The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 13, 1969 Page: 1 of 10
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4
The Merce
Mercedes, Texas, 78570, Thursday, February 13, 1969
MERCEDES PUBLIC LIBRARY
536 3RD §T.
cur
nterprise
XXX
Vol. 53 No. 7
Price 1 Oc
Two File for Two
Vacancies on Board
School Board members
passed an annual election
resolution T uesday night,
setting Saturday, April 5,
as the day to elect two mem-
bers of the seven-member
Board, and two candidates
filed for places on the bal-
lot the next morning.
Board president Robert
Villanueva will seek re-
election. He and Ascencion
Peynado filed officially with
school business manager Ig-
nacio Romeros Wednesday
morning. Filing deadline is
Licensing,
Vaccination
Of Dogs Set
Dates for annual rabies
vaccination and licensing of
dogs have been set by Po-
lice Chief R. G. Perez. And,
says the Chief, pick-up and
destruction of untagged dogs
will begin soon after the
final vaccination day. Own-
ers who claim such dogs
from the Police Department
will pay the $3 fees, plus
extra charges. Untagged
dogs not claimed will be
destroyed.
Dates for $2 vaccination
and $1 city dog license fee
payments are Friday, Feb-
ruary 21, and Friday, Feb-
ruary 28, from 3 to 7 p.m.
both days, at the Police Sta-
tion.
Dog owners also may ac-
quire the vaccination and
license tags at Border An-
imal Hospital's new location
at Mile 3 West.
Smith Is Elsa
Bank Director
At the' monthly Board of
Directors meeting of the
Elsa State Bank & Trust
Company February 10, Cal-
vin H. Smith was elected to
the Board of Directors. Mr.
Smith has had over 22 years
experience in the oil re-
fining business, and is vice
president of Adobe Refining
Co., with refineries located
in La Blanca and Abilene.
Mr. Smith is a director
of the Edcouch-Elsa Rotary
Club. He and his family are
members of the First Bap-
tist Church of Edcouch.
March 5. Board member
Gilbert Dominguez, whose
term expires along with Vil-
lanueva's, has said he will
not ask re-election.
Also T uesday night, the
Board heard a mid-year
budget projection from Sup-
erintendent N. K. Fitz-
gerald, covering balances
in all local and federal
funds. The projection shows
a surplus in revenues over
expenditures of $21,000,
‘and we hope to improve on
this", said Mr. Fitzgerald.
Surplus funds accumulated
during the current fiscal
year will help overcome a
$50,000 deficit acquired dur-
ing the last fiscal year.
Purchase of new 72-pas-
senger school bus was ap-
proved. Cost is estimated at
about $6,350.
Junior and senior high
school students will begin a
water safety program on
April 1, taking instructions
from school physical educa-
tion department personnel at
the Civic Center swim pool.
After discussion about
transportation for MHS band
members to Six Flags Over
T exas in May, for their an-
nual spring trip, it was
agreed that three buses
will be chartered. Band
Boosters have rasied more
than $2,000 to help finance
the trip, individual students
will add small fee payments
and other funds needed will
come from a school Student
Body Activity Fund.
Administrative contracts
for three key men were ap-
proved for renewal. The
Board voted to offer new
two-year contracts to athle-
tic director Dale Hatley, su-
pervisor Bob Smith and
lunchroom director Jim Ly-
ons.
James P. Rogers was em-
ployed as a junior high art
teacher, and Mrs. Berta
Cantu was hired as a secre-
tary at Taylor elementary.
Continuing a project initi-
ated last month, the Board
witnessed an instruction re-
port, this time from teach-
ers and students in the
schools' Foreign Language
Department. Plans and
achievements were demon-
strated by students in Span-
ish in grade 3 and in grades
7 to 12, and in French and
German in Grades 9 to 12.
