Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 6, 1980 Page: 1 of 12
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TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
★ ★ * ★ f?/o GRANDE * * * *
E R A L
VOL. XXXV
No. 25
MarcM, U80
FIFTEEN CENTS
'Repaired' Ceiling Caves In
At Roque Guerra Jr. Elementary School
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C.aved-In Ceiling Ai Roque Guerra Jr. Elementary
Ledura T
Escritura
Jesse Fernandez |h ItiI«■ sliirl) Inspects Debris
By ManeloSOva
udTIm Pfterwii
At a little before 5 p.m. on Monday, March
3, 1900, eleven months to the day since a
similar mishap occurred at the same school,
the ceiling of a classroom caved in at Rooue
Guerra Jr. Elementary. In 1979 the class-
room was empty, but in 1960 it was not.
A teacher, her aide,and a custodian were
in the classroom Monday, and two of the
three suffered injuries.
Most of the teachers were still at the
school getting ready for the school's Open
House set for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Miss
Munoz, a first grade teacher, was bending
uver when the celling of her classroom fell
on her back.
"We heard no warning sounds at all, no
creaking or anything," Miss Munoz, who
said she was "fine, with a backache,"
recalled the next day.
However, Marina Garza, a custodian who
was assisting Miss Munoz, was hit on the
back of her head, and received a cut
requiring stitches. The teacher aide, Mrs.
Lucila Garza, was across the room and was
unharmed. The women called the principal,
Ninfa Escobar, who, along with her
husband, took the injured woman to the
clinic for treatment.
So, once again several classrooms in the
main building of Roque Guerra Jr.
School have been emptied, with classes
divided and doubled up with others on the
campus, while classrooms which were to
have been made safe after last year's
disaster once again sit empty.
How could this happenJesse Fernandez,
architectural representative for Alan
Taniguchi, the consulting engineer for the
Rio Grande City schools, showed reporters
the newly caved-in ceiling and gave the
following explanation.
The initial recycling of the building, done
in 197V1976, was to be a "cosmetic Jc, /
only, mostly painting. However, it was
noticed at that time that the ceiling in Miss
Munoz' present room, p,n old cement
piaster celling, was sagging and appeared
unsafe. The plaster was removed and re-
placed with a sheetrock celling by Stotler, a
construction company in Pharr.
According to Fernandez, "That is when I,
or someone, should have checked the other
ceilings." It was not done, however, and one
of those ceilings caved in on April 3, 1979, in
Mrs. Valle's room down the hall. TTie
complete cave-in in Mrs. Valle's room
necessitated the evacuation of ten
classrooms in the main building, while all
the plaster ceilings could be removed and
made safe
Mrs. Valle's caved-in plaster ceiling was
replaced with sheetrock as Miss Munoz' had
been, while all the other classrooms in the
building were fixed with suspended ceilings
securely mounted from the ceiling joists
with wire, Fernandez said.
However, in the classrooms which
already had sheetrock ceilings, the
suspended ceilings were hung with staples,
of the kind called "ar pones" used for
.fencing barbed wire. Insulation material
was Installed on the suspended ceilings, and
light fixtures totalling 400 pounds were
placed on the suspended ceilings. All the
weight was supported by the staples which
did not appear to penetrate into the celling
joists but about one-half inch after going
through the sheetrock.
According to Fernandez, the ceiling work
was done by sub-contractor Lupe Enriquez
of McAllen Insulation.
Fernandez said "the weight of the light
fixtures finally pulled the staples out." He
adds that the work was "spot checked," that
is, checked at random, and that it is possible
the work or. these two rooms was not
checked at all before it was covered with the
new acoustical tiles.
"We didn't tell him (the sub-contractor),
how to do his job. It's his job to see that it
(the ceiling) is supported well," Fernandez
said.
Rio Grande City Schools Superintendent,
Dr. A.j?. "Tony" Garcia, who called Fer-
nandez in Tuesday morning to check out
Monday's mishap, said, "We rely on the
experts, and maybe we shouldn't, but who
else can we rely on?"
Also "checking" the jobs were Joe
Garcia, construction supervisor for the Fort
Ringgold Recycle Project, and David
Garcia, his brother, job foreman, according
to Dr. Garcia. Neither is employed now by
the district.
Neither Dr. Garcia nor Fernandez could
state that all other ceilings in the school
district were safe from cave-ins.
Fernandez noted that Enriquez of Lupe
Ceilings, McAllen Insulation, was doing the
same thing in the buildings of the Fort
Ringgold Recycle Project. "We told him to
use long hooked screws in place of the tacks,
and he did." However, this did not take
place until after the ceilings on the buildings
had been completed-the Science Building,
the fromer R.O.T.C. Building, and the
former High School Annex, Fernandez
noted.
