Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 2007 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
January 11, 2007
94th YEAR No. 2
#215
IIOAO BOOK BINDERY
127 RAILROAD
SPRINGPORT.MI 49204
ZONE 6
Rio Grande
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
Aldermen receive report on carjackings from RGCPD
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RGCHS Student Council honors trustees
The Rio Grande City High School Student Council honored RGCCISD school board members durin
the December school board meeting for their dedication to the students of our disuici "You cann< .
build a good house without a strong foundation-You are our foundation."' said student Dann> l.un
during the presentation. The members of the board were commended for the tremendous feat >
recognizing the potential of our students and supporting them to achieve their goals of academics
sports, career planning and, colle.ee crediLs and much more, according to student Katherin. Salinas
CRGCCISD photo).
RGC, Roma show increases
in December 2006 sales tax rebates
I
On Friday, Dec. X. State
Comptroller Carole Keeton
Strayhorn delivered monthly
sales tax rebates to 1128 cities
and 122 counties, with Rio
Grande City and Roma recording
healthy increases from the
December 2005 sales tax
^ rebates.
^ The City of Rio Grande
City's December 2006 rebate
check of $224,233.04 is 10.16
percent higher than the
December 2005 rebate check of
$203,545.78. For all 12 months
^ of 2006, Rio Grande Cits
received $3,097,676.62 in rebate
checks, an increase of 14.55
percent from the $2,704,148.03
received during the same
reporting period of 2005.
The City of Roma's
December 2006 rebate check of
$78,257.47 is 3.26 percent
higher than the December 2005
rebate check of $75,782.78. For
the entire year of 2006, Roma
received $1,054,248.46 in rebate
checks, an increase of I2.6(i
percent from the $935,770.17
received during the same
• STC Starr Campus
offers registration on
MLK Day
!n order to help students
£ finalize their plans for the spring
2007 semester, the Student
Services Department at South
Texas College's Starr County
Campus in Rio Grande City will
be open on Monday, Jan. 15
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Financial aid, admissions,
counseling and advising, testing,
and cashiers offices will be open
to assist students in registering
for the spring semester, which
begins on Jan. 17.
Look for the yellow sign that
says "Register Here." For more
«. information call 488-8181
reporting period of 2005.
The City of Grulla received a
December 2006 rebate check of
$925.44. a decrease of 24.46
percent from '.he December 2005
rebate check of $1225.19. For
all of 2006, Grulla received
$20,353.09 in rebate checks, an
increase of 57.82 percent from
the $12,896.30 received during
the same time period of 2005.
On Dec. 8, Comptroller
Strayhorn delivered $297.9
million in monthly sales tax
payments to 1128 Texas cities
and 122 counties, an 8.5 percent
increase compared to the $274.6
million allocated in December
2005.
December sales tax rebates
include local sales taxes
collected in October and reported
to the Comptroller in
November.
November state sales tax
revenue is also based on sales
that occurred in October.
The sales lax rebates included
$273.1 million to Texas cities,
8.0 percent higher than the
December 2005 payments of
$252.8 million. For the entire
2006 calendar year, city sales tax
allocations were 13.5 percent
higher than for the entire year of
2005.
Texas counties received
December 2006 sales tax rebates
of $24.8 million, an increase of
13.9 percent compared to the
December 2005 figure of $21.8
million. For the entire 2006
calendar year, county sales tax
allocations were 16.0 percent
higher than for all of 2004
Another $12.5 million went
to 115 special purpose taxing
districts around the state, a 17.6
percent increase compared to
December 2005. Texas' six
Metropolitan Transit Authorities
and four City Transit
Departments received a total of
(See REBATES, Page 41
Three Starr County Campus
personnel who received awards at
the South Texas College (STC)
F m p I o y e e Recognition
Ceremony held on Nov. 10 were
introduced at a Faculty/Staff
Appreciation Luncheon held at
the Starr County Campus on
Nov. 22.
Erica V i I I a r r e a I,
Administrative Assistant to the
Campus Coordinator, received
the prestigious Starr County
Campus Employee of the Year
Award.
Maria G. Garcia, custodian,
received a Jaguar Award, as did
Felicitas Perez, Admissions
Specialist. The Jaguar Award is
presented to employees who take
By KKNNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly
meeting on Thursday evening,
Jan. 4, the Rio Grande City
Board of Aldermen received a
detailed report from the Rio
Grande City Police Department
concerning the recent rash of
carjacking-kidnappings within
the city.
Assistant Police Chief Noe
Castillo noted, "We've had
several carjackings in the
holiday season, with the most
recent episode occurring on Dec
21." He indicated that in the
hours immediately after the
carjacking, the actual carjacker
was turned over to U.S.
authorities by Mexican officials.
