The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 12, 2001 Page: 2 of 23
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mercedes Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.
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Page 2
The Mercedes Enterprise
Mercedes, Texas 78570 Wednesday, December 12, 2001
— ’Tis the Season —
The last column was rather spon-
taneous: an appeal for a courageous
urban minister who needs help to do
the work we have all created: a faith-
less, fatherless generation.
Afterwards, I thought about it. We
do not have a strong tradition of giv-
ing, just like we do not have a strong
tradition of literacy. When the collec-
tion basket comes around, we dig into
our pockets and we give - niggardly
- pocket change. Over-zealousness
may prompt us to give perhaps a dol-
lar or two, but rarely the whole tithe.
But look at the numbers. The
economy is in trouble. We are in a
recession. We are at war.
Two facts that should make us
look beyond ourselves. If that is not
enough, the media seems to find one
more area that the terrorists have
overlooked. Do we need this? It is like
pointing out our peculiar vulnerabili-
ties.
The Church calendar reminds us
that we are in Advent, a time for prepa-
ration. We do not need the media in
this respect. Every day is a reminder
of how vulnerable we are. “For we
know neither the time nor the day”
when we are called (to meet our
Maker).
Since that day of ‘infamy,’ (Sep-
tember the 11th), surely we have be-
come more aware that the thread of
life can be cut at any minute. Death
knows no political or social standing,
no age, no race or skin color. Death
and taxes, nothing is more certain.
I believe very strongly that the Lord
blesses a church, a city, and a nation,
if we are faithful to Him and do His
will.
My roots are deep into the soil of
Mercedes. Alli es donde tengo el
ombligo enterrado. (There is where my
umbilical cord is buried.) I would like
to see the city continued to be
blessed.
There is a lot of good in that city.
For the sake of our children, we
should seek His blessings that other
generations will obey and do His holy
will. If we have nothing more to leave
behind, may our legacy for our
children and our children’s children
be a strong love of the Lord.
But faith and belief in God is only the
beginning. “Faith in the heart leads
to justification.” The operative word
is “leads.” St. James finishes the
thought with: “Faith without works
is dead.” In other words, the change
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE is hereby given that the
Planning and Zoning Commission of
the City of Mercedes, Texas will hold
a Public Hearing on Monday, De-
cember 17,2001 at 5:45 P.M. in the
Mercedes City Hall Commission
Room located at 400 South Ohio,
Mercedes, Texas to consider and take
formal action regarding the follow-
ing item(s):
Public Hearing on a rezoning re-
quest from a Class "N" Newly An-
nexed Territory District to a Class
"R-MH" District. The property is
legally described as being a total of
169.72 acre tract of land out of Farm
Tracts 128, 130, 131, 132, 143 and
144, South Campacuas Addition to
the Capisallo District Subdivision,
Mercedes, Hidalgo County, Texas.
The entity making the request is Ll-
ano Grande Lake Park Resort.
Public Hearing on a rezoning re-
quest from a Class "N" Newly An-
nexed Territory District to a Class
“B” Business District. The property
is legally described as being a total
of 23.65 acre tract of land out of Lot
1, Block 41 and Lot 16, Block 42,
Capisallo District Subdivision,
Mercedes, Hidalgo County, Texas.
The entity making the request is Phy-
sicians Hospital of Mercedes, Texas
L.L.C.
All citizens are urged to attend
the hearing in order to express their
views to the Planning and Zoning
Commission.
THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN IN
ACCORDANCE WITH V.T.C.A.,
MONA’S WASH & WAX
Wash & Wax Travel Trailer & Mobiles
Roof Coating/Paint Jobs
CALL ANYTIME
(956) 565-8542
'he Prairie Yaqui
Remembrances, observations
and opinions by G.G. Garcia
in the soul is not complete without
good works. To pass from the state
of sin to that of sanctifying grace or
justification, you must DO good. Each
day we must “perform at least one act
of selfless love and be Christ’s hands
in this world.”
I once expressed my
dissatisfaction with writing without
results. I would not like to meet my
Maker and not have an answer for
the question, “What good did you
do with the time I gave you?” A
glowing resume is of no use. He is
not impressed.
That I had a family, which I loved
and cared for, is a start. But what did
I do for the poor, the children of the
needy, the hungry, the naked, the sick,
the prisoner? Reading both the Old
and New Covenant (Testament) he
seems obsessed with poor, the
orphan, the widow, and the alien —
though He will understand why we
are rather sensitive about the latter.
