Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 2009 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
January 29,2009
96th YEAR No. 5
Rio Grande
HER A!
A Newspaper Serving the People ofSouth Texas
ATF declares massive RMS fire started due to arson
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Starr County Fair plans underway
Plans are underway for the 2009 Starr County Fair, set for the last week of February , beginning with
the annual Wild Game Dinner on Saturday, February 21, and concluding with the Parade of
Champions and Auction on Saturday evening, February 28 Pictured are the officers of the Starr
County Fair Association, l-r, Xavier Perez, treasurer; Emma Gonzalez, secretary; Lori Perez, vice-
president; and Billy Canales, president. The fair is successful because of the efforts of these and many
volunteers throughout the county. The Association welcomes new volunteers, and now is a great time
to get on board for 2009. Contact any of these individuals or other inembers of the board.
By KENNETH ROBERTS
After roughly one week of
intensive investigation, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms has determined that
arson was the cause of a massive
blaze that virtually destroyed the
main building of Ringgold
Middle School during the late
evening hours of Tuesday, Jan.
13.
The joint announcement was
made on Wednesday, Jan. 21 by
ATF Houston Field Division
Special Agent in Charge Dewey
Webb and Deputy State Fire
Marshal Raymond Garcia. They
jointly announced that arson was
determined to be the cause, but
said they were unable to release
additional details as the
investigation was ongoing.
Rio Grande City CISD
Superintendent Roel Gonzalez
told The Rio Grande Flerald
Monday afternoon, "We're still
waiting for a copy of the report.
The district's police department
has an active investigation."
The superintendent noted, "We
moved back into the sixth grade
building and the seventh grade
portable buildings today...The
educational process continues to
go forward in a positive
way...We did install a new
server at the Multipurpose
Center. A maintenance company
should check out the old server
sometime this week to see if it
can be salvaged "
RGCCISD Assistant
Superintendent for Finance and
Operations Thelma Ramey
declared on Friday, "We don't
know anything more than what's
been in the media. We haven't
received any kind of briefing.
My understanding is that the
investigation will be handled by
the State Fire Marshal, the Rio
Grande City Police Department
and the ' RGCCISD Police
Department."
Ramey lamented, "It's
unbelievable that someone
would do something like this."
"On Monday, the sixth and
seventh graders will be moved
back to the site," she
emphasized. "The educational
process is coming along very
well. The principal and staff are
doing a great job."
RGCCISD Board President
Basilio D. Villarreal, Jr. stated
on Saturday, "At this point, we
know what the general public-
knows and nothing more. ATF
indicated publicly that their
determination (of the fire's
cause) was arson."
Villarreal stressed, "The public
should be assured that Ringgold
Middle School will be rebuilt.
From the ashes, we will have a
beautiful facility that everyone
will be proud of. Everyone at the
school, including the principal,
is doing an excellent job under
these difficult circumstances."
Jeff Fulton, special agent in
charge of the ATF National
Response Team, told The Rio
Grande Herald on Thursday, 'The
McAllen and Houston offices (of
ATF) are directing the
investigation at this point. There
was a combination of factors
that led everyone to the
conclusion of arson, including
physical evidence."
Franceska Perot, ATF Special
Agent who serves as the Public
Information Officer for the
Houston ATF Office, stated on
Monday, 'There have been no
new developments in the past
few days."
The ATF National Response
(See MASSIVE, Page 6)
RGC aldermen receive early Famelisa Landez is winner of
presentation on 2010 Census 2009 Spirit Award at ICS
By KENNETH ROBERTS
At their second regular
monthly meeting during the
noon hour on Wednesday, Jan.
21, the Rio Grande City Board
of Aldermen received an early
presentation from the U.S.
Census Bureau on the steps that
will be taken to ensure the most
complete count possible for the
2010 Census.
The agenda item read as
follows: "Presentation on
Complete Count Committee
Program by Sylvia Martinez of
the U.S. Department of
Commerce, U.S. Census
Bureau."
City Administrator Juan
Zuniga declared, "Time is
drawing close to do the census.
A city's population dictates
funding for grants and loans."
Sylvia Martinez of the U.S.
STC Starr
Campus plans
blood drives
United Blood Services and
South Texas College's Starr
County Campus will sponsor
community blood drives on
Wednesday, Feb. 11th and
Thursday, Feb. 12th from 10
a.in. to 3 p.m. at the campus'
Building 11. Multipurpose
Room. The campus is located at
142 FM 3167 in Rio Grande
City. T-shirts will be given to all
donors.
Donating blood is safe and
easy. The entire process only
takes about 35 to 40 minutes.
Each donation can help as many
as three patients.
Persons interested in donating
blood should be at least 17 years
of age and in good health. Please
bring an I D. and eat before
making a donation
For more information call
United Blood Services at 1-888-
827-4376.
Department of Commerce, U.S.
Census Bureau declared. "We do
a lot of surveys throughout the
United States. I was assigned 22
counties back in June, including
the Valley."
