Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 17, 1993 Page: 1 of 10
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Valley Mart
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USPS 466--.-
81, No. 23, Thursday , June 17,1993
25 cents
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ICS ALUMNI EXCEL—Among the I993 graduates of Rio Grande City High School
were many ol these sixth grade students of Sister Barbara * Masch at. Immaculate
Conception School in 1986-87. Vou may recognize some familiar faces, as their
accomplishments have been many. To mention only a few of these achievements,
there are a drum major, many choir and band standouts, all-district basketball and
football players, cheerleaders, a student body president, a state track star, an All-
State Scholar/Athlete, an All-American Scholar/Athlete, a valedictorian, and
numerous honor graduates.
Texaco donates land for
mastery in Starr Com
Texaco Exploration and
Production Inc. (TEPI) is donating
15 acres of land in Starr County to
rhc Benedictine Sisters of the Good
Shepherd as a future location of a
monastery for the Lower Rio
Grande Valley.
Benedictine Sisters Luella Walsh,
Francis Solum and Nancy Boushey
*cre notified Of Texaco's gift on
Friday. For more than a year, the
Sisters had been seeking a suitable
'■location to build a permanent
monastery in the Lower Rio Grande
Valley, a predominantly Catholic
diocese in one of the most
poverty-stricken areas of the United
States.
"We are thrilled that Texaco's
generosity will enable our monastic
work to continue in a permanent
setting for all the people of the
k Galley," said Sister Walsh,
Monastic Leader. "Texaco's
donation is an affirmation that our
Valley is blessed with people who
want to better our community."
The Sisters intend to construct a
new monastery on the property,
located five miles northwest of Rio
Grande City. Sister Walsh said the
purpose of the new monastery is to
provide for community life,
spiritual renewal and retreats.
"The monastery will be an oasis
of prayer and healing for ourselves
and the people of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley," said Sister Walsh.
"The Lord knows we can use an
oasis."
Starr County is the state's
poorest county and the second
poorest county in the United States.
It is estimated that 60 percent of
Starr County's 40,500 residents live
in poverty while contending with a
23 percent unemployment rate.
Texaco's donation was praised by
Most. Rev. Enrique San Pedro,
S.J., Bishop of Brownsville, who
said the new nonastery will help
provide counseling, spiritual
development and serve as a home
for an expected influx of skilled
religious.
"Starr County is largely rural,
extremely poor and is well known
as an area with high drug-related
problems," said Bishop San Pedro.
"For a group of Sisters to be
, 3 Rattlers chosen for
All-Star baseball game
Three senior members of the
1993 Rio Grande City High School
varsity baseball team have been
chosen to compete at the East-West
Senior Showcase baseball game,
^scheduled for Saturday in Edinburg.
The game is scheduled to begin at
4 p.m. Saturday at Jody Ramsey
Stadium on the UT-Pan American
campus in Edinburg.
The East team will be comprised
of senior players from high schools
in Brownsville, Harlingen, San
Benito, Weslaco and other schools
in the eastern half of the Valley.
(0 The West team will be comprised
of players from high schools in
communities from the Upper
Valley, or west of Weslaco.
Shortstop Rogelio Campos,
catcher Marco Ba/an and third
baseman Miguel Villarreal arc the
three seniors from the 1993 Rattler
team that will be playing for the
West squad in Saturday's all-star
contest.
Rattler Head Coach George
Cabasos indicated that as of
Monday, June 14, Marco Bazan,
Rogelio Campos and senior
pitcher-second baseman Joe Briseno
have been awarded scholarships to
play baseball at Huston-Tillotson
College in Austin.
Cabasos indicated that Miguel
Villarreal and Casimiro Olivarez
have also expressed their intention
to attend Huston-Tillotson College.
Cabasos noted that five former
Rattler baseball standouts are
currently playing baseball at HTC
in Austin. They arc Jerry Cavazos,
Tony Avila, Hugo Bazan, Aaron
Balli and Alfredo Hernandez.
RGCCIS
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Welfare Board
* commended at region
The Starr County Child Welfare
Board was recently recognized at the
Region 8 Council of Child Welfare
Boards meeting held in Corpus
Christi.
The commendation was in
recognition of the generous
( contribution the board^displayed
during the 1993 April National
Child Abuse Awareness/Prevention
Month, Blue Ribbon Campaign.
