Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1993 Page: 1 of 10
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Specials
Page 10
The R > rira\i : Herald
USPS 466-200
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9xas every Thursday by The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
-f/ii ^'11°
..«i, No. 37, Thursday September 23,1993
H-E-B
INSERTS
INSIDE
25 cents
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, V-'
Improvement plans
explained at hearing
^ McCoy's Building Supply Center in Rio Grande City held its grand opening'on
Thursday, Sept. 16. Pictured above sawing the board is local manager Frank
Rodriguez. To Rodriguez's right is his wife, Kellye Rodriguez. On the far right of
the front row is Victor Galvan. In the back row are the owners and founders of
McCoy's Corporation, Emmett and Miriam McCoy of San Marcos, Texas. McCoy's
has more than 100 stores, mostly in Texas but also in New Mexico, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi.
# McCoy's opens store in RGC
McCoy's Corpoiation held grand
opening ccremonies on Thursday
morning, Sept. 16 for its new
building materials retail store in
Rio Grande City.
The grand opening was carried
out under the auspices of the Rio
Grande City Chamber of
Commerce. Cutting the board was
local Manager Frank Rodriguez.
Also present at the ceremonies were
ihe owners and founders of
McCoy's, Emmett and Miriam
McCoy of San Marcos, Texas.
The new store will feature a large
floor sales area with an adjoining
warehouse and lumber yard.
According to store officials,
McCoy's volume buying power
means everyday low prices on brand
name merchandise. Some of the
items kept on hand include lumber,
plywood, roofing, paint, windows,
doors, plumbing, electrical, fencing
and Kitchen cabinets.
McCoy's has been in the retail
building supply busines for more
than 50 years. They currently
operate 108 stores in six states,
mostly in Texas but also in New
Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma,
Louisiana and Mississippi.
McCoy's also has eight other
locations in the Rio Grande Valley.
The local manager of die Rio
Grande City store is Frank
Rodriguez. The assistant manager is
Victor Galvan.
Store officials indicate that
"McCoy's is eagerly looking
forward to becoming a part of the
Rio Grande City retail
community."
By KENNETH ROBERTS
A special hearing held by the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
Tuesday night featured detailed
discussion by administrators on
steps the district is carrying out to
realize substantial improvement in
student performance in the wake of
new legislation that has placed the
RGCCISD and several other school
districts on an "Accredited, Warned"
status due to lower than mandated
TAAS achievement test scores.
Two officials of the Texas
Education Agency were present,
along with two officials of the
Region One Service Center.
RGCCISD administrators and
board members stressed that
numerous and comprehensive plans
are already in place at the district
and campus levels to improve
student performance and that these
plans should reveal significant
progress in the near future.
In his opening statement. Dr.
Jack Grimes of TEA noted that
"strong accountability measures
have been passed into law. The
primary tool of measuring
performances of both campuses and
school districts is TAAS scores."
Grimes indicated that under
Senate Bill 7, there are four criteria
for grading school districts. Under
an "Exemplary" rating, 90 percent
or more of all district students pass
all sections of the TAAS test. The
"Recognized" rating is for districts
with 65 to 90 percent of students
passing all tests, and "Accredited"
denotes districts with anywhere
from 20 to 65 percent of all
students passing all tests.
The state has tagged districts with
less than 20 percent of all students
passing all three tests as
"Accredited, Warned." Grimes noted
that 19.5 percent of all RGCCISD
students passed all three tests in the
spring of 1993, a percentage which
the new law terms "clearly
unacceptable."
Grimes indicated, "Your district
and campuses have been scheduled
for an on-site visit from Nov. 29
through Dec. 2. The team will be
composed of school professionals,
including superintendents and
school principals."
Grimes noted that the "clearly
unacceptable" benchmark in Texas
will be raised to 25 percent in
1995-96, 30 percent in 1996-97 and
35 percent in 1997-98.
He indicated that the TEA team
could recommend such actions as
reallocation of funds or a board of
managers or a monitor or master in
more stringent cases. In the most
extreme cases, Grimes indicated, the
new law gives TEA authority to
order the closure of low-performing
campuses if the required
improvement is not made in several
years.
