Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 16, 2007 Page: 2 of 6
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A
The Rio Grande Herald-Thursday, August 16, 2007, Page 2
Sightless naturalists plan weekend
camp for visually impaired youth
BY DAVID GARZA
Blind as night in both eyes,
Salvador Villa rode a bicycle
down a neighborhood street last
week for the first time in his life.
Though blind, the eight-year-
old didn't collide with anything,
not even a curb. His sighted
partner kept him on course, as
Salvador pedaled fast and strong
on a bike rigged for two - sweat
streaming under a hot sun.
The cadd> bicycling program
Salvador enjoys is one of several
modified outdoor activities that
the Rio Grande Valley Blind
Birders organization is
pioneering - along with
swimming, kayaking, bird
listening and more.
Here, in Deep South Texas,
where federal statistics estimate
more than 36,000 residents are
blind or visually impaired, there
is stunningly little for the blind
■ to do.
State programs for the blind
focus on teaching job skills
rather than introducing the blind
to the fun of outdoor movement.
And at school, Salvador says,
there are games ... sort of... but
blind children aren't always
completely let in.
Like Rudolph The Red-Nosed
Reindeer, who waited enviously
as black-nosed peers cut their
antlers in games of skill and
strength, Salvador is also too-
often left out of school-yard
games.
That's why the Blind Birders
program is so important,
, Salvador said, because the
. games they play are designed
just for him ... and other children
waiting for a chance to join in.
VISUALLY, NOT
PHYSICALLY, IMPAIRED
Blind Birders organizer
Gladie Cruz, a 27 year-old
student at UT Pan American,
said that she isn't sure how the
Blind Birders outdoor activities
will be received by the local
blind population. But rain or
shine, the group is hosting a
two-day camp on August 17 and
18, filled with outdoor activities
designed specifically for the
blind and visually impaired.
There are certainly plenty of
blind people who spend their
lives indoors, Cruz said,
listening to radios and heating
up frozen dinners - sometimes
never learning how to simply
walk around the block. But
Blind Birders wants to change
that type of stagnating,
sedentary existence that Cruz
said too many blind people
endure. Healthy cooking classes
will be on the agenda, and
lectures on how to find a job and
how to get around town without
anyone's help.
"It's time that the blind here
were recognized for what they
can do, she said, rather than
ignored for what they can't."
"At some point you just have
to say that the limitations don't
matter. So what if there is no
public transportation, or if the
library doesn't have any Braille
books, or the parks and
recreation department doesn't
have any programs for the
blind?" she said.
Cruz, from Edinburg, is a
founding member of the Blind
Birders, a four-year-old group of
a dozen or so visually-impaired
nature lovers whose efforts have
gained national exposure,
including a front page 2004
story in "The New York Times".
Health
(NU) - As the weather
warms up, barbecue season gets
under way. But traditional bar-
becue fare — hot dogs, baked
beans and cold beer — may
leave you gassy and spoil yo'Jr
fun. Dr. Patricia Raymond, gas-
troenterologist and assistant
professor at Eastern Virginia
Medical School, says that flatu-
lence can be controlled with
some dietary changes, such as
grilling less gassy alternatives
like chicken and summer
squash. You can also deactivate
gas with activated charcoal,
such as CharcoCaps Homeo-
pathic AntiGas Formula. The
charcoal is a natural and safe
way to adsorb the gas and re-
lieve bloating. To learn more,
visit www.charcocaps.com
2007 Property Tax Kates in Starr County
This notice concerns 2007 property tax rates for Starr County. It presents
information about three tax rates Last year's tax rate is the actual rate the taxing unit
used to determine property taxes last year This year's effective tax rate would
impose the same total taxes as last year if you compare properties taxed in both years
This year's rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate the taxing unit can set before
