Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 11, 1979 Page: 1 of 10

"The Largest Paid
Circulation Going
In Starr County"
VOL. XXXV No. 4
v ;.i:
RIO GRANDE
,-j0
October 11,1979
nrriE* cents
County Creates Garbage Department
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The Starr County Com-
missioners Court Tuesday
created a separate garbage
collection department which
is proposed to be fully self-
supporting.
The new department will
take effect immediately. A
fee of $3 will be charged per
house. Upon County Judge
Bias Chapa's recom-
mendation Trinidad Galindo
was hired as the foreman at
a salary of $600 per month.
San Juariita Bazan was hired
as secretary, also upon
Chapa s recommendation. at
a salary of $500 per month
The present crew of garbage
collectors will be transfered
to the new department.
The court agreed to ask
local Certified Public Ac-
countant Jose A. Hinojosa
for a quote on how much it
would cost to set up a ad-
ministrative procedures for
the new department.
Commissioners Hector
Lozano and Jose Maria
Alvarez Sr. voted against
creating the new depart-
Fire Prevention Week
GRULLA FIRE- Rio Grande City Volunteer
Firemen fight a fire which completely destroyed the
home of Fernando Solis at Grulla at midnight Friday.
The firemen responded immediately to the call, but the
home was completely aflame when they arrived.
(irulla residents rallied to help the Solis family and had
collected over $800 early this week. Donations may be
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made to Socorro Solis at 487-3320; Maria I/)pez at 487-
2059; or to Grulla Mayor Helen Gonzalez, at the City
Hall, 487-3341. The family is in need of furniture,
clothes, food, money. They have two school-age boys,
ages 10 and 16. 'This goes to prove how badly we need
a fire truck " Mayor Gonzalez said at the scene Friday
night.
Volunteer Fire Department
Dance Successf ul
^ The Rio Grande City
™ Volunteer Fire Department
cleared $1,917.50 from the
western dance held Saturday
night at the K.C. Hall.
A total of $3,301.50 was
collected. The Country
Roland Band was paid $1,500
and $60 went to the Knights
of Columbus for cleaning
fees.
Volunteer firemen said
^they were very grateful to
r the Knights of Columbus for
donating the hall and also
said they were grateful to
the constables for providing
security. They also thanked
Mr. and Mrs. Adolfo
Ramirez for the botana they
served the firemen and their
wives, and all the patrons at
the dance.
The firemen said they
were also grateful to the
merchants who contributed
gifts for the raffle, which
brought in $176.00. Those
merchants are:
Mavo Shamrock; Sonic;
The Brass Bull;
Speedy burger; Le Baron;
The First Nation Bank of Rio
Grande City; the Rio Grande
Department Store; Corona's
Drive-In Mart; Starr County
Abstract Company; Pablo
Pena Jr. and Son Con-
struction and Lumber Co.;
House of Kalphel's Stop-By-
Mart; Porras Shamrock;
Triple I. Furniture; Jose J
Cantu Exxon; Canales
Drive-In Grocery; Fiesta
Fried Chicken; Gutierrez
Lumber Yard; I-eo-Fels'
L.I.(J.; H.E.B. Food Center;
Grande Butane; Vallev
Mart; Ramirez Firestone;
Boutique Juvenile;
Ramirez Gift Shop; Rio Auto
Co.; Winn's; and C.R. An-
thony's.
The dance was held in
conjunction with the Fire
Prevention Week annual
event, which kicked-off
Saturday morning with a
large number of fire trucks
parading through Rio
Grande City.
October 8-14 is National
Fire Prevention Week, but
this observance shouldn't be
necessary. Common sense
dictates that fire prevent.on
should be a year-round
custom.
Unfortunately, common
sense about fire hazards
appears none too common,
so one week is set aside each
year as a reminder.
Fire Prevention Week
originated because of a fire
that shouldn't have hap-
pened. On October 9, 1871,
carelessness sparked a fire
in a modest midwest home,
It didn't seem threatening or
uncontrollable, but by the
next day, more than 2,100
acres of Chicago were
burned, claiming more than
200 lives and direct losses in
excess of $168 million.
On the same day, the worst
forest fire in U.S. history-
broke in Peshtigo, Wise.,
claiming 1,152 lives and
burning more than 1.28
million acres.
As a reminder, Fire
Prevention Week is observed
annually on the anniversary
of the Chicago and Peshtigo
tragedies. In 1922, it became
a national observance by
oresidential oroclam^tion
The proclamation stated:
"Fires are not deplorable
accidents, but the con-
sequences of neglect and
carelessness."
Texans have a big stake in
the observance of Fire
Prevention Week. Last year,
volunteer fire departments
throughout the state
reported to the Texas Forest
Service that more than 6,320
fires occurred outside in-
corporated city boundaries
with a total land damage in
excess of 265,600 acres. The
majority of these rui al fires
were natural cover or non-
structural fires, with debris
burning accounting for more
than 50 percent of the fires.
