Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 58, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 1982 Page: 1 of 12
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Unidentified Body Thought To Be Smuggler
A body which washed ashore at the
Mexican border town of Los Garcias,
Tuesday afternoon is believed to be one of
the marijuana smugglers killed in a gun
battle which took place near the town of
Fronton, directly across from the Mexican
town, Nov. 19.
According to an unidentified source,
Mexican police who recovered the body
believed it to be one of the men killed in the
gun battle.
Gunfire took place in two areas near
Fronton. Approximately 15 smugglers were
attempting to bring 171 pounds of marijuana
across to river in a boat. Customs agents,
watching the attempted smuggling, exV
changed gunfire while trying to apprehend
the smugglers.
It was directly across from this site where
the Mexican body was found.
About one-half mile away, Officers
Robert Steele and Ramona Martinez moved
in as a back-up. Persons guarding the
shipment, exchanged gunfire with the of-
ficers. Martinez struggled with Rene
Guerra, 39, of I>os Guerras. During the
sturggle, Guerra lost his life, and Martinez
received a broken wrist and numerous cuts
and abrasions to the face.
First reports were that Martinez was shot,
but according to Lloyd Springer of the
customs office at Falcon Heights, it has not
definitely been determined that she was
shot. It is believed that her injuries hap-
pened during the struggle.
Martinez is currently in good condition
and resting at home.
Steele was shot by a bullet which entered
his shoulder through the back and exited
through the front. Sources nearby com-
mented that Steele "lost alot of blood". He
was taken to Edinburg General Hospital for
treatment and should be released today.
Taken into custody at the Starr County jail
was Artemio Belmontez, Jr., 22 of Los
Guerras, Tamps. He was transferred, Mon-
day, by United States Customs officers to
McAllen. He was arraigned along with Ben-
jamin Requina Quintero, 39 to Los Guerr-
ras, on charges of marijuana smuggling.
Community
Roundup
Class Of 73 To Meet
There will be a Class of 1973 reunion
meeting, Friday, Nov. 26 6:30 at the Diaz
Enterprizes building. All members are
urged to attend.
County
Borrowing Again
The Starr County Commissioners Court
has once again decided to take out another
loan to pay their $200,000 payroll. The
county is currently in debt to the tune of
$875,000 in actual loans and $29,578 in in-
terest. The commissioners asked the bank
for approximately $170,000.
The loan was made in order to pay the
county employees Nov. 24.
In their meeting, Nov. 22, the com-
missioners decided to authorize the county
judge and the county auditor to negoiate for
insurance for the International bridge to be
paid from the Road and Bridge reserve or
sinking fund in Austin.
They also appointed O.A. Garza as the
right-of-way officer for a county road in
precinct one.
They discussed the fire department
personnel in executive session, and ap-
proved claims.
Computer Means
New Deadlines
The Rio Grande Herald is in the process of
switching to a new computer system.
Because of this, we must revise our deadline
schedule for advertising and news copy, and
stick to the new policy stringently.
Deadlines will be as follows:
News Items
All news items, society items, wedding and
engagement announcements, letters to the
editor, meeting schedules, etc. must be in
the office by 8 a.m. Monday, for publication
the next Thursday. The notices may be
mailed, brought to the office in person, or
dropped through the slot in the door.
Priority will be given to those items
received first. News items must be typed or
neatly printed. Letters to the editor must be
signed.
Photo Assignments
All photo assignments must be made by
Friday at 5 p.m. (This does not pertain to
spontaneous news.)
Display Advertising
All display advertising must be arranged
for by Monday at noon for publication that
week. Pick-up of copy must be arranged
with the advertising manager at this time.
Legal notices
All legal notices must be in the office by
Monday at 5 p.m.
Classified Advertising
All classified advertising must be in the
office by Monday at 5 p.m.
Any item received after the deadline will
be run in the next issue of The Rio
Grande Herald. The Herald staff would
appreciate your cooperation in their efforts
to make the Herald a nicer-looking, more
easily readable and enjoyable paper.
If you have any questioas, please call 487-
2819.
Grand Jury
Hears
'nations
information concerning the voter fraud
allegations during the May Democratic
primary in Starr County was presented to a
Federal Grand Jury in Brownsville,
recently.
According to informed sources at the
Federal Courthouse in Brownsville, the
ballot boxes from Starr County have been
into the closed grand jury hearings more
than once, and as recently as last Tuesday.
Jack Lamar Wolfe of the United States
Attorney's office says he has "no idea"
when the full evidence will be presented to
the grand jury, but investigations into the
allegations are continuing.
Earlier this month, the absentee ballot
boxes, envelopes and requests for such were
presented to the jury, and at that time they
ordered the FBI to investigate.