Members of the Starr County
Child Welfare Board are David
Pena, Jr., president; Estella
Canales, treasurer; Nancy Garcia,
Doralisa R. Saenz, Rodolfo
Salinas, Jerry Lozano, Danny
Lopez, Adela Guerrero, Martha
Gaytan, Guadalupe De La Qarza,
Mary Lou Trevino, Calixtro
Villarreal, and Fr. Ricardo Garcia.
willing to establish a new center in
this region to help the people of the
Valley is so important."
The number of religious expected
to live at the new monastery could
approach two dozen. They will
provide such skills as parenting,
drug and alcohol counseling, GED
classes, job training, food and
clotning distribution, and adult
education.
"The Benedictine Sisters are
doing important work and Texaco is
pleased to be able to donate this
property so they can continue to be
a strong presence in the
community," said Ken Wisdom,
Division Manager of the Onshore
Exploration and Producing Division
for Texaco Exploration and
Production Inc.
"Texaco recognized the
pioneering works of the Benedictine
Sisters and desired to further assist
in their efforts to improve the
quality of life in the Valley," said
Julian S.C. Hobson, also Division
Manager of TEPI's Onshore
Exploration and Producing
Division.
In 1989, the Sisters opened a
mission house in El Sauz, Tx, the
first such facility south of Boeme,
near San Antonio. They had come
to the Valley at different times from
the Mount SL Benedict Monastery
in Crookston, Minnesota. The
founding of new monasteries by
Benedictines is a natural
development of their desire to be
responsive to religious, cultural and
social conditions surrounding them.
Sister Walsh, a native of Badger,
Minnesota, has served in Texas for
23 years. She has taught in
elementary schools, ministered as a
hospital chaplain and has done
pastoral work.
Sister Solum, originally from
Barncsville, Minnesota, became
fluent in Spanish during her seven
(See TEXACO, Page 6)
Post Office plans
Father's Day
social Friday
The U.S. Postal Service in Rio
Grande City will hold a Father's
Day social on Friday, June 18
between 9 and 11 a.m. at the local
post office.
Cake and punch will be served
between 9 and 11 a.m. Friday.
There will be a drawing held for
Father of the Year. Interested
persons can enter the drawing by
registering in the Post Office
lobby.
One of the purposes of the social
is to strengthen the relationship of
the Post Office with its customers.
The local Piost Office is located at
500 E. Eisenhower in Rio Grande
City.
At their regular monthly meeting
on Tuesday night, June 8, the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
evaluated the TAAS test scores of
the spring of 1993 and added two
new programs to the school
district's curriculum component.
Superintendent Ruben Saenz
noted that the spring TAAS results
showed significant gains for the
fourth grade. Diana Pena, Director
of Guidance, gave a detailed
presentation to the board on the
TAAS results and also stressed the
improvement in the fourth grade.
Saenz indicated to The Rio
Grande Herald, "We showed some
improvement in all areas for the
fourth grade."
The superintendent noted that the
percentage of fourth grade students
passing all tests increased from 24
percent in 1992 to 31 percent in
1993. Saenz indicated that fifth
graders took the test in 1991-92.
Among the fourth graders,
declared Saenz, the percentage
passing the Writing component
increased from 51 to 63 percent
from 1991-92 to 1992-93. Mastery
of Reading increased from 33 to 39
percent and mastery of Mathematics
rose slightly from 44 to 45 percent.
Among the eighth graders, the
percentage of students passing all
three tests increased from 9 to 14
percent Students mastering Writing
increased from 23 to 39 percent and
mastery of Reading rose from 22 to
27 percent. Mastery of Mathematics
declined slighiiy from 15 to 14
percenL
Seanz noted, "We will have the
10th grade EXIT test comparisons
in October. Our true comparison
will be when the sophomores (of
1992-93) take the test as juniors."
In 1992-93, 13 percent of all
sophomores passed all three tests
on the TAAS test on their first
attempt. Forty one percent passed
Writing, 31 percent mastered
Reading and 21 percent mastered
Mathematics.
About the TAAS results, Saenz
commented, "It is encouraging to
see that we're beginning to see
improvement at the elementary
level. The best way to improve
student achievement is to see
significant improvement at the
elementary level."