Supenntendent Ruben Saenz said,
"We accept that student performance
on the TAAS test was low in
1993." On the positive side, he
noted that 31 percent of fourth
graders passed all three tests in
1993, an increase of seven
percentage points from the previous
year.
Saenz emphasized, "It has been
clear that certain inherent factors in
the system have impeded
achievement over the years. Some
factors can be quickly changed;
others will have to be more
(See IMPROVEMENT, Page 6)
27 candidates file for RGC
Mayor or Alderman
RGCCISD trustees focus on
architect's reports
<
At their regular meeting on
Tuesday night, Sept. 14, the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
focused on the imminent
completion of the new Roque
Guerra Jr. Elementary School, as
well as the progress of other
construction projects in the district.
Architect Dclfino Garza, Jr., told
the trustees, "Roque Guerra Jr.
Elementary will be terminated by
Oct. 6." He added that work on the
kitchen should be completed in
approximately one week.
Garza indicated that the general
contractor is now focused on such
"punch list" items as scratches,
smudges and roof leaks.
Superintendent Ruben Saenz told
the trustees that die facilities are
warranted for one full year from the
time the building is turned over by
the general contractor. He added,
"We have a manual that includes
everything under
warranty...Sometime in early
winter we will have the
inauguration."
Saenz told The Rio Grande
Herald, "Roque Guerra is doing
well. The several roof leaks are the
item of concern. It's a good roof;
where the roof joints are could be
where the problem is." He
emphasized that the
almost-completed Roque Guerra
Gonzalez candidate for
RGC Alderman
project is very much on schedule
and going quite well.
Saenz told The Herald, "We had
expected to have the high school
addition (of 20 rooms) completed
by Sept. 10. Now the date is Oct.
6. Most of the delay is due to back
orders from the factory."
Joe Lopez of Lopez and Lopez
Architects said that construction of
the high school addition is showing
solid progress, with many items
currently in the process of being
delivered. In a conversion with the
superintendent, the architect
indicated that most of the delays
were due to back-orders at the
factory, including for such items as
the lab equipment and heating
units. The board proceeded to
(See REPORTS, Page 8)
A total of 27 candidates have
officially filed for the Nov. 2
elections in which a mayor and five
aldermen for Rio Grande City will
be chosen.
Voters in Rio Grande City voted
May 2 that the community should
be incorporated as a city for the first
time since the early 1930's.
Eight candidates have filed for the
office of mayor, and 19 have filed
for the five alderman positions.
In the mayoral election, voters
will be voting for one of eight
candidates. The candidates for mayor
are Cesar G. Leal, Arnulfo C.
Herrera, Derric Leo Trevino,
Ricardo Gutierrez, Noe R. Sanchez,
Domingo Arredondo, Bruno M.
Trevino and Basilio VillarTeal.
A total of 19 candidates 'nave filed
for Alderman, and voters will be
electing five on an at-large basis to
fill the Alderman positions.
The Alderman candidates are
Pedro (Pete) Ybaira, Gilberto
"Billy" Scpulveda, David D. Porras,
Reynaldo (Rey) Saenz, Lauro L.
Lopez, Timothy Richard Mithofer,
Joel Guerrero, Jr., Mary Frances
Ramirez, Jesus A. (Chuy) Solis,
Lydia T. Garza, J. Ruben Salmon,
Sr., Rene "Rebe" Garza, Rene J.
Gonzalez 1SG RET "SARGE",
Arturo M. Garza, Ricardo Garza,
Sr., Balde Garza, Rafael "Ralph"
Trevino, Jr., Beatrice Brossig
Ramirez and Manuel "Meme"
Canales.
Derric Trevino enters
mayor's race
Mr. Rene J. Gonzalez of Rio
Grande City has announced his
intention to run for the position of
City Alderman in the upcoming
Nov. 2 election to be held in Rio
Grande City.
Mr. Gonzalez or "Sarge" is a
retired First Sergeant of the U.S.
Army Reserve and a veteran of
World War II with three years of
overseas service. Mr. Gonzalez's
service with the U.S. government
includes duty both as a civilian and
a soldier and spans 47 1/2 years of
combined service.
