Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 18, 2007 Page: 1 of 8
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
Rio Grande
January 18, 2007
94th YEAR No. 3
#215
HOAG HOOK BINDERY
127 RAIL ROAD
SPR1NGPORT.MI 49204
ZONE 6
HERALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
Murder charges filed in RGC weekend homicide
VESA members visit nursing home
Rio Grande City nursing home residents are pictured receiving gifts from Vallev Educatn 11.
Secretaries Association (VESA). Secretaries from Rio Grande City CISD form pan of VESA. v. I:, i
is an organization comprised of school district secretaries from the Rio Grande Valkn Th
organization meets once a month and its main purpose is to network with all th - al!.■ ■ .In
districts and to keep all secretaries updated on new technology and innovative programs. As .
Christmas project, the organization selects a school district and donates gifts to ai iganizatnhi . i t,..
district's choice. This year RGCCISD was the recipient and the members opted to donate the gifts:
the residents of the two nursing homes in Rio Grande City. VESA members sang Christina cai ! i'
the residents and even enjoyed a little chat with some of the residents. ('RGCCISD phoio).
Domestic Violence Vigil for
2006 evaluated as success
The 2006 annual Domestic
Violence Candlelight Vigil,
which focused on the incidents
A and victims of domestic violence
™ in Starr County, has been
evaluated by organizers as a
successful and instructive event.
The fifth annual Candlelight
Vigil, held on Oct. 11 at the
Multipurpose Center, was
f sponsored by the District
Attorney's Office and the
County Attorney's Office.
District Attorney Heriberto
Silva indicated, "We used
silhouettes of 15 persons who
have died in domestic violence
episodes. There were actual
pictures on the silhouettes, plus
biographical information.
Family members of most of the
15 were present. There have
been more victims; we had
permission from their families
to use these 15 names."
The featured speakers at the
event were Silva and County
Attorney Victor Canales.
Silva noted, "There were
pretty close to 200 people
present...Attendance was about
the same as last year. JROTC
was there, as well as the youth
choir at the high school."
"The purpose of this event is
to make people aware that
domestic violence is a serious
problem in the county and that
there is help in dealing with the
problem," emphasized the
prosecutor. "We provide referrals
to agencies who can provide
shelter and other forms of help,
including housing, legal
assistance and job training."
About the future, Silva
stressed. "One of our primary
goals is to have a shelter
available on a full-time basis, or
provide temporary shelter to
those tormented by domestic
violence."
Silva noted, "The Domestic
Violence Office is under the
supervision of the County
Attorney's Office. We (the
(See DOMESTIC, Page 6)
La Union student in dire need
of bone marrow transplant
A 28-year-old Rio Grande
City man remains incarcerated in
the Starr County Detention
Center on a SI million bond
after being charged with murder
in the fatal shooting of a Rio
Grande City resident Saturday
night.
Rio Grande City Police
Department Investigator Trinidad
Lopez indicated that Felipe
Barrera, 35, was pronounced dead
at approximately 10:55 p.m. on
Saturday, Jan 13. The RGCPD
was notified of the shooting at
roughly 10 p.m. Saturday.
Barrera s body was found on
the side of Charco Blanco Road
between Austin Street and
Eisenhower Road, stated Lopez
Barrera's body was found
roughly I to 1 1/2 miles away
from the apparent shooting
scene, an allev behind a
RGCCISD
the path to
Governor Rick Perry has
proclaimed January as School
Board Recognition Month and
Rio Grande City CISD is joining
other districts across the state to
gratefully acknowledge their
commitment to our communities
and schools.
"Serving on a local school
board is no easy task, especially
.ij ICjuit - s cuiitt r ol change anu
economic uncertainties. It's a
huge responsibility, one which
has an effect on virtually every
aspect of our schools. In
January, we encourage our
community to help honor the
contributions and dedication of
our local school board members.
These locally elected citizens,
who work without pay, make
decisions that influence and
direct the education of our
youth," said Roel A. Gonzalez
(RGCCISD Superintendent).
"Our board is one of 1.036
district and county school
boards across the state. These
boards enable us to have local
control of our public schools,
meaning that decisions are made
by local leaders who understand
residence located at 304 West
Ramirez Street.
Gilberto Garcia, 28. was
detained and arrested shortly after
the shooting. He was arraigned
Monday morning before Rio
Grande City Municipal Judge
Arnulfo Garcia and charged with
one count of murder. Garcia's
bond was set at $1 million.
