Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 3, 2005 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
March 3, 2005
92nd YEAR No. 9
Rio Grande
#215
I I()A(i BOOK BINDF.RY
127 RAIL ROAD
SPRINGPORT, Ml 49204
ZONE 6
HERALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
V
Ribboncutting celebrates new fire station
Grand opening and ribboncutting ceremonies on Friday morning, Feb. 25 marked the beginning ol the new
Precinct Two fire station just northwest of Roma. Precinct Two County Commissioner Raul "Roy" Pena, Jr
is pictured above cutting the ribbon. Standing at Pena's left is County Judge Eloy Vera. Standing behind
Judge Vera is Precinct One Commissioner Jaime Alvarez. The station will focus on providing services to the
Fronton area and the area just northwest of Roma.
Fun events for all scheduled
for 2005 Starr County Fair
The 40lh annual Starr County
Fair, set for this weekend, will
feature events for the entire family.
Various stage performances
will take place during the day by
dance and music groups, featuring
D.J. Johnny Zarate. The dancing,
singing, and instrumental talents of
Starr County students will be
showcased.
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adult art, youth and adult arts and
crafts, clothing, educational posters
and farm shop competitions will be
held throughout the three-day
event, with exhibits to be viewed.
Chick and duck, rabbit, and pig
scramble will continue to be an
open event for any youngster
attending the fair. Sponsored by
H.E.B., these will begin at 7:00 on
Friday and at 5:30 on Saturday.
The Official Opening
Ceremony of the Fair is set for 5:30
on Friday evening. Winners of the
Oueen's pageant and the
scholarship winners wiil be
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Marshals for 2005, the Knights of
Columbus Council of Escobares.
Fair directors and all who help with
the fair will also be recognized.
Bingo the Clown, along with
Woody and Jessica, will perform
Commissioners talk pending
move to new library building
Bv KENNETH ROBERTS
At their special meeting on
Tuesday morning, Feb 22, the
County Commissioners received an
update about the pending move of
the Public Library into a new
facility in Rio Grande City.
Library Director Norma Full/
indicated that 1674 patrons visited
the main library and its two
satellite locations in January 2005.
A total of 652 items were
circulated.
Fultz declared, "Mr. (Leonardo)
Olivares (the RGC City
Administrator) told me today that
we should be able to start moving
in the new building this week.
Shelves will continue to be an
issue."
Precinct Four Commissioner
Abel N. Gonzalez, Jr. lamented,
"Shelves are one of the most
important things involving a
library."
Fultz responded. 'We thought
additional Empowerment Zone
funding would be available for
shelves, but that funding was
allocated to other areas. We don't
have adequate shelving for the
books that we have."
Fultz told The Rio Grande Herald
on Monday, Feb. 28 that shelving
for the new RGC library will be
constructed by the City of Rio
Grande City in the very near future.
Tax Assessor-Collector Carmen
A. Pena told the commissioners,
"We're at 76 percent collection
already (for 2004)"
Pena reported that the grand total
collected for January 2005 was
$2,025,860.36. The county's share
for the current year, including
County and FM/FC entities only,
was $1.176.104.28. The county's
share for delinquent years, including
RGC man killed in rollover
mishap west of Garceno
County and FM/FC only, was
$111,101.98.
January 2005 delinquent
collections, deducting attorney's
fees, totaled $97,114.06 and showed
an increase of $17,287 47 from the
January 2004 figure of $79,826.59.
January 2005 current collections
amounted to $1,176,104.28, an
increase of $121,036.34 from the
January 2004 total of
$1,055,067.94.
January 2005 overall collections
showed an increase of $205,508.75
from the January 2004 overall total
of $1,820,351.61.
Roma substation collections in
January 2005 amounted to
$168,254.71. A total of
$321,617.56 was collected at the
Roma substation from Oct. 1, 2004
through Jan. 31, 2005.
A presentation was given to the
commissioners by the Community
Resource Group concerning the
closure and accomplishments of the
receivership of Bias Chapa, Et Us.
(See LIBRARY, Page ft)
Grand opening ceremony
launches new Pet. 2 fire station
throughout the fairgrounds on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, to
entertain young and old alike, and
the carnival midway will be open
throughout the weekend.
