The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1964 Page: 1 of 8
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XXX
The Merce
nterprise
Volume No. XLIX — No. 6
Mercedes, Texas. Thursday, February 6. 1964
Local Man In Race For Legislature;
Other Posts Draw Opposition
Robert Salinas, former
Mercedes justice of 1 the
peace, has filed as a can-
didate for state represen-
tative, Place 1. Others in the
race are incumbent Felix
McDonald of Edinburg and
F. B. Godinez, Jr,, Pharr
attorney.
Other local persons who
filed for area or precinct
offices include Johnny Gu-
tierrez and Armando Diaz,
for Justice of the Peace,
Precinct 1; Jose Cantu and
BEEF SYNDICATE
BARBECUE SET
NIGHT
First barbecue of the Mer-
cedes Beef and Pork Syn-
dicate will be held Thursday
(tonight) at 6 p.m., accord-
ing to Buddy Ross, president.
The group has one bar-
becue prior to the annual
stock show and one later. A
single membership pur-
chased in the syndicate en-
titles a man and his wife
to attend both barbecues.
Funds from the projects
are used to bolster auction
prices of Mercedes 4-H and
FFA entries in the show.
A talent show is being
planned for the first
barbecue under the direction
of Mrs. Jim Dollery.
Youth Horse Show
To Precede Opening
Of 1964 Stock Show
A Youth Hosre Show will
precede the regular schedule
of activities of the 1964 Rio
Grande Valley Livestock
Show on Tuesday. March 17
at 7:30 p.m., according to
Carl Schuster of San Juan,
superintendent of the Youth
Horse Show Division. The
livestock show officially
opens on Wednesday, March
18 and extends through Mon-
day, March 23.
The Youth Horse Show, to
be held in the horse arena
on the livestock show
grounds at Mercedes, isopen
to active members of 4-H
Clubs and FFA Chapters.
Entry applications may be
obtained from all county
agents and vocational ag-
riculture teachers, and must
be at the stock show office
in Mercedes by March 1,
Schuster said.
Assistant superintendents
of the event are James Dol-
lery of Mercedes and Ray
Martin of McAllen. The judge
will be T. C. Vines, Dia-
mond C Ranch, Rosenberg,
Texas.
Schuster said that there is
increasing interest in horse-
manship among Valley youth,
and that at least two riding
groups are active year-
round. These are Ride - O -
Rama, held weekly at the
livestock showgrounds and
Rio Round - Up at Edinburg.
The March 17 youth horse
show will include both halter
and performance classes,
with entry fee of $10.00 per
class. Trophies will be a-
warded to first place winners
in each class, and rosettes
will be presented through six
places.
Halter classes, judged on
conformation only, will in-
clude:
1. A Q H A registered
mares foaled in 1961 or af-
ter.
2. A Q H A registered
mares foaled in 1960 or be-
fore.
3. Unregistered mares
foaled in 1961 or after.
4. Unregistered mares
foaled in 1960 or before.
5. A Q H A registered
geldings - any age.
6. Unregistered geldings
any age.
Performance classes will
include western pleasure,
pole bending, and clover-
leaf barrel race. Each of
these will have two sections-
one for contestants 12
and under; another for con-
testants 13 and over.
LIONS OFFICIAL HERE
Mercedes Lions Club was
visited by District Gov. W.
B. Wood at their Wednes-
day meeting at The El Som-
brero.
Eugenio Foley for Constable,
Prec. 1.
Considerable interest de-
veloped in the race for Con-
gress with Rep. Joe Kilgore
not seeking re - election.
That will be between Kikade
la Garza and Lindsey Rod-
riguez, both now state rep-
resentatives, and Gene Me
Cullough, former Harlingen
Mayor, as Democrats. Dr.
Joseph B. Coulter of
Brownsville filed on the Re-
publican ticket.
Other races and those fil-
ing include:
Place 1: Incumbent Felix
McDonald of Edinburg, Rob-
ert Salinas, a Weslaco JP,
and F. B. Godinez Jr., a
Pharr lawyer.
Place 2; Bill Cough ran of
McAllen and Greg Montoyo
of Elsa,-the Weslaco school-
teacher who earlier an-
nounced for the Place 3 job.
