Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 26, 1996 Page: 1 of 14
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Published weekly in Rio Grande City, Texas every Thursday by The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
USPS 466-200
VOL. 83, NO. 50 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26,1996
25 cents
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This float produced by Grade's Child Development won third place honors in the
Dec. 14 Christmas Parade in Rio Grande City. The float was christened with the
theme "Little Christmas Angels." A cash prize of $75 was awarded for this float.
The Parade was carried out under the auspices of the Rio Grande City Chamber of
Commerce.
Aldermen okay application
for Task Force funding
At their special meeting during
the noon hour on Wednesday, Dec.
18, the Rio Grande City Board of
Aldermen approved a resolution
authorizing the city administration
to proceed with an application for
state funding to operate the
Multi-Agency Narcotics Task
Force.
City Administrator Jose
Escamilla indicated that the Task
Force "at this point would be a
partnership between the District
Attorney's Office and the Rio
Grande City Police Department.
This is basically very preliminary.
We should know sometime in May
if the city receives this grant (from
the state)."
Escamilla stated, "The maximum
grant amount could be $300,000; it
would be a 75-25 grant. The city's
share could be considerably less in
the initial months. As things
progress, these grant monies will
hopefully offset expenses."
At the Dec. 5 city meeting.
Police Chief Guadalupe Marquez
noted that the grant to the county
for the Task Force will expire in
March 1997.
The aldermen also approved a
three percent cost of living increase
for city employees. Escamilla
explained, "We felt that because of
the efforts the employees are
pulling forth and the stable,
conservative budgeting by the city,
a three percent cost of living
increase is warranted...This is to
award the employees for their
diligence."
Escamilla emphasized, "Increases
would be awarded ONLY if monies
are available and adjustments will
not necessarily be made on an
annual basis, but will be based on
availability of funds and employee
performance."
The aldermen also discussed
financial statements. Escamilla
noted, "The city had a positive fund
balance of roughly $101,000 on
Sept. 30,1996, which was the of
Fiscal Year 1995-96."
34 Rio High Band students
reap All-Valley honors
Thirty-four Rio Grande City
High School Band students were
selected to the All-District, All-
Region and Ninth Grade All-Valley
bands.
Tryouts for the All-District and
All-Region were held at McAllen
Memorial High School, and
tryouts for Ninth Grade All-Valley
were held at Edcouch-Elsa High
School.
Tryouts consist of individual
competition between students from
all areas of (he Valley. The
students were required to perform
their music with five judges and as
many as 60 other students in the
room with them.
Students are chosen for the elite
bands based on their musical
execution, musicality and overall
music fundamentals.
The audition is a rigorous
"survival of the fittest" where
students must outplay each other to
earn placement.
RGC trustees cancel
uncontested election
At their special meeting on
Friday morning, Dec. 20, the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
voted to cancel the Jan. 18 election
under new state legislation that
allows entities to cancel
uncontested elections.
Superintendent Ramon Hinojosa
explained, "No write-in candidacies
materialized, so the district
exercised its option under a new
state law." He indicated that
cancellation of the election "will
save the district approximately
$4000." In the brief meeting, the
trustees approved a motion
cancelling the election.
In Position One, Dr. Mario M.
Jimenez is seeking election to the
board and will be the only
candidate. In January, he will
assume the position being vacated
by Dr. Roberto Gonzalez, who was
first elected to the board in 1985.
In Position Two, incumbent
trustee Jose Luis Garza is
unopposed in his bid for a second
term.
In Position Three, Roberto
"Bobby" Gutierrez, is the only
candidate and will assume the
position being vacated by Arnulfo
Garcia, who was first elected in
1991.
High ranking All-District
students who qualify to All-Region
had the opportunity to advance to
the All-Area Band. These students
will now vie for a place in the All-
State Band at an audition in Alice
on Jan. 11.
"The Rio Grande City High
School Music Dept. is very proud
of the accomplishments of our
students and the fine work of our
staff who have prepared these
students for these competitions,"
said Band Director Melba Alejos.
The All-Valley Band students are:
Oboe: Iris Laurel (All-District,
All-Region).
Audra Gonzalez (All-District).
Clarinet: Leticia Herrera (All-
District. All-Region, All-Area).
Myra Morales (All-District. All-
Region. All-Area).
Anastacia Rodriguez (All-
District, All-Region, All-Area).
Clarissa Gucrra (All-District,
All-Region).
Sara Gonzalez (All-District, All-
Region).
Jessica Falcon (All-District. All-
Region).
Jessica Moreno (All-District,
All-Region).
Kathy Leal (All-District. All-
Region). —
(See STUDENTS, Page 9)
Trustees discuss
new building, refuge
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
on Monday night, Dec. 16, the Rio
Grande City CISD board of trustees
heard a progress report from an
architectural firm representative
concerning the new high school
Career and Technology Building and
also discussed the status of the
Chachalaca Wildlife Refuge.
