Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 85, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 20, 1998 Page: 1 of 8
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.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
i i
WEEKLY EDITION
August 20, 1998
85th Year, No. 34
25 cents
Herald
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
if :r*'J.
RGCCISD educators review information
A pair of Rio Grande City CISD educators review information at a session of Staff Development Day on
Thursday, Aug. 13 at Rio Grande City High iol. Educators attended four different 90-minutc sessions to
improve their teaching styles for the 1998-1 .. >)l year. (RGCCISD photo)
County okays resolution
supporting spaceport project
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their continued regular
meeting Thursday afternoon, the
County Commissioners approved a
resolution expressing support for
the effort to bring the Spaceport
Project to South Texas and perhaps
Starr County.
In an Aug. 4 letter to County
Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr., Industrial
Foundation President Sam Vale
noted that "Lockheed-Martin has
taken the first steps to develop a
fully usable single stagc-to-orbit
space transport system. The
company is seeking partners
interested in providing a spaceport
site that will support the X-
33/Venturc Star vehicle and payload
operations as well as a full range of
business-related activities."
Vale added, "The State of Texas,
through the Texas Aerospace
Commission, is gathering
information from several areas in
the state for a possible site and will
be submitting two or three sites
that will meet the criteria for
selection. Mr. Tom Moser,
Executive Director of the Texas
Aerospace Commission, has
indicated that one or two sites from
the Starr County area and the Jim
Hogg County area have a good
chance of qualifying for the
spaceport site. The deadline for
submittal of the application is
Sept. 7, 1998."
Vale stilted, "We have initiated
the submittal of the proposal to the
Texas Aerospace Commission and
believe that an "alternate site" to
compliment the Kenedy County
site will enhance the possibility of
a 'Texas' site during the
competition in the fall of 1999."
Vale continued, "The project
requires a launch site on
approximately 10,000 acres with
substantial infrastructure and with
an adequate workforce. The
economic benefit in South Texas
will be in the neighborhood of
3000 jobs; 900 of which will be
engineering and technical positions.
"In addition, the project will
infuse 5500,000,000 in initial
improvements to the area with a
conservative an-iual residual effect
(See SPACEPORT, Page 6)
U.S. Customs records Roma's
largest currency seizure on record
In Roma's largest ever currency
confiscation, U.S. Customs
inspectors seized $949,104 on
Wednesday, Aug. 12 from two
individuals headed to Mexico when
they failed to report the money.
The seizure occurcd early
Wednesday, Aug. 12 when the
Customs Contraband Enforcement
Team, working Operation "Robin
Hood," was conducting outbound
inspections. During the operation,
the team discovered undeclared U.S.
and Mexican currency when they
searched a 1990 Ford Club Wagon
driven by Gerardo Moreno, 35, a
Mexican national residing in
Houston.
The undeclared currency was
■■■Mil
tar '
concealed in the side panel covering
the air-conditioner and the bulk of
the money was found in a false
compartment in the gasoline tank.
Canine "Deeohgce" assisted in
pinpointing the false compartment
in the gasoline tank.
This is the largest currency
seizure for the port of rr.Uy in
Roma and a significant enforcement
action during Fiscal Year 1998.
A Customs officer at Roma
indicated Thursday afternoon,
"Virtually all of the money is U.S.
currency, with a very small amount
of Mexican currency. It's definitely
a record for Roma and possibly one
for StarT County. They failed to
declare the money. At this point,
we don't know the origin of the
money."
.Moreno, the driver, arrested by a
Customs Office of Investigation
agent, was arraigned Thursday
before a U.S. Magistrate in
McAllen. The passenger was not
charged and was subsequently
released.
A spokesperson for the U.S.
Magistrate's Office indicated
Monday that the complaint against
Moreno charges him with
attempting to export in excess of
$10,000 without filing a report.
Moreno was set for preliminary and
detention hearings on Tuesday,
Aug. 18 at 11 a.m.