Sacred Heart Parish
'Semi-Independent'
Sacred Heart Chapel at
the corner of Heidrick and
Anacuitas has become a se-
mi-independent parish in
Mercedes but still remains
an extension of Our Lady of
Mercy Church. His Excel-
lency Bishop Humberto S.
Medeiros has assigned the
Rev. Angel Diez as parish
priest. Father Diez was
last assigned to Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church of
Brownsville for six months,
but is originally from Spain!
The Rev. James M. Lyons,
associate pastor of Our Lady
of Mercy Church, reported
that Father Diez was sent
to Mercedes by the Bishop
not to divide the parish,
but to allow the present
church "to better serve
the people; so that priests
can have an opportunity to
make Mercedes a more
workable area, for the pre-
sent two local priest could
not serve adequately the 1,
300 or more Catholic fam-
ilies in the area". With the
addition of Father Diez, the
people at Sun Rise Hill, Ca-
pisallo, and Heidleberg can
be better served. "There
should be one priest for
every 1,500 persons and be-
fore Father Diez came, the
two priests were serving
a little over 8,000 persons",
said Father Lyons.
The parish hall at the cha-
pel has been reconditioned
and the old convent, where
Father Diez will make his
residence and have his of-
fice, has been moved from
Our Lady of Mercy Church
grounds to northside of
town.
Mass services, which will
be in Spanish, will be con-
ducted daily, with Mass on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednes-
day and Friday at 7:30 p.m.
and on Thursdays and Satur-
days at 6:30 a.m. Sunday
Masses will be at 8 and 10
a.m. Religion classes for
junior and senior high stu-
dents are being conducted
every Sunday at 9 a.m.
Father Diez will also con-
duct baptisms and marriage
instructions at Sacred Heart.
The only organization meet-
ing at the chapel will be the
Holy Name Society.
The new parish area will
not have an official board
of directors, but Father Di-
ez will work closely with
leymen in his parish. He
will meet with the present
Board of Catholic Advisors
of Our Lady of Mercy
Church.
Both church structures
will be directed by the Rev.
A. N. Kaler, OMI, pastor of
Our Lady of Mercy Church.
I
ENTERPRISE STAFF PHOTO BY DICK HARMAN
TOURISTS WINTERING HERE HAVE NEW OFFICERS — Officer of the Mer-
cedes Toruist Club, and organizing friends, are, above, left to right, SEAT-
ED Robert L. Emmons, Decatur, 111., president; Everett Moore,* Kansas
City, Mo., vice president; Mrs. Ernest Enius, Pequot Lakes, Minn., sec-
retary-treasurer; Mrs. Algot Nordstrom, Dayton, Iowa, hostess chairman-
STANDING, Mrs. Wayburn Dalton, Mercedes Chamber of Commerce execu-
tive secretary; Bob Canales, Chamber Tourist Committee chairman; Alvin M
Moyer, Milford, Ohio, publicity chairman; J. H. Ellickson, Wautoma, Wise’,
program chairman.
Two Openings in April 1 Election
City Commissioners
meeting Monday evening set
Tuesday, April 1, as date
of the annual city election
here, terms of two Commis-
sioners due to be thrown
open to the electorate that
day.
Commissioners Ray Her-
nandez and Grady Herold
hold the seats coming vacant
this year. Neither has filed
for re-election. Deadline
to file, with City Secretary
Viola Rodriguez, is March
1.
Central Chevrolet Com-
pany of Mercedes was low
bidder in a Commission ad-
vertisement for purchase of
a new Police Department
patrol car and Commission-
ers accepted Central's
bid of $2,725. Hollon Motor
Company of Mercedes sub-
mitted a bid for a Ford
automobile at $2,788.65.
Commissioners alsofaced
up to the need for a new
street sweeper, the machine
now owned by the city being
ruled inoperative. They
authorized advertisement
for bids for purchase of a
new sweeper, noting that an
expenditure of $15,000 to
$17,000 is in prospect.