Tickets at the gate are $5.00
per day with access to all events on
the main fairgrounds. Three-day
gate passes may be purchased for
$10.00 through rhursday, March 4
i-ui.5 E. v m. /.u. ivoilid High
School principal, at 849-1333 for
sales locations.
For more information
regarding the fair, you may contact
Lori Peterson Perez at 488-0122
during office hours.
By KENNETH ROBERTS
The grand opening and
ribboncutting ceremonies Friday
morning at the new Precinct Two
fire station just northwest of Roma
was hailed by county officials as a
milestone that will greatly improve
public safety and the quality of life
for Roma-area residents.
The new fire station is located on
the north side of FM Highway 650
a short distance west of the U.S.
Highway 83 intersection. The
station will focus on providing fire
protection to the Fronton area and
the area immediately northwest of
Roma.
Precinct Two County
Commissioner Raul "Roy" Pena,
Jr. called the new station a
milestone for current and future
generations that will greatly
improve public safety, health and
convenience.
Pena emphasized, "The support
of the public officials here today
has helped us achieve our goals and
improve the quality of life for the
community."
Pena then recognized the
following public officials that were
present for the event: County Judge
Eloy Vera. Precinct One County
Commissioner Jaime Alvarez.
County Treasurer David Porras,
Justice of the Peace Johnnv Garcia.
Roma City Commissioner Rogelio
Ibarra, Roma City Commissioner
Victor Ramirez and Roma ISD
trustee Celia Saenz.
Pena commented. "When I
became County Commissioner (in
January 1999), I listed six crucial
areas in which I would work for
major improvements. Among those
areas are public safety, community
development, economic
development and growth, and
tourism."
"We have focused much attention
the Fronton area, as well
on
as
Falcon Heights and Salineno," the
commissioner stressed. "South
Texas College is having and will
have a major impact on Starr
County, including the Roma area."
Pena noted with pride, "The fire
truck we acquired in December has •
already helped put out two major
brush fires. A grant from ORCA
(Office of Rural Community
Affairs) helped make this building
possible. This fire truck has a
capacity of 1800 gallons of water.
The water tanker has a capacity of
2500 gallons of water. One truck
(See STATION, Page 6)
Fair to feature Texas Heat, Notable,
Distinto, many special events
This year's fair will feature top
entertainment sponsored by
Budweiser and Glazer's
Distributors dba Valley
Beverage/Miller Lite. "Texas
Heat" will perform on Friday
evening at 8:00, and "Notable and
Distinto" will perform on Saturday
evening at 8:00.
"Grupo Aventura" and Grupo
Tejas will provide entertainment on
Friday from 4:00 to 8:00, and
"Conjunto Falcon" will play from
6:30 to 8:00 on Saturday.
El Corredor Ruben Flores will
perform with his dancing horses,
accompanied by Mariachi los
Galleros at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
There is no extra charge for this
event, and it will precede the ever-
popular duck, chick, and rabbit
scrambles sponsored by FLE.B.
The annual Calf Scramble will
be held during the Team Roping, to
be held at the Rodeo Arena
beginning at 5:00 on Saturday with
the youth participants.
The annual Fair Cook-off is
scheduled for Sunday, beginning at
(See EVENTS, Page 6)
Christina Renk crowned
2005 County Fair Queen
Christina Nicole Renk won the
title of Starr County Youth Fair
Oueen for 2005 at the Starr County
Fair Pageant held at Rio Grande
City High School on Sunday,
February 27.
Christina is the sixteen year
old daughter of David and Amanda
Renk of San Isidro. Christina, a
sophomore at San Isidro High
School, was sponsored by Santa
Maria Bull Riding.
Top winners in the Princess
categories were as follows: Jesica
Morin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Jaime Morin, Teen Princess; Erin
Rae Ramirez, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Rey Ramirez, Pre-Teen
Princess; and Priscilla Marie Garza,
daughter of Mrs. Marcelia
Hinojosa, Petite Princess.
Runners-up to the Queen were
Bianca Montalvo, first runner-up;
and Jackie Requenez, second
runner-up.
Teen category runners-up were
Stephanie Jo Perez, first runner-up;
and Lizette Rosa, second runner-
up.
