Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 29, 2009 Page: 1 of 6
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I
1
I
THURSDAY
WEEKLY
EDITION
October 29,2009
96th YEAR No. 43
Rio Grande
HEP ALD
A Newspaper Serving the People of South Texas
UTPA Upper Level ceremony termed great milestone
Munoz exhorts Ringgold elementary students
Oscar Munoz visited students at Ringgold Elementary on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009. The
famous magician has been a regular visitor to Ringgold Elementary for many years. His
magic show focused on the importance of being drug free, never giving up on your dreams,
and staying health) (RGCCISD photo).
Cuellar notes Salinas to be new
GSA regional administrator
Washington, D C. On
Friday, Oct 23,
Congressman Henry Cuellar
(TX-28) released this
statement following the
White House announcement
confirming Hidalgo County
Judge J.D. Salinas to serve
as the new U.S. General
Services Administration
(GSA) Region
Administrator:
"For months we've
anticipated this
announcement and now it's
official. I congratulate Judge
J.D. Salinas on this
appointment as it's a shining
moment for Hidalgo County
For two decades, he has
served our area with pride
and dedication. It's an honor
to support him as he moves
forward to serve in this
esteemed role with the GSA.
In addition to representing
Texas, he will also represent
the needs of the people in
Louisiana, Arkansas. New
Mexico and Oklahoma. It's a
tremendous responsibility
and I'm confident he'll heed
the call.
"Judge J.D. Salinas has
worked hard in meeting the
needs of Hidalgo County,
protecting our land and our
people from dangerous
flooding by helping us
construct the levee system.
I'm confident in his ability to
serve the GSA, and the
White House, the President
and his administration have
shown their confidence in
J.D. Salinas by appointing
him to this position. 1 want
to commend the Texas
Democratic Delegation on
our collaborative effort in
supporting J.D. Salinas as
we recommended him to this
post. We'll miss his presence
here in Hidalgo, but I look
forward to working with him
in this new role. We are
fortunate to have 'one of our
own' continue to represent
our needs as he moves on to
the GSA. So today we say
congratulations, but not
farewell."
STC Upward Bound students
learn leadership skills
By: Delicia Ramirez, South
Texas College Upward
Bound program
Coordinator
Five South Texas College
Upward Bound Program
participants from Roma and
Rio Grande City high
schools attended the
Southwest Association of
Student Assistance Programs
Student Leadership
Conference (SWASAP
SLC).
The event was held at Sky
Ranch in Van, Texas, in late
September.
Jorge Ayala, Esteban
Gavina, Cindy Marroquin,
Monseratt Ruiz and Larizza
Prado traveled to Sky Ranch,
and were introduced to the
staff and students from
Upward Bound Programs
across New Mexico,
Arkansas, (Oklahoma,
Louisiana and Texas.
Participants took part in
STC says Valley native
plants way to go
Is your lawn looking so
dr\ thai it's starting to look
like a scene from the Wiley
Coyote and Road Runner
cartoons'.' And you feel the
only wa\ to picture your
lawn blooming with color is
by experiencing a mirage?
You'd be surprised to know
there are plants that can co-
exist with the Vallev's
extreme!) hot temperatures.
South Texas College's
Starr County Campus has
created a pictorial exhibit to
educate students and the
communit) about the vast
species of plants that can be
found in the area. The
displav features images of
wild flowers, wetland plants,
vines, cacti and main other
plants native to the Valley. It
(See PLANTS, Page 6)
The Oct. 15
groundbreaking event for the
University of Texas-Pan
American (UTPA) Upper
Level Center in Starr County
was hailed by prominent
speakers as a milestone for
educational progress and
development in the county.
The event was held on
Thursday morning, Oct. 15
at 142 FM 3167 adjacent to
the STC Starr County
Campus.
Provost Paul Sale served
as the Master of Ceremonies
for the event. The welcome
was given by UTPA Interim
President Sorber, who also
introduced VIP guests.
Among those guests was
former State Representative
Roberto Gutierrez of
McAllen. Gutierrez filed the
original legislation in the
early 1990's authorizing
creation of the college.
STC President Dr. Shirley
Reed gave the Welcome to
the Neighborhood. Rose
Benavidez, executive director
of the Starr County
Industrial Foundation,
indicated that Reed "spoke
about the need for more
collaborative efforts to
increase educational
opportunities. She expressed
gratitude aboul the
partnership that will allow
additional students to get
their bachelor's degrees."
