Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 30, 2006 Page: 2 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:
The Rio Grande Herald-Thursday, March 30, 2006, Page 2
North Texas artist depicts
personal struggle with dyslexia
By ELLEN ROSSETTI
UNT News Service
When he was about 11 years
old, Eric McGeheartv slipped off
a fence and broke his arm. He
expected to sit idle in art class,
but his teacher had other
expectations. So, with a marker
in his mouth and chalk tied to
his toe, McGehearty kept
drawing.
It was a lesson he never
forgot. If a broken arm wouldn't
stop him from drawing, nothing
would keep him from
overcoming dyslexia, a learning
disability that makes it difficult
for him to read and write.
McGehearty. an adjunct
professor at Tarrant County
College's Southeast Campus in
Arlington, is sharing his private
struggle in a very public way —
through his art.
His artwork focuses on
restrictions on reading and
writing and has been exhibited at
the Dallas Museum of Art, the
Dallas Public Library and 416
West Gallery in Denison.
Prominent art collector
Raymond Nasher recognized his
work with an honorable mention
in a 2004 juried exhibition.
McGehearty's pieces evoke
thoughts not just about learning
disabilities, but about
censorship and a lack of
educational resources.
"I don't want it to be all about
dyslexia." he says. "I want it to
be about ideas and access to
information. It starts with my
struggle. But it's about
everyone's struggles."
In his sculptures, books are
encased in concrete. A student's
desk is tangled upside-down in
County Tax A/C gives
report for February
At the regular monthly
meeting of the County
Commissioners on Monday
morning. March 13, County
Tax Assessor/Collector Carmen
A. Pena gave a detailed update
on February 2006 collections by
the Tax Office.
Pena indicated that the grand
total collected for February 2006
was 51,012,890.19. The
county's share for the current
year, including County and
FM/FC entities only, was
$479.879 44. The county's
share for delinquent years,
induing County and FM/FC
only, was SI 15,802.23.
February 2006 overall
collections showed an increase
of $337,059.06 from the
February 2005 overall total of
$675,831.13.
February 2006 current
collections totaled $479,879.44,
an increase of $ 156,360.68 from
•he February 2005 figure of
$323,518.76.
February 2006 delinquent
collections, with attorney's fees
deducted, totaled $101,819.30,
an increase of $7496.71 from
the February 2005 total of
$94,322.59.
A total of $102,536.96 was
collected at the Roma substation
in February 2006. From Oct. 1,
2005 through Feb. 28. 2006. a
total of $682,102.93 was
collected at the Roma
substation.
The tax levy for 2005 was
tabulated at $10,079,472.21.
From October 2005 through
February 2006, a total of
$7,941,696.83, or 78.79 percent
of the tax levy, was collected.
the branches of a thorny tree of
knowledge. Words are distorted
and out of focus. A calculus
book is caged in a geometric
jungle of stainless steel.
"It's the same kind of feeling I
get when I go into a library.
You see the books, but you
can't open them. You can't get
the information out of them,"
says McGehearty, whose work
can be seen on his website.
www.ericmcgehearty.com
Diagnosed with dyslexia at
age 5. McGehearty attended the
Shelton School in Dallas for
students with learning
differences. He received his
bachelor's degree from the
University of the O/.arks in
Clarksville, Arkansas, and a
master of fine arts degree from
the University of North Texas in
2004.
He has learned to cope -- and
succeed — with dyslexia. He
listens to audio recordings of
one or two books a week, and he
has learned tricks, like spelling
his wife's name. Heather, as
three small words: he-at-her.
"It's not really a hampering
thing at all," he says of
dyslexia. "It just takes a little
more effort."
In addition to Tarrant County
College, he has taught at
Eastfield College in Mesquite,
part of the Dallas County
Community College District.
He is currently creating a
commissioned sculpture of
bronze firefighters' boots for a
Fort Worth fire station.
And now, two of his
sculptures are on permanent
display at the Shelton School,
the place where his art teacher
inspired him about 15 years ago.
"It's fulfilling to have them
there," he says. "That's one
group particularly attuned to
what I'm talking about."
