Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 15, 2001 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY EDITION
Nov. 15, 2001
88th Year, No. 43
#215
HOA<; HOOK HINDI RY
1^7 RAII. ROAD
SPRINCil'ORl. Ml 49204
/ONI 6
Herald
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
State designates RGC as Texas Main Street Community
RGC receives Texas Main Street designation
The Texas Historical Commission officially designated Rio Grande City as a Texas Main Street
Community at a ceremony in Nacogdoches, Texas on Friday. The designation will provide technical
assistance and training to Rio Grande City's downtown merchants to help increase business activity.
Pictured left to right arc f onomic Dcvelc, nent Corporation (EDC) board members Rudy Montalvo and
Lauro Lopez, Texas Historical Commission Deputy Director Terry Collcy, EDC board members Leo
Lopez, Jr. anil Ruben D. Saenz, and City Administrator Leonardo Olivarcs.
Gov. Perry to speak at Valley
Honor Students Banquet Tuesday
Texas Governor Rick Perry will
be the featured speaker at the 2001
Vnliey Honor Student Banquet
scheduled for the evening of
Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the new Rio
Grande City High School.
The Upper Rio Grande Valley has
long recognized the academic
achievements of its most
outstanding high school students by
hosting the Valley Honor Student
Banquet in their honor.
Approximately 300 students from
Starr, Hidalgo, Zapata and Jim
Hogg Counties will be honored at
this year's event. The banquet will
be held on the evening of Nov. 20,
2001 at the new Rio Grande City
High School.
Some of the banquet's past
keynote s|makers have included then
Texas Governor George W. Bush,
U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
and television personality Dr.
James II "Red" Duke. This year,
RGC Little
League officer
elections Nov. 16
I he public is invited to attend the
election of officers for the Rio
Grande City Little League.
The election of officers will take
place i)n Friday, Nov. 16 at 6:30
p.m. at the KC Hall in Rio Grande
City.
the Honorable Governor of Texas
Rick Perry will attend the banquet
and deliver the keynote address.
In addition to the Governor of
Texas, the Presidents of The
University of Texas at Austin,
Texas A&M University, The
University of Texas-Pan American,
The University of Texas-
Brownsville, The University of
Texas Health Scicnce Center at San
Antonio will be present, along with
the Chancellors of The University
of Texas and Texas A&M
University Systems.
In recognition of the special
efforts and outstanding academic
performance of high-achieving
students, alumni of The University
of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M
University, The University of
Texas-Pan American and The
University of Texas-Brownsville
currently coordinate the Valley
Honor Student Banquet. Together
with the steering committees from
Hidalgo and Starr Counties,
financial business sponsors, patrons
and friends, this event, which began
in I960, has grown tremendously
over the years. The banquet, usually
held in the fall, is a joint effort to
truly accord to honor to students
earning high academic achievements
and to encourage them to continue
to pursue academic excellence in
college.
Everyone involved with the
A&M Coionias Program
plans ribbon cutting
J
Texas A&M University Center
lor Housing and Urban
Development Coionias Program
will be hosting a ribbon cutting
ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 17 at
10:00 a.m. to celebrate the opening
of their new Starr County office
which is located at 5448 E. Ilwj
S3, Suite C (in the RGC Medical
Center) in Rio Grande City.
The Starr County Coionias
Program was started to connect
colonia residents to the services ol
the Texas Workforce Commission
(I'WC) office m Rio Grande Cil>
through the use of outreach
workers, or promotoras(es). The
TWC offers job training, childcare,
educational opportunities and job
placement services. Since the Starr
County program began in August
2001, the University has surpassed
its goal of conducting 2800 home
visits and referring 800 Starr
County colonia residents to the
Texas Workforce Commission
programs.
Since 1995, the Coionias
Program of the Center for Housing
and Urban Development has worked
to encourage and facilitate
"community self-development" in
the coionias in Cameron, El Paso,
Hidalgo, Maverick, Starr, Val
Verde, Webb, Willacy and Zapata
Counties along the Texas/Mexico
border. By strengthening
communities through partnerships,
the Coionias Program has helped
colonia residents access education,
health, human services, job
training, youth and elderly
programs available in their areas.