Speaking of the poor reminds me
of a comment that could have been
made by anyone living back then,
south of the railroad tracks. “I now
realize there was a lot of poverty and
misery in that barrio.” (paraphrased
to add emphasis). The smell of dust
of a sequia (drought, dry spell), the
peculiar aroma of decaying vegetables
from the packing sheds across the
street.
They evoke unpleasant boyhood
-memories of thin, mangy dogs loose
on the caliche streets, moving at a
sickly snail’s pace. Of the wire
through the makeshift cardboard
Soles in my shoes and the look of
worried adults. Of sometimes not
quite enough to eat.
I cannot think of anything worse
than being broke over the holidays,
not being able to give children the
joy of Christmas because their parents
are not together, or because the head
of household is unemployed. There
are families in which the head of
household may be sick without any
means to provide for his loved ones.
They may be homeless, without food.
They may be hiding in a chaparral
from the Migra. They come in, you
know, usually to churches, looking for
food or money to keep moving
northward
I am going to do something that
will give us all an opportunity to do
something for the poor.
Let’s you, the reader, and I raise
money for the needy in Mercedes. I
PUBLIC NOTICE
GOVERNMENT CODE, SEC-
TION 551.001 et. Seq.
WITNESS MY HAND AND
SEAL, THIS THE 29th DAY, OF
NOVEMBER, 2001.
ATTEST:
ARCELIA FELIX,
CITY SECRETARY
2tc-49
NOTICE TO ALL PERSONS
HAVING CLAIMS AGAINST THE
ESTATE OF VERDIE PEARL
TODD, DECEASED
Notice is hereby given that origi-
nal Letters Testamentary for the Es-
tate of VERDIE PEARL TODD, De-
ceased, were issued on October 30,
2001, in Cause No. 28,248 pending
in the Probate Court of Hidalgo
County, Texas, to:
ANN TODD BAUM.
The residence of such Indepen-
dent Executrix is College Station,
Texas. The address is:
ANN TODD BAUM
c/o JAMES H. LAUDERDALE
Attorney at Law
611 International Avenue
Weslaco, Texas 78596
All persons having claims
against this Estate, which is cur-
rently being administered, are re-
quired to present them within the
time and in the manner prescribed
bylaw.
Dated this 30th day of November,
2001.
ANN TODD BAUM,
INDEPENDENT EXECUTRIX
OF THE ESTATE OF
VERDIE PEARL TODD, DE-
CEASED
masons
Since 1985
Mercedes, TX 78570
suggest a fund: call it “La Bolsa Vacia
Fund”— or whatever you like.
Open an account at a local bank.
Publish the name, address and
account number where money can be
sent in, checks or money orders.
Contributions could be in any
amount, large or small. Office workers
could donate in lieu of gifts to each
other, a total amount in the name of
the business.
To encourage contributions,
perhaps we could publish the names
of the donors. At the end, you can
have as many church leaders as you
want to suggest names of persons,
families, beneficiaries of the fund.
It is late to do anything for Christmas.
Keep it open to “El Dia de Los Santos
Reyes” - January 6.
And have the same church leaders
act as a board of directors to decide
and distribute the funds on that day.
Next year it will be easier to raise
money, and every year subsequent
to that. I can envision people giving
$1,000.00 or more, several years from
now, especially if it is tax-deductible.
You wanted me to continue
writing. I will write. But I want to see
something happen on the readers’
end. I not only will seek to move the
reader to act, but I also promise to be
a “gadfly.” If I do not make someone
uncomfortable I will not be doing the
job that I set myself to do:
Now between this issue and the
first of the year I will suspend any
un-Christian thoughts I may have or
may wish to express. This is the holy
season. I will be doing what millions
of Americans will be doing: savoring
the sweetness of family reunion,
looking forward to enjoying a White-
Christmas, steeped in the birth
narratives and the beauty of the words
from the prophet Isaiah and the
Gospel of Matthew.
If I don’t get around to write
another column, may you and yours
always remember this year as the most
blessed Christmas ever. May your
children’s spirit of wonder and awe
for the reason for the season fill you
**=*. 21 •
with love and a spint ofcharity.
If you are alone, may you find
someone to give meaning to your life
and help you past the dark night into
a new day, a new year, full of promise
and fulfillment. May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace. (Rom.
15:13)
Have a spirit-filled Christmas, and
a very, very prosperous New Year.
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE is hereby given that the
Condemnation Hearing Board of the
City of Mercedes, Texas will hold a
Public Hearing on Thursday, Decem-
ber 20, 2001 at 5:45 P.M. in the
Mercedes City Hall Commission
Room located at 400 South Ohio,
Mercedes, Texas to consider and take
formal action regarding the follow-
ing item(s):
Public Hearing concerning a con-
demnation of the structure at 909 S.
