The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 4, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 23, 2002 Page: 2 of 14
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Page 2 -- The Mercedes Enterprise
Mercedes, Texas 78570 Wednesday, January 21, 2002
e Prairie Yaqui
Remembrances, observations
and opinions by G.G. Garcia
__CLINTON’S BUDDY — happy or a man like Clinton, secure, rough; sometimes the weather gets
For eight years, I watched the for having a best friend. to be 15-17 below zero. It would be
evening news, control in hand, ready All this talk about dogs reminds cruel to transport them 1,500 miles
to change the channel when the news me of a veteran politician’s advice to away from their home and then freeze
turned to the Head Sleaze in the White the newly elected congressman: “If to death. We had to find a new home
House. Then came the Impeachment you want a friend in Washington, get for Sam and Rascal.
pro-ceedings. a dog.” - Rascal was no problem. He still
Like millions of other Americans, Someone gave the kids a dog. She had the adoring look and personality
I watched the unfolding spectacle of promptly left with the first male suitor of a puppy. But Sam was really a one
a President and his salacious behav- — or so I thought. Having watched family dog, very protective, aggres-
ior with a young intern bringing gov- “The Lady and the Tramp” an untold sively suspicious of strangers. A
ernment to a standstill. The proceed- number of times, I had visions of her friend of mine, a trainer advised me
ings set the pace for the next six years eating spaghetti, accordions playing that Labradors were a one man-dog.
of television viewing, with the junior in the background to the tune of “La They turn mean with someone else,
senator from New York as the new Bella Notte”. We found her across the fear-biters he called them.
object of my antipathy. street. A family had taken her in and Sam stayed at my brother Chuy’s
I was just getting ready to go back kept her for almost a month, ranch on Mile 2 1/2 for a while. The
to enjoying the evening news sans In the meantime, the kids were trainer took him in. But Sam wouldn’t
the NY Senator, ruefully, to heart-broken. Sheila, Ben and Juan let anyone come near him. Someone
the intrigues of the surviving Carlos were up here in Illinois visit- else wanted a watchdog out in the
Kennedys when, alas, the Senator ing. Ileana was at Thomas Moore country. I went out to see him once. It
from Massachusetts turns out to be College in New Hampshire. So Jorge- wasn’t long before I had to bring
President George Bush’s new found Luis, Cristela, and I drove through the Sam back to the trainer,
friend, neighborhoods of Harlingen looking At last he had to be put to sleep.
It took the death of Buddy, former for a replacement. I stopped at a ken- I was devastated. I grieved him for
President Bill Clinton’s pet canine nel that had a litter running around, several months,
who was run over by a vehicle this The cutest was a mongrel, a cross My father was a pet lover. He had
week, to soften my heart a little to- between a Labrador Retriever and cats and dogs. He loved to sit out in
wards the husband and wife team, the German Shepherd, dense coat, black the back porch scratching their heads
top dogs in the Democratic Party, as midnight. and petting them. I grew up without
Now before you bite my head off, We called him Sam, any special love for animals, never
it is in the Concise Oxford Dictionary. Then the kids grew up and left: having one of my own. So, it came as
It means a person of a specified kind, Jorge-Luis to SMU in Dallas, and a surprise to me, my attachment for
a special person, if you may, in this Cristela to Tulane University in New that Labrador-German and the fact
case, the head honchos of the party, Orleans. Sam was too strong for Juan that with the passage of time, I had
top-drawer stuff, the best? Right? Carlos to handle. He was a sporting become more and more like my father
But I was very upset when I heard dog and stood about 26 inches off Every now and then, when going
the news. You see, I had a Buddy too. the ground. He weighed 75-80 through the kids’ pictures when they
We had promised the kids we pounds. He was muscle-bound like a were little, I come across a black beast
would allow pets when we finally Rottweiler, and fit as a fiddle. So we that I loved and was faithful to me. It
settled down in an area and a house got another pup, a beagle-something- hurts, like the absence of a real per-
with a large yard with fencing to pro- or-othermix. son. I disagree with the bard who said
tect them. Juan Carlos named him Rascal, “it is better to have loved and lost,
I hate to see loose dogs in the Rascal quickly grew in size and than never to have loved at all.” I
streets. Every city in the Valley has strength. Both dogs on a leash, when vowed never to have another pet.
