Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 71, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 22, 1979 Page: 1 of 7
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Rio Grande City Public Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
"The Largest Paid
Circulation Going
In Starr County"
VOL. XXXV No. 71
RIO GRANDE
% ■ -
February 22,1979
FIFTH* CENTS
Rattlers Win Bi-District Game 67-63
By Tinstt
The Rio Grande City High
School Rattlers scored the
first two points and the last
two in a tense Bi-District
contest against Rockport
F'ulton on neutral territory in
Falfurrias.
The teams were neck and
neck throughout the game,
with Rio coming out on top.
The final score was 67-63. A
horn-honking parade told the
tale of the first-ever Bi-
•istrict win for Rio Grande
City as the ever-faithful
Rattler fans returned to Rio
Grande City late Tuesday
night.
Rattler coach Ramiro
Villegas, almost speechless
after the exciting win, said
J.P. Clarke Reports
Burglary Charges Top
Local Arrests
) Three young men were
charged Feb. 4 with entering
a mobile home and com-
mitting theft. Juan Mon-
talvo, 17, Ricardo Garza, 18,
and Mario Pena, 17, were
charged with the offense by
Fernando Salinas.
All of the defendants are
from Rio Grande City, ac-
cording to Justice of the
Peace Arturo Clarke, who
^>aid the mobile home en-
tered belongs to Freddie
Salinas.
Clarke said the three men
were also charged by Starr
County Chief Deputy Sheriff
Ixionel Romeo Alvarez with
a burglary at the Elks
Drilling Company.
Mario Pena was ad-
^ Jaycees
Discuss H.E.B.
Donation
The Rio Grande City
Jaycees Monday discussed a
$15,000 donation from H.E.B.
for the establishment of a
Pony I-eague Park
Jose Adan "Coche"
Plarcia said he already had
preliminary plans for the
field. He is to approach
County Judge Bias Chapa,
custodian of the funds, with
the plans.
The donation was made
several years ago.
Presided over by Vice-
president Benito Saenz Jr.,
the Jaycees will meet again
^it 4 p.m. Monday, F'eb. 26, at
^he High School. One of the
main items for that meeting
is the election of officers of
1979.
ditionally charged by
Deputy Sheriff Hector Perez
with possession of a
prohibited weapon, and
Judge Clarke set bond at
$1,000 on that charge. This
case is pending County Court
determination.
Clarke set bond at $10,000
each on the three men for the
burglary charges. The three
individuals' cases are
pending County Grand Jury
investigation.
Clarke reports that on
F'eb. 7, Ricardo Mejorado,
25, of Rio Grande City, was
charged with criminal
trespass by Demetrio
Olivarez Jr. Mejorado was
alleged to have been peeping
through a window at the
Olivarez residence.
Judge Clarke said
Mejorado pleaded guilty and
paid a fine.
Gerardo de los Santos,
trooper for the Department
of Public Safety, on Feb. 16
charged Gerardo Cavazos
Ybarra for criminal
negligence on the deaths of
Eliazar Ozuna Gonzalez and
Barbarita Gonzalez Gon-
zalez, killed on Highway 83
between Garceno and Rio
Grande City on Thursday
F'eb. 15.
Ybarra, 39, of Mercedes,
was placed under $5,000 bond
under advisement of the
complainant, according to
Clarke.
This is a County Court
Case, which is presided over
by County Judge Bias
Chapa.
Deputy Sheriff H.F. Perez
signed a complaint of
burglary against Johnny
Aragon, 17 of Grand Ave.
Homes Clovis, New Mexico,
rtrr-'
Judge Clarke reports. The
complaint was made F'eb. 17,
alleging Aragon committed
burglary at the Highway
Inn. Clarke set bond at
$5,000.
Charges of stealing one
calf were made Feb. 17,
against Jesus Joel Olivarez,
17, and Luis Trevino, 20, both
of Rio Grande City. Chief
Sheriff Deputy Leonel
Romeo Alvarez signed the
complaint against the two
youths, according to Judge
Clarke.
