The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 17, 1985 Page: 1 of 10
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Pharr Memorial Library-
130 E. Caffery
Pharr, Texas
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PSJA WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR 63 YEARS
the Pharr Press
Vol.63
No. 3
USPS429-660
787-2291
January 17,1985
Sales Tax Funds Up For
Pharr And Alamo
Sales Tax reports for the Tri-
City Area were mixed for the fir-
st month of 1985. The State
Comptroller’s Office reported
Pharr and Alamo experienced in
increase in sales tax revenues
for the same period in 1984
while San Juan experienced a
drop in revenues for the same
period.
According to Comptroller Bob
Bullock's report, issued this
week, Pharr collected a total of
$75,022.80, compared to only
$67,904.23 for the same period
last year. This represents a
10.48% increase. Alamo was
the outstanding surprise as it in-
creased its revenues a whopping
54.65%. Alamo increased to
$6,248.18 this month from
$4,040.15 for last year.
San Juan unfortunately, did
not fare as well as the other two
cities. This month’s revenues
were $7,218.15, compared to
$8,496.91 last year. This
represent a net dropni in
revenues of 15.05%.
‘‘It’s very good for the city,”
said Alamo City Manager Mario
Espinoza of the increase in
Alamo revenues. “It has very
positive repercussions for the
City,” he added. Espinoza poin-
ted out that Alamo has ex-
perienced a considerable in-
crease in Winter Texans
locating Alamo compared to last
year, despite the fact that other
cities had not received the
widely expected increase in
Winter tourists. Espinoza also
pointed out that there had been
a number of new stores opened
in Alamo.
According to the Comptroller,
“Statewide payments are up
more than 15% over last
January’s checks, mostly
because of the new items
brought under the sales tax by
the Legislature,” during last
summer’s special session
revision of the sales tax laws.
However, Bullock was not as op-
tomistic about forthcoming 1985
sales tax payments. He pointed
out that the oil industry slump,
reduced oil revenues, and the
“disappointing Christmas retail
season" will probably mean
lower revenues throughout 1985.
Bullock, however, did not com-
ment what effect the renewed
border trade might have for the
Valley, including the Tri-City
area.
Bullocks’s report covered the
November 1984 period, for
which information was not
available until this week. This
does not include the Christmas
sale reports.
Pharr To Have New
Housing Loan Program
The City of Pharr Community
Development Department will be
participating in the U.S. Depar-
tment of Housing and Urban
Development Section 312 (HUD
312) loan program. A public
hearing will be held next Wed-
nesday night, January 23, at 7:oo
pm, at the Pharr Civic Center to
receive public input and explain
the program.
The City will only function as
the entity packaging and for-
warding the loan applications to
HUD. The City will not be the en-
tity deciding of a person will be
approved for the loan. Final
decisions will rest soley with
HUD.
A Section 312 loan may be used
for repairs and improvements
needed to make the property
comply with local housing and
building codes or other ap-
plicable standards for the area.
The loans wil be targeted for
certain areas of the city (to be
discussed at the public hearing).
Priority will be given to singie-
family, owner-occupied units.
HOwever, commercial proper-
ties and multi-family properties
can also qualify.
Single family and multi-family
units can apply for up to $27,000
per unit. Commercial buildings
can qualify for up to $100,000
per building. The loans may not
exceed 20 years.
Interest rates will vary, depen-
ding on income. A single family
can qualify for loans at 3% if the
family earns 80% or less of the
median family income for the
area. Those above the 80%
median income will qualify for
loans at interest rates com-
parable to government
securities.
The applicant will responsible
for the costs involved in
developing the loan application.
PSJA To Change
Immunization Policy
By Margie McCarthy
Effective Monday, Jan. 21, the
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Indepen-
dent School District will no
longer provide students with
immunications required by
Texas law. The local consulting
physician will not be available
as the dispensing agent.
According to Supt. Gus
; •• Guerra, PSJA ISD is the only
large school district in the area
that had the unique
arrangement whereby a local
physician sponsors the district
and serves as the dispensing
agent while the school registered
nurse administered the im-
munizations. The previous local
consulting physician has retired
and is moving away from the
area.
Parents can avail themselves
of free immunizations offered at
the Hidalgo County Public
Health Clinic located at 1903 N.
Fir in Pharr between LBJ Jr. High
and the Pharr Fire Station. Im-
munizations are provided at the
clinic from 3 to 4:30 p.m. daily.
Their phone number is 787-1531.
Parents may also choose to get
the necessary immunizations
from their family doctor.
Texas state law specifies that
all school children must have
current immunizations in order
to attend school. A student not
in compliance is subject to ex-
pulsion from school until the
necessary immunizations are
updated. PSJA ISD will allow
students 10 days in order to
comply. Most of the currently
enrolled students who needed
boosters this year have been up-
dated.
Students new to the district
are required to show proof of
immunization upon enrolling at
the Office of Pupil Accounting
located at I Road and Ex-
pressway 83 in Pharr. If new
students have not received the
needed immunizations, they
must show proof of having star-
ted the required series.
