Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 25, 2005 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
August 25, 2005
92nd YEAR No. 34
#215
IIOAG H(X)K BINDERY
127 RAH. ROAD
SPRINGPORT, Ml 49204
ZONE 6
Rio Grande
HEF^ALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
i
GEAR-UP parents tour Lee Museum
Rio Grande City CFSD GEAR-UP parents recently took a tour of the Robert E. Lee Museum. Mi R.C
Salinas (local historian) conducted the tour and provided parents a lot of valuable ml urination on the history I
Rio Grande City, Fort Ringgold, and much more. Pictured left to right arc: (standing) Dora Garcia Claudia
Garza, Hilda Prado (GEAR UP Parent Ambassador), Aida Garza, Juanita (Janie) Garcia (High S. Ii- U'l PA
GEAR UP Parent Liaison), Rodolfo Carlos Salinas (teacher). Florinda Gon/alez and Beatriz Gar/a. Kneeling
is Lucia Moreno. (RGC'CISD photo).
Penitas man charged in
RGC vehicle carjacking
A 19-year-old Penitas man has
been charged with aggravated
assault in the carjacking of a
vehicle from an RGC resident
Sunday night, with the suspect
arrested and the vehicle recovered
shortly after the incident
Jose Candelario Garcia, 19, was
arraigned early "his week before Rio
Grande City Municipal Judge Elvira
Garza and charged with one count of
aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon and one count of
unlawfully carrying a weapon. Bond
was set at $15,000 for the
aggravated assault charge and $5000
for the unlawfully carrying a
weapon charge for a total overall
bond of $20,000.
Rio Grande City Assistant Police
Chief Noe Castillo indicated
Tuesday that the incident occurred at
roughly 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug.
21 at 1211 Olmos Street in the
eastern section of Rio Grande City.
Castillo declared, "A male subject
approached a resident when he was
washing his car; he (the subject)
asked him for the time. The resident
said he didn't have a watch."
At that point, stated Castillo,
"The subject then pulled a gun and
pointed it at the victim's head,
demanding money and the keys to
the vehicle. The male subject got
into the car, a Toyota passenger
vehicle, and drove away."
The Assistant Chief added,
"Officers then proceeded to patrol
the area and located the vehicle near
the intersection of Nyssa and
Redwood Streets, in the same
general area. Officers made contact
RGC brothers sentenced to lengthy
prison terms for marijuana trafficking
(McALLEN. TX) United States
Attorney Chuck Rosenberg
announced on Monday, Aug. 22
that Salvador Garcia, 45, his
brother, Jorge Rolando Garcia, Sr.,
53, both of Rio Grande City, Texas,
and Toribio Arriaga Guerrero, a
Mexican national residing in
Mission, Texas, were sentenced to
lengthy prison terms for trafficking
in tons of marijuana.
On Friday, Aug. 19, 2005,
United States District Judge Randy
Crane sentenced Salvador Garcia to
serve a total of 365 months in
federal prison, without parole, for
conspiracy, possession with intent
to distribute a total of 4,229
kilograms of marijuana, and
maintaining a stash house for the
contraband. Garcia was convicted
of these federal felony charges
following a jury trial in May 2005.
Garcia was also sentenced on
Friday to serve sixty (60) months
for each of 22 money laundering
convictions found by a jury
following a trial in February 2005.
Judge Crane ordered Garcia to
serve all of the sentences
concurrently. In addition, Salvador
Garcia was assessed over $7.5
million in fines.
Salvador Garcia's brother and
co-conspirator. Jorge Rolando
Garcia, Sr. 53, and Toribio Arriaga
Guerrero were also sentenced on
Friday. Jorge Garcia will be
serving a total of 235 months in
federal prison without parole for
conspiracy and possession with
intent to distribute 3,470 kilograms
of marijuana.
Toribio Arriaga Guerrero was
sentenced to a total of 240 months
RGC football season tickets
to go on sale Aug. 29-Sept. 2
The Rio Grande City CISD
Athletic Department will place
2005 football season tickets on sale
lor season ticket holders only
from Aug. 29-Sept. 2.
The tickets for season ticket
holders only will be on sale at the
Athletic Department Office at Joe
R Sanchez Stadium. The tickets
will be sold from 8.00 a m thru
3:00 p.m, each day from Monday.
Aug 29 through Friday. Sept 2.