The Texas Historical
Commission has officially
designated Rio Grande City as a
Texas Main Street Community.
Through this designation Rio
Grande City's downtown merchants
will receive a wide array of
technical assistance and training to
increase business activity. A
coordinated marketing effort for
downtown Rio Grande City will
also be developed by several state
agencies participating in the Texas
Main Street Program over the next
three years.
The designation ceremony took
place on Friday, Nov. 9 at 12:30
p.m. at the Fredonia Hotel in
Nacogdoches, Texas Nacogdoches
is located in Last Texas
approximately 140 miles north-
northe.i t of I iouslon.
Rio Grande City was one of five
Texas ues to receive Main Street
designation at Friday's ceremony.
Other Texas cities attaining such
designation were Del Rio,
Comanche, Pilot Point and
Canyon.
City Administrator Leonardo
Olivares and Economic
Development Corporation (bDC'
board members Rudy Montalvo,
Lauro Lopez, Leo Lopez Jr., and
Ruben D. Saenz were present for
the designation ceremony.
Also involved in the designation
ceremony were Kay Harvey-
Mosley, State Main Street
Coordinator of the Texas Historical
Commission, and Terry Colley,
Deputy Director of the Texas
Historical Commission.
Olivares emphasized. "This is
another mechanism for the city to
improve the downtown area. It's
part of the overall scheme to
promote Rio Grande City as a
tourist destination. The application
for this designation has taken time.
This is part of the foundation of
programs to develop heritage
tourism."
"It will lake lime to see this
come to full fruition, but it is an
investment in the community's
future," Olivarcs commented. "A
Texas Main Street Advisory
Committee is needed. A Main
Street Coordinator is also needed."
The Texas Main Street Program
is part of the National Main Street
Program supported by the National
Trust for Historic Preservation. In
June 2001, Rio Grande City was
designated as one of America's
Most Endangered Historic Places.
For more information, visit
www.riograndecity.net or
www.thc.state.tx.us/main
street/mainst.html
Commissioners receive revenue
reports for bridge, Detention Center
Valley Honor Student Banquet
recognizes that the Valley's high-
achieving students will very likely
be the future leaders in the Valley
and elsewhere. This banquet is a
means of presenting to these high
achievers the need to not only see
themselves as the best
representatives from the Valley,
but, also, support their higher
calling towards excellence.
Although some of these students
will pursue their education locally,
it is hoped that those students who
leave will at some point in their
tuture return to the Valley, bringing
with them their desire to make the
Valley a better place for everyone.
Romeo Lopez and Dr. Mario E.
Ramirez are the Honors Banquet
Co-Chairs. For additional
information concerning the banquet,
Lopez can be reached at 487-9210
and Dr Ramirez can be contacted at
994-3300.
Governor Perry grew up in the
small community of Paint Creek,
60 miles north of Abilene, on the
family farm and ranch. The younger
of two children, Governor Perry
worked on the farm with his
parents. When he was not working
at home or on school work, he was
active in the Boy Scouts and Eagle
Scouts.
A tilth generation Texan,
Governor Perry hails from the
rolling plains of West Texas, where
farm.ng, ranching and public
service run in his family. His
father, Ray Perry, was a longtime
Haskell County Commissioner and
school board member. First Lady
Anita Perry served on the Haskell
ISI) Schixil Board.
(See BANQUET. Page 6)
RGCCISD Parental
Involvement Day
Thursday
The Rio Grande c ity CISD
Parental Involvement Specialists
Mrs. C. Lopez and Mrs. E.
Hernandez invite parents and the
community to celebrate National
Parental Involvement Day on Nov.
15, 2001.
Everyone is urged to check with
their studcnt(s) campuses as to what
activities will take place on that
clay. Anyone needing further
information should call 716-6801
or 716-6671.
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
Tuesday morning, the County
Commissioners received an update
on the October 2001 revenues for
the Stan County International
Bridge at Roma and the Starr
County Detention Center.