He says there is "no problem" with the
ceilings of the recycling work at the Fort.
•Ie "spot checked" all the buildings
Tuesday with reporters. In some buildings
the long screw-in hooks have been used. In
others, a combination of the hooks and
staples have been used, and in others only
the staples.
In those ceilings where only the staples
have been used, Fernandez allowed that the
sheetrock has been carved away to allow
maximum penetration of the staples into the
joists. He also pointed out that the light
fixtures in the Fort buildings are spaced,
whereas the light fixtures at Roque Guerra
Jr. Elementary had a greater concentration
of weight being all in a line held by the same
support.
Fernandez sees "no reason for alarm."
These reporters visited the schools and
crawled through attic space and lifted, at
random, several sections of suspended
acoustical ceilings Tuesday.
Ricardo Gonzalez, principal of Ringgold
Elementary, noted that the ceiling in a
classroom fell twice, but that it happened
before the classrooms were occupied. He
said he had been assured that the ceilings
had been made safe.
R.C Salinas, principal of Ringgold Junior
High, accompanied one reporter in the
random check of the build'ngs. Salinas and
the teachers in the classrooms, and the
students, witnessed the reporter's findings.
Other than the findings of the potentially
dangerous ceilings, there was much
evidence of poor workmanship-new floor
tiles coming loose, warped floors, termites,
a dangerously low electrical wire, paint and
plaster coming off the walls, loose doors,
and more.
A large portion of North Grammar School,
which was built in 1931 along with West
Grammar School (formerly a high school
and now Roque Guerra Jr.) has the concrete
plaster ceilings. In one spot the plaster is
stained by what appears to be a water leak
in the roof. The first cave-in at Roque
Guerra Jr. involved this type of ceiling.
The reporters' random check of the Fort
Ringgold recycled buildings revealed a
number of potentially dangerous problems.
In the classroom occupied by Rafael
Trevino in the former "library building" a
brick fell when the reporter attempted to
remove a section of suspended ceiling. Upton
closer examination, more bricks were found
in the crawl space, apparently set over the
very light filings sections, to keep them in
place.
In another classroom, the reporter, using
very little pulling pressure, pulled one of the
staples used to hold up the suspended
ceilings.
Numerous other problems in the con-
struction were noted, and the reporters
made this problem known to the Rio Grande
City Consolidated Independent School
District Board of Trustees, who met for
their regular term Tuesday afternoon.
Alan Taniguchi, the engineer who advises
the school district, was present at the
trustees meeting. He has been employed by
the district since 1974, first with the firm of
Taniguchi, Shefelman, Vackar. and Minter,
A.I.A., and later on his own.
The trustees agreed to look into the
matter Wednesday
Citizens at the trustee's meeting included
Vangie Anderson and Marco A. Garza Mrs.
Anderson said she had two cnuaren at the
school (Roque Guerra Jr.) and was very
concerned about the matter When there
was a discussion as to who was responsible,
she said, I think it is irrelevant who lis
responsible). Something needs to be done
about it."
Garza said that the taxpayers had paid
twice for having the ceilings repaired (at
Roque Guerra Jr.) "yet our children are not
safe."
"You told us it was safe," Abel Gonzalez
Jr., board president, trid Fernandez >
"Yes," Femaniut resjanded, barely
audible.
Hearing Held For $V& Million Paving Funds
The first of two public hearings for the
third action year of a $1.5 million Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development
Grant for paving and utilities improvements
in Rio Grande City was held at 10 a.m.
Friday at the Starr County Commissioners'
Courtroom.
The second hearing for the use of $500,000
for paving in Rio Grande City will be held on
March 28, it was announced.
County Attorney Alex Gabert, who is
chairman of the Economic Develooment
Committee, presided over the public
hearing Friday. Joe Gallegos of Con-
solidated Engineers and Architects ex-
plained a map which showed the streets in
Rio Grande City which are to be paved with
the $500,000
As Gallegos pointed out, the streets to be
paved are: all of Arredondo Street; two
blocks of Ramirez Street; two blocks of
Roosevelt Street; all of Woodrow Wilson
Avenue; all of C. Kelley Street;
About one block of Columbus Street;
about four blocks of Water Street, all of Cox
Street; a portion at the West end of Sixth
Street where it meets with an unnamed
street which is also on the project for
paving;
East Street north from Fifth Street to
Eisenhower Street; all of Lopez Street north
from Fifth Street to Eisenhower Street;
Fourth Street from Lopez Street east to
Avasolo Street; all of Avasolo Street;
Juarez Street; San Zeferino Street; and one
block of San Benito Street.
