Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 18, 2006 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
Rio Grande
May 18, 2006
93rd YEAR No. 20
#215
HOAG BOOK BINDERY
127 RAILROAD
SPRINGPORT.MI 49204
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A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
RGCCISD voters approve bond issue by huge margin
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RGC High honors Los Nuestros recipients
Rio Grande City High School hosted a special presentation for the Los Nuestros Scholarship
recipients on May 1, 2006. Mr. Gilberto E. Garcia, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources,
was on hand to make the announcement. There were a total of 44 students who received this
scholarship. Pictured are the Los Nuestros scholarship recipients, Contributing members for the
scholarship, Mr. Jorge Recio (KGC High School Principal), and Mr. Gilberto E Garcia. (RGCCISD
photo).
Rep. Guillen wins approval of $6
million in tuition revenue bonds
AUSTIN -- Local State
Representative Ryan Guillen
announced success today in
winning approval for $6 million
in tuition revenue bonds (TRBs)
for the the University of Texas
Pan American to use to build a
Starr County Upper Level
Center.
"Infrastructure improvements
like these lay the foundation for
'future growth in both facilities
and in programs. This bill will
provide a vast expansion of
courses and programs for
students in Starr County," said
Rep. Guillen. The funding will
allow UT Pan American to build
an instructional facility on
property they already own in
Starr County as the start of a
permanent local campus for the
university.
The representative, a member
of the House Appropriations
Committee and the Education
subcommittee, has worked to
provide funds to start building a
STC plans Registration
Roundup at Starr Campus
A "Registration Roundup" is
planned for Wednesday, May 24
at the South Texas College Starr
County Campus. Financial aid,
admissions, counseling and
advising offices will be open
until 8 p.m. to help students
register for summer and fall
classes.
The STC Starr County
Campus is located at 142 FM
3167 in Rio Grande City. Free
gifts will be given to the first
100 people who register or apply
for financial aid during the
roundups. Students can also
register to win a $200 gift
certificate to the STC Barnes
and Noble Bookstore.
Students may also register
during the Starr County campus
registration office's regular
hours: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. on
Mondays, Tuesdays and
Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
on Wednesdays; and 8:00 a.m. -
5:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Summer classes begin May
30 and the fall session begins
Aug. 29.
local campus for UT Pan
American for over two years.
Guillen originally introduced the
bill to provide the funding in
2005 in the 79th legislature, but
all pending TRB's were
postponed at the endof that
session.
Rep. Guillen said that with
the expansion of academic
programs made possible by the
Starr County Upper Level
Center, students will be able to
save money by living at home
and driving shorter distances to
attend college classes. "My hope
is that they will now have a
wider range of college degree
programs to choose from closer
to home," Rep. Guillen said.
Senator Judith Zaffirini, in
her role as vice-chair of the
committee, worked closely with
other senators, Representative
Guillen, a co-author of the bill,
and other house members in
deciding what projects would be
included.
"Senator Zaffirini carried this
bill in the Senate and did an
enormous amount of work to
make sure vital projects like
these received funding," Rep.
Guillen said.
(See GUILLEN, Page 6)
GMS receives Governor's
Educators Excellence Award
RGCCISD News Release
Grulla Middle School has been
awarded the Texas Governor's
Educators Excellence Award.
This grant program will award
funds to campuses who have
demonstrated high levels of
student achievement or marked
improvement in student
performance. Campuses
qualifying for this grant will be
eligible for continuation of
funding for two additional years.
Eligible campuses were selected
based on the following criteria:
* Ranking within top third of
campuses with highest
percentages of economically
disadvantaged students. Schools
were ranked from highest to
lowest percentage within each
school category-elementary,
middle, high, and all grades
campuses.
The campuses also had to
meet the following
requirements:
* Rating of Exemplary or
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Approximately 95 percent of
Rio Grande City voters cast
their ballots Saturday in favor of
a $30 million bond issue that
will be largely funded by the
state, with the bulk of the
proceeds to go toward building a
new high school in the La
Grulla-Alto Bonito area.
RGCCISD Assistant
Superintendent for Finance and
Operations Thelma Ramey
indicated Monday, "We had 1039
votes for and 68 votes against.
We had a 95 percent approval
rate, and turnout was higher than
in past elections."
Ramey noted, "The main
purpose is to build a new high
school in the Alto Bonito-La
Grulla area. We hope to use the
remainder of the $37.5 million
for repairs at Ringgold Middle
School and some expansion at
the high school, mainly the
band hall and practice gym and
adding some classrooms for P.E.
purposes at the high school
fieldhouse. We also hope to
build a new cafeteria at Ringgold
Middle School."
