The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 72, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 12, 1984 Page: 1 of 12
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4
he Merce
terprise
Mercedes, Texas 78570 Wednesday, December 12, 1984
Volume 72
Number 50
Price 25c
C-C reception, Christmas parade initiate holiday activities
Tourists to be
feted Thursday
Winter visitors to the area can
find free entertainment, refresh-
ments and door prizes -- as well as
new friends -- at this Thursday’s
annual Winter Tourist Reception
sponsored by the Mercedes
Chamber of Commerce.
The affair begins at 7 p.m. at
the Youth Center at Livestock
Showgrounds on North Texas
Avenue. Admission is free to those
showing park name badges.
Highlights will include a
welcome from Mercedes Mayor
Gilberto Dominguez, a performance
by the Mercedes High School Jazz
Band, song and dance from Little
Miss Mercedes Jill Holland and an
appearance by the MHS Debonnaire
Drill Team.
Also to be on hand are “official
Chamber hosts” Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Byers, Miss Mercedes Nelda
Cavazos and a number of Chamber
and business officials.
Among businesses contributing
either doorprizes or reception
supplies are Borderland Hardware,
Burr’s Feed and Seed, Hidalgo
County Bank, Mid-Valley Florists,
The Mercedes Enterprise and
Mercedes Super Drug.
Also Winn’s, First National
Bank, Burton Auto, Salinas Super-
market, H.E.B. Grocery, Magic
Valley Aloe Vera, Serg’s Fried
Chicken, Queen City Laundry and
Pizza Hut.
Others are Dairy Queen,
Chic-N-Rib, Express Mart, Rey-
nolds’ Jewelry, Bargain Barn, the
Livestock Show, Villarreal Flower
Shop, Aida’s Boutique, Rae-Donna
Beauty Salon and Bill Bunton Auto.
Also listed are Beto’s New
Sombrero Restaurant, Robert’s
Redi-Cut Meats, La Floresta RV
Park, Montoya’s Shamrock, Ten-
Ten Grocery, McAfee Agency,
Texsun and Rios of Mercedes.
To contribute, too, are Llano
Grande Golf Course, Cuadra Studio,
Church’s Fried Chicken, H&H
Foods, Emma’s Beauty Salon,
Margie’s Beauty Salon, His-N-Hers
Style Shop, the Magic Mirror and
Marvin Schwarz Produce.
YOU CAN TELL CHRISTMAS IS NEAR just by driving through downtown Mercedes.
Trustees eye plan for phone, computer savings
replace the current contracted functions, attendance and sched-
arrangement with Region I Educa- uling, grade recording and testing
School officials are anticipating
savings of several
hundred
thousand dollars over the next 10
years by going to lease-purchase
arrangements on telephone equip-
ment and in-house computers.
Business Manager Mario Gracia
briefed trustees Tuesday on plans
to develop specifications for an
in-house computer that would
tion Service Center. Planned is a reports. Estimated cost over five
lease-purchase of a computer years is set at $125,000. Current
capable of doing all business cost is $30,000 annually with Region
Tigers end basketball pre-season with win
Though Tigers carry a 4-7 record
into their district opener this week,
their pre-season clashes with bigger
and better-prepared 5-A schools
have been of value, says Coach
David Sanchez.
“Our team is ready for its
district opponents,” the coach says.
“We’re looking forward to it and I
believe we’re up to the challenge.”
He cites Roma, Raymondville and
Rio Grande City as the strongest of
the district contenders, but adds
that no once can look past the other
schools. “They’re all well-coached
and they all want to beat us.”
Some momentum should carry
into Friday’s opening game with
Brownsville Pace, as Tigers come
off a 65-48 win over Zapata Tuesday
night. Sanchez says his team played
well against a “good and real tough
Zapata squad.” Ricky Flores led
Tiger scorers with 15 points, while
Jesse Contreras added 14 and
Arnold Ramirez and Luis Villanueva
both had 12.
