teacher of the year Ann Marie Ramirez, of Grulla
Middle School. (RGCCISI) photo)
Ramirez, Aberin honored as
RGCCISD Teachers of Year
Two educators with more than 40
years of experience have been
named teachers of the year tor the
Rio Grande City Consolidated
Independent School District.
Ann Marie Ramirez, who has 30
years of teaching experience, was
selected as the district's Secondary
Teacher of the Year.
Dahlian Aberin, who has 10
years of teaching experience, was
chosen as the district's Elementary
Teacher of the Year.
Ramirez has taught physical
education the past 27 years at
Grulla Middle School. She has also
taught at Immaculate Conception
School, La Union Elementary, and
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic
School.
Ms. Ramirez has a bachelor's
degree in P.E. from UT-Pan
American and a master's degree in
education from Antioch University
that she received in 1978.
She has taught P.E. and coached
volleyball, basketball, track ami
Softball at GMS since 1970. She
also was the UIL coach for poetry
for two years.
Ms. Ramirez said her most
significant contribution and
accomplishment in education was
becoming a physical education
teacher tor 30 years.
"My accomplishments as a
physical education teacher was to
make students understand what
physical education enterprise
involves and why it is important to
develop their self-esteem through
this subject matter," she said.
She said she has tried to instill
useful skills in her students.
i have tried to supply them with
something that I wishfully imagine
to be external weapons of defense
against the assaults of a world
whose ideas and values are not
theirs," she said. My job as a
teacher has been to equip my
students to carry on from the point
to which I can bring them, to teach
them how to think rather that what
to think."
Ms. Aberin has taught at Grulla
Elementary School since 1991.
She has also taught in Brooklyn.
N.Y., and in the Philipines.
She received a bachelor of science
degree in education from the
University of the City of Manila in
1985,
She taught second grade at Grulla
Elementary the past six years.
She has been a UIL coach in
writing and storytelling since
1992. She is currently a Site-Basal
Decision Making Committee
member and has successfully
practiced 15 TESA teaching
behaviors.
Ms. Aberin believes teachers
must reach out to the public.
"A teacher's involvement in the
community is vital to relating to
(See TEACHERS, Page 8)
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
Monday morning, the County
Commissioners were told by
District Attorney Heriberto Silva
that a state grant to fund the Multi-
Agency Narcotics Task Force is in
serious jeopardy.
At one point, there was a ipirited
exchange between Silva and Chief
Deputy Reymundo Guerra
concerning the issue of vehicle
forfeitures.
Silva began his report by saying,
"Funding for the Multi-Agency
Task Force ended on May 31. The
Sheriff's Department decided to
withdraw. The city of Rio Grande
City has expressed an interest. The
new proposal has been okayed (at
the state level). We need
cooperative working agreements
with other agencies. Chief Marquez
(of the RGC Police Department)
advises me that the sheriff decided
not to sign a cooperative working
agreement. Previously, the sheriff
expressed no problem with the
agreement."'
Silva continued, "This comes to
$378,000. Basically, it goes back
to (the) Criminal Justice
(Division). We need to close out
our grant with the county. I'm
looking at other alternatives. The
bottom line is that we're going to
lose the grant."
Chief Deputy Guerra said, "I was
not present when the sheriff and
Chief Marquez met. The sheriff said
that if certain conditions were met,
he would sign the agreement. I
don't know, but I hear through the
Court hears strong criticism
about proposed cattle port
grapevine that it concerned vehicles
pending forfeiture. One condition, I
understand, was having the
Attorney General's Office handle
forfeitures. The sheriff and Mr.
Silva need to meet face to face."
Silva declared, "Last week, I
requested a meeting with the sheriff
and he didn't respond. The only
thing we're asking for is a
cooperative working agreement and
that he participate in drug
interdiction. Apparently, he doesn't
want to. The issue is not telling
people what to do concerning
forfeitures. He just needs to sign
and say he supports the aim."
County Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr.,
contended, "This shouldn't prevent
us from having additional law
enforcement presence." Precinct
One Commissioner Jose Maria
"Chema" Alvarez commented, 'To
me, it (the disagreement) is a minor
thing. I understand Roma is not
participating." Silva insisted,
"These vehicles belong to the Task
Force, not the sheriff. The proceeds
from these sales need to be
accounted for."
Martinez suggested, "Let's forget
about junked cars and move forward
on this other matter." Silva said,
"This is a status report." Alvarez
contended, "It's a shame to lose the
Task Force. It's a matter of ironing
out small things."
Sheriff Gene Falcon later told
The Rio Grande Herald, "About six
months ago, we decided not to
reapply for the grant. After 10 years
and the fact it was a 40-60
matching grant, I decided it was not
an asset"
Falcon stated, "I have always
made an effort to fully help the Rio
Grande City Police Department.
We'll continue to work together
with the Roma, Rio Grande City
and Grulla Police Departments."
The sheriff added, "If the Sheriff s
Department has no one working
with the Task Force, there's no
reason to sign an agreement, and
also there are liability concerns. I
felt if the city took it over, they
need their own location to store
narcotics."
Falcon dec) ired, "We're working
closely with Inderal agencies to deal
with drug problems." Guerra later
said, "We're in the process of
working with some federal agencies
to deal with drug problems."