Officers Look For Stolen Home
★ ★★★★★★
STARR TREK
By MARCELOSILVA
EDITOR
A mobile home was stolen on or about
January 20, 1980, from Cipriano Lopez'
Javalina Ranch on the northwest part of
Starr County, according to Bernardo
Garcia, District Attorney's office in-
vestigator.
The mobile home allegedly stolen is single
axle, 14-foot-long, white and beige colored.
★ ★★★★★★
with license plates number 5HH 986 and the
identification number of the trailer home is
T12162.
Garcia asked that anybody having any
information as to the whereabouts of this
mobile home may call his office at 487-3876;
the Department of Public Safety at 487-5411;
or the Starr County Sheriff's Office at 487-
5571.
Garcia said Texas Rangers are also in-
volved in the investigation
Barbed wire strands were cut to allow the
removal of the mobile home from the ranch,
Garcia said.
This reporter uses this space only when something has to be said, topics which
reflect the public's viewpoints but which they, not being in our position, cannot ad-
dress. So here goes.
Federico Pacheco, senior resident engineer for the Texat. Department of Highways
and Public Transportation, has made it clear that his department's duties do not
include the control of traffic. He has said that his department's function is to provide
for highways and their maintenance. He has said that traffic control is up to the lucal
police. His department has, however, he said, placed large signs in Rio Grande City
pointing out the one-ways and the speed limit. Enforcement of the traffic laws is up to
local police and the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.
We have learned that the D.P.S. troopers, through an arrangement with local of-
ficials, work the rural areas of Starr County, and work the Rio Grande City area only
in emergencies or when requested by the Sheriff's Department.
The Sheriff's Department, the only local law, is pnvidng two sheriffs deputies on
duty at any one time for the whole of Starr County.
The problem is clear, there is just not enough police surveillance for the whole
county, certainly not enough for Rio Grande City.
There are two possible solutions for this problem, it seems. One, that the Starr
Commissioners Court set aside sufficient funds to provide at least for one patrol car
working the Rio Grande City area at all times, or that Rio Grande City incorporate
itself and provide for its own needs.
A ceiling caved in again in one of the local schools. This time two persons were
hurt. Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District school officials
cannot guarantee that it will not happen again.
When the lives of our children, their teachers, and other school personnel are in
danger by just being within school buildings, then something is very wrong.
This is public schools week. It is imperative, in view of the current happenings, that
parents, and in fact all taxpayers, vLsit their schools and actually see for themselves
how the buildings are.
I hastily went through some of the schools Tuesday and I did not like what I found
When you go visit your schools, you might agree that we are being shortchanged. I
am talking of recent recycling work on some of the school buildings.
Go see for yourselves, because the matter is serious and we might have to get rid of
some rascals who are not properly doing their jobs.
On Sunday afternoon, Mar. 2, the Rio Grande City Volunteer Fire Department
responded to a call at the old HUT theatre. The abandoned building (abandoned
except for Oscar's Barber Shop) was ablaze The firemen managed to control the
blaze before it spread to adjacent buildings in the downtown area of Rio Grande City.
Hie firemen returned again to fight a fire in the same building that night, and one
fireman, George Guajardo, fell through burnt timbers into a twelve feet deep
beasement In the rear of the building. Luckily he escaped alive. He will unable to
work, howtver, for about three months because of the injuries he sustained in the fall.
The volunteer firemen have Initiated a fund drive to help Guajardo Anybody
wishing to make contributions may call 487-5312, or 487-2937
Let us not forget that were it not for these brave individuals who fight fires for no
pay, the community would be in a sad situation
Those two fires in the same building were not acts of God-humans lit the matches,
probably kids playing.
The fact is it is not the only abandoned building in this community There are many
abandoned homes and buildings in the downtown area of Rio Grande City. Something
needs to be done about them before a more serious incident will happen
And speaking of abandoned homes and buildings, the question comes to mind, who
can do something about it? The owners? Obviously not, since they would have
already done something to bring up the value of their peoperty
The Starr Commissioners' Court? If they have not moved all these past years, can
we expect them to act now, or anytime in the future?
It Is the future that we have to secure The only answer to these questions, and to
many others concerning our future in Rio Grande City, appears to be our joining
together to provide for it That la, to provide a safe, sanitary, and decent place for our
children. We must incorporate. Even if the rich owners of those abandoned
buildings, and the pottticos, and all others who seek only private gain, oppose it
THE HIT ON FIRE— The old HUT Theatre on Main Street In Rio Grande City
caught fire at about 6 p.m Sunday Firemen fought the blaze for about two hours
The firemen returned again around midnight a{ter another fire was reported in the
building One volunteer fireman was hurt when he fell into a basement in the building
when the firemen answered the second call One section of the building was occupied
by Oscar's Barber Shop. No other injuries were reported
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Silva, Marcelo. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 6, 1980, newspaper, March 6, 1980; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194757/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.