The FBI agent in charge of the in-
vestigation was not available for comments
on when the investigation would be finished.
Notice
If you do not see your family member'!
funeral notice in the Rio Grande Herald, it is
because it has not been given to the
newspaper by the funeral director.
Families may bring the required In-
formation by The Herald office at any time.
VOL. XXXVI
No. 58 Thursday, November 25, 1982
m
m
Rattlers End
Season As
District Champs
SI INTO !N (QUARTER BACK HARKS BACK TO UNLEASH PASS
Men Arraigned In Smuggling
A Mexican man remains in the Hidalgo
Count ln lieu of $100,000 bond after
appei d federal magistrate on
marijuaiic irauicking charges that stem
from an aborted smuggling attempt.
Benjamin Requina Quintero, 39, of Ix)s
Guerras, Mexico, appeared before U.S.
Magistrate Susan Williams Monday on
charges of importing and conspiring to
import about 171 pounds of marijuana,
possession with intent to. deliver and con-
spiracy to possess with intent to distribute
the substance, said magistrate clerk Olga
Sauceda.
Requina was arrested by U.S. Customs
agents Friday shortly before a gunbattle
erupted as agents attempted to round up a
group of would-be marijuana smugglers
near Fronton.
One suspect died in the shootout, another
is believed to be fatally wounded, and two
•ustoms agents were wounded
Customs officer Robert Steele was listed
in good condition at Edinburg General
Hospital with a bullet wound in the right
shoulder, said house supervisor Claudia
Collingnon.
The shootout occurred when customs
agents discovered a group of men tran-
sporting marijuana across the Rio Grande
about 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Another man, Artemio Belmontes Jr., 22,
appeared before the r istrate on a charge
of assualt on a fei .1 officer and in
terfering with that officer's duty. Ms.
Williams set bond at $40,000 for Belmontes,
who was arrested Friday night.
Rene Tanguma Guerra of Los Guerras
identified as the group's leader, was killed
by officer Steele after Guerra attacked
Steele and other agents while trying to
escape, said customs supervisor Guadalupe
Alderete.
Steele and Ramona Martinez were injured
by Guerra's bullets during the attack.
Ms. Martinez was treated and released
from Starr County Hospital with a broken
wrist and wounds to the face.
Ms. Sauceda said information in the case
would be presented later to a federal grand
jury for possible indictments.
Hinojosa Recommended
For J udge
U.S. Senator John Tower has recom-
mended to President Reagan that he ap-
point . former Starr County resident lawyer
Richardo Hinojosa as the U.S. District
Judge for the Southern District of Texas.
Tower, R-Texas, recommended Hinojosa
to fill the vacancy that will be created when
Judge Woodrow Seals takes senior status at
the end of the year.
Hinojosa 32, is a partner in the firm of
Ewers & Toothaker and previously was a
briefing attorney for the Texas Supreme.
Court.
He is a 1975 graduate of the Harvard
University Law School and was editor of the
Harvard Law Record.
Hinojosa also is chariman of the Pan
American University board of regents,
member of the Board of Overseers to Visit
Harvard Law School, the President's
Commission on White House Fellows and
the Governor's Task Force on Un-
documented Mexican workers.
He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the
University of Texas at Austin.
RATTLERS SHARE CHAMPIONSHIP BLOOD-Deciding to
spread their District championship blood across the Valley
almost 100 volunteers from Rio Grande City High School gave
blood, during a drive conducted by Rio Grande Valley Blood
Services. Shown at left are father and son blood givers, Rene
Ixjpez, assistant principal and Student Council Sponsor; and his
son. Senior Raymond Ix>pez. Removing their red pints was
attendant Ixili Rodriguez. At right, Senior Class President
Fidencio Guerra, after helping out all day is given a little rest,
while Helen Casteneda removes his blood. (Herald Photos)
By TED DUNN AM
Special To Herald
Having showcased a defense that helped
bring them most of their victories this year,
the Rio Grande City Rattlers had the tables
turned on them Friday night by the Sin ton
Pirates.
Sinton decisively outplayed the District
16-4A champion in taking a 19-7 win in a bi-
district matchup at Brownsville's Sams
Stadium. The Pirates, runner-up in District
15-4A, took control from the outset and
virtually stalemated the Rattlers for nearly
four quarters.
Perhaps the biggest credit to Rio Grande
City's highly-acclaimed defense was that it
limited the Pirates to four field goals in-
stead of four touchdowns. It was Sinton's
defense, however, and a ball-control offense
that gradually spelled doom for the Rat-
tlers, though.
After losing a fumble on their first
possession, the Pirates then put together the
first of several time-consuming drives.