Ramey explained, "This bond
issue totals $30 million, and
there is $7.5 million in unissued
stock from the most recent bond
issue prior to
this...Approximately $25
million is for the new high
school."
RGCCISD Board President
Basilio D. Villarreal, Jr.
emphasized Monday, "I thank
the taxpayers from the
RGCCISD for approving this
bond issue and having the
courage to dare to dream of what
is possible with their
cooperation. It is through their
efforts and the efforts of our
schools that the RGCCISD will
be one of the greatest school
districts in Texas and the United
States in the coming years."
"It's been a long road, but
higher education is the best gift
we can leave our children."
continued Villarreal. "I thank the
taxpayers because we have found
that citizens of this community
truly care about their children."
The board president concluded,
"It is important that we
understand that this bond issue
is funded by the state at 80
percent. The state will pay
approximately 80 percent of this
bond issue, leaving local
taxpayers to pay approximately
20 percent, The greatest
advantage of this program is that
bond monies can be used only
for instructional facilities."
Ramey emphasized, "We are
very pleased with the high
approval percentage and the high
turnout (in Saturday's election) "
"We still need to turn in an
application to TEA (Texas
Education Agency) by June 15,"
noted Ramey. "We're optimistic
(See APPROVE, Page 6)
County okays concept of
centralized collection dept.
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their special meeting on
Monday morning, May 15, the
County Commissioners
approved the idea of setting up a
centralized collection department
in order to satisfy a state
auditing mandate that will
become effective in April 2007.
County Clerk Dennis
Gonzalez and Aaron Castillo of
the Office of Court
Administration addressed the
commissioners in much detail
concerning the issue.
Gonzalez explained, "Senate
Bill 1863 involves improvement
in collection of fines and fees for
certain counties. A total of
$427,000 remains outstanding
to the county through the (two)
district courts. A total of
$133,000 remains outstanding
to the county through the
County Court-At Law, where
the collection rate is 33 percent.
The collection rate for the
district courts is 10 percent."
"A total of $621,000 went
uncollected through the district
courts last year," continued
Gonzalez. "When the County
Court-At Law and the J.P
courts are figured in, that figure
rises to over $900,000."
The official noted, "Senate
Bill 1863 addresses counties
with populations of over 50,000
and cities with populations of
over 100,000. Starr County falls
into that category and needs to
be in compliance by April
2007." Gonzalez indicated that
audits will be carried out by the
State Comptroller's Office.
Gonzalez concluded, "Most of
these funds are Road and Bridge
funds. If Starr County is not in
compliance, we will be
penalized and the Road and
Bridge funds could go to the
state instead of staying here."
Aaron Castillo declared,
"These programs began as
voluntary programs. The
Collections Department began
in Hidalgo County in 1999. For
the County Court-At Law.
collections increased from
$800,000 to $2.5 million, or up
to greater than 80 percent.
Collections increased from 10
percent to more than 40 percent
for the district courts "
"The state recommends
centralized collection because it
will be more cost effective,"
stressed Gonzalez. "A fine is not
a fine unless it is collected
Uncollected fines lead to higher
taxes."
In response to a question by-
Precinct One Commissioner
Jaime Alvarez, County Attorney
Vi:tor Canales emphasized,
"This program would not
remove discretion from the
J.P.'s." County Judge Eloy Vera
pointed out, "This is strictly for
collecting after the fines have
(See CONCEPT. Pace 6)
Recognized Or
* Top-quartile performance with
respect to Comparable
Improvement in Math and
Reading
The design of the incentive
plan is available for public
viewing at Grulla Middle
School. Individuals interested in
viewing these documents may
be done so by contacting the
school at (956) 487-5558 or by
visiting the Grulla Middle
School's Main Office
JROTC award winners honored at Military Ball
The Rio Grande City High School JROTC recently held their 2005-2006 Military Ball and Award
Recipients were recognized for their efforts. Pictured l-r are Major David A Rutledge. Cadet Master
Sergeant Yvonne Villanueva. Cadet Staff Sergeant Victor Bazan. Cadet First Lieutenant Francisco
Reyes, Cadet Master Sergeant Anahi Guerrero, Cadet 2nd Lieutenant Marcelita Vela, Cadet Lieutenant
Colonel Jessica Martinez, Cadet Master Sergeant Amanda Vera. Cadet Major Norma Gonzalez. Cadet
2nd Lieutenant Jennifer Rodriguez, Cadet Command Sergeant Major Jovan Martinez. Cadet 2nd
Lieutenant Karla Tijenna, Master Sergeant Marco A. Pena. (RGCCISD photo).
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 18, 2006, newspaper, May 18, 2006; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196013/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.