Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 25, 1979 Page: 1 of 10

"The Largest Paid
Circulation Going
In Starr County "
%
f
v RIO GRANDE
• -itS • r*n ;" v
?*%
-
tit
VOL. XXXV
No. 6
October 25,1979
nrntu ctms
in
T*
J&K
Ikttw
A
r
f
Commissioners Ready Bids,
Discuss Various Accounts
YCCIP COUNCIL ORGANIZED— Members of the
Youth Community Conservation and Improvement
Project (YCCIP) recently met to organize directives
for the coming weeks. Shown are: 1-r front, Fidel
Garcia and Jesus Villon, in the back row, Haydee C.
Gonzalez, Maria Francisca Benavides, Nannette
Flores, Ramiro Guerra, and Hermelinda Munoz.
Burglary, Assault Suspects
Named In Recent Indictments
Four local men charged
with theft plus several
aggravated assault cases
were recently handed down
by a county grand jury,
assistant district attorney
David Alvarez reports.
The grand jury met
Thursday, Oct. 19, anci
another session is planned in
two weeks, Alvarez said.
Included in the in-
dictments were:
Pedro Gilberto Moya of
Corpus Christi, charged with
unlawful possession of a
firearm by a felon.
Four Rio Grande City men
were also indicted, charged
with burglary of a habitation
owned by Esteban Garcia.
The four suspects are
Javier Longoria, David
Solis, Isaac Solis, Jr., and
Edgar Solis.
The men are accused of
burglarizing Garcia's
property Sept. 11.
Other indictments in-
cluded Simon Torres, ac-
cuseed of drawing a hot
check July l.'i.
Torres allegedly paid for
watermelons from Ruben
Solis by drawing a $3,940
check which had insufficient
funds.
Jose F^den Pina, of Rio
Grande City, was also in-
dicted, for allegedly striking
l.V. Garza in September.
Jose Elias Pena was in-
dicted for aggravated
assault in connection with an
alleged beating of a 14-year-
old boy.
in
Pena
minor
rock.
Juan M.
charged
supposedly
the face
hit the
with a
Vasquez
with
was
a
misdemeanor assault in-
dictment, for allegedly
hitting Manuel Alvirde Sept.
30.
Rodolfo Lopez also faces
an aggravated assault
charge for hitting Roberto
Longoria Sept. 10, and
Rosendo Flores was indicted
for burglary of Garcia's
Grocery Store.
Starr County Com-
missioners this week heard
bids on a storm sewer
project, but delayed ac-
ceptance of a low bid until
Friday.
Commissioners also
discussed port facility funds
and debated over payment of
a bill for Consolidated
Engineers and Architects of
Roma.
The court finally paid the
|27,000 bill, but only after
heated discussion and de-1
bate in an executive session.
The court took up those
matters during emergency
sessions Monday and
Tuesday.
~ On Monday, com-
missioners heard four bids
ranging between $190,000
and $217,000 for drainage
improvements.
The apparent low bid was
submitted by Irrigation
Construction Co. of Mission,
with its $191,000 plus bid.
Judge Bias Chapa noted
the county's consultant, Joe
Gallegos, would review all
the bids before final ap-
proval.
The bids are for a Housing
and Urban Development
project aimed at improving
drainage in east Rio Grande
City, along sections of
Avasola Street.
Comm. Arnoldo Gonzalez
questioned the duplicity of
the effort, saying sections of
Avasola Street-which had
undergone paving some time
ago-would again have to be
dug up.
Gallegos said those sec-
tions would be repaved
following the installation of
the underground drainage
filters.
The filters are 36 - 40 inch
pipes which will carry ex-
cess rainwater away from
the city to the river.
The total project has been
allocated approximately
$232,000 in HUD funds,
Gallegos said.
Also on Monday, County
Auditor Guadalupe
Villarreal and Gallegos
argued over payment of bills
for Consolidated.
Gallegos is associated with
Consolidated.
Viilarreal told the court
Monday he had received a
letter from HUD stating
Gallegos had received $8,000
in overpayments.
Villarreal told Gallegos he
was not going to pay him
"one penny" until the ap-
parent discrepancy was
cleared.
Gallegos told Villarreal
"I'm not asking for a god
damned thing," and ob-
jected to his statement.
Gallegos said the matter
should have been discussed
in executive session, and it
was the following day.
Gallegos met with the
court for approximately an
hour Tuesday afternoon, and
the commissioners agreed to
pay him his pending bill of
$27,000.
Gallegos said the $8,000
discrepancy had been a
misunderstanding.
