The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 20, 1986 Page: 1 of 12
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Edelstein
Specials,
Pg.12
THE RIO GRANDE HERALD
Serving Starr County For 75 Years
H.E.B.
Specials,
Pgs- 6,7,8
Published in Rio Grande City, Texas, Every Thursday By The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
NO. 4, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20.1986
FIFTEEN CENTS
Y*
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Award Winners at the 4-H Achievement Awards Banquet Sunday evening in San
Isidro are pictured above. From left to right in the back row are Dr. Roberto S.
Margo, Outstanding Friend of 4-H; Teresa Gonzalez, Outstanding Leader (Starr
Grande 4-H); and James Peterson, recipient of the State Volunteer 4-H Leader
Award.
In the front row are Gold Star winners Mirosalva Hequenez, left, of San Isidro, and
Melissa Gonzalez, of Starr Grande 4-H.
Sheriff Criticizes TIME Article
Sheriff Gene Falcon says he
takes strong exception to a very
B recent TIME magazine article that
depicts Starr County as a heavi-
ly-used corridor for drug smuggl-
ing.
The sheriff insisted, "It is so
unfair and unjust. The magazine
was degrading us; they have
exaggerated our problems. They've
got bigger problems; they've just
got to look in their backyards."
Falcon took particular exception
to the magazine contending that 40
h percent of all narcotics crossing
into South Texas from Mexico is
funneled through Starr County.
He argued, "It it's so, how come
the feds hav erun only two search
warrants in 11 months? How come
the federal presence is not in Starr
County? They're talking off base;
the problem exists from El Paso to
Brownsville."
The sheriff insisted, "I think
there's been a considerable de-
) crease in narcotics traffic locally
since the 'Wishbone' operation of
1976." He added, "There's no doubt
that it (traffic) is much less," than
the article's statement that 15 tons
of marijuana and 1000 pounds of
cocaine are funneled through the
county each week."
He again argued, "These kinds of
figures are shocking. Why aren't
they (federal drug agents) here if
it's so bad?"
Falcon complained, "How come
they didn't talk to the outstanding
citizens of the county? I did tell
TIME we have high quality indi-
viduals and families in this county.
We that live and work here know it
(the story) is not so."
The sheriff suggested that such
stories mean that "the more
figures Washington is presented
with, the more funding (for federal
agencies) is possible. There's going
to be a lot more money put into the
border area."
He insisted that "about the only
(See TIME, Page 10}
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A young, aspiring attorney from
Rio Grande City found that the
road to success was fraught with
many "booby traps."
Baldemar Garza, 25, was ad-
mitted to the bar on Nov. 7, 1986,
after having taken his examination
to become an attorney in July.
Garza will be working with local
attorneys Frank Randall Nye, Jr.,
and Isabel Trevino.
Garza is a lifelong native of Rio
Grande City He is a 1979 graduate
of Rio Grande City High School.
Garza graduated from Sul Ross
University in Alpine with a major
in English and a minor in Spanish.
He attended the Thurgood Marshall
Lauro Lopez Christmas
Parade Marshal
Leonel Lopez, president of the
Rio Grande City Chamber cf
Commerce, announces that this
year's Parade Marshal for the
Christmas Parade will be Lauro
Lopez, owner of the Triple "L"
0 Furniture Store in Rio Grande City.
Lauro Lopez, a native-born citi-
zen of Rio Grande City, is the son
of the late Ernesto Lopez and Otila
Zarate Lopez He graduated from
Rio Grande City High School in
1943 and served in the Armed
Forces during World War II at the
Eisenhower headquarters in
Europe.
After his tour in the service,
Lopez attended the University of
• Texas and then worked in the
garment industry in New York City
for two years. Upon returning to
Rio, he worked for a short time as
a salesman for Chapapas Motor
Company Later, he joined the
Falcon Dam construction as head
of the heavy and small equipment
vehicles.
"One of the fondest memories,"
recalls Lopez, "is being present at
the inauguration of Falcon Dam by
• President Eisenhower
In 1949, Lauro married Maria
Celia Saenz, and the couple has
five children: David Lauro, Daniel
Roy. Diana. Dalinda, and Delia All
of their children followed their
parents' example and now own and
operate their own businesses
I^iuro went into the furniture
business in 1953, and in 1970, along
with his wife, Maria Celia, opened
his own furniture store, Triple "L",
^ which they have operated here in
Rio Grande City since then
Lauro also has a long record of
community service. He is a 37-year
member of the Knights of Col-
umbus and served that organiza-
tion as Grand Knight in 1966. He is
a charter member of El Cid
Caravan Order of the Alhambra in
1956 and served as its Grand
Commander in 1977-78.
