Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 16, 2006 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
Rio Grande
March 16, 2006
93rd YEAR No. 11
f/215
HOAG BOOK BINDERY
127 RAILROAD
SPRINGPORT.MI 49204
ZONE 6
HEKALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
Firefighters extinguish massive cardboard fire near RGC
^Fire lights up cardboard facility east of RGC
This blaze at a cardboard storage facility east of Rio Grande City burned for almost three days and
threatened to spread to nearby homes in the Tierra Linda Subdivision. The efforts of If) fire
departments were essential in containing and ultimately extinguishing the fire. For a brief time on
Saturday, a voluntary evacuation statement was issued. One fire chief indicated that at the fire's peak,
flames leaped 20 feet in the air. No injuries were reported from the fire.
"Jones, Porras seek recounts;
process moving forward
Recounts requested by the
candidates trailing in the County
Treasurer and District Clerk
races are expected to be carried
out late this week or early next
week, with the possibility of an
outright election contest being
raised.
Final returns in the
Democratic Primary election on
^Tuesday. March 7 showed
incumbent County Treasurer
David Porras and District Clerk
candidate David Jones losing by
55 votes and roughly 3^0 votes,
according to Elections
.\dministrator Rudy Montalvo.
I'he margins had been higher
before Election Day touch screen
computer votes were included.
Challenger Jaime U.
Maldonado is leading in the
Treasurer's race, and Eloy R.
Garcia holds the lead in the
District Clerk balloting.
Montalvo declared Monday
afternoon. "One column was left
out of the figures that were
thought to be the final ones. We
found that out an hour later (on
Tuesday evening, March 7).
This episode involved personnel
from the computer company
based in Omaha, Nebraska."
Montalvo added, "It was just a
matter of the right button not
being pushed. All the
information was there, but they
wound up getting a partial
report. A similar episode
Commissioners talk
Courthouse Annex; bridge
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly
meeting Monday morning, the
County Commissioners
discussed cost concerns
involving the proposed design of
the planned Courthouse Annex
and the likely need for new
Computer and counting
equipment at the International
Bridge at Roma.
The agenda item regarding the
Courthouse Annex read as
follows: "Discussion and
oossible action to accept the
Guaranteed Maximum Price of
' $94.00/sq. ft for the
Courthouse Annex."
Bill Wilson of the contracting
firm D. Wilson Construction
declared, "There's been an
increase in projected costs for
the Courthouse Annex We need
to have a meeting with the civil
engineer, Noe Gar/a. as soon as
possible. We need to make
whatever deletions or changes
are appropriate."
Wilson stated. "The new site
plan we got added about $85,000
in storm drains (for the complex
that also includes the planned
new Appraisal District offices).
The sitework contractor doesn't
feel this is necessary. He doesn't
feel that another item showing
an increase is necessary."
Wilson suggested, "We need
to talk with the engineer and
have him justify these costs to
him (the sitework contractor)
and you."
Wilson predicted, "I think we
can get back down toward the
earlier number. We're headed in
that direction."
County Judge Eloy Vera
commented, "I don't necessarily
think we need a storm sewer.
There is a storm ditch in the
back."
The commissioners reached a
consensus that this particular
item should be tabled for the
time being.
Early in the meeting, the
commissioners heard a
(See BRIDGE, Page 6)
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The intense and dedicated
efforts of firefighters from 10
entities over a three-day period
beginning Saturday afternoon
finally succeeded late Monday in
completely extinguishing a
massive cardboard fire east of
Rio Grande City that threatened
many nearby homes.
At the peak of the crisis late
Saturday afternoon, a voluntary
evacuation warning was issued
for the residents of Tierra Linda
Subdivision, located just east of
the city limits of Rio Grande
City. Barney Benavides, chief of
the Precinct Four Fire
Department in San Isidro,
indicated, "About 60 nearby
homes were threatened; a
voluntary evacuation statement
was issued. This fire was in the
Tierra Linda Subdivision north
of the railroad tracks "
Benavides told The Rio
Grande Herald on Tuesday
morning, "No nearby homes got
fire damage; some may have
sustained smoke damage...No
injuries were reported."
The chief emphasized Tuesday
morning, "As of I 1 p.m.
Monday, there was no more
smoke or fire. At this point, the
fire seems completely out."
Benavides noted that the fire
"started in an area filled with
bales of cardboard. It is a
cardboard producing facility."
Benavides indicated that as of
Tuesday morning, the cause of
the fire remained unknown. He
stated, "The State Fire Marshal
was here yesterday to look at the
situation. By the end of the
week, we should have a good
idea as to what started it (the
lire)."
"It's been smoldering and
smoking the past two days,"
explained the chief. "From 8
a.m. to 11 p.m. (Monday), the
San Isidro Fire Department,
Palmview Fire Department, and
Starr County Precinct Four
personnel hosed down the area
and used front end loaders to
move the debris along."
