WISD vice president Ivan Perez, superintendent Dr. Richard Rivera and Board president David Fuentes at the Sept.. 21 meeting discussing extending term limits to 4 years.
Protesters gathered in the Weslaco Independent School District’s board chambers in effort to keep Dr. Richard Rivera on as Weslaco’s Public Schools superintendent.
That came after the board voted not to extend Rivera’s contract.
Newly elected school board member Oscar Caballero was the deciding 4-3 vote in not keeping Dr. Rivera as the superintendent of schools in Weslaco and some of his supporters were disgusted by his vote.
Dr. Rivera has spent most of his professional career in Weslaco’s Independent School District working his way up the ladder from a teacher, assistant principal and superintendent of schools since 1996 after starting his career in Weslaco forty-five years ago.
Rivera’s current contract pulls in $215,000 dollars a year for his experience.
However at the September 21board meeting there was discussion of the possibility of skipping the next election and extending school board member terms from three to four years. Thus changing elections from May to November.
WISD school board seats One, Two and Three are up for election in May 2012. If the Board gets a resolution passed by Dec. 31 to amend their charter to extend school board terms they would not stand for re-election until 2014.
“To me this particular plan is almost undemocratic to deny a community an election,” said Dr. Robert Sepulvida. “I was elected last year for three years and if you do this your going to add three and a half years to what I already have.
“I wasn’t elected for five and a half years I was elected for three.”
Reporters in the Rio Grande Valley have worked hard to shed light on corruption in South Texas.
One long-time reporter in the area has made tremendous strides in the community and has gained trust as an investigative reporter. Emma Perez-Trevino a reporter for the Brownsville Herald writes on topics in South Texas on topics of city and school district business.
Journalists like her and news organizations have worked to expose corruption and poor leadership with investigative reporting.
The community has still lost as public officials have sometimes got away with crimes and tax payers money has gone lost.
The latest political story was about Hidalgo County Pct. 1 Constable candidate Robert Maldonado who was arrested in Victoria, Texas with 1 million dollars in the trunk of his car. The money was reported as being linked to the Mexican Drug Cartel. A follow-up story on Maldonado reported that he had exotic animals at his home. One kangaroo, rhino, alligator, rattle snake and others.
By Raul Garcia Jr. / Jan. 29, 2012
In 2006 esteemed author and journalist, Bob Woodward visited the Rio Grande Valley’s University of Texas - Pan American to talk about President Bush and the War in Iraq. He was one of the reporters that broke the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of President Nixon and shook newsrooms across the country into creating their own investigative reporting news desk. One blogger said I wonder what Woodward might find if he started digging in the Rio Grande Valley. The blogger went on to say that local media does not pay to uncover anything important as Watergate.
“The Valley is known for corruption for years it’s been so corrupt and you could start off with what we used to call the magnificent seven in Hidalgo County,” said David Garza, a former Mercedes City Commissioner. “There were seven people all corrupt taking money and the only person that went to jail was the whistle blower.”
The Rio Grande Valley is comprised of four counties in south Texas along the Texas and Mexico border and you wouldn’t know it but for being one of the poorest regions in the country it is also one of the richest in political corruption. And with a saturated newspaper market filled with daily, weekly and monthly publications citizen wonder why aren’t there more investigative reports being published.
Editors and individuals that keep up with the journalism industry would say a Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism is just around every corner in South Texas. With over sixty private commercial publications and three flagship daily newspapers a media junkie would say more should be done in covering the news that matters so citizens can be better informed.
Some of the most recent public official scandals in South Texas to make the news have been: Able Limas, Sylvia Handy, Jim Solis, Kino Flores in the last few years. They either walked out, resigned or have been sentenced to federal prison for bribes, conspiracy, taking money and making deals that went against their oath of office. Newspapers didn’t begin reporting on these issues until arrests were made only reporting on the events as they developed not as investigative reports that looked into the issues and blew the whistle and the story wide open into the public domain.
Local journalist and blog publisher, Juan Montoya, has worked for major daily newspapers locally and around the country; says since newspapers are in such dire straights economically that they tend to overlook certain things that they would not have overlooked if they weren’t in such economic straights.
“Newspapers have a hard time performing their basic function of being the paper of record,” Montoya said. “There is a very small percentage of media’s resources being devoted to investigative reporting because of the downturn of the economy.”