Charges were also filed
F'eb. 18, against Ramon
Garza, 17, in the same
related case. Bond was set at
$1,000 each by the Justice of
the Peace, who said the calf
allegedly belonged to Rafael
Trevino.
On that same Sunday, Feb.
18, charges of burglary were
filed against Miguel Dimas
Castillo, 20, of Rio Grande
City, by Sheriff Deputy
Perez Judge Clarke set bond
at $5,000
Hamon Casares, 20, of Rio
Grande City was also
charged F'eb. 18, with
burglary. Deputy Sheriff
Perez made the charge
before Judge Clarke, who set
bond at $5,000.
All the burglary cases are
pending grand jury in-
vestigation, Clarke said,
adding, "All these cases
were investigated by Deputy
Sheriffs H.F". Perez, Leonel
Romeo Alvarez, Javier
Garcia, Carlos Vera, and
Norberto Cantu. It was
through the efforts of chese
men that several burglary
cases have been broken.
Credit should be given to
them."
'►> Hjf ' • • r ? v -
DEATH SCENE-Eliazar Ozuna Gonzalez, 27, and Barbarita Gonzales Gonzalez, 24,
of Serralvo, Mexico, were declared dead at the scene by J.P. Arturo Clarke following
this head-on collision at 10:15 a m last Thursday. They were east-bound in the Ford
pickup truck between Rio Grande City and Roma when they collided with an 18-wheel
tractor-trailer driven by Gerardo Cavazos Ybarra of Donna, who was subsequently
charged with criminal negligence by D P S. trooper Gerardo de los Santos before
Judge Clarke. A third vehicle involved in the accident was driven by Vincent Lillis of
Wisconsin. His wife, Mrs. Isabel Willis, was hospitalized with minor injuries.
"It was beautiful! "and of hig
players, "I love'em!" Many
players and fans alike were
in tears over the joy of the
win, which sends the Rat-
tlers on to Regional play.
Rattler Roberto "Waffle"
Lopez was game high scorer
with 29 points. He made
eleven of thirteen free throw
attempts. Rio's total was 13
of 18 free throw, tries.
Adding to Rio's scoring
total were Bobby Garcia
with 16; Johnny Acevedo
wth 12, Eddie Saenz with 6;
and Salvador Abrego and
Eddie Lopez with 2 each.
The height-advantaged
Pirates from Fulton High
School in Rockport had three
m
players scoring in double
figures, Joe Brooks with 21,
Jimmy Cruser with 16, and
Ronnie Lamb with 14. Billy
Bechtol added 9. Rockport
made 11 of 20 free throw
attempts.
RGC won the first quarter
with 18 points to Rockport's
16, but Rockport made 19 in
the second quarter to Rio's
13 for a halftime score of 35-
31 in favor of the Pirates.
The Rattlers were also
first to score in the second
half as they quickly closed
the gap in the scoring,
making sixteen in the third
period to Rockport's 10. The
Rattlers led 47-45 at the end
of the third quarter and
made two more early in the
fourth for a four point lead,
the biggest advantage either
team held over the other at
any time during the close
AAA contest. The Pirates
had held four point leads
over the Rattlers five dif-
ferent times midway in the
game, but the Rattlers
controlled the final period,
never allowing the Pirates to
regain their lead.
Two successful free
throws by Waffle cinched the
win for the Rattlers who
remained cool while the
rattled Rockport team tried
unsuccessfuly to regain
control. Ecstatic Rio fans
crowded into the court as the
final buzzor sounded.
Fair Activities To Include
Dance, Parade, And Rodeo
A wide variety of events,
with something to interest
everyone, have been
scheduled for the fourteenth
annual Starr County Youth
Fair, according to General
Chairman Connie Nye.