ordinances in the books, so-called we took them for a walk, were like driv- It is time to close. I leave you pet
“leash laws.” Yet the streets are full ing mules on the lower forty. They owners with this entreaty: Don’t be a
of strays: ugly, mangy looking things were both strong like bulls. dog. Keep your cat indoors. Always
without food or shelter. Sometimes the I liked Sam. He minded me, the only restrain your dog with a leash when
human companions turn out to be the one in the family that did. outside of your fenced yaid or a pet-
real dogs. Then Sheila wanted to be close to her friendly park area. Spay or neuter your
Strays can be a health problem. In mother. Rita is in her 80’s. Sheila is an pets. Place identification tags on their
Chicago, 20,000 lost animals are only child. collars.
turned in at area shelters every year. We decided to move to Illinois to It is too late to help Buddy or the I
Some wind up as road-kill. It is hard be closer to her. Sam and Rascal were Clintons, but there is much we can do ,
to imagine they once made a child outdoor dogs. The winters here are to protect our animal friends.
A. Cortez ends USMC training
Marine Corps Pvt. Alfonso R. Cortez of Mercedes, recently
Cortez, son of Gracia A. and Jose M. completed basic training at Marine
ELSIA K. GLOSSERMAN E.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26,
1UNDHA, 8^ mm w U, s
1125 MAGNOLIA SI. - 10
Viewing: Fri. 252 -10am till 5pm: Sale Day-8-10am .
HARI, TX
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Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.
Cortez successfully completed 12
weeks of training designed to
challenge new Marine recruits both
physically and mentally.
Cortez and fellow recruits began
their training at 5 a.m., by running
three miles and performing .
**€
WITH TOP ATTENDANCE - Classrooms shown here
from Taylor Elementary were recently cited for their
high attendance percentage for the second six
weeks. Among the top classrooms were, in top
photo, first grade students in Room 25, taught by
Luis de la Rosa and assisted by Leticia Gutierrez.
Photo just above shows second grade students in
Room 19, taught by Edna Sierra and assisted by
Yvonne Chapa. Shown below are third grade
students in Room 15, taught by Erica Perez. Picture
at bottom shows fourth grade students in Room 35,
taught by Emily Mantel. (Enterprise Photos.)
Partial Listing:
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Brambach Baby Grand Piano, Mm Alexander Dolls, Lawn
Tractor, Sub-Zero Refrigerator, Beds, Dressers, and More! See
it in color on the web: WWW.SISKAUCTION.COM
JOHN SISK AUCTIONEERS
JOHN SISK AUCTIONEERS TXS# 7425
P.O. BOX 759, GEORGE WEST, IX 78022. M: 361-449-3176
MICHAEL R.
SALINAS
Attorney at Law
302-A W. 3rd St.
Mercedes, TX 78570
(956) 565-9901
Personal Injury (Accidents)
Criminal Law
Business Law
Family Law (Divorce)
No charge for first consultation
Licensed to practice in all Texas state courts
and in U.S. District Court, Southern Division of Texas.
Not certified by the Texas State Board of Legal Specialization.
calisthenics. In addition to the
physical conditioning program, Cortez
spent numerous hours in classroom
and field assignments, which
included learning first aid, uniform
regulations, combat water survival,
marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat
and assorted weapons training. They
performed close order drill and
operated as a small infantry unit
during field training.
Cortez and other recruits also
received instruction on the Marine
Corps’ core values - honor, courage I
and commitment, and what the words
mean in guiding personal and
professional conduct.
Cortez and fellow recruits ended
the training phase with The Crucible,
a 54-hour team effort, problem- A
solving evolution, which culminated •
with an emotional ceremony in which
the recruits were presented the
Marine Corps Emblem, and were
addressed as “Marines” for the first
time since boot camp began.
Cortez is a 1998 graduate of
Mercedes High School.
PLAYER REGISTRATION
g
Mercedes
Little League
Datelsi/Time Jan 26th 8:30-2:00
MATE? ffi® TOOB CADI
VS 1 1 LI ^-—--^—^^^ ..........*************
iW 1 T.1UJU I cnops -ria =**************************
=================================================
ITTLE LEA
Place LL Field-Frances Street
Registration will continue
every Sat after Jan 26th
from 8:30am - 2:00 pm
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 4, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 23, 2002, newspaper, January 23, 2002; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1652984/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.