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progresstimes Butterfly Festival plans children’s activities

Alton issues $2.5 million in bond obligations

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Winter Texan survey results revealed

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Friday, October 10, 2008

newsbriefs

LETTERS FROM HOME

Your hometown newspaper serving Mission and Western Hidalgo County since 1972

By Ricky Reynoso Hidalgo County commissioners approved a $45,000 pay raise for County Planning Administrator Raul Sesin during Tuesday’s Commissioners’ Court meeting. Currently, Sesin’s annual salary is $111,592 with an auto allowance of $8,000. The proposed adjustment would bump his salary to $165,000 with no auto allowance. Precinct 4 Commissioner Oscar Garza said though the increase seemed excessive, Sesin’s work would ultimately save the county money and prevent the county from having to bid out much of their work. “Basically, we’re trying Sesin to design in house various preliminary projects related to the issues we had with flooding in many of our colonias,” Commissioner Garza said. “It’ll cost us

dfd Dedication set for Peña Elementary

La Joya ISD will host a dedication ceremony for Corina Sanchez Peña Elementary School, located at 4800 North Liberty Drive in Peñitas, on Saturday, October 11, at 9 a.m. Peña joined the Tabasco Consolidated Independent School District (now La Joya ISD) in 1932 as a first grade teacher at Los Ebanos Elementary School. She demonstrated her support for children and the community through efforts like organizing a “rhythm band” for students, coordinating salvage and recycling efforts as part of the rationing movement during World War II, and by reaching out to parents to help them take advantage of health services for their children. Peña was also a leader in education by looking for techniques and strategies to help students learn. She lost her battle with cancer and died October 7, 1960. The following school year was dedicated in her memory. Peña was married to the late Luis Peña Jr. of Los Ebanos. The couple had one child, Jose Rolando Peña; he followed in her footsteps as an educator in La Joya ISD.

MCISD plans dedication See COUNTY Pg. 5A

Eighth Graders Show Appreciation

Alton Memorial Junior High School journalism student Lucero Rodriguez thinks about what she wants to say to Sergeant Heather Lucas who is currently serving in Iraq. Along with other students in Mrs. Sylvianora Garcia's class, Rodriguez sends letters and packages to military personnel serving in Iraq as a means of encouragement to the soldiers, and as a way of connecting their school learning with real life circumstances. (Progress Times photo by Doug Young)

By Jim Brunson Sylvia Garcia’s eighth grade journalism class is learning more than writing skills. Her students are also learning about bravery, sacrifice, love of country and caring about people they never met. The experience has been so rewarding that students who participated in this special class assignment last year want to do it again. The class of journalism students at Alton Memorial Jr. High, along with Garcia’s other five classes, is writing letters and sending “Care” packages to U.S. soldiers in Iraq. “It’s not just an assignment,” Garcia said. She explains that she received one La Joya unveils scoreboard letter from a soldier who said he keeps The La Joya Coyotes, Huskies and Lobos have the student’s letter next to his bunk so something new to howl about. Tonight, at the La Joya he can look at it whenever he has to go Coyotes Homecoming game, the district will unveil out on patrol. the Valley’s largest football scoreboard at La Joya Stadium. Measuring 32 feet wide and 28 feet four inches high, no other school’s board even comes close in size. It has video, graphic and playback capabilities. This Friday will be the first time the scoreboard will be entirely complete. All portions of the scoreboard will be up and running during the game. Last week, during the game between the Palmview High Lobos and the La Joya Coyotes, the district did a run-through with the video board so the students and the staff could see how the scoreboard would run. The sound system is described as being one of the best in the state, and is equipped for an audience of 25,000 people. Currently, KLJS-Channel 17, the district’s TV station, is running the scoreboard with the assistance of students from all three La Joya High Schools—Palmview High School, Juarez-Lincoln High School, and La Joya Senior High School.

$45,000 pay raise approved

www.progresstimes.net

“A lot of soldiers write back that they don’t have any family so just getting a letter uplifts their spirits,” she said. Proudly posted on the classroom bulletin board are some of the reply letters from the soldiers that the previous classes had written. Sgt. Robst-Draper wrote back from Afghanistan to the yearbook class. “I want to take the time out to say thank you for your package and for your support. It means a lot that strangers take the time out to think of us soldiers and are willing to send us things from home. Ur the best,” her letter said. “You all are [as] much Heros as we are. Without your support we would have no reason to fight, and no desire to help Afghanistan.” Spc. Waters of the 730th Quarter-

master Co. wrote from Camp Asad in the Anbar Province, “It makes our day to receive a letter from a complete stranger and hear how much we are appreciated. Thank you.” The journalism, yearbook and technology teacher has made special arrangements with the people at www.AnySoldier.com to get the addresses of 100 soldiers stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan each semester so her students can send letters of encouragement and appreciation. Since starting the project in 2004, her students have sent letters to 700 soldiers. Garcia said the students pick a soldier to write and then they can go to the website to see pictures of the soldier and learn where his or her unit is from