Importation or exportion of
monies over $10,000 is NOT
illegal WHEN IT IS REPORTED
to U.S. Customs at the lime of
entry or exit from the United
(See CURRENCY, Page 4)
RGCCISD trustees focus
on renovation projects
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their regular monthly meeting
on Monday evening, Aug. 10, the
Rio Grande City CISD board of
trustees heard reports on the status
of several district renovation
projects.
Business Manager Rodolfo Flores
said, "Grulla Elementary and La
Union Elementary renovations are
90 percent complete and should be
finished by the start of school. The
same true for Grulla Middle
School.
Flores added, "For Alto Bonito
(the planned new elementary
school), we lack drainage where the
dumpsters arc. We need to correct
that immediately. This is
something that needs to be done by
law. The deadline for Grulla
Elementary and La Union was this
past Friday."
Trustee Francisco "Paco" Zarate
said, "I'm concerned about a
building at the new high school
where a number of cracks have
developed." Flores replied, "We did
notify the necessary people. It's
been obvious that this has been
repaired before." Zarate was
referring to the new gymnasium
located within the new high school
complex.
Maintenance Director Arcadio
Salinas indicated, "The construction
company said they would take care
of it. It has many, many cracks and
they're big cracks They've been
saying they'll take care of it for the
past year."
Board President Basilio "Bacho"
Villarreal suggested, "Maybe they
need to address the foundation. This
needs to be corrected in the next
two to three weeks while the
warranty still lasts."
Superintendent Ramon Hinojosa
later told The Rio Grande Herald,
"We're having a report made on that
(the high school gym). We're
notifying the company that this
problem is unacceptable, and that
we expect corrective action to be
taken."
The trustees discuscd the
comparison of alignment
assessment results to 1998 TAAS
results. Assistant Superintendent
for Curriculum Dr. Richard Irizarry
said, "I asked Argot to analyze
students who took TAAS in 1996,
1997 and 1998 and took alignment
tests all three years. The results are
most relevant in 10th grade "
Irizarry emphasized, "Students
.vho passed the alignment tests had
a very good chance of passing
TAAS. Working to help students
pass the alignment test will help
them on TAAS. Students who
passed the alignment test stood a 90
percent chance of passing TAAS.
Students who failed alignment
stood only a 44-47 percent chance
(on TAAS)."
Irizarry declared, "It's critical that
campuses use this data more
(See RENOVATION, Page 6)
Democratic committee to meet
Thursday to decide nominees
The Starr County Democratic
Executive Committee is scheduled
to hold an official meeting on
Thursday, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m. at the
Starr County Commissioners
Courtroom at the Courthouse.
Aiso scheduled to meet at the
same time and location is the
Precinct Executive Committees for
Commissioner Precinct One and
Four.
County Chairman Jose Maria
"Chcma" Alvarez, Jr., has called
these meetings for the purpose of
choosing a Democratic Party
nominee for Sheriff and two Justice
of the Peace positions (One and
Four; vacated as a result of
resignations.
The Executive Committee and
the precinct commutes listed above
(See DEMOCRATIC, Page 4)
RGCCISD welcomes new
educators at orientation
The Rio Grande City
Consolidated Independent School
District gave a warm welcome to
232 new educators at the New
Teacher Orientation on Wednesday,
Aug. 12 in the Multipurpose
Center.
"Thank you for coming to Rio
Grande City," Superintendent
GOP committee to
consider nominees for
two offices Friday
The Executive Committee of the
Starr County Republican Party will
meet on Friday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.
at the Law Office of Isabel Trcvino,
1501 West Main Sl in Rio Grande
City, to consider and nominate
candidates for the unexpired terms
of Sheriff and Precinct Four
Constable.
Those qualified individuals
wishing to be considered for
nomination must submit their
application no later than 5 p.m. on
Friday, Aug. 21. To qualify for
nomination, a person must have
either voted in the 1998 Republican
Party Primary or not have voted in
any primary in 1998.