Place 3: Asst. Dist. At-
ty. John Dominguez of Mer-
cedes, A. C, (Bud) Atwood,
Edinburg farmer; Lynn A.
Boyd of McAllen, .a claims
serviceman; and Jim Me
Keithan, Mission lawyer.
37F (Hidalgo - Kenedy -
Kleberg): Raul Longoria of
Pharr and Martin E. Garcia
•of Kingsville.
Other candidates:
Sheriff E. E. Vickers, M.
C. Cowan, Renato Cuellar
and Buck Tidwell (Re-
publican).
County Clerk Julio Guz-
man, Norman Skinner and
A. M. Dillon.
92nd District Judge Tom
Hartley and J. Perry Jones.
County Commissioner
Pet. 1 Herb Pike, Richard
L. Gray and Joe Ramon.
County Commissioner,
Pet. 3 Thurman Carter and
an ex - commissioner, E.
B. (Beto) Reya of La Joya
and George M, Anderson.
JP, Pet. 5 (Edinburg) Es-
tella Trevino, Beto Villar-
real and David Gonzalez.
Constable, Pet. 6 (Ed-
inburg) Alfredo Guzman,
Sixto Longoria and Fred
Perez Jr.
Constable, Pet. 5 (Elsa)
J. A. McCaferty, Severo M.
Lopez, Juan Garza.
Constable, Pet. 7 (Wes-
laco) R. L. de la Pena,
Eliseo Valadez, Joe R. Oli-
varez, Mario C. Bureiaga.
Constable, Pet. 8 (San
Juan) Tom Mayfield, Erasmo
Bravo and German Zuniga.
Constable, Pet. 4 (Mis-
sion) Dan Dillard, Grover
Navarro Jr., Ben (Buddy)
Brandt, A. L. (Art) Woodall.
JP, Pet. 8 (San Juan)
Raul Rodriguez, Carlos Sal-
azar.
JP, Pet. 3 (McAllen)Mark
Musgrove, Dario Garcia and
Paul Wycoff (Republican).
Band Plans Trip,
Spring Concert
Plans for a road trip Feb.
21 and the annual spring con-
cert Feb. 29 for Mercedes
High School Tiger Band were
discussed Monday night by
the Band Boosters.
The 100 - piece Tiger
Band is to play concerts at
Three Rivers and Karnes
City en route to Austin Feb.
21. The band will leave Mer-
cedes about 4:30 a.m. Feb.
21. It will play at 9:15 a.m.
at Three Rivers High School
Auditorium; and at 1:20p.m.
at Karnes City High School
Auditorium.
It then will proceed to Aus-
tin to remain overnight and
return home the next after-
noon.
The Band Boosters took
account of finances Monday
night to determine that
enough money has been
raised or is in prospect from
band concert receipts to fin-
ance all band activities this
year.
The concert is scheduled
at Mercedes High School Au-
ditorium Saturday Feb. 29
at 7:30 p.m. It will be fol-
lowed by the Tigerland Ball.
Admission charge of 50
cents per person will entitle
holder to hear the concert
and attend the T igerland
Ball.
Band parents are asked to
provide cookies for the re-
freshment table at the ball.
Cookies should be delivered
on the evening of the dance.
Price lOc
—Enterprise Staff Photo
COLLISION DAMAGE appeared heavy to the car owned and driven by Mayor A. J.
Hagan. His car and a truck reported driven by Ramon Ramirez, 16, were in collision
at Virginia and Hwy. 83 about 6 p.m. Sunday. Police say no charges have been filed.
The mayor reported going North on Virginia and Ramirez West on Hwy. 83. The mayor
still was at home Wednesday after receiving treatment at a local clinic.
Two Win First
Places In Alice
Speech Tourney
Two Mercedes contestants
won first place trophies at
the William Adams High
School Speech Tournament
in Alice last weekend.
Amanda McBroom placed
first in prose reading and
Mary Brower first for an
original oration. Others
reading the finals included
Judy Olson in prose reading
and Nancy Hoffman in Bible
reading. Mary Brower also
reached the finals in poetry
interpretation and Amanda
McBroom in dramatic in-
terepretation and humorous
interpretation.