And Commissioners pas-
sed a resolution to add fin-
ancial support of a new Mer-
cedes Memorial Library to
the city budget, after that
proposed library building is
built. Cost will be approx-
imately $8,000 annually.
Memberships Promoted
Membership tickets are
being distributed by Merce-
des Beef and Pork Syndi-
cate members for their
March 13 and April 10 bar-
becue suppers and for sup-
port of their program to as-
sure purchases of animal
exhibits of local young peo-
ple at the Rio Grande Val-
ley Livestock Show. Bar-
becue suppers will be ser-
ved this year at the Civic
Center.
New officers of the Syn-
dicate are Sidney McClen-
don, president; Lawrence
Morrow, vice president, and
Ignacio Romeros, secre-
tary-treasurer.
February
H
L
5
78
54
6
86
58
7
81
61
8
80
63
9
70
52
10
78
49
11
79
54
Total Rainfall: .42
Library Building Fund Tops
$30,000, Deadline Nears
City Commission Accepts
Role in Library Finance
Mercedes Memorial Li-
brary Building Fund cam-
paign workers counted con-
tributions and pledges of $3,
466 at their Wednesday noon
report luncheon, moving the
fund total to $30,536. Cam-
paign deadline is February
28 and the goal is $50,000.
Campaign committee
chairmen W. B. Lauder Jr.
and S. H. Collier Jr. and Li-
brary Board vice chairman
Gilbert Dominguez confer-
red with Texas State Li-
brary officials in Austin
Tuesday, confirming that a
$100,000 library construc-
tion program in Mercedes is
considered to be adequate
and acceptable and that $50,
000 in federal matching
funds is assured ... if the
local one-half is achieved
by February 28. After that
date the program will be dis-
continued.
City Commissioners met
another requirement for
participation in the match-
ing funds program by un-
animously and officially
agreeing Monday, on motion
by Mayor Adan Cantu, to ac-
cept financial responsibil-
ity for the new library, af-
ter it is in operation.
The Library Board pro-
jects a beginning annual
budget requirement of $8,
Felony Charges
Face Damagers
‘Felony destruction* char-
ges and the possibility of
time in the state penitenti-
ary face persons who have
made a recent habit of driv-
ing vehicles on the No. 5
green at Llano Grande Coun-
try Club, says Police Chief
R. G. Perez.
Most recent vehicle tire
damage to the green was
administered last Saturday
night.
Police are patrolling the
golf course area regularly
and Chief Perez offers a
reward for information
leading to an arrest.
000. Commissioners said
they will meet that early
budget with $6,735 in cash
and the remainder ‘in kind*,
including janitorial and other-
services.
Campaigners will continue
to collect cash and pledged
contributions through the
rest of February, meeting
daily for lunch at El Som-
brero to keep the campaign
balance current.
Special fund - raising
events scheduled so far in-
clude a teen dance Febru-
ary 23 at the Civic Center
and a family style show
February 28 at the Center.
Details of these and other
such events will be made
public nearer the dates of
presentation.
Takes Work
Continued foot-w'ork
and generous recep -
tions will be required
to hit the $50,000 Li-
brary Building Fund
goal and build a new
library in Mercedes,
say campaign workers
after almost two weeks
of pledge - seeking.
They opened the drive
with $16,000 in match-
able assets already in
the fund. They have
raised $14,000 this
month, in cash dona-
tions and pledges from
302 individuals, busi-
nesses and clubs. They
need $20,000 more...
and they have 16 days
in which to find it.
Comprehensive Master
Plan Is To Be Up-dated
Mayor Adan Cantu an-
nounces that door-to-door
GS Cookie
Sale Drive
Scheduled
Annual Girl Scout Cookie
sale campaigning begins
here this week. Advance
orders will be taken from
Friday, February 14,
through the following week,
and Scout salesgirls will be
selling and delivering the
cookies from February 21
through March 8.