Another public official recently exposed for bribes and corruption is Dr. Jesus Gandara, former Mercedes School District superintendent. While at the helm in Mercedes he headed the construction of Kennedy Elementary. However a few years after leaving his teenier it closed and today is under reconstruction.
He and four other people from the Sweetwater Union School District in San Diego, CA are under investigation for accepting bribes for multi-million dollar school construction projects.
Gangada was the superintendent of the Mercedes Independent School District from 1997-2004.
Garza said everybody thought Gandara was the best thing that had ever come to Mercedes for his leadership, construction projects and turning the school district into a recognized Texas Agency District.
“But look at him now in California he has seven or eight indictments on him for corruption accepting bribes, to bid rigging and I hope that guy goes to jail — he deserves to go to jail,” the former Mercedes City Commissioner said.
The former Mercedes City Commissioner and mayoral candidate, David Garza, said he got his start in politics when a friend of his asked him to look into the inner-workings of the Mercedes Housing Authority. Working as a mechanic with his father at their family owned wielding and auto shop in Mercedes he had vowed never to go into politics. He found the Mercedes Housing Authority officials were misusing money and taking advantage of their authority. And that was what pushed him into politics and what gave him the nickname “community watch dog.”
“We found out that the officials for the housing authority were misusing funds,” Garza said. “They were buying liquor, they had their own per diem and they would go and gamble and all of this was on the credit card of the housing authority.”
His efforts helped uncover and expose the people that were at the housing authority in 1990 and through the paper trail he found the abuse of tax payers monies for cell phones, travel and shopping. His work drew an audit by the Texas Inspector General and his personal scrapbook shows the news clips from the local weekly newspaper and the daily paper of record were printed after uncovering the crimes. However it proves the local media did not uncover the corrupt wrongdoings at the Mercedes Housing Authority it only reported on the audit and followed the story to its end reporting the restructuring of the Mercedes Housing Authority.
Despite all the good work that was done and that was exposed nobody got prosecuted for it so in that sense Garza’s work and the news reports were enlightening but it didn’t lead to any persecution or prosecution of the people who perpetuated the misuse of funds at the Mercedes Housing Authority in 1990.
According to the editor of The Monitor, Steve Fagan, South Texas’ leading newsroom; requires reporters to report investigatively on local scandals and corrupt elected officials taking bribes, stealing tax payers money, making decisions in conflict of interest as they arise. The Monitor and its sister publications The Valley Morning Star and the Brownsville Herald also hold the torch for providing investigative news and covering news as it happens in the Rio Grande Valley on a daily basis.
It’s only a matter of time before another political scandal pops and unleashes reporters in the community to investigate and uncover more information on their misuse of money, power and trust.
A local boxing gym in Mercedes, TX trains fighters male and female every day. The trainers are a group of brothers that all started boxing at a young age and one, Tomas Barrientes, was the IBA World Champion. The Barrientes Boxing Gym has become well known in the Rio Grande Valley for training boxers and helping young people become more disciplined, stronger and healthy.
The pictures are of their training sessions as the boxers sharpen their skills hitting the bags, shadow boxing, sparring, jumping ropes and learning from the family of boxing trainers.
J.R. Cantu fought at the Texas Amature Sports Karate Tournament held at the Rio Grande Valley Stock Show Grounds in Mercedes on Saturday August 20.
“He loves karate, he comes to practice, he hits the bag, he does the boxing and he is really into it and it’s helped him out a lot,” Cantu’s coach, Armando Saldana said.
Cantu fought in the handicap division and was a first place finisher. He has lived with Down Syndrome and has not let the disability stop him from doing what he loves and wants to do.
“To see kids like Cantu out in the community, doing things, winning competitions and being successful is just incredible,” said Behavior Analyst, Laura Saldana. “It also shows the rest of the community and world that our kids can contribute so much to our society.”
The Gaylord Kajukenbo and Little Kenpo Karate School of Mercedes hosted the event.
Students from around the RGV and Texas participated in the event.
Commissioner Quintanilla Pct. 1 was scheduled to be in New York on Sept. 11 for a meeting on the City of Mercedes Bond rating in 2007 while he was mayor of Mercedes. Quintanilla hosted a 9/11 ceremony of remembrance.