Starting at their 20 yard line following a
Rattler punt, the Pirates marched 68 yards
in 16 plays before Osvaldo Garcia kicked the
first of four field goals. His three-pointer
with 2:50 remaining in the opening quarter
put the Pirates ahead 3-0.
Carrying much of the workload during
that drive was fullback Chris Zepeda rho
gained 41 yards on 10 rushes. Zepeda
eventually emerged as the offensive star of
the game, carrying 41 times for 191 yards.
Rio Grande City managed a first down on
its next possession when Lee Vela com-
pleted a 20-yard strike to David Pena. That,
however, was one of only five first downs the
Rattlers would make for the entire game.
What easued was another methodical
drive by the Pirates but after 14 plays a
fumble gave the ball to RGC at its 15 yard
line. Three plays later, though, the Rattlers
returned the favor at the 31 yard line. From
there, Sinton moved 19 yards in six plays
before having to settle for another field goal.
Garcia's second 29-yard attempt split the
uprights for a 6-0 lead with 2:33 showing in
the second quarter.
Rio Grande City then b. )Ught the Rattler
partisan to its feet when the Rattlers sur-
prised the Pirates with a 67-yard scoring
bomb from Vela to Damacio Borrego. After
Borrego made the over-the-shoulder catch,
he had to break only one lunging tackle
before diving into the endzone. With Eddie
Sanchez's extra-point kick the Rattlers
FIFTEEN CENTS
assumed the lead at 7-6 with only 1:38 left in
the half. The three-play, 70-yard drive also
included a three-yard run by Vela.
Possibly the turning point in the game
came on each team's opening series of the
second half. RGC lost four yards on its first
three plays and then followed that with a
10-yard punt which put Sinton on the Rat-
tlers' 22-yard line.
The Rattler defense stiffened again,
though, and forced the Pirates to settle for
their third field goal. Sinton drove to the
RGC two yard line in six plays but then
kicked an 18-yard field goal with 7:38
remaining in the third quarter to regain the
lead at 9-7.
After Rio Grande City was forced to punt
after three downs on each of its- next two
possessions, Sinton compiled another
masterful drive. Starting at their five yard
line, the Pirates moved the ball 77 yards in
20 plays and consumed valuable time.
Once again Sinton was relegated to taking
the field goal. Garcia's 35-yard three-
pointer with 6:42 left in the game padded the
Sinton lead to 12-7 and forced the Rattlers
into scoring a touchdown if they were to win.
Zepeda carried the ball five times during
that march for a total of 41 yards.
RGC's next possession, though produced
disaster as Sinton picked off a Vela aerial
and returned it to the Rattler 40 yard line. It
took the Pirates only five plays to cover the
remaining distance with quarterback Mac
May dashing around right end for the final
27. With Garcia's kick, the Pirate lead
swelled to 19-7 with just 3:27 to go in the
game.
Rio's aerial attack in the waning minutes
could salvage nothing and the Rattlers had
to settle for being second best on this night.
Sinton rolled up 289 yards rushing on 67
attempts to just four yards on 18 carries by
the Rattlers. Rio Grande City did manage
to pass for 113 yards with Vela connecting on
four of 15 attempts while having two in-
tercepted.
The Pirates also won the first-down battle,
20-5, but lost three fumbles. Sinton punted
only once in the game while the Rattlers
kicked six times for a 32-yard average.
Zepeda's total paced all individual
rushing statistics while May gained 63 yards
on 14 carries Borrego led Rio Grande City
with 16 yards on three carries.
The loss put Rio Grande City's final
season record at 7-3-1 while the Pirates will
advance to the second round of the Class 4A
playoffs with a 9-2 mark.
)n
aV
I
FM Station Receives Loanl
Starr County's own FM radio station,
KCTM is one step closer to announcing their
broadcast date after receiving a loan, Oct 20
from the Broadcast Capital Fund, Inc.
(BROADCAP).
According to Gus Valadez, of Sound In-
vestments Unlimited, who will own the
station, when it hits the airwaves, KCTM
will "offer services people need to be aware
of, in their own language."
The station will broadcast 19 daylight
hours in a total Spanish language format, on
frequency 103.1.
The station currently has a construction
permit and should soon start work on the 300
watt transmitter and tower, to be located
three and one-half miles north of Rio
Grande City on Ruben Salinas's San Jose
Ranch.
The station will offer automated and live
broadcasts with regular newscasts of" in-
terest to the local people and Valadez says
that now is the time to buy an FM radio or
car converter. ,
The BROADCAP loan was the first loan
made by the group in the state of Texas.
BROADCAP is a nonprofit venture capital
fund established by the National Association
of Broadcasters to aid minorities entering
the broadcast industry.
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Mathis, Dora Barrera. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 58, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 1982, newspaper, November 25, 1982; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194899/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.