Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 3, 2005 Page: 1 of 6
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THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
November 3, 2005
92nd YEAR No. 44
Rio Grande
#215
IIOAG HOOK BINDERY
127 RAIL ROAD
SPRINOPORT, Ml 49204
ZONE 6
HERALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
. h i£fiw\i
RGCCISD celebrates new school groundbreaking
The Rio Grande City CISD Board of Trustees and administration, along with Ringgold Elementary teachers
and administrators celebrated the official groundbreaking lor the new Ringgold Elementary school recently
Pictured above are Ruben Villarreal (Construction Superv isor), Eloy Vera (County Judge), Basilio Villarreal.
Jr. (Board President), Roberto Gutierrez (Board Member). Noe Gonzalez (Board Member). Francisco Zaratc
(Board Vice President), Gilberto Garcia (Assistant Superintendent for Human Resourcesi, Oscar Gonzalez (I.a
Grulla Mayor), Delfino Garza (Architect), Roel Gonzalez (Superintendent), Maria Elena Olivarez (Ringgold
Elementary Principal), and Josie Guerra (Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction) (RGCCISD
photo).
Suspect in July 2005 Roma
kidnapping arrested in Ohio
A Starr County resident suspected
of possible involvement in a July
2005 kidnapping in Roma was
arrested eaily last week in Ohio on
a drug charge and may be extradited
to Starr County to face possible
charges related to the abduction.
Roma Police Chief Jose Garcia
indicated that Rene Ricardo Ortiz,
34, was arrested in Canton, Ohio
on Monday, Oct. 24 and charged
with a drug offense. Garcia noted
that Ortiz is a resident of eastern
Starr County.
Garcia explained, "He is a person
of interest in a recent kidnapping.
Wc have a arrant for him We're
working with authorities in Ohio to
execute a warrant on him."
The chief stated, "We're planning
on charging him with the
kidnapping of a man. whose age is
STC Starr Campus to host
free night of opera Nov. 7
Students, faculty, staff and the
community of Starr County will
have the opportunity to enjoy a free
night of opera at 7 p.m. on
Monday, November 7 at the
Amphitheater located at the STC
Starr County Campus, 142 I'M
3167 in Rio Grande City The event
will be lead by opera tenor singer
Mazias de Oliveira, music
instructor at STC.
"I am very pleased to be able to
offer this type of event to the
community of Rio Grande City."
commented Oliveira. "1 see this
opera concert as a great opportunity
for students and the community to
understand and enjoy the beauty of
opera. It is a unique form of music-
full of passion and soothing
emotions."
The Monday night performance
will lead by Oliveira who will be
singing alongside Edlyn De
Oliveira, soprano singer for the
Seattle Opera and Pablo Aguilar in
the piano.
"We will have a great show for
all ages to enjoy," he said. "My
daughter has been playing for
several years now at the Seattle
Opera and Pablo Aguilar is one of
the finest piano players that I have
known It will be without a doubt a
memorable experience for
everyone."
For more information about the
opera concert please call (956) 872-
3454.
in his twenties, in the Roma area
on July 19, 2005. The kidnapping
took place at the El Tigre gasoline
station in Roma.. He was
kidnapped in the early morning
houi s.
"The victim was missing for
several hours, but was eventually
released unharmed." indicated
Garcia. "...He was found unharmed
north of Rio Grande City."
Garcia commented, "We believe
others were involved in the
kidnapping."
"We're working with authorities
in Ohio to try to seek extradition of
the suspect." declared the chief. "In
investigating this kidnapping,
we've had assistance from the FBI
and the District Attorney's Office."
Garcia emphasized that "a
recently formed task force is
investigating recent kidnappings (in
Starr County) The task force is
comprised of the Roma Police
Department, the Rio Grande Cit\
Police Department, the (Starr
County) Sheriff's Department, the
District Attorney's Office, and the
Texas Rangers office in Mc Allen."
In late August, District Attorney
Heriberto Silva explained. "It's not
an official task force...We came up
with the idea of assigning one
person from each department to deal
(See SUSPECT, Page 4)
RGCCISD breaks ground for new
Ringgold Elementary School
RGCCISD News Release
The Rio Grande City CISD
recently invited Ringgold
Elementary teachers and
administrators to celebrate the
groundbreaking of their new
school. In addition to the Ringgold
Elementary honorees the Rio
Grande City CISD Board of
Trustees and administration also
attended the ceremony.