A queen to reign over the
week's activites will be
named at the Starr County
Youth F'air Queen's Contest
to be sponsored by the
Florence J. .Scott Study Club
on Sunday, February 25, at
7:00 p.m. at the Rio Grande
City High School
BANK HELPS BAND-Rodolfo Cantu, Executive Vice-president of the First
National Bank of Rio Grande City, presents a check for $500.00 in behalf of the bank to
help the Rio Grande City High School band towards their goal for making a trip to St.
IiOuis, Missouri. Pictured are, left to right, Alfredo Cortinas, band director; Rudy
Barrera, band president; Cantu; Abraham Gonzalez, Band Booster president; and
Roel Elizondo, band director.
R.G.C. Man Charged
With Cattle Theft
Grulla Man Dies
From Gun Wound
David Ponce, of 510 ~T.
Washington Rio Grande
City, was charged with
cattle theft late Tuesday
afternoon following a six-dav
investigation by local law
enforcement agencies.
Ponce was taken before
Justice of the Peace Arnoldo
Gonzalez Jr., who set bond at
$50,000 upon the recom-
mendation of District At-
torney F\A. "Pancho"
Cerda.
Grulla
Postmaster
Named
Benilde Ruelas has been
named the new Postmaster
at Grulla, announced Sec-
tional Center Manager
Postmaster Otis S. Bowers
of Corpus Christi.
Ms. Ruelas appointment
took effect Feb. 10. A native
of Grulla, she has served as
Post Office clerk in Grulla
for the past seven and one-
half years.
Acootding to Judgi.
Gonzalez, at presstime
Ponce was still unable to
post bond and was being held
in the Starr County Jail.
Gonzalez said ap-
proximately 36 head of cattle
were stolen from a ranch
north of Rio Grande City
belonging to Jose Maria
"Joe" Martinez.
Working the case were two
Texas Rangers, Guffey and
Jesus "Chick" Saenz;
District Attorney's office
investigators Bernardo
Garcia and Gilberto Guerra
(who arrested Ponce), and
the Starr and Jim Hogg
Sheriffs departments.
According to Cerda, more
arrests will be made in the
days to come. He also stated
he will recommend high
bonds on all individuals
involved once they are ap-
prehended.
Cerda stated he will
prosecute each and everyone
involved in recent cattle
thefts that have been oc-
curing in Starr County.
Starr County Sheriff
Reymundo Alvarez stated
Tuts ' * " We are
investigating, have good
results of the investigation,
and arrests will be made
very soon."
He requested that ranch-
ers missing cattle to
reoort it immediately to the
Sheriff Department.
Leopoldo Longoria, 24, of
Grulla, died of a gunshot
wound to the chest late
Thursday evening at El Paso
Bar in Grulla.
He was pronounced dead
at the scene at 12:15 a.m.
F'riday by Justice of the
Peace Jose Venecia of
Grulla.
Eriberto Solis, 27, also of
Grulla, was taken into
custody by Sheriff's officers
and charged with the crime
before Justice of the Peace
Arnoldo Gonzalez Jr., of Rio
Grande City.
Judge Gonzalez set bond at
$100,000 upon the recom-
mendation of Starr County
District Attorney F.A.
"Pancho" Cerda.
At presstime Solis was still
in custody.
Investigating the case
were Starr County Sheriff
Reymundo Alvarez. Deputy
Salvador Zarate, Deputy
Guadalupe Marquez, and
Chief Deputy Romeo
Alvarez.
Sheriff Alvarez said the
death resulted from an
apparent argument at the El
Paso Bar.
Sharyland Wins San Isidro
Literary Practice Meet
Housing Authority
To Discuss Project
The Starr County Housing
Authority board of directors
will meet at 7 p.m. today,
Thursday, Feb. 22 at the
office of the Housing
Authority in Rio Grande
City.
According to Dr. Bruno
Trevino, executive director,
one of the items to be
discussed is the potential site
for a 34 unit low rent housing
for low income families.