A representative of the Lopez &
Lopez architectural firm told the
trustees, "The foundation work is
100 percent complete for the main
building. Structural steel progress
, is roughly 40 percent. Masonry
units are at the job sites and are
roughly 30 percent complete. I feel
comfortable with how the
contractor is coming along."
Trustee Basilio "Bacho"
Villarreal, Jr., commented, "I would
like to see a more concise report
about every facility." He asked,
"Will we have a conduit for
computers?" The representative
responded, "The contractor assured
me that it (the conduit) will be in
place. I will follow up on your
suggestions about a concise report."
The representative added, "We're
doing our best to involve as many
local businesses as possible. C.F.
Jordan says the high school will be
ready in August and I agree."
Trustee Juan M. Cantu expressed
concern about a fence constructed
around the site. Superintendent
Ramon Hinojosa later said, "They
were wondering why it had to be an
eight-foot fence. We can move the
fence somewhere else when the
project is over or some kind of
discount can be provided."
Hinojosa later told The Rio
Grande Herald that the Career and
Technology Building "should be
complete at the same time as the
high school, perhaps a little
before."
The trustees considered at length
the status of the Chachalaca
Wildlife Refuge. Benito Treviho,
Jr., told the trustees, "Rio Grande
Wilderness Inc. has served the
school district for several years on
this matter. When we took over,
there were a lot of hazardous
materials on the ground. The
Maintenance Department has done a
fine job of cleaning up materials."
Trevino added, "We provided free
services such as guided tours. I feel
teachers gained a lot of knowledge."
Trevino declared, "Rio Grande
Wilderness Inc. would like to enter
into an agreement with the school
to maintain trails, monitor
endangered species and monitor
vegetation. In return, we would
continue to provide free guided
tours."
Trustee Arnulfo Garcia said,
"Representatives of the city recently
asked the same thing. They wanted
to be the guardian of the refuge. I
urged them to get together with
you."
Trevino said, "I was invited to
one meeting. I feel I was
outgunned. The city had a full
representation. I basically was not
allowed to speak. I told the city
there was no garbage (near the
trails)."
Trustee Villarreal suggested, "I
would like to see you come to
some kind of understanding. I d like
to see you at a medium where both
C3n work together. I'm not Dying to
say it hasn't been working. I think
you've done a fantastic job, but I'm
suggesting you just take it to
another level."
Trevino insisted, "I don't know
anybody in the city with equal
knowledge about native plants. I
don't see how they can improve on
what's been done. The important
thing is that it is totally wild, a
totally natural setting. We have just
made it possible to move from one
environment to another."
Trevino continued, "I felt more
damage could be done with what
they were proposing. Bird feeders
were proposed; this would bring
small populations into a small high
density area and they would be
vulnerable to attack from animals
We have three officers. We are a
non-profit organization. The only
expenses incurred have come from
our pockets. This is a total
volunteer effort."
Villarreal suggested, "The city
has a cable access channel and other
resources that could be helpful. It
would be nice for you to have some
kind of working relationship."
Trevino replied, "We have done
programs with Channel Four. We
tried to get on Channel Two and
my request never got anywhere. I
am offended by suggestions by
others that Rio Grande Wilderness
doesn't do anything."
Cantu stated, "Rio Grande
Wilderness is proposing that it stay
as it is. What they're saying makes
a lot of sense Would you be
amenable to expanding your board
to include a representative of the
district, not continually the same
person?"
Trevino said, "The way we're
handling it is as an expansion of
the classroom." Trustee Jose Luis
Garza asked, "What kind of contract
(See TRUSTEES, Page 10)
Freeze hits pastures
harder than vegetables
The Arctic cold snap that dropped
temperatures into the low 20's in
many areas of Starr County last
week left its worst effects by
damaging the condition of pastures.
The Rio Grande City Fire
Department recorded a low
temperature of 24 on Thursday
morning. Television reports
indicated that the temperature
dropped to 17 in Garciasville.
County Extension Agent Enrique
Perez told The Rio Grande Herald,
"It did set back whatever grass was
there. There were some forbs
available for wildlife due to the
earlier mild weather, but that
resource has now been
depleted...Whatever grass was green
turned brown. Brush and range land
were not hurt."
Benny Cano of the ASCS local
office indicated, "The grass really
got hurt. The pastures will be in
trouble for a while. It will take
some good rain to bring it back.
The freeze was serious, but not of
the magnitude of 1989.
Temperatures were below freezing
eight to 10 hours."
Cano added, "Pastures were
already hurting due to the drought.
How the grass comes back depends
(See FREEZE, Page 10)
y
Rosa A. Roberts of the Better Living for Texans program made a special
presentation recently to Brownie Troop 211 concerning the "Food Pyramid." At the
same^time, the Brownies held a Christmas social. Dora Guerra of the local WIC
office helped With the presentation. The Brownies were working toward their "Try It
Food Fun Badge." Lizette Duran of 4-H also helped with the presentation.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 26, 1996, newspaper, December 26, 1996; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195580/m1/1/?q=architectural+drawings: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.