The Dec. 21 episode occurred
in the parking lot of the El
Tigre convenience store. A two-
year-old boy was inside the SUV
owned by a Michigan family
when it was carjacked. The
toddler was returned safely to his
family a few hours later, and the
vehicle was restored to the
family in a basically undamaged
condition.
Castillo pointed out that some
days later, "We were able to
arrest the driver of the
(suspects') vehicle and also
charge him with aggravated
kidnapping and aggravated
robbery."
Castillo emphasized, "We had
significant help from other
agencies such as the FBI. the
District Attorney's Office, the
Starr County Sheriff's
Department, the Rio Grande
City school district, the Roma
Police Department and the
Zapata County Sheriff's
Department."
Especially important, stressed
the Assistant Chief, is that
"We've had excellent
cooperation from authorities in
Mexico."
To deal with the crisis, which
began with two carjacking-
abductions in parking lots of
RGC stores in late November,
the RGCPD. pointed out
Castillo, "has increased its
visibility on U.S. 83 and in
shopping areas. We've had help
from the Zapata County
Sheriff's Department and the
Roma Police Department in that
effort."
About 2006 in general.
Castillo declared. "Arrests (by
the RGCPD) in 2006 showed an
increase of 77 over the year
2005. Overall crime decreased by
about 2 percent in 2006."
City Administrator Juan
Zuniga noted, "We have
authorized additional overtime to
deal with this situation."
Alderman Hernan R. Garza III
stated, "I was asked if businesses
are providing, more security in
their parking lots." Castillo
replied, "We've asked businesses
to improve lighting and
otherwise increase security."
Mayor Pro Tern Ruben O
Vi 11 arreal emphasized, "The
council, staff and mayor are
doing everything in our power
to curb this situation, which is
unprecedented in our city."
Mayor Kevin_ Hiles expressed
(See ALDERMEN, Page 4)
CACST Housing Program receives
grant from IISDA Rural Development
CACST Public Intormation Office
The Community Action
Council of South Texas'
Housing Services Program
received a generous Christmas
gift on behalf of the people of
Starr County from the United
States Department of
Agriculture Rural Development
CACST Executive Director
Francisco G. Zarate and CACST
Housing Services Director Jorge
Zamora accepted a $135,609.87
fascimile check from USDA
Rural Development Area
Director U. David Gonzalez at a
brief ceremony in the agency's
administration building on E.
Eisenhower Street.
"We have a long association
with Rural Development," said
Zarate. "It has been a wonderful
experience. The new program
fits in well with our mission of
helping families as a whole. We
want to thank USDA for its
generosity. I'm very happy,
very elated over the things we
have accomplished. I know we
are going to have a new, very
successful housing program."
The two-year grant will be
for qualifying lamilies in Starr
County only.
Zamora said that the money
would be used to upgrade basic
housing needs such as roof
repairs and wiring.
Families may obtain their
applications at CACST's
Housing Services offices at 300
Avasolo St.
Zamora added that
homeowners must be current on
their property taxes and show
proof of ownership and income
along with utility bills.
Gonzalez also echoed
Zarate's comments regarding the
many years of partnership with
the Community Action Council
of South Texas on a variety of
projects.
"It's always good for people
to know what is going on in
their communities," he added.
"Either way, it's been a good
partnership we've had with
Community Action and I hope
we can continue to work
together."
-\lso attending the ceremony
were Community Action
Council of South Texas Board
of Directors members Irma
Andrade and Patricio Hernandez
(See HOUSING, Page 4)
Starr STC Campus
employees receive honors
great pride in their work and
consistently, through their
actions, exhibit the positive
attitude valued by the South
Texas College community.
The award recipients were
nominated by their colleagues
and selected by a campus
' committee.
Ruben Saenz, Starr County
Campus Coordinator, slated,
"These outstanding employees
bring credit to themselves, their
fellow employees, and to the
South Texas College. The Starr
County Campus is extremely
proud to have these employees
on its staff. They serve as
excellent role models for the
entire staff."
STC employees recognized for quality work
The three South Texas College (STC) Starr County Campus employees pictured above were recentl
honored for their consistent and dedicated work. They received awards at a STC Employee Recognition
Ceremony on Nov. 10 in McAllen and were introduced at a Faculty/Staff Appreciation luncheon lick!
at the Starr County Campus on Nov. 22. Maria G. Garcia, custodian, left, received a Jasuai A war,
as did Felicitas Perez, Admissions Specialist, third from left Erica Villarreal. Administratis.
Assistant to the Campus Coordinator, second from left, received the Starr County Campus Employe,
of the Year Award Also pictured is Ruben Saenz. Starr Countv Campus Coordinator fourth from
left.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 2007, newspaper, January 11, 2007; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196047/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.