More than 30 percent of all
improved structural fires
were rural residences
In the forested areas of
East Texas, the Texas
Community
Education ('lasses
Narcisso
community
coordinator
Grande City
A. Guerra,
education
for the Rio
Consolidated
Independent School District,
announces that classes begin
next week at Grulla, La
Union, and at the Multi-
Purpose Center in Rio
Grande City.
Courses include slim-
nasties, flower
arrangement, macrame,
cake decoraction, ceramics,
typing, shorthand,
bookkeeping, auto
mechanics, GED and ESL.
Fees range from free to $15.
Some courses are held once
a week, others twice a week.
Guerra says that Com-
munity Education is based
on the premise that schools
belong to the community and
that education is a life-time
process.
"Each person has the right
to life-long educational
opportunities. We ask that
you use these school
facilities with all the people
in the community," Guerra
said.
Anybody wishing to
participate in any class may
call the Rio Grande City
schools, 487-5591, Ext. 46, for
additional information. In
Grulla, the numbers to call
are 487-3306 or 487-5558. In La
Union, the phone number is
487-3404.
The Community
Education Advisory Com-
mittee members are Jose
Venecia, Merardo Banda,
Jose Maria Ixmgoria, Rafael
Guerra. Adriana Olivarez.
Joei Salinas, Helen Gon-
zalez, Elia Pedraza,
Francisco Garza. Efrain
Garcia, Mrs. Makee, Nance
Munoz and Romeo Lopez.
Dr A.E. Garcia is
Superintendent of schools.
Forest Service was calle *. on
to control more than 3,500
fires that burned 48,794
acres. This was the highest
occurrance in the past 10
years.
October and November
are normally dangerous
forest fire months in Texas.
If rainfall is below normal,
the situation will be critical
this year, according to the
Texas Forest Service. Even
after a rain, forest fires
can start easily. The fuel in
forests dries much faster
than most people realize,
especially on windy days
Most fires can start within a
day-and in some cases,
within a few hours-after a
moderate rain.
If fire prevention is not
practiced year long, com-
mon sense should dictate
that it must be practiced at
least during the next few
months in Texas.
nient, with Chapa breaking
the tie in favor.
Commissioners Arnande
Pena of Roma explained that
the move would be beneficial
to the residents of Rio
Grande City, "otherwise we
will have to completely shut
down the service and lay off
the crew," he said.
Tax i avenues have started
coming into the county's
treasury, and the court
agreed to make of payment
of $74,000 plus interest to the
First National Bank of Rio
Grande City.
Also, the court authorized
the ■•advertising of bids for
the second action year
paving in Rio Grande City
under a Department of
Housing and Urban
Development Grant.
In other matter- the court
granted a set of police car
lights to the City of Grulla.
Mayor Helen Gonzalez said
Grulla had two policemen
and a squad car but needed
the lights The used set was
in storage at the county
warehouse Chapa said the
move was good since police
protection in Grulla would be
beneficial to the whole
county.
The new international
bridge in Roma will be
opened for business on Oct.
Formal dedication
ceremonies will be heid at a
later date, the court agreed.
San Isidro Bov
J
Dies In Crash
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Starr District Court
Criminal Docket
Gilberto Puente, 6. of (',an
Isidro died Sunday afternoon
from injuries suffered in a
two-car accident northwest
of Mission.
The boy was a passenger
in a car driven by his
grandmother, Maria Garza
Silva of San Isidro. The
collision occurred at about
was
In
GUTTED BY FIRE- The home of Mrs Ofelia Martinez, 505 E. Hidalgo. Rio Grande
City, was gutted by fire Sunday morning, Sept. 30 Rio Grande City Volunteer
Firemen responded to the call at 3:30 a.m and fought the blaze for about one hour.
Mrs. Martinez was reportedly out of town.
S.W.C.D. Director
To Be Elected Today
The following cases have
been set on the October and
November criminal court
docket of the 229th Judicial
District Court, Judge
Richard Garcia, according
to David Almaraz, assistant
district attorney:
Gabino Bravo, burglary
(armed), arraignment;
Gabino Gravo, aggravated
kidnapping, arraignment;
David Recio, theft of cattle,
pre-trial; Armando
Gutierrez, rape, trial;
Argelio Zamora, failure to
stop and render aid, pre-
trial; Renato Riojas,
criminal mischief, pre-trial;
Mario Falcon, theft of cattle,
pre-trial and trial;
Alejandro Perez, burglary,
pre-trial and trial;
Mario Falcon, burglary,
pre-trial and trial; Mario
Falcon, theft of cattle, trial ;
Ramon Casares, burglary,
pre-trial and trial;
Alejandro Perez, theft of
cattle, pre-trial and trial;
Ruben A. Rodriguez, failure
to stop and render aid, pre-
trial and trial;
Ramon Casares, arson,
pre-trial and trial; Americo
Eloy Garcia, aggravated
assault, trial; Rene Garcia,
burglary, trial; Luis
Ixjngoria Jr., burglary,trial;
Armando Mireles,
aggravated assault, trial;
Luis Trevino, theft of
cattle, trial; Ramon
Casares, burglary of
habitation, trial; Ernesto
Franco, burglary < armed),
trial; Ernesto Franco,
aggravated kidnapping,
trial; Roberto Madero Jr.,
burglary (armed), trial,
Miguel Angel Franco,
burglary (armed), trial;
Miguel Angel Franco,
aggravated kidnapping,
trial; Roberto Madero Jr.,
aggravated kidnapping,
trial; Agapito Munoz,
aggravated assault, trial;
Antonio Solis Jr., burglary,
trial; Roberto Garza
Mireles, theft (stolen
property), trial;
Revocations-Roberto Mir-
eles, Juan Manuel
Hernandez, Alfredo Gon-
zalez, Russell W. Gilley, and
Johnny Aragon.