The Texas Dept, of Public
Health recommended schedule
for immunizations is as follows:
1) diptheria/pertussis/tetanus
(DPT) vaccine at the ages of 2, 4
and 6 months with boosters at
the ages of 15 months, after age
4, and every 10 years after that
a DT booster, 2) polio vaccine at
the ages of 2, 4 and 6 months
with boosters at 15 months and
after age 4, 3) measles/mum-
ps/rubella vaccine at the age of
15 months. Students older than
the above recommended ages
who have not been immunized
can start their series at any age.
Before the end of the school
year, PSJA ISD nurses will notify
students who need boosters for
the 1985-86 school year so that
students can get the boosters
during the summer. An updated
copy of immunizations is
available from the school nurses
upon request to any students
leaving the district.
Section 312 Loans To
Be Available
L to R: Kiko Villarreal, president of Tri-City B&PW; Louise
Newcombe, member of B&PW also MU/WT Board member,
Melinda Cruz, Volunteer Co-ordinator for Women Together._
Tri-City B&PW Host
“Taste of Mexico”
Tri City Business and
Professional Women will hold
their annual “Taste of Mexico”
luncheon this Saturday. January
19, 1985 at Plantation South
Recreation Hall on So. 281 in
Pharr. There will be food, enter-
tainment, culture and door
prizes. Serving time will be from
11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tickets
are $8.00 in advance or $10.00
at the door.
Dr. Juanita Garza from Pan
American University will speak
on Mexican Customs, from 12:30
until 1 p.m. from 1 p.m. until 2
p.m. folklorico. dancers from
McAllen Parks and Recreation
will perform. During the lun-
cheon a China Poblana Dress
(national costume of Mexico) will
be modeled and demonstrated
by Mrs. Elia Barrera (wife of
Pharr Mayor, Fidencio Barrera)
and Minnie Etta Jones of Central
National Bank. All proceeds will
go to Mujeres Unidas/Women
Together and Tri City B&PW
Scholarship Fund. Tickets may
be purchased from any member
at Newcombe Rexall Drug in
Pharr or at the Women Together
Office at 420 N. 21 St. For in-
formation, call Sue Smethers at
781-8872.
Political Caucus To
Sponsor Reception
The Hidalgo County Women’s
Political Caucus is sponsoring a
wine and cheese reception on
Saturday, January 19 from 7:00
until 9:00 p.m. at the Echo Hotel
in Edinburg.
Meg Wilson, Chair of the
Texas Women’s Political
Caucus, will be an honored
guest. The reception is being
held in conjunction with a
meeting of the statewide ad-
ministrative policy council of the
Caucus, the first time such a
meeting has been held in the
Valley. The meeting will take
place on Saturday in Weslaco.
The Caucus is a multi-partisan
political action organization
whose primary purpose is get-
ting women involved in all levels
of government.
A $5.00 donation for the
reception may be paid at the
door. The public is invited to at-
tend. For more information call
686-2413.
In a relatively short meeting
Tuesday night, the Pharr City
Commission approved the ap-
pointment of a Sesquicentennial
Committee for the City. Com-
missioners also heard reports on
the progress of several city
projects.
The Commissioners passed a
resolution which stated that
“The Pharr Sesquicentennial
Committee is hereby directed to
establish a Master Plan for the
City
City's celebration of the
sesquicentennial to ensure that
the City is officially sanctioned
by the State Commission.”
The Commission appointed the
following people to the commit-
tee: Lloyd Glover, Chairman,
David Liu, Margie McCarthy,
Mrs. Connally Kelley, Virginia
Polk, Mrs. George McCullough,
Mrs. Louise Seitziner, Mrs.
Claudio Balli, Mrs. Irene Salinas,
Patsy Palmquist, Mrs. Wagner,
Frances Riley, Oscar Cuellar,
Romeo Escobar, Joe Salinas,
Zack Barreiro, and Lorenzo
Garcia.
In another item, the City Com-
mission received a report from
Community Development Direc-
tor Jose Guerrero on the im-
plementation of the HUD 312
loan program. According to
Guerrero, the program will be
ready for implementation soon.
He indicated that a public
hearing will held next Wed-
nesday night, January 23, at 7:00
pm at the Pharr Civic Center.
(See related story on this page.)
The commissioners approved a
resolution opposing any changes
in the Bingo 1% Tax Legislation.
According to Acting-City
Manager Oscar Cuellar, there
had been suggested changes in
the law that would let the state
keep the one-percent tax and
turn it over to the Attorney
General’s office.
According to Cuellar, the state
had questioned whether the
cities were doing enough enfor-
cement of the bingo regulations.
However, Cuellar pointed out
that the cities were doing as
much as possible. “If they don't
think we’re doing enough of a
job, we welcome their assistan-
ce.” “I feel the city is still
responsible, for all of the traffic
and enforcement,” stated Mayor
Fidencio Barrera.
The Commissioners also ap-
proved two other resolutions.
One dealt with the new semi-
annual financial reporting
requirements for elected of-
ficials now mandated by the last
changes in the election code.
The other resolution authorized
the Hidalgo County Housing
Finance Corporation to accept
applications from Pharr residen-
ts for mortgage loans, geared
primarily to moderated income
families.