Others attending the meet
from Mercedes included:
Debaters, Larry Tank-
ersley, Scott Downing, Renee
Sumerlin, Layne Atteberry
and Maribess VanBerg.
Individual speakers:
Charlie Hinojosa, Johhny
Klemme, Fleet Lentz and
Judy Olson, prose reading;
Lois Herzog, prose reading
and Bible reading; John
Ivrin, poetry interpretation;
Alex Moreno, extempor-
aneous speech; Mary Jean
Roser and GloriaBandemer,
Bible reading; Janis Sum-
erlin, poetry interpretation
and Bible reading.
Sponsor accompaning the
students was Mrs. Carol
Cowden.
Some 200 students from 17
high schools participated,
with Westbury of Houston
and Ray of Corpus taking
sweepstakes honors.
Two Announce
For Area Offices
Two local candidates this
week authorized The En-
terprise to announce their
candidacy for public office.
Roberto Salinas, former
justice of the_ peace, filed
for state representative,
District 38, Place 1, the post
now held by Felix McDonald
of Edinburg.
Mr. Salinas had been
elected to the post here and
was serving on a four - year
term when drafted into the
army. His brother, Enrigue,
Jr., was appointed to serve
until the following general
election, when he was re-
quired to file and was elected
to fill the unexpired term.
Only two years remained.
Roberto Salinas is 26, says
he is a loyal Democrat, and
is past president of the Young
Democrats.
Juan (Johnny) Gutierrez,
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C.
Gutierrez, has filed for the
post of justice of the peace,
Pet. 1, place 1. He is a
graduate of Mercedes High
School and is attending Pan
American College, majoring
in political science. He was
active in high school, being
class president and in inter-
scholastic league com-
petition. He is vice - presi-
dent of his class at Pan Am
and is a member of the Young
Democratic Club.
UNHEATED POOL
CAUSES CITY LOSS
OF THREE MEETS
Mercedes lost three na-
tional swimming meets be-
cause it lacked a heated pool,
Civic Center Bill Savarino
said this week.
He returned recently from
Corpus Christi where AAU
officials made plans for var-
ious events. He said three
of the events scheduled in
March would have come to
Mercedes, attracting com-
petion on a nation - wide
basis. They were men’s 40-
yd. relay, women's 200 yd.
freestyle and women’s 200
yd. breast stroke.
Mr. Savarino said he had
about completed arrange-
ments with the Mercedes
schools whereby classes will
use the pool on a regular
basis. This fixed income al-
most will offset the addi-
tional operating cost for the
heating, he said. He added
he plans to present a definite
proposal to the city com-
mission Monday night which
if approved, will mean the
local school program can be
started during the current
school term.
Auto Expense Item
On Tax Explained
A new system of auto-
mobile expense income tax
deducation for two car fam-
ilies jvas proposed to Mer-
cedes Rotary Club Tuesday
noon by W. B. Lauder, Jr.,
Mercedes certified public
accountant.
The speaker said tax de-
ductions in depreciation and
operation expense on two
automobiles can be claimed
by using one the first six
months of the year and the
other the second six months.
He said, however, certain
precise records must be
maintained.
WATER HIKE DELAYED
Cities and others buying
water from the Mercedes
district won’t have to pay
the proposed rate increase
until July 1. The new rates
were slated for Jan. 1, but
officials announced a new
effective date of July 1.
SWIMMERS
TO FORM
NEW CLUB
Calling all swimmers and
would be swimmers.....!
The Mercedes Aquatic
Club will hold its first meet-
ing of the season at the
Mercedes Civic Center at
2 p.m. Sunday, according to
Bill Savarino, manager.
New members specially
are invited in addition to
those participating last year,
Mr. Savarino said. Persons
from 7 years up are eligible.
Parents are invited to ac-
company their youngsters
to the organizational meeting
of the group Sunday, it was
pointed out.
And youngsters who may
not be accomplished swim-
mers still are urged to par-
ticipate in the hope they can
improve during the season.