Benavidez declared that
State Senator Judith Zaffirini
of Laredo "spoke aboul her
fond feeling for Starr
County and the strong
support she receives in the
county. She stressed she
intends to continue working
in the Legislature for future
higher education projects in
Starr County. She expressed
gratitude ai STC's creation
and how strongly the college
has progressed over the
years."
Sen. Zaffirini praised the
late STC trustee Manuel
Benavidez. Jr. for his
advocacy of STC over the
years. She also commended
the County Judge and the
Commissioners Court for
their strong support of the
college and its programs over
many years.
Remarks were also given
by State Representative
Ryan Guillen. Benavidez
noted Guillen's declaration
that "he was happy that
UTPA had made the Upper
Level Center a priority in
recent years. He said he was
glad to assist the process
through his position on the
House Appropriations
Committee."
A check of $100,000 from
the county was presented by
County Judge F.Ioy Vera.
Benavidez stated, "Judge Vera
said he and the
Commissioners Court feel
strongly about what this
facility is doing to increase
educational opportunities. He
thanked current and past
legislators for their efforts
to help Starr County,
particularly in the education
field."
Brenda Trevino, a UTPA
student from Starr County,
spoke on behalf of students.
She declared that UTPA's
presence in Starr County
will enable her to obtain her
bachelor's degree. The new
Upper Level Center will
greatly increase convenience
for local students, she
emphasized. Trevino
concluded that this facility
will be of enormous benefit
(See CEREMONY, Page 6)
Cuellar calls for colonia study
in solar energy bill
several ice breakers and
memory games. Two
professors from Jarvis
Christian College spoke on
the meaning of diversity and
its importance. And Brenda
Faulkner, professor at
Tarleton University,
presented a workshop on
diversity and conducted
several activities with the
students, helping them get to
know each other's
differences and similarities.
A community service
project was also part of the
conference. The group
traveled to the East Texas
Food Bank in Tyler, Texas,
where they took a tour and
were given an overview of
the facility and its services.
Participants were then
divided into groups and put '
to work preparing items and
boxing them up. In the end
the group prepared more
than 800 boxes.
The student leadership
conference concluded with
the presentation of six
(See STUDENTS, Page 6)
Washington, DC -
Congressman Henry Cuellar
(TX-28) voted on Thursday,
Oct 22 for a sweeping solar
energy technology bill which
would direct the Energy
Secretary to create a solar
energy road map by
conducting studies
nationwide, including a
study on how the sun could
power undeveloped areas
known as Colonias.
"These studies will give us
a roadmap for how to tap the
most abundant natural
resource we have," said
Congressman Cuellar. "And
with iny amendment the
Energy Secretary would
study communities like the
Colonias who lack a
traditional power structure."
On Oct. 22. the House
passed by a vote of 310-106.
H.R. 3585, the Solar
Technology Roadmap Act,
that requires the U.S.
Department of Energy to
create a long-term plan to
guide solar energy research
and its potential for
widespread commercial use.
The legislation also
authorizes S2.25 billion for
solar research over the next
live sears.
Congressman Cuellar
successfully added an
amendment to the bill that
requires the Energy
Department to conduct these
solar studies in
underpowered and
underserved communities
like the Colonias. Over the
past several years, he's
repeatedly secured federal
funding to bring electricity
to the underdeveloped
dwellings along the Rio
Grande River.
"A little power goes a long
way in the Colonias," said
Congressman Cuellar. "And
a^ the federal government
makes these dramatic new
investments, they should
look at our underdeveloped
communities who have little
if no pow er at all."
This July, Congressman
Cuellar secured S550.000 for
the Colonias in the Energy
and Water Development
Appropriations Act 2010, to
power approximately 100
dwellings in the Colonias
through a micro-grid system
in coordination with Texas
A& M University. A
prototype currently powers
twelve dwellings in La Presa
Colonia in Webb County .
If passed by the Senate and
signed by the President, the
Solar Technology Roadmap
(See COLONIA, Page f>7
Upward Bound students attend conference
Five STC Upward Bound Program participants from Roma and Rio Grande City high
schools attended the Southwest Association of Student Assistance Programs Student
Leadership Conference. At the conference from left are Mouse Ruiz, Jorge Ayala. Larizza
Prado, Cindy Marroquin and Esteban Gavina. (See related article on Page I).
The Rio Grande Herald Presents
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Call 487-2819
Weekly Money Saving tip #5
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 29, 2009, newspaper, October 29, 2009; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196383/m1/1/?q=%22Rio+Grande+Herald+Publishing+Company%2C+Inc.%22: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.