The sheriff suggested, "Several
issues could be negotiated,
including possibly bringing the
Attorney General's Office to help
handle forfeitures. There are over
100 vehicles pending forfeiture.
Roma has not signed the
cooperative agreement. There are
over 100 vehicles sitting there
deteriorating."
Falcon lamented, "The D.A. has
not applied for a special court to
handle drug cases, which would be a
100 percent grant. Mr.Silva has
blocked the department from buying
three new patrol cars from forfeiture
funds that are badly needed. These
vehicles would have bee^. of no cost
to the taxpayers."
Silva told The Herald on
Tuesday, "They're not asking him
(the sheriff) to contribute any
(See STATUS, Page 8)
La Casita Fire Dept.
plans barbecue
The La Casita Volunteer Fire
Department will be offering a
chicken barbecue plate this Sunday,
June 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
the La Casita Fire Station.
The donation will be S3.00.
Tickets will be donated by
Ramiro's Heating and Cooling
Service.
BY KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
Monday morning, the County
Commissioners heard sharp protests
by two local citizens criticizing the
proposal that a cattle port of entry
be located just to the northeast of
the city limits of Rio Grande City.
Attorney Margil Sanchez, Jr., and
Dario Garza, who works in the
same law office, told the court that
petitions opposing the proposed
cattle port had been signed by more
than 250 citizens.
In May, it was indicated that the
government of Mexico had
approved in concept the idea of
holding pens being erected near Rio
Grande City to facilitate the import
and export of cattle. The early
suggested site is the R-Y Livestock
RGC aldermen to
meet Thursday night
The Rio Grande City Board of
Aldermen will hold their regular
monthly meeting on Thursday
night, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. at City
Hall, located at 402 E. Main St. in
Rio Grande City.
Among the items on the agenda
will be recommendations and
possible action concerning the
Multi-Agency Task Force grant.
Also, the aldermen are scheduled to
consider a petition for voluntary
annexation submitted by the Rio
Grande City CISD Public Facilities
Corporation concerning the new
high school and the surrounding
area.
Dario Garza has requested to
appear before the aldermen to
express his concerns about the
proposed plans of RY Livestock
Sales to trans-ship imported cattle
at its facility located on FM 755 in
the Rio Grande City ETJ
(Extraterritorial Jurisdiction) area.
Recommendations and possible
action are scheduled concerning the
proposed construction of a
hydroelectric dam in Webb County.
The city's Economic
Development Corporation will
meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at City
Hall. Among the items to be
discussed are possible EDA
infrastructure grants and a
Sesquicentcnnial celebration
tentatively scheduled for November
1998.
Sales Yard.
When the petition was presented,
County Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr.,
asked, "Is there any zoning power
in the Commissioners Court?"
Sanchez insisted, "Previously, a
subdivision was approved next to
this project. The project will have a
negative impact, especially
concerning smell."
When questioned by Sanchez and
Garza, Martinez said, "I support the
project as an individual and as a
rancher, not as a county officer."
Attorney J.M. "Chuy" Alvarez,
who favors the project, declared,
"We have never approached the
county to support the project."
Martinez commented, "As an
individual. I don't think it will be
as bad as you think. It's a holding
pen where they will only feed hay."
Sanchez countered, "We've
contacted others with experience and
they tell us otherwise."
Martinez stressed, "We are not
taking a position as a county."
Garza commented, "The sale yard is
not bothering us; it's what's
planned that concerns us."
Alvarez stated, "Some agencies
from the state have come in and
looked at the project and have
indicated there is no problem. It
will be similar to the Del Rio
facility." Garza countered, "I am
told that the Del Rio facility is a
stinkholc that is ruining the town."
Precinct Two Commissioner
Adrian Gonzalez contended, "It will
create problems." Garza insisted,
"We don't want jobs that will ruin
our town." Precinct One
Commissioner Jose Mana "Chema"
Alvarez countered, "These people
want to do something good for our
county."
Garza contended, "Our
subdivision will create many jobs."
Martinez responded, "Cattle is one
of our main industries. If a problem
is created, we will all be concerned
and do what we can." Attorney
Alvarez emphasized, "We will
comply with all environmental
regulations of the state and federal
governments."
Commissioner Adrian Gonzalez
stressed, "I will be against
something like this. I saw the
problems that a facility like this
could create in California."
Commissioner Alvarez declared,
(Sec CATTLE, Page 8)
Herald changes
location of office
The Rio Grande Herald has
moved to a new office,
effective Tuesday, June 9.
The new office is located at
100 South Corpus, Suite C in
Rio Grande City. The office is
located just south of the
Neighborhood Bar and Grill.
The phone number at the
new office will remain (210)
487-2819.
The Rio Grande Herald is
prepared and ready to provide
the same quality service as
was provided in the previous
office for close to 20 years.
We ask all customers to work
with us during this adjustment
period, and we believe that
customers and readers will be
pleased with this new office.
Celia G. Barrera (middle), a first grade teacher at Ringgold Elementary, receives a
plaque from Enrique Gonzalez, Director of Bilir.gual/ESI. for RGCCISD, and RES
Principal Maria F.lena Olivarez. Ms. Farrera received the award from the Rio Grande
Valley Teachers Asociation of Bilingual Education for being Teacher of the Year.
(RGCCISD photo)
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1997, newspaper, June 12, 1997; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195604/m1/1/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.