.. Two losses came last weekend in
the Weslaco Tournament, as Tigers
dropped a 70-30 decision to
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (“We tried a
slow-down ball-control game that
didn’t work too well.”) and a 63-52
I plus long-distance telephone
charges.
Also being studied is replacing
the presently leased telephone
systems with a lease-purchase plan
that would cost $120,000 over five
years, but would allow a potential
savings of $130,000 over a 10-year
span.
Superintendent Monte Churchill
says going to the new equipment
Santa to head
Friday's parade
Christmas comes to town this
Friday.
That’s when the first “official”
visit by Santa Claus this year will
take place, as he directs the
community’s Christmas parade and
presides over the lighting of a city
Christmas tree.
The parade, featuring around a
dozen floats, a marching band and
drill team, is sponsored jointly by
the Mercedes Jaycees and the
Mercedes Chamber of Commerce. It
will begin at 5 p.m. at the
intersection of North Texas Avenue;
and Starr Street. Units are to begin
assembling at 4:15 p.m. in the
Salinas Supermarket parking lot.
Parade route runs south on;
Texas to Fifth Street, where it turns
east and travels to the Civic Center.
Santa Claus will be among those in
the parade, as he will ride upon a
float to be constructed by the
Jaycees and the Mercedes Knights
of Columbus.
There is no entry fee for parade
participation -- though space must
be reserved by calling 565-2221 or
565-4022 in advance -- and all
entries will receive certificates of
appreciation.
Once at the Civic Center area, a
community sing-along will begin, as
Santa Claus (assisted by Mrs.
Claus) distributes treats (provided
by the Knights and Jaycees) to
local youngsters. The event will
conclude with a chorus of “Joy to
the World,” as Santa lights the
community Christmas tree, con-
structed atop the Civic Center by
Jaycees.
All are invited to join the parade
-- or just watch -- and then
participate in the sing-along and
other festivities at the Civic Center,
say sponsors.
Vacio family in need of aid
Funds are being collected for
hospital and funeral expenses of a
seven-member Mercedes family
that has found tragedy in
California.
The family of Julio Vacio had
reached Orange Grove, California,
where they planned to find work as
field laborers, when tragedy in the
form of a car-truck collision left
three of them dead, the other four
hospitalized.
Information provided by Mrs.
Andrea Villarreal, who is organizing
the local fund drive, shows that Mr.
Vacio and three children, Julio, Jr.,
Juan Manuel and Maria de Jesus,
are hospitalized. Dead are Mrs.
Vacio and children Lupita and
Mario.
Mrs. Villarreal, assisted by
Mercedes Salvation Army Chairman
R. G. ‘Tiny’ Perez, is coordinating
the raising of funds with the
Orange Grove Community Center.
Contributions can be brought to Mr.
Perez’ Texas Avenue office from
which point they will be wired to
California.
FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES of newly appointed City
Manager Alan Kamasaki turned out for a reception in
his honor last Friday, offering congratulations and
expressions of support. Mr. Kamasaki, left above,
loss to Raymondville. In the latter plans could save the district as
game, Villanueva hit for 24 points much as $280,000 over the next
for Tigers. Ramirez added 10. decade as well as provide greater
[Continued to Page 7.] flexibility of service for the district.
Dogs return; pot found on campus
Discovery last week of five
students in possession of marijuana
has brought a return of drug-
sniffing dogs to Mercedes schools
after an absence of more than 18
months, reported Superintendent
Monte Churchill Tuesday.
The campus inspection at
Mercedes High School revealed a
small amount of marijuana in a car
on the school parking lot, said the
superintendent. Areas searched
included locker and hall areas in
addition to parking lots.
Mr. Churchill said he had made
an “administrative decision” to
re-introduce the sniffer-dog to
Mercedes schools because “we
want to use every means possible to
combat the use and spread of drugs
in our schools.”
Last week’s cases involved one
student at the junior high and four
at MHS. All were found to have a
misdemeanor amount of marijuana
in their possession and parents
were called to school offices for
consultation. “All those involved
were first-time offenders,” said Mr.