F
Plans Underway for Valley Federation Convention
Members of the Woman's Club of Rio Grande City and the Florence J. Scott Study will host the 128"'
Convention of the Rio Grande Valley Federation of Women's Clubs on April 22. Valley Federation
President Lvdia Garza T. Saenz, seated second from left, will preside. Pictured with her are several
delegates to the 2005 convention, where Frances Z. Garza, seated at left, was named as Outstanding
Clubwoman of the Rio Grande Valley. Mandy Pefia. formerly of Rio Grande City, standing at right, is
president of the McAllen City Federation, which hosted last year's event. Rio Grande City Main Street
Program Director Mauro Garza, seated, was the featured speaker, addressing the topic, "Our Historical
Heritage and How It Affects Our Today and Tomorrow." Among those reporting were Ines Carrera,
president of the Woman's Club and vice-president of the Valley Federation, and Lori Perez president ;
of the Study Club.
Roma parents learn healthy
living through BLT program
The Better Livinfl for TexanS fnnrl shnnnino <;tratpaie<; it on to mv children a irift to last
The Better Living for I exans
program of The Texas
Cooperative Extension has a
special goal to help families
make healthy food choices.
The BLT nutrition program
reaches thousands of Starr
County families who to learn
about good nutrition and better
health practices. The program
incorporates food
demonstrations, healthy recipes
and goal setting. Participants
learn a variety of ways to meet
nutritional requirements.
Participants learn about nutrition
and then get their families to
make wise daily food choices.
Program assistants also teach
food shopping strategies,
nutritious meal ideas, smart
shopping lists, inventory on
items to have in the pantry,
creative ways to serve
vegetables, healthy snack ideas
and some simple yet effective
food safety rules.
The Roma Intermediate
Parental Group has participated
in the lesson series taught by
Program Assistant Juanita
Garcia. A total of 15 parents
received certificates. One parent
commented, "I experience piece
of mind knowing that I have
learned this valuable
information that I can now pass
it on to my children a gift to last
a lifetime- how to eat healthy"
Another participant in the class
stated, "My family feels and
looks better." Thanks for your
help in helping us learn about
healthier food choices.
"I now realize that I am the
most important role model to my
kids- and what 1 eat matters"
said another.
For further information about
the Better Living for Texans
Nutrition Program call the Texas
Cooperative Extension Office at
487-2306.
prd
chl
eel
thJ
yo|
Yc
act]
cla
shd
•tin
Ofl
wa
Ml
prj
Tlf
#F.c
Digital Phone
s_ jbK&Y; f>. .'/ J-; ' . '
* V"
• Unlimited calling
• Unbeatable savings
m
Both could
<■
*39
95
month
for Digital Cable and Road Runner
High Speed Online^ customers
Call 1-800-CABLE-55
Or visit www.timewarnercable.com/riograndevalley
sff •wrori
i 1:
Speak up—call today and switch to Digital Phone service from Time
Warner Cable. Then, you can talk to anyone, anywhere in the U.S.,
Canada and Puerto Rico as long as you want—your price stays the
same every month. And it's probably a lot less than you're paying now.
Get unlimited local calling
and free long distance, just
Enjoy all the extras you get with Digital Phone:
• Free long distance anywhere in the U.S.. Canada and Puerto
Rico, day or night—save your cell phone minutes for when
you're away from home
• Caller ID, Call Waiting, Speed Dial, Call Foiwarding and more
at no extra charge
• Free, no-hassle standard installation—works with existing
phones and jacks and you can keep your same phone number
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Enhanced 9-1-1 —with E9-1 -1. your home address and
telephone number are automatically sent to your
local dispatcher if you call 9-1-1
CABLE
HIGH SPEED ONLINE
DIGITAL PHONE
TIME WARNER CABLE
THE POWER OF YOU"
Digital Phone does not include back-up power and. should there be a loss ot electrical power, Digital Phone, including the
operator services, directory assistance, and taxes and lees Residential use only All services not available in all areas
ability to access 9-1-1 services, will not be available Additional charges appiy (or calls to International locations,
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. 93, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 30, 2006, newspaper, March 30, 2006; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196006/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.