The price per package is $20.00
(four home games at $5.00 each).
Tickets not purchased by 3:00
p.m. on Sept. 2 will go on sale to
the general public the following
Monday.
The Gate General
Admission Ticket for
everyone is $5.00 as per the
decision/action of the 30-5A
District Executive Committee
The Pre-Game Student Ticket
Price is $2.00 and the Pre-Game
General Admission Ticket Price is
$4.00.
If more information is needed
interested persons should contact
Yolanda or Iliana at (956) 716
6756.
conspiracy and possession with
intent to distribute 759 kilograms
of marijuana. Jorge Garcia and
Guerrero were convicted of the
federal drug trafficking charges
following a jury trial on May 13,
2005 along with Salvador Garcia.
Salvador Garcia was convicted
based upon evidence which proved
that Garcia used his property in the
Midway area of Starr County as a
passageway for drugs to be brought
into the United States from Miguel
Aleman, Mexico. Once the drugs
were ferried across the Rio Grande
River, they would be picked up at
the landing site on the Salvador
Garcia property and transported by
truck to various stash houses in Rio
Grande City and McAllen. Texas.
United States Customs and
Border Protection Agents seized a
load of marijuana at Garcia's
property on Nov. 30, 2003. as well
as a fully loaded AR-15 semi-
automatic assault rifle, a 1999 fully
armored Grand Jeep Cherokee that
also had switches for electric door
shock, tear gas, and smoke screen,
and a fully armored 1995 Grand
Marquis. These vehicles were
registered to members of Salvador
Garcia's immediate family.
On Dec. 2, 2003, agents of the
Starr County H1DTA Task Force
also seized 7,650 pounds of
marijuana from 46 Aqua Verde
Road in Rio Grande City, a
property owned and used by Jorge
Rolando Garcia as a stash location
for the Salvador Garcia
organization. Toribio Arriaga
Guerrero acted as a lookout for the
organization
Salvador Garcia was also
(See BROTHERS, Page 61
Trustees talk progress of
Ramirez Elementary construction
At their regular monthly meeting
on Tuesday evening, Aug. 9, the
Rio Grande City CISD received a
report on the progress of
construction at the new Dr. Mario
E. Ramirez Elementary School,
which opened for student and
faculty use a few days later.
The Aug. 9 meeting was held at
the Rio Grande City High School
Library, located adjacent to FM
3167.
The agenda item concerning the
new school called for the trustees to
"consider and take possible action
on Pay Application #11 for D.
Wilson Construction for the New
Elementary School (Dr. Mario E.
Ramirez Elementary).
Board President Basilio D.
Villarreal, Jr. explained, "One or
two wings have been opened.
Basically, the school is operating
fully as we speak Hopefully, the
enure school should be complete in
30 to 45 days. We have enough
rooms (being utilized) to provide
services to the entire student body."
The trustees approved an
interlocal agreement between the
City of Rio Grande City and the
RGCCISD regarding RGC
Municipal Court services.
Villarreal stated, "That is an
agreement where that particular
court helps the school district deal
with the truancy problem and minor
criminal problems."
The trustees recognized everyone
who contributed to the effective,
efficient and successful effort to
carry out Operation Lone Star in
late July and early August 2005.
"Ms. Ramon of the Nursing
Department was thanking the
district for providing facilities and
personnel that helped Operation
Lone Star provide free medical
services to those who need it,"
declared Villarreal "We're proud to
support Operation Lone Star, and
hopefully this project will continue
in the future."
The trustees approved a request to
participate in an Electricity
Aggregation Program. Villarreal
explained, "Two programs were
being offered. One was from
Region One and the other was
TASB (Texas Association of
School Boards). We chose to join
with TASB; basically, they're
forming a cooperative to provide
lower rates for schools."
The trustees approved Pay
Application No. 4 from Rio Valley
Construction, Inc for steel
canopies at Ringgold Middle
School
"For all practical purposes, the
canopies in front of Ringgold
Middle School are virtually
complete," noted the board
president. "These canopies have
added a lot of beauty and
functionability for the students and
staff at the middle school."
The trustees approved a
memorandum of understanding,
between the RGCCISD and Teach
(See RAMIREZ, Page 6)
with the subject, who was on foot
after abandoning the car." He stated
that the carjacking and arrest both
occurred in the residential area
behind the Rio Motors dealership.