Villarreal was also in-
volved in a debate with
County Treasurer Jose
Villareal Monday.
The auditor said he had
put the majority of a HUD
grant into a savings account.
Treasurer Villarreal said
the funds should have been
deposited in short term
certificates of deposit.
Auditor Villareal reported
he had placed $600,000 of the
money in savings accounts,
and $100,000 in certificates of
deposit
The money is part of an
$814,000 account for the
International Toll Bridge
and Port System in Roma.
Treasurer Villarreal said
all the funds should have
been placed in short term
certificates of deposit
The auditor said the
majority of the money was iti
savings accounts so as to
allow the county to withdraw
funds on short notice.
In other action, com-
missioners gave initial
approval to proposed street
paving improvements.
Almost $40,000 is allocated
from HUD funds for paving
specified sections of city
roads.
The roads targetted for
improvement include two
blocks of Gomez St., in the
east section of town; three
blocks of Hidalgo St. in the
north central section; and
two blocks of El Paseo Drive
in the South section.
Drivers Ignoring Speed Limit
Fernandez Outlines Platform,
Promotes Immigration, Work Ethic
WASHINGTON- Amnesty
for all illegal aliens now in
the United States and then a
slammed door for all but
Mexicans is the immigration
program outlined by
Republican presidential
candidate Benjamin Fer-
nandez.
The open door to Mexicans
would demonstrate the
Adult Classes
Underway
Fall classes have begun
under the Community
Education Program of the
Rio Grande City CISD,
according to Narciso A.
Guerra, program coor-
dinator.
Anyone still wishing to
sign up for any of the
following classes may still
do so by attending the class
preferred.
Cake Decorating is being
taught in room 409 of the
high school on Mondays
from 5 to 9 p.m.
Typing is offered in room
402 of the high school on
Mondays and Thursdays
from 7 to 9 p.m.
Macrame is being taught
at the old Art Building in
Fort Ringgold from 7 to 9
p.m. on Mondays and
Thursdays.
Slimnastics classes are
held on Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 7 to 8:30
p.m. at the Multipurpose
Center.
Bookkeeping is taught at
the high school, room 408, on
Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m.
Flower Arranging is being
offered at the high school,
room 410, on Wednesdays
from 7 to 9 p.m.
Shorthand is taught on
Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. in
room 408 of the high school.
Cosmetology will be
taught at the high school on
Mondays. For information
on this course call 487-5591,
extension 46.
Slimnastics will be taught
at La Grulla at the Junior
High School from 5 to 6:30
p.m. on Mondays and
Fridays.
G.E.D. and E.S.L. classes
will be taught on Tuesdays
and Thursdays in I-a Grulla,
I>a Union, and Rio Grande
City. For more information,
call 487-5591, extension 46.
compassion of this country,
Fernandez--the son of
Mexican immigrants
himself-believes.
Fernandez is one of what-
"at last count"-were 32
Republicans who have an-
nounced their 1980
presidential candidacy, a
Federal Elections Com-
mission spokesman said.
Fernandez is the founder
of a California economic
consulting firm. Among the
qualifications he cites are 27
years of business ex-
perience, beginning with the
training he received from
the General Electric Co.
Fernandez has never held an
elected office, but has often
served the Republican
party. Fernandez was
chairman of the Hispanic
Finance Committee to Re-
Elect the President (Nixon)
in 1972.
The latest Gallup poll put
Fernandez' recognition
factor at nine percent.
Fernandez jokes about this-
"We'lltake it," he said- but
he is serious about his
candidacy. "If I raise the
money, I'll win," he said at a
luncheon here.
Among announced
Republican candidates, in
terms of money raised,
Fernandez is running third
to Reagan and Connally,
David Miller, the national
coordinator of the Fer-
nandez for President
Committee, said.
To qualify for federal
matching funds, a candidate
must raise $5,000 in each of
20 states. Reagan and
Connally have qualified in 20
states; Fernandez has in 13.
Born in a boxcar in Kansas
City, Kan., Fernandez calls
his candidacy "the greatest
inspiration to every poor boy
and girl" in the U.S. As a
boy, Fernandez said, he
"learned to work from sun
up to sun down, so that I
wouldn't have to go on
welfare."
In addition to his com-
passion for Mexican im-
migrants, the Mexican open-
door policy fits with the
economic emphasis of the
Fernandez campaign. There
is a "special relationship"
between Mexico and the U.S.
Fernandez said, and ex-
plained- "they have gas and
oil; we have jobs."
"Who better than a Fer-
nandez in the Casa Blanca to
deal with (Mexican
President Jose) Lopez
Portillo?" he asked.
