Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1997 Page: 1 of 6
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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. 25 THURSDAY, JUNE 19,1997
25 cents
•i
:
RGC aldermen hear
thoughts on projects
These five Rio Grande C'ily High School sophomores were the only students to earn
Academic Recognition on all three areas of the TAAS tests taken in April. 1 hey are
(L-R) Kaudel Rodriguez., Patricia Trevino, James la Icon, Monica Garcia and Osbaldo
Lopez. (R(iCCISI) photo)
County again hears spirited
discussion about Task Force
9 By KENNETH ROBERTS
The status of the Multi-Agency
Task Force grant again was the
subject of spirited discussion at
Friday morning's continued regular
meeting of the County
Commissioners.
At the regular commissioners'
meeting on Monday, June 9,
^ District Attorney Heribcrto Silva
™ warned that the status of the state
grant to fund the Task Force for
another year was in jeopardy.
At their continued meeting
Monday night, the Rio Grande City
Board of Aldermen kept hopes for
the grant alive by approving a
motion placing the city on record as
accepting the grant.
After Monday night's meeting,
£ Alderman Ricardo Gutierrez
commented, "It's not only
essential, but mandatory, that we
have the Task Force to help control
the hemorrhaging caused by drugs. I
am confident that the situation can
be worked out between the Police
Chief, the Sheriff and the District
Attorney.'
^ At Monday's meeting, Mayor
Baldemar Garza and the other
aldermen present also stressed that
the Task Force is an absolute
necessity to help deal with the
continually serious drug problem.
The Rio Grande Herald will have
many more details about Monday's
meeting in next week's edition.
Silva began the discussion at
Friday's Commissioners Court
meeting by noting that on the
'previous evening, ' the city elected
to table their discussion on the
Task Force until Monday. The city
is the one making the application.
It has been approval in Austin. The
city needs to accept the grant by
June 23. They have 45 days to
implement the grant."
Silva continued, "The Chief
(Deputy) informs us that the sheriff
has decided not to sign a
cooperative working agreement. I
have never been notified about
conditions for signing the
agreement. No personnel or money
arc being requested of the Sheriffs
Department, only of my
department"
Rio Grande City Police Chief
Guadalupe Marquez said, "I'm just
waiting for the city to approve it."
Sheriff Gene Falcon declared, "I'd
like to sec the D A. meet us
halfway on some matters. I have
my reservations if we won't have
any officers on the Task Force.
Roma has also nol participated and
won't sign the agreement. I have
always been there to support the
Rio Grande City, Roma and La
Grulla Police Departments. The
city police has done an outstanding
job. I feel Rio Grande City needs to
take care of Rio Grande City."
Falcon addeu, We're presently
housing 40,000 pounds of
marijuana. We need a destruction
order. We need to have vehicle
forfeitures expedited. Roma quit
seizing vehicles because forfeitures
are slow."
The sheriff insisted, "Mr. Silva
has four qualified assistants.
Forfeitures in Jim Hogg County are
taken care of within 90 days. His
job is to be a prosecutor. We want
to help him with that. I feel if I
don't have any input, I should have
reservations. We need more
deputies. The Task Force officers
can't work anything else."
Silva responded, "The Attorney
General's Office does not handle
forfeitures. The case load in
Hebbronville is a lot less, with
most cases coming from the
checkpoint. There are a lot more
jury trials in Starr and Duval
Counties. Whether the city benefits
from forfeited vehicles doesn't
(See SPIRITED, Page 6)
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
Thursday night, the Rio Grande
City Board of Aldermen heard
spirited comments, both favorable
and unfavorable, about two planned
projects in the Rio Grande City
area.
Dario Garza offered sharp
criticism about proposed plans by
RY Livestock Sales to transship
imported cattle at its facility located
at FM 755 just northeast of Rio
Grande City. The facility is located
in Rio Grande City's
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)
area.
Garza complained, "I've already
lost several sales because of these
planned stalling pens. If this goes
through, we are planning legal
action."
Garza questioned Mayor Baldemar
Garza about his welcome given to
Mexican cattlemen at a May 19
luncheon in Rio Grande City. At
that meeting, it was announced that
the Mexican government had
expressed its support for the idea of
an import-export facility for cattle
in the Rio Grande City area.
Mayor Garza responded, "I did
give a welcome at the meeting."
Dario Garza insisted, "You're
saying you can't do i.nything? It
sounds like you are supjy :rting it."
Mayor Garza replied, "City
Scenes (a publication) doesn't just
have city information; it has
information from Mexico and
private investor information. I
understand it's a private investor
involved. I was giving them the
courtesy they deserved. The deal on
subdivisions is state law."
Attorney Kevin Pegan indicated,
"State law says a city has ihe
authority to enforce limited
subdivision regulations within the
ETJ. I'm not sure the city has any
authority over tins (catUc) project"
Dario Garza declared, "I'm asking
you to tell them to put the facility
somewhere else, further out of die
city. Mr. Joel Cortez said he was
willing to provide a location on his
property."
G. Allen Ramirez, a local
attorney, contended, "It's odd that
Mr. Garza has to jump hoops to get
his subdivision approved and diat
the city is supporting a private
venture that may destroy his
investment in his subdivision. The
city does not have to support this.
There should be a moral dilemma,
if not a legal dilemma. I understand
the subdivision regulations are
mandated by the stale."