Castillo indicated that the suspect
was arrested roughly one-half hour
after the carjacking took place.
"1 lie ubjcct had a semi-
automatic pistol on his person and
also had the keys to the vehicle."
explained Castillo. "He was
identified as the individual who had
committed the carjacking."
Castillo emphasized, "He did not
in any way resist arrest...The
individual voluntarily gave up his
weapon."
Castillo indicated. "The victim
did not have any cash on his person
when the episode happened, so no
money was taken."
Defendant in 2004 robbery
pleads guilty; sentenced to 7 years
A 23-year-old Las Lomas resident
was sentenced to seven years in
prison after pleading guilty on July
29 to aggravated robbery in
connection with the robbery
committed against two men at a
home just ouuide of Rio Grande
City in October 2004.
Assistant District Attorney
Marco A. Trevino indicated on
Tuesday that Rogelio Hernandez, Jr.
"was sentenced to seven years in the
Texas Department of Corrections
(TDC) on July 29. That was in
exchange for his guilty plea and
(earlier) testifying against Maricruz
Cantu."
The guilty plea took place in
381st District Court proceedings
before District Judge John A. Pope,
Jr. on July 29. Hernandez's trial on
the aggravated robbery charge began
the same day.
"I was satisfied with the way the
results turned out," commented
Trevino. "With Mr. Hernandez
testifying, we were able to get a
conviction of Maricruz Cantu. I felt
he showed genuine remorse and
cooperation. His testimony was
essential in the Cantu conviction."
The prosecutor explained, "It was
not a jury trial; he stood trial before
Judge Pope. He waived his right to
a jury trial; he chose a bench trial
before the judge...He pleaded guilty
and chose the option of a bench
trial."
Concerning the trial of Maricruz
Cantu in April, Trevino staled, "He
(Hernandez) had earlier testified
against Maricruz Cantu in her trial.
He implicated himself in her trial,
did express remorse, and accepted
responsibility. He did make a
confession the day he was arrested "
Trevino indicated that Hernandez
w ill have to serve at least half his
sentence before he is eligible for
parole."
Trevino stated that Hernandez was
represented by attorney Florencio
Lopez of La Victoria.
On April 26. 2005. Maricruz
Cantu, 25, of Hidalgo was
convicted of aggravated robbery in
the Oct. 29, 2004 robbery
committed against two men outside
a residence just northwest of the
city limits of Rio Grande City. On
May 6. she was sentenced to 25
years in prison by 381st Distric
Court Judge John A. Pope, Jr
The aggravated iobbeiy took
place on Oct 29. 2004 at a
residence on Jesse Warren Road just
northwest of Rio Grande City.
Sheriffs Department Investigator
Larry Fuentes told The Rio Grande
Herald in November 2004. "The
victims were identified as Juan Caro
and Carlos Garcia, a family friend.
(See ROBBERY, Page 6)
RGC Kayak Regatta a hit
with wide variety of people
Local native plants specialist
and long-distance canoer Benito
Trevino paddled along with Mayor
Kevin Hiles, City Alderman Lupe
Amador and 22 others on a 5-mile
tour of the Rio Grande, ending at
Chachalaca Bend, just above the
international bridge this past
Sunday.
The trip was one of several
outings planned by Benito and
others to help raise public
awareness of the Rio Grande's
overlooked potential for recreation
and economic development.
Teach for America volunteer
Alan Crawford called the outing "a
great opportunity to get the Mayor
on our side" in support of a pending
City Council resolution to support a
high school kayak club i'he Mayor
went Alan one better, suggesting
that the City might look into
purchasing its own fleet of Ocean
Kayaks for the Parks and
Recreation Dept so that others can
experience the activity too.
Developing the river as a
recreational resource would be
nothing new Neither for Texans
nor for the country as a whole
Mike Lee of the Denver-based
Outdoor Recreation Association
reports that over 750.000 Te\anc
participated in river rafting last
year, making it No 3 in
participation in a sport that
(See REGATTA, Page 3)
Grulla Elementary holds Meet tne Teacher Night
Grulla Elementary recently held Meet tin Teacher Night in order for parents to get acquainted w ith then
children's teachers Parents took the opportunity to visit with teachers and also tour this new lacilitv Pictured
is Magali Lopez (Grulla Elementary Principal) with several of her students and parent (RGC( ISD photo)
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 25, 2005, newspaper, August 25, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196335/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.