Churchill. Discovery was made
following information received by
school authorities, he reported.
Mercedes will continue to use
the sniffer-dog on a random basis,
says Mr. Churchill. Violations found
are handled according to school
policy which includes turning over
to police for their investigation any
reports of hard-drug sale, posses-
sion or usage..
Testing schedule reported
for Mercedes GED program
Testing schedules for the spring
semester have been released by
officials of the Mercedes General
Equivalency Diploma program at
Mercedes High School.
Examinations will be adminis-
tered on 13 dates, beginning
January 9, the officials say, with
the passing of five tests required
for the awarding of the diploma,
including math, writing, reading,
science and social studies.
Dates for the testing are
January 9, 16 and 23; February 6,
13 and 20; March 6 and 27, April 3
and 17; May 1 and 15 and June 12.
All tests are on Wednesdays, with
registration running from 5:30 p.m.
to 6 p.m., and testing to take place
from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., each date.
Fees are $3 per test.
All testing takes place at the
high school cafeteria. Those
participating must be 17 years of
age or older, with proper
identification required. Unmarried
students must provide parental
consent forms, available at the
testing center. Those who are 17 or
18 years old must also provide proof
of withdrawal from the last school
attended.
Occupation permits expire
at year's end; renew now
shares a chuckle with three of those who hired him,
City Commissioners Oswaldo Castaneda, Tony
Lozano Jr. and Heriberto Martinez, from left.
[Mercedes Enterprise Photo.]
Operators of many local busi-
nesses should be aware of an
approaching expiration date for the
occupation tax licenses and permits,
says City Inspector Hecor Casas.
The documents expire on
December 31, but may be renewed
at the city secretary’s office in City
Hall between 8 a.m. and noon and
1 p.m. and 5 p.m., before that date.
“It’s important that the licenses
be renewed,” says Mr. Casas,
“because enforcement of the
regulations will be strict.”
Among the establishments re-
quiring the licenses, and the
respective fees are: liquor store,
$150; beer and wine sales, $87.50;
on-premises beer consumption, $75;
off-premises beer sales, $30; coin
machines, $5; amusement
machines, $5; dance hall, $35; and
juke box, $5.
Also on the schedule are art
studios, $10; pest control firms,
$10; health establishment, $5;
money lenders, $25; general
contractors, $10; taxicab firms, $16;
master electrician license renewal,
$10; and plumbing license, $10
Judge helps
Boys Club
Actions in an Edinburg
courtroom not only result in
justice being done, but they’re
benefiting Mercedes youth, as
well.
As part of a program in the
courtroom of Judge Manuel
Trigo, those sentenced are
being required to contribute to
various worthy causes.
“When people are placed
on probation out of this court,”
the judge says, “one condition
of their probation is that they
contribute to non-profit organi-
zations helping youth or the
unfortunate in our county.”
He says the amount of the
contribution -- which is over
and above any fine -- depends
on the nature of the crime and
the criminal.
“It’s important, too,” he
says, “to note that this is
benefiting really worthwhile
organizations that are in need
of the additional money. We’ve
helped the Weslaco War on
Drugs, the Rio Grande
Children’s Home, Mothers
Against Drunk Driving, Amigos
del Valle and Mujeres Unidas.”
Mercedes Boys Club, too, is a
recipient of the aid, having
received $3100 already through
the program, with another
$3000 to $4000 expected within
a month.
Saying he got the idea for
the program from judges in
Houston, San Antonio and El
Paso, the judge thinks his is
the only program of its type in
South Texas.
“The best thing about it,”
he adds, “is that people
coming before the court are
helping to pay for the effort to
fight their crimes by giving
money to programs that are
helping to reduce drug abuse,
promoting alcohol education
and helping the youth of our
county to grow up without such
dependencies.”
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 72, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 12, 1984, newspaper, December 12, 1984; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1632086/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.