The number one priority
under the Fernandez ad-
ministration would be in-
flation, the candidate said
Fernandez would fight in-
flation by reducing waste in
government, vetoing every
deficit-creating bill and
deregulating industries.
Such programs as
socialized medicine are "not
the way for our country-free
enterprise" is the way,
Fernandez said.
While emphasizing his
Hispanic roots, Fernandez is
"running to represent all the
people." The American
values Fernandez identified
were:
-the work ethic.
-freedom of choice- "the
freedom to stay poor or
climb."
-the land of opportunity-
Fernandez called his can-
didacy, "a signal to other
nations that everything is
okay in the United States."
-the free enterprise
system- "I would thank big
business for creating jobs."
According to current
plans, the first 1980
presidential primary will be
held Feb. 17 in Puerto Rico.
Although he has taken no
polls, Fernandez said
F'uerto Rico is Fernandez
country."
More than p : of the
licensed Texas drivers
surveyed in the latest Texas
Crime Poll admitted that
they drive faster than the 55-
mile-per-hour legal speed
limit.
Only 35 % said their
average highway speed is 55
or less.
The Texas Crime Poll is a
survey of attitudes and
opinions in the area of
criminal justice conducted
by the Criminal Justice
Center at Sam Houston State
University in Huntsville.
A total of 1,530 individuals
representing 180 counties
participated in the latest
survey.
In answer to a question on
average driving speed, the
speed listed most frequently
was 60 miles per hour! 40.1%),
followed by 55 (28.17c), and
65 (11.5% ), for an average of
58.93.
Participants were also
asked what they thought the
legal speed should be. The
most common responses
were 55 miles per hour( 32.1,,),
60 miles per hour (25.8% ),
65 miles per hour (23 7C), and
70 miles per hour (14.3 % ),
for an average of 61.09.
In another area of con-
cern, 56 of the respondents
said they felt they may be
the victim of at least one
crime during the next year,
and a similar number (55 % )
felt that the crime problem
in their community is
becoming worse.
"A comparison of these
findings on the public's
perception of the crime
problem with those of earlier
Crime Poll surveys suggests
that a trend may be
developing," said Dr.
Raymond H.C. Teske, Jr.,
Crime Poll director. Only 46k
of those surveyed in the fall
of 1977 felt the crime
problem was becoming
worse.
The apparent growing
concern with violent crime
was also reflected in an-
swers to questions con-
cerning the concept of
probation.
Four out of every five
Texans answering the
survey said they favored
probation being considered
for at least one crime
category, but only one in 20
would agree to probation
being considered for the
most violent of crimes,
murder.
The public's ranking of
crimes by severity was also
indicated by answers to a
question on the crimes for
which they would consider
probation. After murder(5;t),
came rape (6 £ ), robbery
(9 "> ), sale of illegal drugs
other than marijuana 112 %),
aggravated assault (16 /« ),
burglary 120% ). use of illegal
drugs other than marijuana
( 24% ), theft (32 ), sale of
marijuana (32 ), auto theft
( 39%), use of marijuana i 53
%),and driving while in-
toxicated i607o ).
Charles R. Jeffords, a Sam
Houston graduate student
who compiled data used in
the survey, thought it
significant that the public
apparently feels that driving
while intoxicated, with its
accompanying risk to in-
nocent motorists and
pedestrians, is less
reprehensible than the use of
marijuana.
A question the the death
penalty provided another
measure of the public's
perception of the severity of
crimes.Four out of every five
participants favor the death
penalty being available for
at least one crime, with 77
naming murder, followed by-
rape i 39/e ), kidnapping 131
/,),armed robbery 114 % ),
arson (9 '/° i. and "other"
crimes (7 % ).
Enrique Gonzalez
Gonzalez Named Consultant
By Ohio State
Hispanic Unemployment Drops
WASHINGTON-- The
unemployment rate for
workers of Hispanic origin
showed some improvement
over the past year, the U.S.
Department of Labor's
Bureau of I^bor Statistics
has reported.
In September, the
unemployment rate of
Hispanic workers was 7.2
percent, not seasonally
adjusted, compared to 8.4
percent a year ago.
As in the past, the rate for
Hispanic workers remains
between the lower rate for
white workers, 5.0 percent,
and the higher rate for black
workers, 11.2 percent, also
not seasonally adjusted.
On a national basis em-
ployment rose in September
and unemployment declined,
the Labor Department's
Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported. The nation's
overall unemployment rate
was 5.8 percent, down
slightly from 6.0 percent in
August but little difference
from the rates which have
prevailed over the past year.