Speculation Rises Salinas
Will Run For Mayor
Speculation grew in Mer-
cedes this week that Enrique
Salinas, Jr,, would file as a
candidate for mayor.
With precinct, county and
district office races settled
by the Monday night deadline,
interest centered back on
Presbyterian’s
Speaker Cancels
The joint meeting of two
Presbyterian groups here
and appearance of Mr. Jorge
Lara - Braud of Mexico City
have been cancelled, it was
announced this week.
The dean of faculty and
students of Presbyterian
Theological Seminary of
Mexico was unable to keep
his appointment here Sunday
because of unexpected deve-
lopments.
—Enterprise Staff Photo
GETTING SET for opening of Valley Fashions are these women who are connected
with the firm. Left to right are Mrs. Mary Catalina, Mrs. Veda Smith, Mrs. Jewell
Harp and Mrs. Lola Beth Pinson.
Valley Fashions
Plans Opening
Grand Opening of a brand
new Mercedes store, Valley
Fashions, has been set for
this Saturday. The new store
is on South Texas next door
to Borderland Hardware.
Owners are Mrs. Jewell
Harp and Mrs. Lola Beth
Pinson. Mrs. Mary Catalina
will be manager, assisted by
Mrs. Vada Smith.
The store will be open
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8
p.m. Several door prizes
are being offered with no
purchase required.
A complete line of wom-
en’s and misses wear is
planned, including apparel
in junior sizes.
The building has been
completely remodeled and
redecorated.
PTA FIESTA SET
The West Elementary PTA
will hold a fiesta Saturday
night highlighted by a twist
dance contest. Open to the
public, the event will also
feature candy apples, corn
dogs and various entertain-
ment. Time is 7 p.m.
RENEE SUMERLIN
CITIZENSHIP
AWARD WINNER
Miss Renee Sumerlin has
been named winner of the
annual Good Citizenship
Award which is sponsored
by the Daughters of the A-
merican Revolution.
Each year, the Lt.Thomas
Barlow Chapter, DAR, hon-
ors one senior girl from
Valley high schools selected
by classmates and faculty
on the basis of service, pa-
triotism, dependability and
leadership.
The girls chosen from this
area will represent their
school in the state competi-
tion for Good Citizen awards.
Miss Sumerlin is 17, the
daughter of Rev. and Mrs.
O, W. Sumerlin. She is man-
aging editor of The Tiger
and was recently honored by
the Mercedes Rotary Club
as one member of the Ro-
tary Couple of the Month.
She is a member of the band
and has participated in
speech tournamets. She was
recently inducted into the
National Honor Society.
KIWANIS VISIT
Mercedes Kiwanians will
go to Brownsville today for
the annual Charro Days
Kiwanis luncheon. The Tex-
as - Oklahoma district gov-
ernor will be guest of honor.
A large delegation of Key
club members also plans to
make the trip. Local Kiwan-
ians not making the trip will
have a round table meeting
at The El Sombrero, ac-
cording to President Roger
Jones.
—Enterprise Staff Photo
AWARD WINNERS at the Valley Farm Bureau Annual
Awards Banquet at Edinburg Monday night included R. C.
Jones, left, and R. E. George. Mr. Jones received a silver
pin and also was honored as top membership worker in
Hidalgo County. Also receiving a silver pin from this
area (but not available when photo was made) was Ralph
Powell.
NEW FIRM OPENS
Announcement was made
this week of the opening of
the H&.M Wholesale Co. at
342 2nd St.
The firm will handle of-
fice supplies, some school
needs and some gift items,
it was indicated. Mrs.
Tracey Metcalfe will be
owner and manager.
RENEE SUMERLIN
POLL TAX TOTALS
Poll tax receipts are ex-
pected to total around 3,000
for Mercedes. A survey .of
substations indicated this
total. Official figures were
not available Wednesday at
the County Tax Collector's
office.
the city political picture.
These new developments
lent support to indications
the race for mayor may take
a new turn:
1. Mr. Salinas did not file
for re-election as justice of
the peace.