Mission CISD will dedicate its newest elementary school, Hilda C. Escobar/Alicia C. Rios Elementary School, on Saturday, October 18 beginning at 10 a.m. The campus is located at 3505 N. Trosper Road, Mission. Hilda C. Escobar and Alicia C. Rios are sisters who are products of Mission schools and who dedicated their professional lives to educating the children of Mission. Hilda C. Escobar is the daughter of Leopoldo and Elida Cavazos. Their belief in the importance of education is credited with being one of the key factors in guiding the path of Escobar. She graduated, with honors, from Mission High School in 1958. She attended college at Pan American University where she earned a bachelors degree and a masters degree. Escobar began her teaching career at Pearson Elementary

The best of Mission’s Friday night lights

By Mary Nichols Most football players can remember the locker-room pep talks given by coaches before a big game. Others remember the art of putting on football gear, wrapping their wrists, lacing football cleats, and even the superstition of never changing dirty socks. Some can’t forget the stadium lights glowing over the football field, the smell of fresh cut, green grass, the cheer of the crowd, and the fleeing of nerves once kick-off is launched. Players, however, never forget the acSee LJISD Pg. 8A complishment of winning a game, scoring a touchdown, or kicking a

Water District honors De la Fuente

Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District No. 19 recently hosted a luncheon honoring Jose de la Fuente for serving 53 years as a board member of the district. His daughter, Norma Davis, was there for the presentation along with others including board members Lee Gernentz, Harry Shimotsu, Oscar Gonzalez, Tom Meurer and Carla P. Davila, office manager.

See LETTERS Pg. 8A

Mission’s Gridiron Legends

1. Koy Detmer (QB) 2. Tom Landry (QB/RB/ DB) 7. Lupe Rodriguez (QB) 8. Nati Valdez (WR) 16. Bobby Ply (QB/DB) 19. Jamaar Taylor (WR) 20. Frank Hernandez (WR) 24. John Mims (DT) 41. Eliseo Pompa (DB)

See MCISD Pg. 2A

field goal. These are some of memories the best Mission High School football players, from over the years, will have and soon be immortalized. Mission High School will be honoring nine former Mission football players, who made the Monitor’s alltime list of Top 50 Valley players. Mission has the most players to be honored than any other rival city. The honoring ceremony will kick off, Friday Oct. 10 at Mission High School, in a game against sister school, Mission Veterans High School.

See FOOTBALL Pg. 2A

Aggravated robbery

A 73-year-old Mission woman was robbed at her residence on W. 20th Street last Friday at about 3:45 p.m, according to Mission Police. The woman had just made a large cash withdrawal at the lobby of a bank on Conway Ave. The robbers knocked on her door, then broke into the home, forced the victim to the floor, and demanded the money she had withdrawn at the bank. Police are currently tracking down leads, including reviewing bank video, to see if she was followed and to try to identify the two assailants.

After undergoing surgery weeks ago, former U.S. Representative Eligio “Kika” de la Garza and his wife, Lucille, are currently undergoing rehabilitation at Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance in McAllen, according to officials from Congressman Ruben Hinojosa’s office. De la Garza and his wife were driving down Dove Avenue in McAllen Wednesday, September 17 when two vehicles crashed, sending one of the vehicles into De la Garza’s lane head on. There has been no word yet as to when they will be released.

Kika and Lucille in recovery

Royal Princesses

Princess Anna the 59th and her attending Tangerine Court of Princesses were selected last Sunday during a pageant held at the Mission Community Center. Pictured from left to right are Jenna Renee Hardison, 1st Alternate; Madison Nicole Gerlach, Princess of Lemon Blossom; Ryan Avery Ramirez, Princess Anna 59th; Kayla Nicole Cantu, Princess of Lime Blossom; Myrhissa Calen Ortega, Princess of Tangerine Blossom and Sara Elizabeth Walzer, 2nd Alternate. The 2009 Tangerine Court will participate in the Texas Citrus Fiesta events to be held in January. (Photo by Gerardo Garmendia)

FLORES FUNERAL HOME

INDEX

Opinion | pg. 4A

Obituaries | pg. 6A

Community | pg. 7A

SERVING AND CARING FOR FAMILIES FOR OVER 95 YEARS

Sports | pg. 1B

Classifieds | pg. 6B

SERVING AND CARING FOR FAMILIES FOR OVER 95 YEARS Connie Veronica I. Flores Arturo Garza Funeral Director Funeral Director Flores www.floresfuneralhome.com

219 S. Mayberry - Mission • 585-2611