Lopez indicated that on
Saturday. Jan. 13 at roughly 10
p.m., "officers were dispatched
by radio to 304 West Ramirez
Street, located just northwest of
Roque Guerra Elementary
School, concerning a shooting
incident."
The detective continued,
"Officers arrived at the scene and
noticed a lot of blood in the
alleyway leading up to the rear
driveway at that residence.
Officers checked and secured the
scene, but didn't find anyone at
that location."
_ "Moments later, we received a
call that a body had been lound
on Charco Blanco Road between
Austin Street and Eisenhower
Road," stated Lopez "Officers
arrived at that location and found
a Hispanic male that was
deceased. EMS was summoned
to the scene, along with a
justice of the peace. When they
arrived, EMS personnel checked
for a pulse but couldn't find
one."
Justice of the Peace Homero
Garcia soon arrived at the scene
and pronounced Barrera dead at
roughly 10:55 p.m.
Officers, stated Lopez, "found
that the incident occurred at the
residence of Gilberto Garcia
Officers located the owner of the
(See HOMICIDE, Page 6)
board members 'paving
success' for students
the community's unique culture,
values, and challenges," said
Gonzalez
"Take a moment to thank our
local school board members for
making the time to share their
vision and voice about the future
of our children. We proudly
salute these education advocates
as they provide leadership for
student achievement, academic
programs, district funding, and
school facilities," he said.
The men and woman serving
Rio Grande City CISD are;
Basjho D. Villarreal, Jr.
(See RGCCISD, Page 6>
Frigid Arctic chill
hovers over county
Possibly the worst Arctic
outbreak in several years roared
into Starr County with a
vengeance before dawn Monday
morning, dropping temperatures
into the mid-30's by Tuesday
night and creating the serious
threat of icy conditions on
Wednesday morning.
After the front moved through
the immediate Rio Grande City
area shortly after 5 a.m.
Monday, the temperature
dropped from the mid-70's into
the mid-40's in slightly more
than two hours. The mercury
continued to plummet Monday
night and spent most of Tuesday
in the mid-to-high 30's.
The cold front brought an
abrupt end to three days of
unseasonably warm weather as
temperatures soared above 80
degrees on Friday. Saturday and
Sunday.
As the mercury continued to
tumble Tuesday afternoon and
evening, weather forecasters
were predicting that Starr
County would be the most
likelv of the Valley to
(See ARCTIC, Page 6)
A nine-year-old boy attending
La Union Elementary School is
in dire need of a bone marrow
transplant due to his ongoing
battle against the serious Fungal
Pneumonia illness. The bone
marrow transplant may be
needed to save the youngster's
life.
Eduardo and Rosabel Alvarez
of Rio Grande City, the parents
of Christopher Edward Alvarez,
hope to have the bone marrow
procedure started in June of
2007. They urge everyone to
"please help Christopher or
maybe other children like him
that arc waiting for that perfect
match to change their health by
coming in and joining our Bone
Marrow Drive at our local Wal-
Mart in Rio Grande City on
January 25. 2007 from 8:00 a.m'
- 4:00 p.m."
Christopher's parents
explained, "At a young age he
had a lot of recurring infections
which led to several surgeries.
Thanks to a local pediatrician
named Dr. Bangash our son was
sent to Driscoll Children's
Hospital where his Chronic
Granulomatous Disease was
diagnosed, this disease affects
his immune system and is also
an inherited disease that is
passed on from mother to child."
They added, "The most recent
illness our doctors have
diagnosed him with is a Fungal
Pneumonia which has prompted
the need for a bone marrow
transplant."
The Alvarezes emphasized.
"We were not able to match
anyone within our family so we
turned to the National Registry.
The doctors have only found one
person that was close but still
Christopher Alvarez
not an adequate match; hopefully
with your help we can find a
perlect match and our son can
start a new life, one without
medication or the threat of any
.(See MARROW, Pace 6)
Maldonado sworn in as treasurer
Jaime U Maldonado is pictured above taking the oath of office as County Treasurer on Jan. 1 II
oath of office was administered by State Representative Ryan Guillen, a Rio Grande Cit\ n.iii<
Maldonado was sworn in for his fiist term as County Treasurer as he faced no opposition
November after winning a narrow victory in the March 2006 Democratic Primary. The ceremony \v;
held in the County Court-Al Law Courtroom on the second floor of the Courthouse. A numbei h
other local officials were also swnm in
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 18, 2007, newspaper, January 18, 2007; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196048/m1/1/: accessed May 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.