Chief Financial Officer Ms.
Thelma Ramey was Mistress of
Ceremonies for this event and
proceeded to introduce Hillary
Cantu (Ringgold Elementary 4th
grader) who led the Pledge ol
Allegiance Mr Gilberto E. Garcia
(RGCCISD Assistant
Superintendent for Human
Resources) introduced Ringgold
Elementary teachers and
administrators. Board of Trustees,
and RGCCISD administrators.
" I his is very historical and a very
honorable place to be today, said
Mr Roel Gonzalez (RGCCISD
Superintendent). Mr. Gonzalez
continued to welcome everyone
who attended the Groundbreaking
Ceremony He shared his
enthusiasm with the honorees on
this great endeavor that will be
located right in the Tort Ringgold
grounds next to the Multi-Purpose
Center.
Mr. R.C. Salinas (teacher and
local historian) addressed the
audience by giving them the history
behind Tort Ringgold and
Ringgold Elementary. "You are
part of something that began a
long, long time ago...You are
connected to a historv that goes
way back." he said. Mr Salinas
also thanked the RGCCISD Board
of Trustees past and present for
having the vision for this great
project.
Mr Francisco "Paco" Zarate
(School Board Vice President)
addressed the audience and
informed them on all the
construction projects that are
underway at the present time and
those that have already been
completed He also had a few
Red Ribbon speaker warns
students about drug menace
By KENNETH ROBERTS
A well known motivational
speaker with much experience in
the medical field gave somber
warnings to Rio Grande City CISD
students about the dangers of drugs
during a Red Ribbon Week
assembly at the RGCCISD
Auditorium on Tuesday morning,
Oct. 25.
Albesa "Abby" Vela, the
president and co-owner of Universal
Connections, was the featured
speaker at a Mini-Conference of
approximately 180 high school
students.
At the beginning of the
assembly, student Randy Eopez read
a proclamation signed by County
Judge Eloy Vera proclaiming Oct.
24-31 as Red Ribbon Week in Starr
County.
Red Ribbon Week is a national
celebration, started in 1987, that
stresses the importance of
remaining drug-free and totally
eradicating drug ibuse Red Ribbon
Week pays tribute to the late DEA
Agent Enrique Camarena, who was
kidnapped, tortured and murdered by
drug traffickers in Mexico in
February 1985.
The Safe and Druti Free Schools
Committee played an essential role
in planning and carrying out the
assembly.
Adelina G. Villarreal, Safe and
Drug Free Schools Committee
Director, discussed the significance
of the Red Ribbon observance and
emphasized the life and background
of the slain DEA Agent Camarena,
who was abducted in Guadalajara,
Mexico on Feb. 7, 1985.
Villarreal noted, "His body was
found one month later. His
informant was also killed. The Red
Ribbon event came about in the
aftermath of Agent Camarena's
death. Just like he made a
difference, we urge you to make a
difference."
Albesa "Abby" Vela is president
and co-owner of Universal
Connections, based in McAllen.
She is also the Health Awareness
Director for the Women's Clinic of
South Texas.
Vela led off her presentation by
telling the students, "You're the
R.C. generation; the younger kids
will look up to you and count on
you to make the right choices."
Vela recalled, "In my work at a
mental hospital, I saw some kids
that were so brain-fned (from drugs)
that they were unable to make
choices of right and wrong. The
kids younger than you know more
than you think the\ know."
"Your generation will have to
deal with gangs and terrorism." she
emphasized. "Because of the
sacrifices of our soldiers, you have
the freedom to dream big. You are
the generation that has the power to
change the world for the better."
Vela warned, "A little bit of
drugs will become a giant or
mountain that will destroy you.
The choices are black and white;
there's no in-between. Making
wrong choices will strip you of
your honor and integrity. Don't let
your heart grow cold and unfeeling.
Wrong choices will eventually
catch up with you."