City Administrator Jose
Escamilla stated, 'This subdivision
n.ight have been conceivcd before
the city was even created. There
were negotiations with die county.
All we're trying to do is see that
minimum requirements mandated
by state law are met. The sale yard
was already there. It's the city's job
to encourage economic
development. Some people who
purchase cattle may wind up
purchasing Jots,"
Ramirez responded, "I'm not
making an allegation of intentional
injury. Contracts for this
subdivision have been lost "
Escamilla said, "As I understand,
nothing will happen that would not
have happened without the new
development"
Sam Vale declared, "The Mexican
government has approved this as a
site where Mexican cattle buyers
can come and purchase cattle. The
city charges a half-cent sales tax for
economic development. The
regulations remain in place;
TNRCC has inspected the facility."
Vale added, "The catdemen are
one of the strongest driving forces
of economic development. This
will generate economic
development. The county tried for
years to get this organized. How
many of you can remember how
hard we fought to get a sale yard
here?"
Samuel Rodriguez emphasized,
"All I will be constructing 'H
holding pens. There will be nothing
(See PROJECTS, Page 6)
RGC trustees renew contract
with alternative program
ICS names new principal,
makes tuition, ticket changes
At their regular monthly meeting
on Tuesday night, June 10, the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
renewed a contract between the
district and Student Alternative
Services Program, Inc.
Telca Porras said, "We've
coordinated with the district the last
three years to serve at-risk, expelled
students, dropouts, etc. We're
proposing a three-year contract with
fixed rates, including a discount in
one category. One rate will drop $5.
The scope of services and program
services remain the same."
Board President Basilio "Bacho"
Villarreal, Jr., asked, "Basically,
there's no cost except ADA
(Average Daily Attendance)?" At-
Risk Coordinator Sabas Ozuna said,
"Ms. Porras is an excellent.
coordinator. The center had the
opportunity to serve over 250 kids,
with 35 graduating from the center.
This program has been very, very
successful. TEA monitors this
program."
Porras indicated, "Those coming
back to die regular program or
graduating from the center have to
pass TAAS." Assistant
Superintendent for Business Diana
Pena said, "ADA only counts when
these particular students arc present
in the alternative programs, not
when they're absent."
Ozuna stated, "We discussed with
Dr. Gutierrez (executive director of
the supervising private company)
the possibility of a three-year
contract in hopes of lowering the
contract. If they're providing the
services, it would be exclusive for
three years. It's an excellent value
for the dollar. They take care of
liability, instructors, etct."
The trustees then proceeded to
renew the contract between the
district and Student Alternatives
Program, Inc., for three years.
The trustees approved a bid for
construction of the all-weather track
at Joe R. Sanchez Stadium. The
low bid approved totaled
$293,803.46 and was Alternate No
2 from Southwest Recreational
Industries. Pena noted, "We rejected
a previous bid."
Pena indicated, "This is
somewhat above budget. These
contractors have an average of 48
projects. This is a low bid The
(See TRUSTEES, Page 3)
Sister Helen Rottier, CSJ,
Sister of Si. Joseph of
C'arondelet, has accepted the
principalship of Immaculate
Conception School for the
upcoming school year, 1997-
98.
With her 32 years of
experience in teaching and
administration in Catholic
schools. Sister Helen brings a
strong commitment to
Catholic education. She has a
B.A. and an MA. in
mathematics from Catholic
University and an additional
33 credits in Educational
Administration. She comes to
I.C.S. from St. Luke Catholic
School in Brownsville, where
she has served as assistant
principal, then principal.
She states, "I believe in
faculty/staff, parents, school
board, and pastor working
together to further the
education of our precious gift,
our children."
Sister Helen has met with
the Immaculate Conception
School faculty and is looking
forward to working closely
with them.
The following faculty
members have committed to
serve for this school year:
physical education, Omelinda
Leal; grade PK. Penny North,
assisted by Don is Garza;
grade K. Martha Gaitan,
assisted by li ma Gar/a; grade
I. Maribel M. Garza; grade 2.
Rhodora Litong; grade 3,
Christina Mayne; depending
on enrollment, Mrs. Nelda
Jimenez is available to teach
4th grade; grade 5 (4/5), Alan
Mayne; grade 6, Olga Garcia;
applications are currently
being accepted to fill the 7/8
grade teaching position.
1 lie Finance Committee,
with the approval of the
I.C.S. School Board, has
revised and amended the
199/-98 proposed budget so
that tuition will remain at
$145.00 per month rather than
the proposed $155.00. In
■ Mi ?
i
/
Sister Helen Rottier
addition, the P.TO.
obligatory ticket sales will be
decreased to 30 per family per
semester rather than the
previously approved 45. Our
hope is fot unity in meeting
I he financial needs ot our
school.
(See PRINCIPAL. Page 6)
Pictured left to right are Rio Grande City Mayor Pro-Tern Fred Margo, Mayor Baldr
Garza, Alderman Ricardo Gutierrez and Alderman Lauro I ope?. at the ceremony
breaking ground for the San Benito Street paving project. The street will he paved
from U.S. 83 to its intersection with FM 755: the street will be widened to 36 feet
from curb to curb and curb and Rutter will be constructed thi .it v
>n the south side. This project is part of TCDP grant #715681 awarded to the C ity of
Rio Grande City from the State of Texas and will be completed by the end of July
depending on weather conditions.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1997, newspaper, June 19, 1997; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195605/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.