People all over the United States of America took part in remembering the tragic attack of September 11, 2001 on the morning of its ten-year anniversary. Elected officials and people of Hidalgo County took part in the local 9/11 ceremony hosted by County Commissioner Joel Quintanilla at his precinct one office.
Donna High School Marine JROTC cadets.
All morning and afternoon taps was played proudly throughout the country, soldiers marched in uniform and the star spangled red, white and blue flag was waived proudly on the bittersweet anniversary remembering those who lost their lives on American Airlines flights 77, 11 and United Airlines 93 and 175, the World Trade Center, the United States Pentagon and the American men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom at war.
The Donna Marine JROTC did the 21 gun salute, the 401 National Guard Unit and members of the American Legion presented the colors as Commissioner Quintanilla and leaders of the community recounted the events and the importance of remembering 9/11 and those that lost their lives in New York, on the hijacked planes and at war on terrorism.
“It’s important that they [his cadets] remember what happened and pay tribute to the people that lost their lives on 9/11,” said Marine JROTC Master Sargent Daniel Rodriguez. “To keep the tradition and honor of the ones that have fallen and keep the tradition going.”
On September 11, 2001 19 Islamist militants representing Al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets in a coordinated suicide attack on the United States on a Tuesday morning killing nearly three thousand people and injuring nearly 6,000 people. American Airlines 11 and United Airlines 175 struck the Twin Towers in New York City and both towers collapsed within two hours. American Airlines 77 crashed into the United States Pentagon and United Airlines 93 crashed in a field over Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to take over the plane before the hijackers could reach their target of Washington D.C.
“I was shocked of what happened on September 11th,”said Commissioner Quintanilla. “As usual on that day we were all going about our business some of us were working and some of us were going to work and all of a sudden we herd through he radio waves and the television forecasters that our nation was under attack.”
The commissioner said we must never forget what happened on September 11 as he reminded each and every one of the people of his precinct that 9/11 was a day of remembrance, honor and prayer.
“We are at war and this is why we can be here and enjoy this great event in remembrance of those who have died and those that struck the first blow on those that would attack us on that plane over Pennsylvania,” said Asst. Veterans Service Officer Felix M. Rodriguez. “We remember our first responders and those who went into harms way as well including the fire departments, the police departments and those after we declared war.”
He said it is because of our men and women in uniform that we remain strong, steadfast and a God fearing country.
The Weslaco East Wildcats prowled into The Jungle at Tiger Stadium to take on the Mercedes Tigers for four quarters on the gridiron in week three.
East moved to 3-1-0 overall and 2-0 in district as they pushed Mercedes to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in district play. Weslaco East won the contest 37-12.
Weslaco East Aaron Mungia eluding the Tiger defense.
“Everyone did their part tonight,” said Weslaco East Head Coach Armando Cuellar. ”Defensively that first half we stepped it up because we had to because Mercedes was ready to score and they did a heck of a job tonight.”
Coach Cuellar said he was very happy with East’s performance on defense and offense and that he was very happy to have gotten a win over Mercedes.
With three minutes into the first quarter of play Weslaco East had already marched into the end zone and connected with a field goal after the Tigers turned the ball over. They extended their lead to twenty going into the midway point of the game.
Mercedes Tiger RB Gumaro Cuellar and QB Isaiah Garza.
Weslaco East senior quarterback John Arevalo controlled the tempo of the game handing off the ball to his senior running back Aaron Mungia who pushed the ball forward dancing his way for a score. Arevalo was also consistent throwing the to his revivers for large gains.
Garza gave the Tiger Stadium something to cheer about when he connected with Wooten in the end zone to put six points on the board on the 8:55 minute mark of the third quarter bringing the Tigers within three touchdowns 6-27.
Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Garza on the move.
Wildcats halfback Aaron Mungia would help his team on the next series drive up field and in for another touchdown running past the Tigers defense for a 40 plus yard score. Mungia extended the Wildcat lead to 6-30 before the start of the fourth quarter.
The Tigers are an offensive threat with one true quarterbacks in Christian Zamora and two other quarterbacks in Isaiah Garza, a sophomore, and Chris Cruarda, a senior, converted into wide recivers in the rotation.
Coach Uribe said Garza and Zamora both played well against Weslaco East.
“They both bring a little different element, one is a little bit bigger one is a slasher and they both throw the ball well,” Uribe said.