A report from the ctiy engineer
on the progress of the construc-
tion of the new water plant
revealed mixed news. Accor-
ding to the engineer, the water
plant is almost completely
finished. However, some in-
strumentation still needs to be
installed. He added that this
should be finished by March.
According to Cuellar, the
problem has come from not
being able to get timely work
done by either Southwestern
Bell or AT&T. Cuellar pointe
out that it took both entities a
long time to decide who was
responsible for the woik. He
added that the problem resulted
since the breakup of AT&T.
The commissioners also
questioned why the project had
taken so long. The project was
originally scheduled for ter-
mination by the end of November
1984. The commissioners aksed
that the item be put in executive
session for next week with the
contractor present.
Bell Telephone To
Provide Equal Access
Southwestern Bell Telephone
has notified all long-distance
companies operating in Texas of
its plans to introduce equal ac-
cess in two more telephone ex-
changes in the Rio Grande
Valley.
Equal access will give all long-
distance firms the opportunity to
be on equal footing with AT&T,
both in transmission quality and
dialing requirements. The new
service is expected to increase
customer convenience and fuel
an already high competitive in-
dustry.
According to Jane Burchard,
district manager, Southwestern
Bell will introduce equal access
to the Pharr (781, 783, 787) ex-
change on July 8, 1985 and to the
McAllen (682, 686, 687, 630,
531) exchange on July 21, 1985.
The company already has an-
nounced plans to introduce
equal access in the Harlingen
and Edinburg exchanges.
Burchard said her company is
developing a comprehensive in-
formation plan to keep
customers abreast of the
changes.
‘‘We’ll make sure our
customers know what they need
:o do, when they need to do it,”
she said. Burchard said details
ef the customer information
arogram, as well as additional
nformation about equal access,
will be announced later.
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Frozen Grass - These 3 boys had a tricky time getting across a
frozen field Sunday morning after a winter storm left some ice
behind.
Winter Texans Help PBS TV Pharr’s winter
Texan Week
A group of Winter Texans has
formed the TV 60 and Up Club.
According to Everett Edwards
Chairman of the new
organization, the group will be
working to raise funds for the
construction and operation of
the proposed Public Broadcast
System (PBS) station.
Designated the Channel 60
position, the new station will go
by the KMBH call letters an will
have its studio in Harlingen and
its tower in La Feria. In a joint
statement issued by Edwards
and Derby Shears. Winter
Texan Mayor of Pharr, the two
urged Valley Winter Texans to
“join us as we help out TV-60 on
the air. Public television belongs
to everyone in the country. Why
shouldn't the children of the
Valley have the same oppor-
tunity to learn from television as
our children back home?” The
two added that, in addition to the
ming schedule on regular
television signals and on cable.
The programming will include
some of the nationally
recognized PBS programs, such
as Mister Roger's Neighborhood,
Sesame Street, NOVA, Master-
piece Theater, Evening At the
Pops, Wall Street Week, The
MacNeil/Lehrer Report, and
many others. Additionally, local
programming will also be
developed. These will deal with
special interest programming
around Valley issues, as well as
some targeted for Winter
Texans.
Persons wishing to make a
donation can send them to RGV
Educational Broadcasting. P.O.
Box 2147, Harlingen, Tx. 78551.
Those wishing to join the TV 60
and Up Club may attend their
meetings every Wednesday
morning, at 10:00 a.m., at the
Pharr Chamber of Commerce.
children's programming, “other
programs will help reach every
person in the Valley - some
especially focussed on us as
Winter Texans.”
They stressed the importance
that Winter Texans could play in
the development of the PBS
station. “This is our opportunity
to sponsor the tower which TV-
60 will need to begin broad-
casting. It will be a Winter
Texan Monument - letting all
who see it reaching into the sky
know that we care.”
Specifically. Edwards ex-
plained that the TV - 60 And Up
Club is composed of Winter
Texans who are 60 and up and
are willing to donate $60.00 and
up to assist in coming up with
the $555,000.00 anticipated cost
for the new tower.
Once the station is on the air,
expected later this year, it will
be broadcasting a full program-
Pharr’s annual ‘‘Winter
Texan Week” starts Monday,
Jan. 14 and winds up Saturday,
Jan. 19 with the Square Dance
Jamboree.
“Winter Texan Week" is the
city of Pharr and the Pharr
Chamber of Commerce's way of
saying ‘‘Thanks, we’re glad
you’re here.” The Pharr city
commission and Mayor Fidencio
Barrera will designate the week
of January 14-20 as “Winter
Texan Week". Pharr’s
Honorary Winter Texan Mayor,
Derby Shears, will receive the
official proclamation.
The Square Dance Jamboree.
Saturday. Jan. 19 at El Centro
Mall in Pharr, from 10:30 a.m. to
noon has become a favorite at-
traction. both for Winter
Winter Texan cont’d on Page 5
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Mata, Arnoldo. The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 17, 1985, newspaper, January 17, 1985; Pharr, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth867019/m1/1/: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Pharr Memorial Library.