Total employment--as
measured by the monthly
survey of households-
advanced by 610,000 in
September to 97.5 million.
FInrique Gonzalez of Rio
Grande City joined the Ohio
State Education Department
as a consultant in the Title
1V-B Section.
Title IV-B of the
Elementary and Secondary
Education Act covers the
funding of libraries, learning
resources and educational
media for schools.
His duties will involve
acting as liaison between the
federal government and
local public and nonpublic
schools and state institutions
that receive Title IV-B
movies.
Gonzalez worked for the
Special Programs Section as
a consultant in migrant
programs from 1970-73 but
resigned to pursue graduate
studies. After receiving his
masters in educational ad-
ministration and supervision
from Bowling Green State,
he returned to Rio Grande
City where he taught Sociai
Studies and Spanish for five
years. He earned his un-
dergraduate degree in
secondary education from
Texas A&i and has aone post
masters work at Pan
American University.
Gonzalez is the son of Mr
and Mrs. Crisoforo Gonzalez
of Rio Grande City He is
married to the former Olga
F^stela Garza, also of Rio
Grande Cit), and they have
one child, Maria Luana, a
student at North Grammar
School
RGC Schools Teach Students Traffic Safety
s>
Safely Program
Im plemented
North Grammar's second
grade teacher Rosie Garcia
holds up a miniature no left
turn sign while Roque
Guerra's kindergarten
teacher Emilia Gonzalez
displays the school zone
crossing sign. The miniature
authentic sign replicas are
part of the Office of Traffic
a Safety's "Safe and Sound"
0 kit, one of the many
1 programs Rio Grande City
schools will be using in the
classroom to teach traffic
safety this school year All
are provided free from the
traffic safety office.
More and more children
are dying from traffic ac-
cidents than from some
disease figures show.
This revelation has
prompted Rio Grande City
elementary schools to use
the free traffic safety
programs from the Office of
Traffic Safety, (OTS), into
their teaching curriculum
"These well-developed
materials from OTS will be
ideal to teach students to
develop good traffic safety
habits here in Rio Grande
City," Nance Munoz.
coordinator of the central
office at the school district
said.
Rio Grande City elem-
entary teachers will be using
either Careful Buddy's
Garage Theater, Safe and
Sound, the Safest Show on
Earth, or Wheels for their
grades for the first time this
school year.
Kindergarten and first
graders will be introduced to
the talking car puppet
Careful Buddy of the
"Careful Buddy Garage
Theater" kit. Children will
listen to cassettes, watch
filmstrips and then enact
their own traffic safety
drama with Careful Buddy
on an actual theater setup.
"This program in-
corporates the concept that
puppets can be effective
teaching tools; witness the
success of Sesame Street,"
Ijz Negron of the Valley
Office of Traffic Safety in
Harlingen remarked
"Safe and Sound" is
designed for second and
third graders. In the kit each
child holds up an authen-
tically reproduced miniature
traffic sign or signal
Children listen to a cassette
and when told to do so each
child will stand and display
his sign to the rest of the
class.
"In this manner children
learn to identify signs by
their shapes, colors and
meanings," Ms. Negron
said
The fourth grade program,
the "Safest Show on Earth,"
or "Ranger Kit" as it is also
known, calls for students to
draw their own artwork for
their own filmstrip. Children
produce a drawing to a
related storyline on traffic-
safety The artwork is sent to
Austin for processing into a
filmstrip which is returned
to the class for presen-
tations.
"Children point out their
drawings with pride to their
parents, teachers and each
other. A recent study shows
this learning approach has
improved children's safety
attitudes by 2174Ms.
Negron pointed out
The Office of Traffic
.Safety will be ready to
distribute its newest kit,
"Wheels," for fifth graders
later this fall. As in the
"Ranger Kit" the children
produce a filmstrip which
compares their traffic safety
attitudes with their actual
behavior. Math, research,
news gathering and
reporting skills are used in
the program
Still in its piloting stages is
a safety belt program for
second graders.
"Tins one is designed to
develop the buckle up habit
among youngsters," Ms.
Negron noted.
In addition to these kits,
OTS distributes the Let's
Be Safe Busy Book" an
activity book free for second
graders and above. It con-
sists of games, crossword
puzzles, mystery maps and
coloring It replaces the
"Let's Be Safe Coloring
Book
"These programs allow
our schools to maintain a
continued traffic safety
curriculum from kin-
dergarten through fifth
grade," Munoz said
"This office looks forward
to working with RGC schools
in saving the lives of RGC
schoolchildren, ' Negron says