Mrs. W, J. Mize is Com-
munity Girl Scout Cookie
Chairman again this year.
She will receive, distribute
and record sales of 240
cases of Scout Cookies.
Troop committee chair-
man are Mrs. Carl Moore
of Troop 75 and Mrs. Rex
Franklin of Troop 195.
Mrs. Jack Drawe is pub-
licity chairman for the
sales effort.
Profits of the cookie sale
provide the Tip of Texas
Girl Scout Council with
funds for a year-round out-
door program for girls.
survey teams will begin
work this week on the first
portion of a revision of the
Comprehensive Master Plan
for the City of Mercedes.
Under the plan, City Com-
missioners stay prepared to
meet the city's future needs.
The Comprehensive Mas-
ter Plan is being updated by
the planning and engineering
firm of W. M„ Peterson Con-
sulting Engineers and Plan-
ners of Brownsville.
It is scheduled for com-
pletion in late fall of this
year and will include the
review and evaluation of the
city’s:
—Utility systems
—Streets and drainage
—Parks and recreatior
facilities
—Housing
—Existing tax base
—Capital improvements!
program
—Zoning and subdivisior
ordinances
The City’s planning cor
sultant will be assisted I
the Mercedes Urban Re
newal staff in conductin
the housing survey of Urba
Renewal areas included i
the Queen City No. 3 pre
ject.
Policemen Traveled
124,320 Patrol Miles
7* '
■ ; , -: v
ENTERPRISE STAFF PHOTO BY DICK HARMAN
MOTEL COMPLEX TAKES SHAPE AT MILE 2 WEST AND EXPRESSWAY — Foundation activity was
weii underway thts week at the Mile 2 West site of a 50-unit Mid-Valley Community Motor Hotel, sche-
duled tor completion this year. The scenery above is a view from the Mile 2 Expressway overpass to-
ward the south. ’
Mercedes Police Depart-
ment personnel drove 124,
320 miles on patrol in four
vehicles, worked 21,225
man-hours, answered 10,280
class requiring investiga-
tion and issued 538 traffic
tickets during 1968.
Those notations were in-
cluded in Police Chief R. G.
Perez's annual Department
report compiled this week
from monthly reports dur-
ing the year.
Possession and sale of
marijuana became a hot pub-
lic police item here and in
other Valley communities
late last year. Most recent
Mercedes cases involved
three young men, one of
whom was convited in 92nd
District Court in Edinburg
last week. Fernando Brise-
no, 18, was found guilty by a
jury on a charge of selling
marijuana and was senten-
ced to five years in the state
penitentiary. Two others
are under indictment and
awaiting trail on similar
charges.
Total of felony crimes
encountered here last year
was 133, of which 57 were
cleared from the books by
the end of the year. They
involved rape, burglary,
theft over $50 and shoplift-
ing, for the most part, said
Chief Perez.
Misdemeanor crime, cov-
ering theft under $50, as-
sault, disturbing the peace,
prowling, intoxication, mal-
icious mischief and such
registered a total of 473
cases.
Losses in thefts totaled
$2,346.26, of which $874.
28 was recovered.
The Department issued
538 traffic tickets in 1968,
headed by ‘no driver’s li-
cense’, 109; ‘speeding*, 63,
and ‘failure to yield right-
of-way causing wrecks, 51.
Revenue from traffic fines
in City Corporation Court
amounted to $6,642.
Other Corporation Court
revenue included $8,863.50
in fines levied for ‘breach
of the peace’, an item cov-
ering both public and pri-
vate altercations.
Mercedes Policemen in-
vestigated 236 traffic wrecks
last year, recording one fat-
ality, 35 personal injuries,
178 damaged vehicles, 9
pedestrians struck by vehi-
cles and 13 hit and runs.
Property damage amounted 1
to $61,437.49.
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 13, 1969, newspaper, February 13, 1969; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1105915/m1/1/: accessed June 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.