He has also served as a charter
member of the Rio Grande City
Rotary Club since 1968, and has
served Rotary in various
(See LOPEZ. Page 3}
School of Law at Texas Southern
University in Houston, graduating
from there in Mayy 1986
Garza said, "I want to extend my
thanks to especially my teachers
over the years, all my friends who
provided moral support, and obvi-
ously, my mother and my wife."
He added, "One of the things I've
learned since leaving school is that
we should be very proud of our
teachers. We have great teachers
who are very caring individuals."
Garza lost his father when he
was only three. He said, "It's been
just me and my mother, who
doesn't speak any English There
was no money "
Garza is the son of Bertha Garza
of Rio Grande City One of the few
sources of income for the two was
the Social Security checks for
Garza's deceased father
While at Sul Ross, Garza sup-
ported himself through two jobs,
serving as a night clerk at a motel,
and working at a library. Later, he
worked as an English and Spanish
tutor at Sul Ross
Garza said. "My education was
funded through scholarships and
loans In essence, I didn't have any
money, except through work."
One of Garza's biggest sources of
support was the Council of Legal
Education Opportunities (CLEO).
He said, "Their program was a
Lauro Lopez, the owner of Triple "L" Furniture Store
in Rio Grande City, will be the Parade Marshal for the
1986 Christmas Parade, which will be carried out by the
Rio Grande City Chamber of Commerce.
Area Sheriffs Meet Tuesday
State Sheriffs Meeting
In Starr Friday
Five sheriffs from far South
Texas met in Rio Grande City
Tuesday morning to coordinate
plans for stronger law enforcement
in the area.
Meeting with Starr County
Sheriff Gene Falcon were Hidalgo
County Sheriff Brig Marmolejo,
Cameron County Sheriff Alex
Perez, Webb County Sheriff Mario
Santos and Zapata County Sheriff
Gilberto Villarreal.
Falcon said that the purpose of
Tuesday's meeting was "simply to
discuss relationships between the
five Sheriff's Departments as we
need better unity among us to be
able to perform our jobs the best
that we can...The meeting is to
discuss border relationships among
Texas sheriffs."
According to Sunday's issue of
the Edinburg Daily Review, U.S
Customs officials were also present
to plan a stronger crackdown on
narcotics trafficking through the
area.
A conference of sheriffs and
other lawmen from throughout
Texas will be held at an un-
disclosed location in Starr County
this Friday.
Starr County Sheriff Gene
Falcon, the host for the gathering,
said, "We expect a big crowd of
sheriffs from all over the state. We
expect about 100sheriffs."
Falcon indicated that most of
these sheriffs will be from the
Central Texas area southward, but
added that at least a couple of West
Texas sheriffs have expressed their
intention to attend.
Among the topics of discussion,
said Falcon, are the policing of the
U.S.-Mexico border against illegal
immigration and narcotics traf-
ficking.
The serious problems of violent
crimes, border homicides, and
thefts will also be considered. Jail
space capacity, especially for fed
eral inmates, will also be dis-
cussed.
Falcon said that several top
federals law enforcement officials
will attend the informal Confer-
ence. Among them are the U.S.
Regional Commissioner of
Customs, and the Border Patrol's
Regional Commander.
U.S. Rep. Jack Fields of Houston
will also be on hand, and Rep. Kika
de la Garza's office will be
represented.
DPS Chief Col. Jim Adams will
be present, as will the chairman of
the Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission and the chairman of
the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department
Falcon said the purpose of the
meeting is to bring about "closer
relations and cooperation among
law enforcement agencies."
Falcon said, "To the Sheriff's
Association, the important thing is
that there's strength in numbers.
We are able to request better local
funding, and t^etter understanding
of law enforcement problems "
The Starr County sheriff in
dicated that such needs as better
radio equipment, more reliable
vehicles will be discussed, as well
as the possibility of obtaining
"some type of air equipment,
maybe helicopters or airplanes,
that could be shared among two or
three counties."
Falcon added, "We're requesting
better funding from Washington for
vehicles, equipment, and salaries,
and construction of new jails where
needed."
Also essential, contended Falcon,
is "more modern weapons, and
more modern radar equipment."
summarized course of first year
law."