taxpa jR £3n,,st4rt<UuMnllfoieJk procedure^,, In each case these,raws arq found, by
dividing the total amount of taxes h\ the tax base (the total value of taxable property)
with adjtistniejiUj.as/cmiju'd, hy sujtt law., Jhe rates are given per $100 of property
value-
Last year's tax rate:
Last year's operating taxes
I .ast year's debt taxes
Last year's total taxes
Last year's tax base
I.asl year's total tax rate
This year's effective tax rale:
Last year's adjusted taxes
(alter subtracting taxes on lost property)
1 his year's adjusted lax base
(alter subtracting value of new property)
this sear's effective tax rate
$ 8,145,969
$ 812.566
% 8,958.535
$ 2,031.413.832
0 441000/$ 100
$ 8.953.616
$ 1.847,960.870
0 484513 /$I00
$ 1.847,960,870
0440598 /$l00
0 475845 /$100
0.030470/$ 100
0.506315 /$100
(Maximum rate unless una publishes notices and holds hearings)
This year's rollback tax rate:
I .ast year's ad justed operating taxes (alter $ 8.142,078
subtracting taxes on lost property and adjusting
for any transferred function, lax inci 1 ent
financing, state criminal justice mandate, and/or
enhanced indigent health care expenditures)
- Phis year's adjusted tax base
This year's effective operating rate
x I.ON this year's maximum operating rate
+ This year's debt rate
= This >car's total rollback rate
Statement of Increase/Decrease
II Starr County adopts a 2007 tax rate equal to the effective tax rate of $0 484513
per $100 of value, taxes would increase compared to 2006 taxes b . $271,530
Schedule A - I nencumbered Fund Balances
The following estimated balances will be left in the unit's property tax accounts at the
end of the fiscal year These balances arc not encumbered by a corresponding debt
obligation.
Type of Property Tax Fund Balance
Schedule B - 2007 Debt Service
The unit plans to pay the following amounts for long-term debts that are secured by
property taxes These amounts will be paid from property tax revenues (or additional
sales tax revenues, il applicable)
Principal or Interest to be
Contract Payment Paid from Other
Description to be Paid from Property Amounts
of Debt Property ( axes Taxes to be Paid
$0
Series 2004 GO $0 $18,213
Refunding Bond
Scries Series 2004
A
Certificate of $0 $144,456
Obligation Series
2004
Series 2004 GO $375,000 $42,794
Refunding Bonds
taxable Series 2004
Total Required for 2007 Debt Service
- Amount (if any) paid from funds listed in Schedule A
- Amount (if any) paid from other resources
- I xcess collections last year
Total to be paid from taxes in 2007
+ Amount added in anticipation that the unit will
collect only 100 00% of its taxes in 2007
Total Debt l ew
$0
$0
$0
Total
Payment
$18,213
$144,456
$417,794
$580,463
$0
$0
$0
$580,462
$0
$580,462
I his notice contains a summary ol actual effective and rollback tax rates' calculations
You can inspect a copy of the full calculations at 401 N Hritton Ave Rm #205/Rio
Grande City. Texas 78582
Name ol person preparing this notice C armen A Pcfla, RTA
I itle Starr County Tax Assessor/Collector
Date Prepared August 2, 2007
Up until now, the Blind Birders
have focused their energy on
what their name suggests, bird-
watching, so-to-speak, using the
sound of birds' chirps and
whistles to identify them, rather
than the colors of feathers.
Eager to expand the range of
movement for all blind people.
Blind Birders has expanded its
scope, planning a series of
weekend camps throughout
2007 that will introduce the
blind to outdoor fun, as well as
offer interesting life-skills
training, like healthy Tex-Mex
cooking.
Though the activities are
designed for school-age
children, the blind and visually
impaired of all ages are invited
to attend.
For more information on the
Blind Birders summer camp,
call the Blind Birders at
212.1658 or email them at
blindbirders@gmail.com
!>«*
i
. 1
Ray Margo posthumously honored for dedication
Minerva Margo, the wife of the late Ray T. Margo, Jr., is recognized by Carlos Juarez, president ol the
National Organization of Professional Hispanic NRCS Employees Conference, for her late husband's
dedication to the organization. The honor was bestowed on Aug. 7, 2007. Margo passed away in
January 2005 and retired as NRCS state conservationist in New Mexico in 1993.