A site being considered is
located in an area north of
where the Old U.S. 83 and
New U.S. 83 meet at Ix>s
Garcias Ranch. Alfred D.
Hughes, developer, has the
land under option and is
negotiating with the
Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD)
on a price for the project. Dr
Trevino said.
A representative of the
Hughes firm will be at the
meeting to establish
contacts with any sub-
contractors interested in the
project, Trevino said.
This site is being con-
sidered after the County
Commissioners Court
agreed they could not pro-
vide utilities to another site
which HUD had tentatively
approved
Out of three possible sites,
HUD had originally given
tentative approval to a
proposal by Hughes for a site
on the corner of Charco
Blanco Road and Third
Street.
The County did not go
along with that site because
it could not afford to bring
the utilities, gas and sewage,
to the site.
The site on U.S. 83 was
HUD's second choice, Dr.
Trevino said.
A third proposal, on a site
on Third Street near
Fairgrounds Road, was
rejected in writing by HUD
after an evaluation team
inspected the area, Trevino
said. The reason for the
rejection was for en-
vironmental reasons,
Trevino said, adding that a
power line goes very near
that site. That proposal was
by Klinger Development Co
If HUD and Alfred D
Hughes agree on a price for
the development, then the
contractor will proceed to
construct, and upon ter-
mination turn the project
over to the Starr County
Housing Authority, under a
HUD guarantee loan
program. Dr. Trevino said
Sharyland High School
was the 1979 first place
winner of the Annual
Literary Meet h^ld at San
Isidro High School Saturday,
February 17,1979. Sharyland
High School totaled 75 points
to win the first place
Sweepstakes trophy.
Edinburg High School was
a close second with 60 points.
Hebbronville High school
was third with 35 points, and
San Isidro fourth with 32l2
points.
There were fifteen schools
participating in the meet and
a total of 325 entries. The
following were the winners
in the individual events:
DEBATF-: 1st - F'ulwilder-
Gray, Sharyland; 2nd -
Weisman-Garcia, Shar-
yland; 3rd - Doyno-Hinojosa-
Rio Grande City
PERSUASIVE SPEAK-
ING: lst--Mark
Cantu, Rio Grande City; 2nd-
-Dorothy Tuma, Heb-
bronville; 3rd--Anne Laf-
foon, Sharyland;
INFORMATIVE SPEAK-
ING: 1st Robbie Jones,
Hebbronville; 2nd--Juan
Carlos Huerta, Heb-
bronville; 3rd--Santos -
Olivarez. Falfurrias;
POETRY INTERPRE-
TATION: lst--Tie-0scar
Rodriguez, PSJA; Anita
Villarreal, San Isidro; 2nd-
Jorge Valencia, Sharyland;
3rd--Mark Ramirez,
Sharyland;
PROSE READING: lst-
Mark Ramirez, Sharyland;
2nd-Noemi Pena, San
Isidro; 3rd-John Guerra,
Roma;
READY WRITING: lst-
Ann Laffoon, Sharyland;
2nd-Ja\ Proctor, Premont;
3rd--Yolanda Rivas, San
Isidro;
NUMBER SENSE: lst-
Gilbert Garcia, F^dinburg;
2nd--Stephen Johnson,
Edinburg; 3rd-Ray F"arias,
I,a Joy a;
SPELLING: lst-Tie-
Marinel Perez-F'alfurrias;
E^'a FTores - PSJA. 2nd -
Ntiei Garca San Isidro; 3rd-
Tie-Leticia Gonzalez- Roma;
Ester Ramon-Zapata;
TYPING: 1 st--Rosa
Campos, Lyford; 2nd-Vince
Garcia, Falfurrias; 3rd--
Kerry Goetzinger, PSJA;
SLIDE RULE: lst-David
Saenz, Zapata; 2nd-Mario
Moreno, I>a Joya; 3rd-Jose
Ortega, Edinburg;
SCIENCE: lst-Stephen
Johnson Edinburg; 2nd-
Iyouie Rios, Edinburg; 3rd-
Ralph Vela, F'dinburg.