She contended, "A hero is
someone who knows how to
discipline himself or herself and is
willing to make the sacrifices that
are needed. To whom or what are
you giving your honor.'"
"You will have to pay a price to
be successful." concluded Vela.
"You will pay an even greater price
for making wrong choices. Using
drugs may cost you your life."
(See SPEAKER, Page 4)
Two assault rifles seized by
RGCPD after vehicle pursuit
Two assault rifles and items such
as duct tape and gloves were seized
by the Rio Grande City Police
Department Monday morning after
a brief pursuit on FM 755 and
Embassy Street that ended with
three male occupants of a Ford
Taurus fleeing their vehicle after a
minor accident.
Assistant Police Chief Noe
Castillo reported, "The (pursuing)
officer found two black assault
rifles that were fully loaded. A
Halloween mask was found inside
the car, as were two black leather
gloves and duct tape. In\estigators
for the RGCPD confiscated the
gloves, mask, duct tape, and the
two weapons."
Castillo noted that the suspicious
vehicle carried California license
plates.
"We don't have any information
at this time about who the car
belonged to or who was inside the
car," explained the Assistant Chief.
"There were three balding males,
maybe in their twenties."
Castillo added, "We're working to
try to find out who the car was
registered to...We don't know at
this point what these people might
have been planning."
Castillo indicated that the
incident occurred at approximately
9:06 a.m. on Monday. Oct. 31. The
episode had its beginning at the city
limits on FM 755 near the
livestock sale yard.
"The officer was traveling
southbound," declared Castillo.
"The officer noticed that the driver
was not wearing a seatbelt. The
officer saw that the driver and the
two passengers were slouching
down."
The Assistant Chief stated, "They
were riding in a 1994 green four-
door Ford Taurus with California
license plates. The Taurus was
traveling north."
Castillo noted that "the officer
then turned north, got close to the
vehicle, called in a traffic stop, and
turned on his (vehicle) lights. The
vehicle sped up and kept going
north. They then turned east on
Embassy Street."
Castillo continued, "About a
mile east of FM 755. the vehicle
lost control and got into a minor
accident once they reached the
gravel portion (of Embassy Street).
There was a big cloud of dust. The
officer could see three people
fleeing from the car. The driver
went into the wooded area."
At that point, indicated Castillo,
the pursuing officer opened the
trunk after the subjects had left the
keys in the ignition of the vehicle.
(See PURSUIT, Page 4)
RGCCISD Parental Involvement
to celebrate Involvement Dav
(RGCCISD News Release)
Rio Grande City CISD Parental
Involvement will be celebrating
Involvement Day with a Fall
Festival of Programs. Several
School and Community programs
will have booths at the Multi-
purpose Center on November 16,
2005. This event will take place
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Parents from all campuses are
invited to attend Information on
the different school and community
programs will be distributed to
parents.
For more information call
Parental Involvement Specialists,
Carolyn Lopez or Estela Hernandez
at the Parental Involvement Office
716-6801.
words to share with them and they
are as follows. "Despite all the
issues we must confront we have
the greatest system in the world and
live in the greatest nation in the
world." he said.
Mr Basilio D. Villarreal, Jr.
(School Board President) gave his
closing remarks at the end of the
ceremony. "First of all I want to
thank everybody and I mean
everybody, students. teachers,
parents, and administration. I want
to thank the parents, the taxpayers,
for daring to dream to get these
buildings and putting RGCCISD
second to none." he said
At the end of the ceremony,
Ringgold Elementary teachers and
administrators along with Board
Members and district
administration were asked to take a
hard hat and shovel for the official
breaking of the ground. Everyone
was also invited for refreshments at
the conclusion of the
groundbreaking in the Multi-
purpose Center in celebration of
this new facility.
GMS Hosts Program continues to help students
The Grulla Middle School HOSTS (Help One Student to Succeed) Program continues to make a difference tor
students. This program recruits mentors on a volunteer basis to come in and help students b\ providing
individual instruction. Just one hour a week impacts a student's future Pictured left to right are Ilsa Solis
(mentor), Bnanda Garcia (student), Enrique Eurita (student), and Letty Saenz (mentor). (RGCCISD photo).
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 3, 2005, newspaper, November 3, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196345/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.