The commissioners were
informed that International Bridge
revenues for October 2001
amounted to $194,375, a decrease
of S 14,092.50 from the October
2000 figure of $208,467.50.
October 2001 revenues for the
bridge decreased by $1251.00 from
September 2001, the previous
month. Revenues for both
September and October were
impacted by the Sept. 11 terrorist
atrocities in New York and
Washington. Precinct Three
Commissioner Eloy Garza, who
presided over the meeting in the
absence of County Judge F.loy
Vera, expressed the opinion that the
October revenue figure was fairly
goixl under the circumstances.
Sheriff Reymundo Guerra told the
commissioners, "We had a very
positive month of October as far as
revenue is concerned. Revenues
from the U.S. Marshal's Service
totaled approximately $191,000.
We have 81 non-paying prisoners
and that's hurting us."
Guerra added, "We're preparing
for and waiting f .r t ;r a: < i'
inspection from the Slate
Commission (on Jail Standards) in
Austin. The inspection is scheduled
for sometime in December."
Rene Smith spoke to the
commissioners on the subject of
the County Cemetery. He indicated,
"I represent a group of citizens who
arc interested in beautifying the
City-County Cemetery. We want to
help Commissioner Gonzalez with
the great ef fort he's making to clean
up the cemetery."
"A lot of people want to
Grulla Middle School
focuses on 'GEAR UP'
RGCCISD News Release
Grulla Middle School held a par-
ent meeting recently in which Mr.
Cruz (GLAR UP Speaker) empha-
sized the important roles p.irents have-
in their children's education. The
Gaining Lark Awareness and Readi-
ness for Undergraduate Programs
helps 8th grade student gain skill and
knowledge necessary for success in
college or technical schools.
Grulla Middle School parents arc
encouraged to become involved in
the activities that GEAR 1 Poffers
A parent conference will be held at
the South Texas Community College
-Pecan Campus on November 15.
2001 at 6:00 p.m. GMS parents \c ish-
ing to attend should be at the campus
before 5:00 p.m.
contribute funds," added Smith.
"We're interested in such
improvements as sidewalks."
Precinct Four Commissioner
Abel N. Gonzalez, Jr., emphasized,
"I think it's a great idea." He noted
that he wanted the input of the
Commissioners Court before the
idea was implemented. Garza
stressed, "We commend you for
this. I don't see any problem."
Smith indicated, All money would
be deposited with the Starr County
Treasurer Special Fund."
Library Director Norma Full/
indicated that 1184 patrons visited
all library branches during October,
with 1397 items being circulated.
The commissioners approved an
amendment to TCDP Contract
718135 for an extension and budget
modification. Federal/State
Programs Coordinator F.Iisa Re::-
explained, "This is an amendment
to the project involving the four
coionias in the Roma area. This is
to allow for road improvements and
yard lines. It's scheduled to expire
in February. A six-month extension
is needed."
The commissioners approved an
amendment to TCDP Contract
719799 for additional paving. Bcas
indicated, "This is pacing in
addition to what had been proposed.
There was money left over. This
will be done near La Sagunada "
About other ongoing projects,
Bcas stated. "We have a current
contract of $750,000 with the
Empowerment Zone. We had a
meeting with CRG; the settlement
(See REPORTS, Page 6)
?■
I.C.S. Dedicates New Classrooms, Montcssori Program
Immaculate Conception School recently held dedication ceremonies for their new buildings and Montcssori
Program. I he new science lab. donated by the law office of Alberto MufWv II. was dedicated in memory
of Clyde "I ddie Hoy" Newell, 1 ydia I linojosa represented his family. Sister I lelen Rottier represented the
Congregation of Si. Joseph of Carondelet. which was also a benefactor ol the project, including the
purchase of materials for the Montcssori Program. I he new music rixim. litnded by the I abcth lluth
Coatcs Charitable Foundation of 1992, v.as dedicated in memory of 1 ii/ahcth lluth Coatcs Other
benefactors of the building project include the Kennedy I oundatioti and the Koch Foundation
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 15, 2001, newspaper, November 15, 2001; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195968/m1/1/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.