2. Mayor A. J. Hagan suf-
fered minor injuries and was
badly shaken up in a traffic
collision Sunday night. He
already was understood to
have been advised by his
physician earlier he should
not make the strenuous race
for mayor. The mayor "also
has trouble with his eyes,
so he announced when he re-
signed as city judge some
months ago.
3. Shelley Collier, Jr.,
authorized The Enterprise
to announce he has decided
not to be a candidate for
mayor since John W. Bowe
already is in the race.
Observers say Salinas
would not file should the
mayor seek re - election.
Both are outspoken critics
of the Mercedes Urban Re-
newal program which has
provided paved streets in
every section of Southwest
Mercedes, as well as sani-
tary and storm sewer lines
to every part of the area.
(A check at the City Hall
Wednesday indicated the
mayor has not been back
at his desk since the accident
occurred.)
Should Judge Salinas run,
he is considered certain to
make elimination of any fur-
ther' Urban Renewal projects
a major plank in his plat-,
form.
Judge Salinas has the bal-
ance of this calendar year
to serve as justice of peace
if he desires. He would prob-
ably have to resign this post
should he win election to any
other post.
The Enterprise editor
asked him Wednesday what
his future plans were since
he did not seek re-election.
He replied that he planned
to help his brother, Robert,
in his race for the state
Legislature from Hidalgo
County, and that so far as
he knew now, he would re-
enter private business at the
end of the year. (He still
could do this should he be-
come mayor since that is not
a full-time job.)
It has been no secret that
a number of civic leaders
last fall approached Mr. Col-
lier and pledged support,
urging him to run for mayor.
However, he apparently
killed any hopes of these
backers with his announce-
ment Wednesday he does not
plan to be a candidate for
mayor.
Mr. Bowe, an attorney and
former city attorney, an-
nounced shortly after Jan. 1
he would be a candidate for
mayor. Thus far he is the
only candidate except for the
mayor’s own promises last
fall he would seek re -
election.
Little League
Organization
Set Feb. 13
Organizational meeting
for the Mercedes Little Lea-
gue program will be held
at the Civic Center at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 13.
This was announced by Bill
Savarino, Civic Center man-
ager. He said that the city
was taking over the Little
League activities as part of
the summer recreational
program for the first time
this year.
He urged parents, young-
sters from 7 through 12,
and team managers to at-
tend this first meeting.
Mercedes had no Little
League last year because
there was no field. The old
diamond already had been
deeded to the expressway.
Mr. Savarino and E. K.
O’Shea, Urban Renewal di-
rector, went to Fort Worth
Tuesday, taking final plans
for the city’s Urban Renewal
park. It was indicated quick
approval could be expected
so that a contract could be
let for work on the park
soon. The Little League will
be one of many community
groups -using the new park
facilities.
“We hope to have a first
class diamond ready for the
1964 season,’’ Mr. Savarino
said.
WEATHER REPORT
JAN,
29
30
31
1 FEB,
2
3
4
H.
72
73
79
82
61
70
60
L.
63
63
60
55
52
60
50
RAIN
.05
.04
.08
.09
.09
POLICE REPORTS
Burglaries and breakins
headed the list of calls made
to the Mercedes Police De-
partment for the second
straight week. Breakins
were reported from Han-
shaw's 5&.10 and the Seventh
Day Adventist Church. One
attempted breakin was re-
ported from the Aquie Me
Quib Cafe and was later
cleared.
Burglaries took place at
the high school cafeteria,
Travis Elementary School,
Mercedes Junior High School
and the National Guard
Armory.
A safe which was taken
from Rosenthal Produce at
the end of October was
located but there are no de-
tails as of now.
Other calls made to the
Police Department included
two shoplifting cases later
cleared, two runaways, one
distruction of private pro-
perty, three dog, two dis-
turbances and twelve mis-
cellaneous.
There were three ac-
cidents investigated in-
cluding one involving Mayor
A. J. Hagan.
—Enterprise Staff Photo
WINNERS AND FINALISTS in the Alice Speech tournament last week included Judy
Olson, left, and Nancy Hoffman, right, who reached the finals. Mandy McBroom,
second from left, and Mary Brower placed first and won trophies which they hold.
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1964, newspaper, February 6, 1964; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1091858/m1/1/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.