Ray Margo, Jr. honored posthumously
by Hispanic organization
P1
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Ray T. Margo Jr., retired
Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) state
conservationist, was honored
posthumously at the National
Organization of Professional
Hispanic NRCS Employees
training conference, Aug. 7,
2007.
"Ray was one of the early
supporters in forming our
organization," said Carlos
Suarez, NOPHN RCSE
president. "His passing two
years ago took from us a great
leader and a great believer in
conservation."
Margo passed away on Jan.
14, 2005, and retired as the
NRCS state conservationist in
New Mexico in 1993, the same
year NOPHNRCSE was
founded.
The organization recognized
Margo's wife, Minerva, for her
husband's early support in
starting an organization to
motivate and mentor members
for leadership roles to assist
NRCS and partners in delivering
natural resources conservation.
"His love of his work and his
dedication to the organization
were inspiring," Minerva said.
"It was his passion."
Minerva was honored at the
First Annual Ray T. Margo Jr.
Awards luncheon, an event that
will occur at every
NOPHNRCSE training
conference.
"Ray left behind a legacy in
conservation," Minerva said. "I
encourage you to find your
passion, embrace it, and keep it
alive."
After Margo's retirement, he
and Minerva made their home at
Rancho Margo, La Coma, in
Santa Elena, Texas. He devoted
his entire professional career as
a public servant to natural
resource conservation. Margo
began his career with the USDA
Soil Conservation Service (now
NRCS) in Benavides, Texas, as
a soil conservationist. Margo
was an original founder and the
first interim president of the j
NOPHNRCSE.
STC celebrates
NIMS accreditations
South Texas College
celebrated its recent
accreditation by the National
Institute of Metalvvorking Skills
for its Precision Manufacturing
Technology Program at the
Building Future Talent
Workforce Summit. STC is the
first college in the entire State of
Texas to earn the accreditation,
which means that STC has met
and exceeded national
metalvvorking industry standards
for quality of instruction,
incorporation of important,
high-level industry skills, and
overall safety.
"This process has been
exemplary on the part of
everyone involved," said
Stephen C. Mandes, executive
director of NIMS. "On behalf of
the entire NIMS family across
the nation I extend our
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congratulations and gratitude."
Mandes was on hand at the
celebration to present college
administrators with the official
NIMS accreditation plaque. The
college has earned the
accreditation for the standard
five year period and will engage
in a reaccredidation process in
20I2.
"It is a real honor and tribute
to the quality of our program,
instructors, students and
administrators that we earned
this accreditation," said Mario
Reyna, division dean ofv™
business, math, science and
technology for STC. "It is also
an important milestone for
colleges across the State of
Texas. As the first college in the
entire state to earn thi^N^
recognition, we are leading bv
example.
We also want to take this
opportunity to thank each of our
industry partners for working
with us to ensure the successful
completion of this accreditation
It would not have been possible
without your support and
motivation."
A variety of business leaders
and officials were on hand to
help SIC celebrate the
accomplishment including, City
of McAllen Mayor Richard
Cortez, Hidalgo County Judge
J.D. Salinas, South Texas
Manufacturing Association )
Executive Director Mike Willis,
McAllen Economic
Development Corporation
President and CEO Keith
Patridge, and Gerald Stinson of
Kings Prosperity. _
For more information about
SIC's Precision Manufacturing
Technology Program call 956-
872-6! 33.
rhere are too many people, and
too few human beings.
—Robert Zend
I
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The
Rio Grande
Herald
(USPS 466-2(10)
At All Lacks Furniture Stores
Valley wide!
Joe Mickclson
Publisher
Published weekly for 15.70 per
year in Stan County and 18 75
per year out-of-county by Valley
Newspaper Holdings, LP 1811 N
23rd St., McAllen TX 78501
Editor
KENNETH ROBERTS
Advertising
CHRISTIAN SALINAS
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 16, 2007, newspaper, August 16, 2007; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196078/m1/2/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.