Texas Ave., Mercedes Hidalgo
County, Texas. The property is le-
gally described as Lot 8, Blk. 129,
Mercedes Original Townsite. Prop-
erty owner being TADEO & JUANA
GALVAN, DECEASED, HEIRS,
AND ALL INTERESTED PAR-
TIES.
Public Hearing concerning a con-
demnation of the structure at 644
Garcia St. Mercedes, Hidalgo
County, Texas. The property is le-
gally described as Lot 2, Blk. 8
Colonia Garza. The property owner
being ELODIA T. DIAZ AND ALL
INTERESTED PARTIES.
Public Hearing concerning a con-
demnation of the structure at 1045
Second Street, Mercedes Hidalgo
County, Texas. The property is le-
gally described as W %-N lO’-Lot 31,
PT-LT 32, BLK., 104 Mercedes
Original Townsite, Mercedes,
Hidalgo County, Texas. Property
owner being ANTONIO
ALMANZA, DECEASED, HEIRS,
AND ALL INTERESTED PAR-
TIES.
All citizens are urged to attend
the hearing in order to express their
views to the Condemnation Hearing
Board.
THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN IN
ACCORDANCE WITH V.T.C.A.,
GOVERNMENT CODE, SEC-
TION 551.001 et. Seq.
WITNESS MY HAND AND
SEAL, THIS THE 3rd DAY OF DE-
CEMBER, 2001.
ATTEST:
ARCELIA FELIX,
CITY SECRETARY
Gonzalez
services
conducted
Funeral services were conducted
Friday for Mercedes lifetime resident
Gilberto Gonzalez, who died
Wednesday, December 5, at the age
of 62.
He was born on January 5,1939 to
Francisco E. and Carmen Maldonado
Gonzales in San Perlita, Texas.
He is survived by his wife, Olga
Gonzales of Mercedes; his mother,
Carmen M. Gonzales of Mercedes;
three sons, Gilberto (and his wife, Ana
Maria) Gonzales of Weslaco, Roberto
(Maria) Gonzales of Santa Rosa, and
Frank (Elizabeth) Gonzales of
McAllen.
Also surviving are a brother, Juan
Francisco (Paulette) Gonzalez of
McAllen; and five sisters, Frances
Gonzalez of Weslaco, Argentina
Escamilla of Donna, Lidia (Roque)
Lemaroy of Weslaco, Yolanda Cantu
of La Feria and Janie (Benito) Soto of
Mercedes.
Other survivors include
grandchildren, Gilberto Gonzalez III of
Weslaco, Monica Tamara Gonzalez of
Santa Rosa, Ana Karen Gonzalez of
Weslaco, Robert (Bobby) Gonzalez of
Santa Rosa., and Andrea Gonzalez of
McAllen; and 19 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services took place
December 7 with chapel service at
Rudy Garza Chapel of Peace and
interment at Highland Memorial Park
Cemetery in Weslaco.
Funeral arrangements were under
the direction of Rudy Garza Funeral
Home of Mercedes.
J.H. Garza
ends basic
Army Pvt. Juan H. Garza has
graduated from basic infantry training
at Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia.
The soldier received training in
drill and ceremonies, weapons, map
reading, tactics, military courtesy,
military justice, physical fitness, first
aid, and Army history and traditions.
During the infantry training, he
developed basic combat skills and
battlefield operations and tactics, and
experienced using various weapons
and weapons defenses available to.
the infantry crewman. '
He is the son of Oralia Garza of
Edcouch.
Garza is a 2000 graduate of
Edcouch Elsa High School.
J.I. Perez
ends course
Jose I. Perez has been graduated
from the Army Reserve Officer
Training Corps (ROTC) Advanced
Camp at Fort Lewis in Tacoma.,
Washington.
At the camp, cadets complete a
five-week course of intensive military
leadership training and evaluation
exercises in communications,
management, and survival training.
After successfully completing
advanced camp and graduating from
college, the cadet will be
commissioned as a second lieutenant
to serve in the U.S. Army, National
Guard, or Reserve. .
The cadet is currently a student
at the University of West Florida in
Pensacola.
Perez is the son of Maria 0. Reyes
of Kalamazoo, Michigan and Jose I.
Perez of Mercedes.
In compliance with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) requirements, the City of Mercedes :
will conduct a Public Hearing to solicit input from interested parties on the City of Mercedes proposed :
program amendments to its 2001 CDBG Bond Issuance.
