Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 4, 2006 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
May 4, 2006
93rd YEAR No. 18
#215
HOAG BOOK BINDERY
127 RAH. ROAD
SPRINGPORT.MI 49204
ZONE 6
Rio Grande
HFR AI I)
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
Probe continues into
double murder west of RGC
Students work with Building Bridges Program
Mr. Alan Crawford's ninth grade English classes are taking the initiative to work with students from
the Building Bridges Program. Mr. Crawford's classes work with the students in different teaching
environments. They may teach them in groups or on a one-to-one basis in order to help them better
understand the tasks. Parents are welcome to participate and are very focused on making this project a
1 great success. Mrs. Josie Amador is the Building Bridges Coordinator and she is very pleased with the
success of this project. (RGCC1SD photo).
STC ranks No. 2 in awarding
associates degrees to Hispanics
The Sheriff's Department is
continuing an extensive
investigation into the double
murder shooting of two Mission
men at an apparent cockfight
west of Rio Grande City in the
late evening hours of Friday,
April 28.
Sheriff's Department Chief
Deputy Rene Fuentes indicated
tr.1' Juan Manuel Salas, 24, and
Br; ulio Hernandez Ramirez, 34,
boti Mission residents, were
shot to death at approximately
10:50 p.m. Friday at a private
residence on Papalote Road,
which is located just north of
Los Villarreales and just north
of Hernandez Road.
The two men were pronounced
dead at the scene at
approximately 11:40 p.m.
Friday by Justice of the Peace
Abel Cantu. Fuentes indicated
that both victims were shot
multiple times in the back of
the head and in the front upper
body.
Fuentes declared, "From all
indications, the victims were at
a cockfight at a private
residence. The two victims were
sitting down. Two gunmen
wearing masks walked behind
them and shot each victim
multiple times. They were shot
in the back of the head and in
the front upper body."
"Several people were present
at the scene of the shooting,"
explained the Chief Deputy.
"The shooting occurred outside a
private residence ..We're still
interviewing witnesses."
Fuentes noted that both
victims "were shot at close
range. We found .357 automatic
empty casings and 9-millimeter
empty casings. Some of the
shots were fired from a .357
automatic handgun."
He stated on Tuesday
morning, "At this point, we
(See MURDER, Page 6)
3 Starr cities show increases
in April 2006 sales tax rebates
MCALLEN- South Texas
College, the premier community
college servicing the lower Rio
Grande Valley, announced on
Tuesday, May 2 that it has
ranked second in the nation in
awarding associates degrees to
Hispanics, as well as ranking
third in the nation in enrollment
of Hispanic students at
community colleges according
to the National Center for
Education Statistics, a
department of the U.S.
Department of Education and
Institute of Education Sciences.
"We are truly making a
difference in South Texas and
our rankings serve as testimony
to the access and opportunity to
pursue higher education, which
STC is providing to all families
in our communities," said Dr.
Shirley Reed, founding
president of the College.
"These rankings are a highly
valuable tool, affirming the
quality education experience
that STC provides," said Juan
Mejia, vice president of
instructional services at STC
"With this ranking also comes
increased accountability and
expectations that will in turn
drive us to continue creating
bold initiatives and great
opportunities for our students.
We are constantly working to
develop new initiatives to reach
new segments of our population,
hoping to entice them to
experience STC and the benefits
of higher education."
Additionally STC ranked
fifth overall, out of 100
community colleges in the
nation, in awarding associates
degrees and certificates to all
students and fifth in the number
of associates degrees awarded in
the area of education.
"STC recognized from the
onset that our mission was to
meet the needs of the Valley's
population, which is
predominantly Hispanic and as
such, we have tailored our
culture and our educational
offerings to best service this
special community," continued
Reed. "Our entire faculty and
staff are focused on making
students feel at home at STC
and this ranking validates the
success we have achieved
through our focus anil
dedication. We* are extremely
proud of the heritage of South
Texas and our students and are
so thrilled that STC has become
(See AWARDING, Page 6)
Local rancher James Peterson
succumbs at age 61
On Friday. April 14, Stale
Comptroller Carole Keeton
Strayhorn delivered monthly
sales tax rebates to 1128 cities
and 122 counties, with all three
Starr County cities recording
significant increases from the
April 2005 sales tax rebates.
The City of Rio Grande
City's April 2006 rebate check
of $229,178.52 is 24.28 percent
higher than the April 2005
rebate check of $184,398.04.
For the first four months of
2006, Rio Grande City has
received $1,025,880.88 in rebate
checks, an increase of 16.40
percent from the $881,281.54
received during the same
reporting period of 2005.