Benavides recalled, "The fire
started at roughly 2 p.m.
Saturday...It started as a small
fire and grew into a bigger fire
by 4 or 5 p.m. when the winds
kicked up...The flames got a
good 20 feet into the air. The
fire was at its worst at around 5
p.m. Saturday afternoon."
An article in the McAllen
Monitor on Monday, March 13
indicated that the blaze
originated among "compressed
cardboard stacked 8 to 10 feel
high on three acres ' The article
noted that the cardboard storage
facility is operated by l iber
Management of Texas
Benavides indicated that the
Precinct Foui I-1 re Department
was the lead entity responding to
the fire. Other fire departments
assisting were Edinburg,
Palmview. Mission, La Casita,
La Rosita, Roma, Rio Grande
City, McAllen and La Grulla.
An official of the Rio Grande
City Fire Department pointed
out. "The fire was outside the
city limits. The Rio Grande
City Fire Department did
provide manpower and water
supply throughout the period."
"I was very pleased at the
cooperation we received from the
county, especially from
(County) Commissioner (Abel)
(See MASSIVE, Page 6)
happened in Hidalgo County "
About the recount procedures,
Montalvo declared, "The
applications are given to the
Democratic Party Chairman.
The chairmai determines the
dates and times of the recount 1
will carry out an administrative
role...The recount should be
carried out fairly quickly ."
The elections administrator
explained, "The candidates will
ask for the type of recounts they
want. At this point, it's my
understanding that they (Porras
and Jones) are requesting manual
recounts."
Montalvo stated on Tuesday,
"Their recount applications were
approved by the (County)
Democratic Chairman and the
County Judge. They (the
candidates) pay the deposits, and
those individuals (the chairman
and judge) will set the dates."
Jones declared on Tuesday
morning, "We're still going
forward on the recount. They
haven't given us a date. They
should give us a date tomorrow.
The difference now stands at
300. We're seeking a manual
recount. 1 will be seeking an
election contest. 1 will be
protesting the election to the
Texas Secretary of State's
Office."
"I will be filing a lawsuit in
the District Court." continued
Jones. "That will be part of the
election contest. I will be
seeking either a new election or
for my opponent to be
disqualified"
Eloy R. Garcia, currently
leading in the District Clerk
race, commented Tuesday
evening, "I really don't
understand recounts in this
particular situation...I see very
little rationale for a recount in
the other race and none at all in
my particular race In my case,
it would involve changing close
(See RECOUNTS, Page 4)
RGC trustees rank contractors
for planned new middle school
At their regular monthly
meeting on Tuesday evening,
March 7, the Rio Grande City
CISD board of trustees approved
the ranking of general
contractors for the planned new
middle school on the far
northwestern outskirts of Rio
Grande City, and then authorized
the superintendent to negotiate a
contract with the highest ranked
contractor.
The agenda item read as
follows: "Consider and take
possible action on the ranking
of general contractors for the
construction of the new middle
school (Competitive Sealed
Proposal CSP #06-46) and
authorizing the Superintendent
to negotiate a contract."
The leading general
contractors for the planned new
middle school, which will be
located near General Sanchez
Elementary School, were ranked
as follows: (1) D. Wilson
Construction; (i; Descon
Construction, L.P.; (3) Skanska
USA Building, Inc. The trustees
approved a motion to authorize
Superintendent Roel Gonzalez to
negotiate a contract with D
Wilson Construction.
The trustees and project
architects discussed the planned
layout of the new middle school.
The architects explained that the
layout has been set up to
accommodate future growth.
RGCCISD Purchasing Agent
Joe D. Smedley later indicated
that Wilson Construction's base
proposal totals SI4,260,000.
Alternate No. 1 would involve
concrete walks and Alternate No.
2 would utilize terrazo tile. Both
alternates, if used, would
involve a price of $192,000,
bringing the overall price to
$14,452,000.
SmedJey explained thai trie
facility is designed for 64,000
square feet and a capacity of
more than 1000 students. Plans
call for 54 classrooms, a
cafetorium. a gymnasium, a
band hall (which also would be
utilized for choir and mariachi
students) and science labs. One
wing will be utilized for sixth
grade, another for seventh grade
and a third wing for eighth
grade.
Board President Basilio D
Villarreal. Jr. later stated about
D. Wilson Construction, "We're
very satisfied with their work.
They have worked with the
school district for many years in
a highly effective way "
(See TRUSTEES, Page 6)
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RGCHS JROTC plays key role in Fair Parade
The Rio Grande City High School Junior ROTC was prominently involved in the 2006 Starr Counn
Youth Fair Parade on Saturday morning, March 4. The parade began at 10 a.m. on Britton Avenue and
moved down Main Street to historic Fort Ringgold. The theme of the 2006 Starr Counts l air was
"Hitch Your Wagon to a Starr."
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 16, 2006, newspaper, March 16, 2006; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196004/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.