The Public Hearing will be held on December 17, 2001, at 5:00 p.m. at the Mercedes City Hall, 400 South
Ohio, Mercedes TX 78570.
The proposed program amendment includes adding Public Facilities to the list of activities to be undertaken
with the City’s 2001 CDBG Bond Issuance. The proposed activity involves the construction of a
gymnasium to the Mercedes Boys and Girls Club facility. It is anticipated that the proposed change will
not reduce the quantity of street improvements to be undertaken.
Accommodations for individuals with handicaps shall be provided upon request.
Las presentaciones se haran en espanol para aquellas personas que asi lo deseen.
For more information, please come by our office or call (956) 565-31 14 . Written comments may be
forwarded to:
(This is one in a series of occasional columns
to be written by local author and poet E.D. Martell.)
We have begun the holiday sea-
son with what I hope was a Happy
Thanksgiving for everyone. What’s
most important about these occasions
is that we all spend some quality time
with those we love. It seems to be the
holiday season that gathers us to-
gether, as friends and as family mem-
bers.
With our everyday running about,
from schools, to work, to shopping,
to the required chores around the
house, it’s no wonder we don’t have
much time to join our friends and
family members in quiet fellowship,
just to enjoy each other’s company.
Nonetheless, this season,
stretching from Thanksgiving
through the New Year, should be used
to best advantage just for that.
Take it easy, like you did
(hopefully) on Thanksgiving Day.
Forget your burdens; enjoy the
holiday foods, from turkey and pie to
tamales and bunuelos.
Should no one visit you, then you
should go out and visit someone else.
Enjoy this season to the fullest -
and don’t forget to count your
blessings.
It’s during these crucial times that
we should be most grateful for the
many blessings that we do have. And
think about all those things we take
for granted, things like our health, our
relatives, our friends, the quantity of
food we have, the air we breathe and
the freedom we enjoy.
No matter how poor we think we
are, we are nevertheless wealthy in
so many, many ways. We should
always remember to look for the
positive side of any given situation.
To some a glass might be half empty,
yet others may see it as half full.
Maybe a person has only old
clothes, but he needs to realize that
he is blessed to have clothes.
A special friend of mine told me
T. DE LA O ELECTRIC
Residential and Commercial
Electrical Service
. Free Estimates
Licensed & Insured
Javier De La O
Phone: 565-4342
FARMERS s
INSURANCES
GROUP
FARMERS
Auto • Home • Life • Business • Health
3110 E. Bus. Hwy. 83, Suite A
Weslaco, TX 78596
Business (956) 969-4520
Fax (956) 969-9667
PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
CITY OF MERCEDES
URBAN COUNTY PROGRAM
PROGRAM AMENDMENT
Mayor Miguel Castillo
City of Mercedes
400 South Ohio
Mercedes TX 78570
From my
perspective...
BY E.D. MARTELL
that “we were raised on beans and
tortillas, ’cause that’s all we had, but
other families didn’t even have that,”
I remember a saying of the
legendary and immortal singer Pedro
Infante: “Naci sin nada; lo que traigo
es ganancia,” meaning “I was born
with nothing, so all that I have now is
gain." ” 1
Then, there was the late king of
rock and roll, Elvis Presley, who’s
quoted as saying he recalled
someone telling him that they had
cried because they had no shoes -
“until I met a man who had no feet.”
Schools today are air conditioned,
packed with the latest technology and
manned by teachers with the most
up-to-date training in educational
methodology.
We sat and sweated in €
overcrowded classrooms, with only
a big ole floor fan to move the hot air
around the room. Between the noise
of the fan and the rattling of those
old Venetian blinds, it was a wonder
we could hear anything at all.
But to this day, I’m thankful that
we had even that - and the
opportunity to learn.
So I hope you joined with family’
members on Thanksgiving Day. I
hope you continue to savor that
fellowship of family and friends,
through this holiday season and
always. Smile, hug, hold hands. And
always take just a moment to
contemplate in silence how great we
have it.
Don’t ever stop giving thanks.
Don’t ever stop appreciating.
My philosophy is simple: "La
felicidad es la riqueza, pero la riqueza
no es la felicidad.”
Happiness is richness, but
richness is not necessarily happiness.
Wishing you exceeding joy and
wonder this holiday season, I am
E.D. ‘The Duke’ MARTELL
565-0211
302 3rd Street
Connie Alejandro-
Gonzalez
Insurance Agent
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 12, 2001, newspaper, December 12, 2001; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1652973/m1/2/?q=j+w+gardner: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.