The City of Roma's April
2006 rebate check of $77,288.56
21.16 percent higher than the
April 2005 rebate check of
$63,786.14. Thus far in 2006,
Roma has received $346,326.11
in rebate checks, an increase of
16.28 percent from the
$297,816.86 received during the
same reporting period of 2005.
The City of Grulla received an
April 2006 rebate check of
$903.29, an increase of 12.31
percent from the April 2005
rebate check of $804.27. For
2006 to date, Grulla has received
$4356.00 in rebate checks, an
increase of 27.19 percent from
the $3424.57 icceived during the
same time period of 2005.
On April 14, Comptroller
Strayhorn delivered $271.6
million in monthly sales tax
payments to 1128 Texas cities
and 122 counties, a 17.8 percent
increase compared to the $230.4
million allocated in April 2005
April sales tax rebates include
local sales taxes collected in
February and reported to the
Comptroller in March.
March state sales tax revenue
is also based on sales that
occurred in February.
The sales tax rebates included
$249.3 million to Texas cities,
17.8 percent higher than the
April 2005 payments of $211.7
(See REBATES, Page 6)
Rep. Guillen proposes
90-day gas tax holiday
AUSTIN — Local State
Representative Ryan Guillen
joined other Texas Democrats
this week to p-oiose a "Gas Tax
Holiday" during the summer to
provide rei.ef for Texas drivers
struggling with skyrocketing
gasoline prices.
"Ordinary citizens need gas
to get to work and to get to
school. These high gas prices
are costing Texans a lot more of'
their paychecks. That leaves
less money for food, housing,
clothes and other everyday
necessities," said Rep. Guillen
Right now the State of Texas
collects 20 cents per gallon of
gasoline and diesel fuel. Last
year, that tax totaled $2.25
billion in gas taxes and $670
million in diesel taxes. One
quarter of the total (three
months) would be about $740
million.
"Under this plan, every time
you fill up your 20-gallon tank,
you are going to save four
dollars, that's a big savings
(See HOLIDAY, Page 6)
RIO GRANDE CITY
James Edwin Peterson, 61, went
to be with His Lord and Savior
on Sunday, April 30, at his
home in Rio Grande City. Born
in McAllen, Texas, on
November 29, 1944, he lived
most of his life in Rio Grande
City, where he was a rancher.
He was an active member of
First Baptist Church of Rio
Grande City, where a memorial
service was held on Tuesday,
May 2, and funeral services
were held on Wednesday, May
3.
Recently retired from
managing Suntex Dairy, then
Starrco Farms, for almost forty
years, he owned and operated
Peterson Beefmasters in Stan-
County. A 1963 graduate of Rio
Grande City High School, he
earned his Bachelor of Arts from
Texas A&l College in
Kingsville in 1967.
James was preceded in death
by his parents, Arvid Verner and
Dorothy Peterson. He is
survived by his wife, Tissa;
three children, son James Kent
(Rhonda) Peterson and
grandchildren Brittany Lyn and
James Kyle of Carrollton;
daughter Lori Lyn (Xavier)
Perez and grandchildren Dustin
Alan, Jason Eli, Bryan Ray, and
Steven James of Rio Grande
City; and son Guy Edwin
(Mindy) Peterson and grandson
Bryce Thomas of San Antonio;
brothers Robert Arvid (Diana)
Peterson and David Ray (Karen)
Peterson; brothers-in-law Ira
Higginbotham, Jr. and Alford
(Karen) Higginbotham; and
nieces and nephews.
James was very active in his
church, where he served as
Assistant Sunday School
Superintendent and chairman of
the Building and Grounds
Committee. In his spare time,
he enjoyed hunting and fishing
with his friend, Lalo Perez, his
sons, son-in-law, and
grandchildren.
James was president of the
Starr County Fair Association
and served as chairman of the
Livestock Committee and the
Validation Committee. He was
y
James E. Peterson
also president of the Stan-
County Farm Bureau and
treasurer of the Board of
Directors of the Rio Grande
Growers Coop. He was
currently serving as a director of
Medina Electric Cooperative.
Inc. and was on the Starr County
Appraisal District board.
(See PETERSON, Page 6!
Miss Texas inspires La Union students
La Union Elementary students had a special guest. Miss Texas 2005 Morgan Matlock, visit their
school recently. Miss Texas is extremely skilled in presenting inspiring messages and motivational
speeches to any type of audience Her year consists of approximately 400 personal appearances all
over the state and speaking to over 100,(XK) people during the year. She is strongly committed to her
social platform of "Putting an End to Verbal Abuse." Students had the opportunity to listen to her
motivational message and were also entertained with her singing. Morgan Matlock is pictured singing
to the students. (RGCCISD photo)
Aim High
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Rio Grande
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 4, 2006, newspaper, May 4, 2006; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196011/m1/1/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.