Runners-up in the Pre-Teen
category were Ana A. Alaniz, first
runner-up; and Jacquelin Martinez,
second runner-up.
Petite Princess runners-up
were, Victoria Aguilar, first runner-
up; and Madison Paige Ramos,
second runner-up.
Other competitors in the
Queen category included (in order
of appearance) Amber Renee
Banda, Yvonne Annette Martinez,
Clarissa Michelle Oliva, Emily
Ann Rodriguez, Clarissa Alaniz,
April K. Hernandez, Valerie Denise
Bazan, Jessica Michelle Guerrero,
Elena Ilene Requenez, Alana Rae
Ramirez, Samantha Ann Salinas,
Crystal Martinez, and Mindy
Michelle Garza.
Participants in the Teen
Princess category were Sasha
Ashton Garcia, Polette Rios,
Carolanne Denise Martinez,
JoAnna Michelle Alvarez, Amber
Estrada, Mary Magdalen Ibarra,
Melanie Marie Garza, and Talina
Suzette Salinas.
Petite Princess category
participants were Daniela Kan
Garcia, Destiny Ray Flores, and
Yam ilex de la Cruz.
The Starr County 4-H Council
sponsored the event, held in the Rio
Grande City High School
cafetorium. Lori P. Perez served as
Master of Ceremonies. Narrator
was Jessica Chapa. The pledge of
allegiance was led by Orlando
Guerra. with Clover 4-Hers
assisting.
"Starr County Fair Association
President James Peterson gave the
welcome. wishing all the
contestants the best of luck and
inviting everyone to come out to
the Fair March 4-6.
Cassandra Renee Rodriguez
(See CROWNED, Page 4)
A 35-year-old Rio Grande City
resident was killed on the evening
of Wednesday. Feb 16 when the
automobile he was driving skidded
off U.S. Highway 83 and crashed
into an arroyo just west of Garceno.
Ruben Alonzo Cavazos was
pronounced dead at the scene by
Justice of the Peace Ramon De La
Cruz a short time after the fatal
accident.
The mishap occurred on U.S.
Highway 83 4 mile west of the
FM 649 intersection at
approximately 10:45 p.m. on
Wednesday, Feb. 16
A Department of Public Safety
(DPS) officer indicated that Cavazos
"was driving a 1994 white Ford
Crown Victoria. He was the only
occupant of the vehicle He was
traveling eastbound on U.S. 83."
Referring to the circumstances of
the accident, the officer explained,
"Initially, he veered into the center
turning lane from the inside
eastbound lane. He then
overcorrected to the right, causing
him to go into a left side-skid. He
then struck the guard rail on the
south side of U.S. 83, went over
the guard rail, and (crashed) into the
arroyo."
The officer noted. "There was no
water in that particular area of the
arroyo."
He declared that Cavazos "died
(See ROLLOVER. Page ft)
Aldermen to okay Marshal, talk
property tax at Thursday meeting
The Rio Grande City Board of
Aldermen are scheduled to hold their
regular monthly meeting for March
on Thursday, March 3 in the
Council Chambers at City Hall,
located at 101 South Washington
Street.
One agenda item calls for
"Consideration and possible action
to designate the City of Rio Grande
City as a taxing unit for the
purpose of levying and assessing ad
valorem taxes."
Other agenda items call for
"Appointment of City Marshal by
the Mayor". "Consideration and
possible action to confirm the
Mayor's appointment for City
Marshal", and "Swearing-in of City
Marshal."
Another agenda item schedules
"Consideration and possible action
to award a contract to Lane-Kendig.
Inc. to develop a Parks Master
Plan."
Another agenda item calls for
"Consideration and possible action
to award a contract to Melden and
Hunt for the Texas Capital Fund
Main Street Sidewalk
Improvements Project."
Starr County Fair Queen and Runners-Up
Christina Nicole Renk is the Starr County Youth Fair Queen for 2005.
Runners-up to the Queen were Bianca Montalvo, first runner-up; and
Jackie Requenez, second runner-up Christina, a sixteen year old
sophomore at San Isidro High School, is the daughter of David and
Amanda Renk of San Isidro (Photo b\ D'Valentino Photography).
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 3, 2005, newspaper, March 3, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196310/m1/1/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.