According to Almaraz,
plea bargaining has resulted
in the following:
Amancio Bazan, plead
guilty to possession of
marijuana, $1,000 fine;
Domingo Arredondo Jr.,
pleaded guilty to assault, $150
fine; Roberto l,ara, plead
guilty to driving while in-
toxicated (D.W.I.), $250 fine
and one year probation;
The charge of burglary
against David Ray Ponce
was dropped, and he plead
guilty to theft of cattle, given
three years probated sen-
tence and must pay $100
restitution to the victim;
George Duran plead
guilty to theft of cattle, was
given five years probated
sentence, and must pay
$9,000 to the victim.
Almaraz also announced
the the October term grand
jury has been impanelled to
serve during the next six
months, they are-Connie
Nye (foremen), Christopher
Huff II, Demetrio Lozano,
Sara Ruelas, Samuel
Ramos. Max Paul Habecker,
Mrs. Rogelio Ybarra, Raul
Munoz, Elida Vera, Isaac
Ixmgoria, Heralio Flores,
and Jorge Solis.
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Gilberto Puente
45 p.m. as the family
traveling riufTn on
spiration Road.
Department of Public
Safety investigators said the
boy was thrown from the
car. The family was ap-
parently returning to San
Isidro after visiting the boy's
maternal grandfather.
Pedro Silva of San Isidro,
who is hospitalized at
McAllen General Hospital
following surgery.
No other injuries were
reported.
Survivors include the
boy's parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Gilberto Puente Sr. of
McAllen; two brothers,
Ruben and Andres Puente;
and one sister; Angelica
Puente; and his maternal
grandparents, Mr and Mrs.
Pedro Silva.
Funeral services were
held Tuesday in McAllen.
Gilberto was a first grader at
San Isidro Elementary
School.
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John A. Shuford, chairman
of the Starr County Soil and
Water Conservation District,
reminds all the landowners
the Roma area of an
lection for a director to
serve in Zone I on Thursday,
October 11, at 10 a m
State law decress that to
be eligible to vote in a soil
and water conservation
district director's election, a
person must own
agricultural land within the
subdivision where the
election is being held The
f>erson must also live in a
ounty all or any part of
which is in the district and
the voter must be 21 years
old.
U'gal qualifications state
that a candidate for the
office of a soil and water
conservation district
director must own land in
the Zone he represents, be 21
years of age and be actively
engaged in farming or
ranching. He must also live
in a county all or part of
which is in the district.
The purpose of the Starr
County SWCD, with
headquarters in Rio Grande
City, is to promote sound soil
and water conservation
programs on farm and ranch
lands w ithin the district and
to serve as a voice for far-
mers and ranchers on
conservation matters and
other issues affecting
private property rights of
landowners.
The district board of
directors coordinates the
conservation efforts of
various local, state and
federal agencies and other
organizations and
authority to enter
working agreements
these governmental
cies and private concerns to
carry out its purposes.
All conservation programs
managed by the district are
of a voluntary nature to the
landowners or operator.
Starr Historical
Commission To Meet
has
into
with
agen-
A Texas Historical
Commission official will be
attending the Regular
Meeting of the Starr County
Historical Commission at
7.30 p.m. today, Thursday,
Oct. 11, at the County Court
Room at the Courthouse
R C. Salinas, chairman,
said Miss Anice Read will be
assisting the county
Historical Commission in
organization and awareness
of local historical resources
Miss Read will arrive a
1:15 p.m at McAllen, am
will be given a tour of th«
historical areas of Ri<
Grande City and Camarg(
before the meeting at thi
Courthouse.
Salinas sand the public is
invited to the meeting. There
will also be a presentation of
the movie, "Operation Main
Street, USA."
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BENEFIT PROCEEDS- A check for 11,138 was
presented to Mr, and Mrs. Roberto Lopez by Juan Abel
l,opez and Ricardo Recio (1 to r), Knights of Columbus
members, and Samuel Rodriguez, right, of Los Ar-
tistas The I/>pez' suffered the loss of their baby and
home in a fire at Rio Grande City recently The money
was raised at a benefit dance