Garza added, "They paid my
way up there to Topeka (Kansas;
(See GARZA, Page 5}
Notice To
Herald Readers
The Rio Grande Herald wishes to
inform its readers that the paper will be
on a shorter printing schedule this week,
in order to have next week's issue out by
Thanksgiving.
The Herald will be printed in Edinburg
on Tuesday, rather than the usual
Wednesday.
Therefore, all news and advertising
copy for the Nov. 27 issue needs to be
submitted to the Herald by late Monday
afternoon.
'
■mHi
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Mills Matter Up For
Decision Wednesday
A state district court hearing on
whether County Clerk Juan Mills
was to be declared in contempt of
court was scheduled to be held on
Wednesday morning, Nov. 19
District Attorney Allen "Gocha"
Ramirez indicated, "On Wednes-
day, the District Judge signed a
show-cause order requiring Juan
Mills to appear next Wednesday."
Ramirez said that previously, he
had filed a motion asking that Mills
be required to show cause at a
hearing as to why he should not be
declared in contempt of court
County Attorney Heriberto Silva
said that he had signed an
affadavit noting that he had seen
the unimpounded ballots in a caged
room in the County Clerk's office
on the afternoon of Wednesday,
June 4
Ramirez said that he has never
come across any evidence that
ballots were tampered with.
Mills said Tuesday that he is
ready for and confident about the
hearing.
Concerning a recent episode,
Two Rattlers
To Hun
In England
Two members of the Rio Grande
City High varsity cross country
team have been selected to run in
London, England in late 1986 and
early 1987
Junior Greg Aguero and sopho
more Jesus Montoya will be
running under the auspices of the
International Sports Exchange.
Coach Roel Gonzalez com
mented, "We're trying to get
money together (to pay the two
runners' expenses We have a fund
drive organized "
Gonzalez urges any person inter
ested in contributing to the drive to
enable Aguero and Montoya to
compete in England to contact him
at Ringgold Jr High
Ramirez indicated that the unsuc-
cessful Republican candidate for
Precinct Four County Commission-
er, Jose Luis Saenz, had alleged
that Mills had kept some unused
ballots in his office
About that, Ramirez commented,
"The 'impoundment) order doesn't
specifically require that unused
ballots be impounded. I told him
(Mills) that, to avoid any appear
ance of impropriety, he should send
those materials upstairs to be
impounded also.' He said that
Mills' actions on that recent matter
were in keeping with the specifics
of the court order
At Friday's Commissioners'
Court meeting, a motion was
approved calling for the hiring of
the law firm of Guerra and Duvall
to defend Mills, in his official
capacity, at Wednesday's hearing.
The episode broke on June 4,
when it was discovered that
approximately 600 mail-in absentee
ballots for the June 7 runoff
election had been kept in the
County Clerk's office, instead of
being impounded in the District
Clerk's Office.
Mills has consistently denied any
wrongdoing, and contended that he
was carrying out a clerical pro-
cedure to keep persons who had
already voted absentee on mail-in
ballots from turning up to vote
absentee in person
Guillen Named Citizen's
State Bank Director
Roma-Manuel P Guillen of Rio
Grande City was unanimously
elected director of Citizens State
Bank of Roma at the Bank's
regular meeting held Thursday,
Nov 13, 1986, according to Martin
A Canales, Jr., Executive Vice-
President
Guillen is a lifelong resident of
Rio Grande City and is the son of
the late Mr and Mrs Manuel T
Guillen. "We are very fortunate to
have Mr Guillen on the Board of
Directors,"stated Canales.
"He brings over 38 years'
experience in Banking which he
acquired during his service as
Senior Vice-President with the
former First State Bank and the
present First National Bank of Rio
Grande City "
Guillen has alway been com-
munity-oriented in his activities
He was a former president of the]
Rotary Club in Rio Grande and
served as finance secretary for
over 30 years for the Knights of
Columbus i
A ,'ime interest for Guillen is
youth activites he and has always
been an active supporter of the
Starr County Youth Fair and
associate of the Rio Grande
Cv
Manuel (*ui!!pn
Livestock Show in Mercedes and
served as 4-H adult leader
He is married to Jane B Guillen,
and the couple has one son,
Stephen Michael
"There is no doubt in our minds
that 'Meme' Guillen will be an
asset to our Institution and to the
Community in general," concluded
Canales
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 20, 1986, newspaper, November 20, 1986; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195055/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.