JUDGES FOR THE
MEET WERE: Moses
Osborn, Mission, Texas;
Mrs. Dorothy Anderson, Rio
Grande City; Chon Garza,
Rio Grande City; Jose
Rodriguez, Student-Texas
A&I; Noel Pena. Jr.,
Student-Texas A&I; Miss
Yvonne Rodriguez. Student-
PAU; Roy Cantu, Rio
Grande City; Mrs. Susanna
Aleman, Falfurrias; Mrs.
Janet Doyle, PSJA; Kent
Parks, San Isidro; Mrs.
Alicia Madrigal, San Isidro.
Auditorium.
Clothing judging u.ll be
Wednesday morning with
hundreds of St^rr County 4-H
and FHA'ers competing for
awards for their sewing
skills.
Judging will continue on
Friday with baked goods
decorated cakes, arts and
crafts, Science Fair
projects, and others due.
Livestock sifting will also
begin on Friday evening.
Saturday morning the
Youth Fair will have its
grand opening with the
annual parade to begin at
10:00 at the Starr County
Courthouse in Rio Grande
City and proceed eastward
on Second Street into Fort
Ringgold.
A small entry fee per car
into the fairgrounds in the
fort will entitle each in-
dividual ft. ^roup to be
eligible for prizes to be given
away during the day at the
grounds, announced Master
of Ceremonies Randall Nye.
Throughout the day there
will be a variety of activities
in the fort, including
livestock judging, the
Science and art exhibits,
agricultural and shop
exhibits, and a number of
food and drink concessions.
A Dress Revenue and Style
Show is set for 2:00 p.m. with
the Parade of Champions
and the Lamb and Cake
Auction to follow
A Western Dance
featuring the music of the
Country Roland Band will be
held on Saturday night from
9 to 1 at the Knights of
Columbus Hall in Rio
Grande City.
A rodeo on Sunday af-
ternoon at La Sagunada
Rancy at 2:00 will culminate
the activities of the four-
teenth annual Starr County
Youth Fair. The public is
invited and encouraged to
attend any and all events of
the fair
Traffic Accident Claims
Local Family
A traffic accident in Bay
City, Texas, claimed the
lives of four local residents-
the father, mother, and their
two children.
Dead at the scene of the
accident were Rafael Luera,
22; Juanita Esmeralda
Gracia Luera, 22; and their
children, Maria Ciria, 5; and
Michella, 3.
Funeral services were
held at 4 p.m. February 14 at
the Catholic Church in La
Puerta, followed by burial at
I>a Puerta Cemetery under
the direction of Sanchez
Funeral Home.
The bodies were brought to
Rio Grande City by Taylor
Brothers F'uneral Home of
Bay City
Rafael's survivors include
his father, Arturo Luera, and
his mother Beatrice
Rodriguez Luera of Gar-
ciasville; brothers Arturo
Jr.,; Arnoldo; and Fran-
cisco; and sisters Maria
Margarita L Chapa;
Rebecca L. Aguirre; Con-
sue lo L Solis; Bernarda L.
Rios; and Alicia L. Aguirre
Juanita's survivors in-
clude her father, Domingo
Gracia and her mother,
Maria Mercedes Lopez
Gracia of La Puerta; two
brothers, Matilde and
Alejandro Gracia; and three
sisters, Cresencia G.
Lozano; Yolanda G. Lozano,
and Criselda G. Zuniga.
Xv, ' ->%1
fi-." "4
The Luera Fa.ml>
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Silva, Marcelo. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 71, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 22, 1979, newspaper, February 22, 1979; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194703/m1/1/?q=%22Rio+Grande+Herald+Publishing+Company%2C+Inc.%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.