Mr. Gonzalez or "Sarge" was
assigned to die U.S. Army Reserve
Unit in Rio Grande City in 1967
both as a civilian and Reservist. He
retired in 1981 as a Reservist with
the rank of First Sergeant, E8, and
in 1983 as a civilian with the title
of Administrative and Supply
Technician.
Gonzalez noted, "I worked with
Rio Grande City CISD as a Supply
Inventory Clerk with the Central
Cafeteria, Starr Produce Company
as Officc Clerk and managed the
watermelon packing shed, and
American International Customs
Service, and am currently employed
as Child Development Program
Ramirez candidate for
RGC Alderwoman
Derric Leo Trevino has
announced his official intentions of
running for Mayor of
recently-incorporated Rio Grande
City in the upcoming November
election.
Trevino filed his application as
an at-large candidate with the Stan-
County Clerk's Office on Aug. 24.
Born in McAllen in 1969,
Trevino has been a lifelong resident
of Rio Grande City, graduating
from Rio Grande City High School
in 1988. He attended college at
Texas Tech University in Lubbock,
earning a Bachelor of Science
degree in International Economics
in 1993.
Since the city is electing its first
municipal government since the
1930's, the task facing those city
officials to be voted on this
November are monumental.
Trevino declared that he "intends to
Derric Trevino
be a part of the foundation of a
pro-business, pro-growth city
government that will help Rio
(See TREVINO, Page 7)
Rene Gonzalez
Facilities Equipment
Inspector/Inventory Manager with
Community Action Council of
South Texas which covers Duval,
Jim Hogg, Starr and Zapata
Counties."
Gonzalez said, "My desire and
interest in running for City
Alderman is based on the desire to
bring positive changes to Rio
Grande City. The position of City
(See GONZALEZ, Page 7)
Beatrice Brossig Ramirez has
filed as a candidate for alderwoman
of Rio Grande City in the
upcoming Nov. 2 elections.
Mrs. Ramirez said, "Rio Grande
City is on the verge of a great
developmental opportunity. With
the right people managing the city
government, we can provide our
citizens with a better way of life
and the opportunities which will
help keep our vital resources within
our community and bring in new
ones in the way of industry and
funding sources. I feel I possess the
knowledge and leadership
capabilities necessary to help Rio
Grande City become a better and
prosperous place in which to live."
Mrs. Ramirez is not a novice to
Starr County politics, having
served as precinct chairperson of
Precinct Three and on the Starr
County Executive Committee.
She has also served on die local
and stale levels of the Texas Suite
Teachers Association as well as
serving as a member and officcr of
local service and civic
organizations, including, but not
Lydia Garza candidate
for Alderwoman
Beatrice Ramirez
limited to, the American
Association of University Women,
ihe Rio Grande City Garden Club,
Pan American Round Table, Starr
County Memorial Hospital Ladies
Auxiliary, and the Starr County
Historical Society
Presently Mrs. Ramirez is the
(See RAMIREZ, Page 6)
Lydia T. Garza has announced her
candidacy for the City Council of
Rio Grande City. Her name will
appear Number 10 on the ballot in
the November elections.
Lydia Garza is the daughter of
Martin Garza and the late Teodora
Carrera Garza. She attended
Immaculate Conception School and
Rio Grande City High School. She
graduated from Pan American
University with a Liberal Arts
degree in Languages.
She has been involved in
business in Rio Grande City all of
her life, first with Rio Grande
Department Store and later with
Rio Motors and Garza Insurance
Agency. She currently owns and
operates Gar/a Insurance Agency.
Garza has been a member of
numerous civic organizations, the
Catholic Mothers Club, the
Florence J. Scott Study Club where
she served as president, and the Beta
Sigma Phi sorority where she
served as president.
Lydia Garza
Lydia's daughter, Aissa L. Garza,
auended local schools ami graduated
from Pan American with a degree in
Sociology. She is employed by
Texas Key, a nonprofit
organization and is currently the
(See GARZA, Page 10)
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1993, newspaper, September 23, 1993; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195411/m1/1/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.