The superintendent declared, "We
were somewhat encouraged (about
the test results). We feel that the
trend is toward positive
improvement Much work remains
to be done in all areas. Our teachers
and administrators are working very
hard." •
Saenz emphasized, "We will not
be fully satisfied until all campuses
shown significant improvement in
all three areas."
Saenz noted that the trustees
voted to add two significant
components to the district's
curriculum program.
The superintendent indicated that
"Tech-Prep Curriculum will be
implemented at the high school in
the health services area. This
program is new to most high
schtpls in Texas."
jii'tvilZ uCciiiiUi, niib 16
for youths (at Rio Grande City
High SchooH who want to pursue
health services as a career.
Tech-Prep has many different
components and fields of focus."
He added, "The core curriculum
(for those participating in the
program) will be modified to
include as much health-related
information as possible. The total
curriculum, especially in Math,
English, Science and Social
Studies, is focused toward
incorporating as much health-related
information as possible."
Saenz noted, "In the junior and/or
senior years, students will spend
some time at a health-related site,
such as hospitals, clinics, doctors'
offices, nursing homes, etc."
As part of the program, indicated
the superintendent, "we will have
an articulation agreement with the
community college that some
health-related courses taken in the
senior year of high school can be
applied for college credits."
The trustees also approved the
participation of Ringgold and
Grulla Middle Schools in the
"Valued Youth Program." Saenz
noted that a total of 50 eighth grade
students, split evenly with 25 from
each school, will be participating in
the program.
Saenz stated, "These are
considered at-risk students. These
students will be provided with
intensive counseling and guidance
in the areas of self-image,
self-responsibility, etc."
He added, "They (the students)
will also tutor elementary students
tjtio i.OLu yv. '•*j jays a
week. They will be compensated for
their tutoring...The youngsters are
(See TAAS, Page 4)
Suspect sought in two
murders near Sullivan City
A Mexican national is the subject
of an arrest warrant in connection
with two allegedly-related slayings
in the Sullivan City area in the
predawn hours of Thursday, June
10.
Sheriff's Department Chief
Investigator Guadalupe Marquez
indicated Tuesday afternoon that a
warrant was issued Saturday for the
arrest of Jorge Luis Alcozer AKA
"El Kanguro". Alcozer is suspected
of being responsible for the murders
of Jose Guadalupe Salinas and
Aureliano Martinez. The warrant
was issued by Justice of the Peace
Jose Adan "Coche" Garcia.
The body of Salinas, 32, a native
of Mexico who had recendy resided
in the Alto Bonito area, was found
Thursday morning, June 10 during
daylight hours. Salinas' body was
found inside his vehicle, a 1989
Hyundai, on Benavides Road near
Sullivan City just inside of Stan-
County. Marquez noted that the
vehicle was intact.
Marquez indicated that Salinas
"had been shot three times. He had
been shot in the chest and twice in
the stomach area.''
Marquez declared, "The shooting
probably took place between
midnight and 1 a.m. Thursday. We
believe that the crime scene was on
Benavides Road about three miles
north of U.S. 83. This happened in
a ranching area, not near any
residences."
The investigator stated, "A
small-caliber weapon was probably
used. The shots were not fired at
extremely close range."
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on
Saturday, the decomposed body of
Aureliano Martinez, 35, of
Camargo, Mexico was found in a
brushy area about 600 feet east of
Benavides Road near Sullivan City.
Marquez indicated that Martinez's
body was found about 600 feet
away from the area believed to be
the original crime scene. The
investigator said that Martinez was
shot once in the ne^k just below
the right ear and once in the right
side. The latter bullet exited
through the left side of the victim's
chest.
Marquez declared that Martinez
"apparently ran from the scene.
Apparently, he ran for a short
distance after being shot before he
fell." He added, "A small-caliber
weapon was evidently used; not at
close range."
The investigator declared that
Martinez "had come to visit
Salinas."
Marquez said that Alcozer is
originally a native of Mexico
(See MURDERS, Page 5)
1
Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Parish with its missions, Holy Family Church, Los
Saenz; Lamb of God Church, Fronton; St. Joseph's Church, Salineno; and Holy
Trinity Church, Falcon Heights; is sponsoring a Summer Girls Youth Program for
6th to 12th graders beginning on June 17. Directing the program is Miss Lamar
(Cuata) Canales, youth supervisor shown with Father Hugo Van den Russche,
O.M.I., as they discuss plans.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 17, 1993, newspaper, June 17, 1993; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195397/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.