Applications should be submitted
to Benito Trcvino, Jr., 1501 West
Main St, Rio Grande City.
Ramon Hinojosa told the new
teachers.
The district's top administrator
said new teachers can expect to
receive help and encouragement
this year.
"We feel we are a group that
supports educational programs very
strongly," Hinojosa said
Assistant Superintendent for
Personnel Gilberto E Garcia,
serving as master of ceremony,
introduced Board of Education
members and related how teachers
were given a $1,200 raise Tuesday
night.
Board President Basilio Villarreal
Jr. said the extra money doesn't
care with the other benefits of
teaching.
"The reward may not be in
financial means, but you will
receive rewards in your heart." he
said.
"There's a lot of hard work ahead
of you. but we at the Rio Grande
City school district know you ;uv
going to do a great job."
Hinojosa gave a special welcome
to returning educators and persons
coming home to teach in Rio
Grande City.
"I'm happy, especially, for those
Solis write-in candidate
for Precinct 4 J.P.
people that have heen away and are
from Rio Grande City," he said.
Rio Grande City Mayor Baldemar
Garza also welcomed the new
teachers and stressed the importance
of their job.
"I want to welcome all of you,
especially those of you who are not
from here originally," said Garza,
also speaking ot behalf of La
Grulla Mayor Helen Gonzalez, who
did not attend.
"No one in any profession can
have an impact on an individual as
you." Garza said. "You are going
to make a difference. It was a
teacher that made a difference in
life," said Garza, who is an
attorney and graduate of Rio Grande
City High School.
Dr. Richard Irizarry, assistant
superintendent tor curriculum and
instruction provided information
for the group, which breakfasted on
a mean sponsored by International
Bank of Commerce, represented by
Senior Vice President Roy C antu.
Dr. Irizarry said district i YAS
scores have been imp. \ in ■
recently, yet could be higher
He asked the new tea. he- • >
bring enthusiasm to their new ji b
(See WELCOMES, Page 4)
>i rum
Record seizure
U.S. Customs inspectors at Roma recorded the largest currency seizure in
the port's history when $949,104 was seized from two individuals headed
to Mexico when they failed to report the money. Most of the confiscated
currency was U.S. currency. The driver was scheduled to face a detention
and preliminary hearing on Tuesday, while the passenger was not chargcd
and was later released.
Interim Precinct Four Justice of
the Peace Jesus "Chuy" Solis will
be running as a write-in candidate in
November to win election to the
position.
County Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr.,
indicated Thursday that Solis has
met all requirements to qualify as a
candidate on the November ballot.
Solis was appointed by the
County Commissioners on March
16, 1998 as interim Precinct Four
J.P. to fill the unexpired term of
Jose Adan "Coche" Garcia, who
resigned effective Feb. 28. Garcia
pleaded guilty in federal court in
Corpus Christi on March 2 to a
charge of conspiracy to commit
bribery.
In May, the Starr County
Democratic Executive Committee
selected Romeo Ramirez as the
party's nominee for Precinct Four
J.P. for the November election.
Solis indicated, "The
requirements (for a write-in
candidacy) arc payment of $300 or
obtaining at least 50 signatures.
I've accumulated 148 signatures."
Judge Martinez said, "I have
received the application and find it
in order."
Solis commented, "The
philosophy I've always followed is
treating people the same way I like
(See SOLIS, Page 6)
Write-Tn Candidate
Jesus "Chuy" Solis, right, who currently servi s as Interim Pic. ini our
Justice of the Peace, will be seeking election to the position in November
as a write-in candidate. He was administered an oath by County Ju l ,'
J.M. Marunez, Jr., left signifying that he has met all qualifications to
appear on the ballot as a wnte-in candidate.
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.
Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 85, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 20, 1998, newspaper, August 20, 1998; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195666/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.