Martinez emphasized, "The
Census Bureau wants everyone
counted so you can receive your
fair share of funds. We will work
with various entities in the
public and private sectors,
including faith-based
organizations. They (the
Complete Count Committee)
will do some advertising in
addition to that done by the U.S.
Census Bureau."
She commented, "Similar
efforts (in 2000) showed an
increased count response
(nationwide) for the first time in
30 years."
"Households will no longer
receive the long form," indicated
Martinez. "You need to let
constituents know it's safe and
important to respond to the
questionnaire."
Martinez stressed, "The census
determines number of
representatives and is used for
redistricting. Roughly $300
billion in funds each year is
allocated to states and
communities based on census
population figures."
Martinez concluded, "Several
presentations will be made in the
coming days. There will be the
chance to apply for census jobs.
The Complete Count
Committee will appoint a
chairperson. Pharr and Weslaco
are very close to naming
chairpersons."
Mayor Ruben O. Villarreal
emphasized, "We know the
census is very pivotal. We need
to have as accurate a count as
possible."
Martinez noted, "We will have
75.000 employees in the three-
state region of Texas, Louisiana
and Mississippi. The response
rate in Rio Grande City to the
(See CENSUS, Page 6)
Famelisa Landez received the
2009 Spirit Award from the
Diocese of Brownsville because
of the dedication and service she
has given to Immaculate
Conception School and to
Catholic early childhood
education.
The Diocese of Brownsville
annually honors individuals who
have shown exemplary devotion
to the ideals of Catholic
education The word "spirit" is
symbolic of the energy,
enthusiasm, and sense of service
that each honoree has exhibited
in support of Catholic schools.
The twelfth annual Spirit
Awards Banquet was held
Friday, January 23, at the La
Sierra Event Center in
Harlingen. The event kicks off
the nationwide celebration of
Catholic Schools Week each
year. Fittingly, the theme for
the 36th annual Catholic
Schools Week is "Catholic
Schools Celebrate Service."
The celebration of service for
the 2009 honorees began with
prayer and a welcome by Bro.
Charles Imbergamo, FMS,
president of St. Joseph
Academy. Superintendent of
Schools Mrs. Lisette Allen was
recognized, and Msgr. Robert E.
Maher of St. Joseph Church in
Edinburg brought a message on
Catholic Education from Bishop
Raymundo Pena.
Following a video presentation
featuring each of the schools of
the Diocese and the honorees
from each school, the awards
were presented by Msgr. Maher
and Mrs. Allen, assisted by the
principal from each school.
Making the presentation for
I.C.S. was Mrs. Ruby T. Urbina.
Also recognized were
Diocesan School Council
members, including Rene
Montalvo, president, of Rio
Grande City, and pastors,
including Father Amador Garza
of I.C.C.
Famelisa Landez was
recognized for her dedicated
teaching at I.C.S. for ten years.
She teaches prekindergarten.
Although she and her family,
husband Ray of 26 years, and
children Rebecca and James,
currently make their home in
McAllen, she commutes to Rio
Grande City to teach at her
beloved I.C.S. She is a
dedicated teacher who finds joy
in working with young children
and celebrates the achievements
of each one of her students.
Mrs. Landez is a native of Rio
Grande City, the daughter of
Alan and Alicia Ramos, and she
(See SPIRIT, Page 6)
Commissioners talk
'state of county' report
At their regular monthly
meeting on Monday morning.
Jan. 12, the County
Commissioners bnetly discussed
the planned "State of the
County" report that will discuss
overall progress in the county
and its individual precincts.
County Judge Eloy Vera
declared, "Ms. (Rose) Benavides
(Starr County Industrial
Foundation Executive Director)
asked if we were going to do
another 'State of the County'
report. I indicated yes, but the
focus this year will be on what
has been done in the precincts."
Vera explained. "Ms.
Benavides and/or Reyna Guerra
will be coming by to take or
pick up pictures. A slide
presentation will be helpful in
getting information to the
public."
The judge continued, "We're
trying to form a drainage district
that will help deal with our
drainage problems in the county.
It will be a taxing entity, but I
suggest we cut county taxes by
the amount earmarked for the
drainage tax. There will be
public meetings, starting in the
coming week."
The commissioners were told
that International Bridge
revenues for December 2008
amounted to $266,435, an
increase of $25,348 from the
December 2007 total of
$241,087. December 2008
revenues showed an increase of
$34,135 from the November
(See REPORT, Page 6)
catholic schools
SPIRIT
ros banquet
m. im
RGC native wins 2009 Spirit Award
Famelisa Landez, a teacher at Immaculate Conception School, was presented the 2009 Spirit Award
from the Diocese of Brownsville at the 12th annual Spirit Awards Banquet in Harlingen She was
honored for showing exemplary devotion to the ideals of Catholic education. Also pictured above are
Mrs. Lizette Allen, Diocese Superintendent of Schools; Ruby Urbina, ICS principal; and Monsignor
Robert E. Maher, who helped present awards at the banquet
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 2009, newspaper, January 29, 2009; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196154/m1/1/?q=%22Rio+Grande+Herald+Publishing+Company%2C+Inc.%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.