Christian Zamora took the helm on the fourth and moved the tigers up field for a score late in the game connecting with Isaiah Garza in the end zone. Zamora has has limited playing time due to a shoulder injury.
Uribe said early that Zamora would be the Tigers starting quarterback. He had a good performance in their only win of the year against the Port Isabel Tarpons before getting injured on his left shoulder.
Zamora was sidelined in their last four games before returning in the fourth quarter against Weslaco East.
With Brandon Wooten Isaiah Garza and Carlos Quintanilla in the x and z slots Zamora has excellent targets that can gain big yards and finish for the Tigers on a few or more plays.
By Raul Garcia Jr. / Oct. 12, 2011Protesters from around the country and public figures have occupied downtown Manhattan for three weeks and the first week of October saw cities across the country applying the same pressure from protesters that are coming together against economic inequality, against corporate greed and against the War on Terrorism.
Photo by Chris Kelly
Urban cities like Austin, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, De Monise, Iowa, San Francisco and Oakland are some of the twenty-five cities around the country that joined the demonstration of protestors against billionaires, big oil and big bankers.
Entertainment artists that have joined the protest are Michael Moore, Kanye West, Russel Simmons, Susan Sarandan, Tom Morello, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tim Robbins and Mark Ruffalo are just some of the celebrities and public figures that joined protesters that were calling to end the Federal Reserve and bringing back Democracy to the United States of America.
According to the President Wilson’s Library website, “Thus as President Wilson on that December evening signed the Federal Reserve bill into law, a new ‘creature’ was born. A unique creature, it was neither government nor private but part of both.’ The Federal Reserve Act, which established the Federal Reserve System, was to consist of 12 regional banks, privately owned by member banks, but governed and regulated by a president-appointed and Senate-confirmed Federal Reserve Board.”
Photo By Chris kELLY
On Monday Oct. 10 Mayor Bloomburg of New York City said he would allow the protesters to demonstrate indefinitely if they abide by the law.
According to wikipedia, “In mid-2011, the Canadian-based group Adbusters Media Foundation, best known for its advertisement-free anti-consumerist magazine called Adbusters, proposed a peaceful occupation of Wall Street to protest corporate influence on democracy, address a growing disparity in wealth, and the absence of legal repercussions behind the recent global financial crisis.”
For the most part the main stream media has not covered the protests or has dismissed the drum beat of thousands of voices and critical mass that includes many different political backgrounds including liberals, political independents, socialists, conservatives, anarchists, and libertarians.
The Rio Grande lost two of its sons in the War on Terrorism in the month of September.
Army Sgt. Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr. of Pharr died September 14, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit.
Army Staff Sgt. Estevan Altamirano of Edcouch died in Tikrit, Iraq, serving his county in a non combat accident on September 18, 2011. His body was received by his family on September 27 in McAllen with a heros welcome.
Altamirano enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating high school at Edcouch-Elsa in 1999.
His heros welcome was televised and showed the community coming together across Hidalgo County in honor of giving the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country.
The City of Mercedes held it’s annual Halloween Haunted house and community volunteers are attributing its long success to two Mercedes Police Department officers Myriea Abrego and John Paul Sauceda.
“We give out candy bags we give out hotdogs, drinks and of course the haunted house,” said Sgt. John Paul Sauceda. “We also have a costume contest so anybody is welcome to compete so it turns out great.”
The sergeant said the police department’s goal is to help, protect and make a difference. At the same time he said it is important for the police department to bring the community together and the Haunted house and other community events like the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Party and Back to School party are some of the ways the Mercedes Police are doing just that.
Over the last nine years the event has drawn the community closer to the Mercedes Police Department and pulled children and families off the streets of Mercedes every Halloween. And the main attraction besides all of the fun and games is the Haunted House maze that was organized and lead by the two officers.
“It was really scary and little kids aren’t supposed to go in there because they get scared,” said Carla Bokardo, a 16-year-old Mercedes resident. “ It’s a lot of fun and sometimes you get scared and sometimes it’s just for fun.”
Most of the children and young adults had said they have lots of fun at the event and they have been a regular for the last two to three years. Children said the community event is a lot of fun and that the most memorable part of the event is going through the haunted house.
“The Halloween Carnival has been a success because of the haunted house because the kids look forward to it and these two have devoted so much of their time in making it a success for it to be successful for our community,” said Linda Wade.
