The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 10, 1999 Page: 4 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mercedes Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.
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Page 4 -- The Mercedes Enterprise
Mercedes, Texas 78570 Wednesday, March 10, 1999
Mere
Me
Mauro
Roll fo
Fra
Badillo
Leon, I
Rar
Gabrie
Rincon
Julio E
WAY BACK WHEN — These photos from the files of Alberto Arteaga, Sr. may help
you gear up for next week’s Stockshow parade. The two scenes on either side are
from the 1957 parade, while in the middle is a view of a 1968 procession. Mr.
Arteaga points out that of special interest are the buildings in the pictures — the
skyline in that part of town is now largely changed from these views.
Fed
Camarg
R. Cort
Gracie
Moi
Garcia,
Gonzal
Elizabe
Adr
Erica E.
A. Rodi
.etters ...TO THE EDITOR
THEY’RE WINNING ATHLETES — Taylor Elementary School
students above participated in recent Texas Special Olympics
Basketball Individual skills events. Placing were, in front, Amy
Loya, left, who earned a gold medal, and Melissa Arroyo, winning
a silver medal. In back are Instructor Anita Pineda and Marc Lara,
winner of a gold medal. The students also received a trophy for
the Texas Special Olympics 1999 Basketball Tournament in Area
I. Irma Castaneda, Special Olympics Coordinator, transported
the children to the event. Parents played a “big role,” she says
by assisting in the event, offering special thanks to parents
Betty Ann Gonzalez, Paula Loya and Francisca Ramos.
(Enterprise Photo.)
Editor,
The Enterprise;
It is refreshing to see the enthusi-
asm, dedication, loyalty and, most of
all, the commitment demonstrated by
the educational community in
Mercedes.
It is also refreshing to see the com-
munity as a whole supporting those
who dedicate their lives towards the
welfare of all our children.
For a number of years, Mercedes
had an excellent superintendent of
schools, who through his tireless ef-
forts, maintained Mercedes as one of
I the better school systems of its size in
this isolated part of Texas.
Through his fiscal responsibility
to the taxpayers, and the commitment
of supportive school board members,
he left a surplus in the school coffers.
I now publicly again say thank you,
Mr. Monte Churchill.
Immediate past and current school
board members have demonstrated
foresight in bringing to our area a
person with the same kind of vision
and commitment that the educational
community as a whole has been sup-
porting for some time now.
Look around your community, and
see what Mr. Churchill left as a foun-
dation so that now, our enthusiastic
superintendent Jesus Gandara, can
build on it.
“pay back” when these students be-
come the leaders of tomorrow.
The community will be proud then
to have supported such efforts now.
Remember the old saying, “pay
now...or pay more later.”
“La educacion no esta en los libros,
sino que en las personas.”
Hasta pronto,
Joe A. Garza
your readers. I salute The Enterprise
for being a light in the darkness.
Throughout history, the power of the
pen has been impressed upon the
people, but without publications such
as yours, the pen is useless.
HINDS
SIGHT
o doubt you’ve noticed at
least one of the many,
many street lights in town
Your newspaper continues to be that turn off every so often, then come
Editor,
The Enterprise;
the paper of choice for citizen con-
cerns, where anyone can pen their opin-
ions and have them read by the popu-
lous. May your paper, the people’s
paper, prosper without bounds.
Mr. Gracia, it appears, printed in-
formation he believes to be true. On
I have seen many improvements in the issue of whether confidentiality
the Mercedes ISD since I started work-
ing here in 1974. While there are op-
portunities for a parent or parents to
visit their children’s teacher, there is
one event in the calendar that concerns
me.
has been breached at one point or an-
other, it is speculative at best.
Information can come from many
sources; is a victim bound to confiden-
tiality? If someone is wronged, can
back on a minute or so later.
That’s not a design feature; it’s not
meant to deter thieves or reduce light
pollution.
It happens because the light bulbs
are old and need to be replaced.
District CP&L Headman Brad
Bierstedt says that if we provide him
with a list of poles that are “blacking
out,” he’ll see they get replaced.
That’s too big a job for one fellow,
but if readers will call us to list the
poles on or near their property, it will
Francisco Cantu dies
March 2 at age of 85
Funeral services were conducted
March 5 for lifetime Mercedes resi-
dent Francisco Cantu, who died March
2 at the age of 85.
He is survived by his wife, Maria
De Jesus Cantu of Mercedes; and five
daughters, Luz Maria Castro of Mis-
Congratulations to:
Mercedes High School’s
Student
of the Week
ISABEL GUZMAN
MHS Senior
Proudly sponsored by:
Law Office of
Juan E. Gonzalez
420 W. University Dr.
Edinburg, Tx 78539
(956) 383-0772
sion, Hilda Castro, Bertha Castro,
Adelaida Castro and Estella Castro,
all of Mercedes.
Other survivors are two sons,
Guadalupe Castro of Mercedes and
Rafael (Juana) Castro of Rio Bravo;
24 grandchildren and seven great
grandchildren.
Funeral mass was conducted Fri-
day, March 5 in Sacred Heart Catholic
Church. Interment was at Our Lady of
Mercy Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Francisco Riojas,
Rafael Castro, Rafael Ybarra, Juan
Garcia, Joe Coria and Guadalupe
Castro.
Funeral services were under the
direction of Rudy Garza Funeral Home
of Mercedes.
Meal to aid
fire victims
I applaud the efforts of the school
board members who share the vision
that the professionals have for the fu-
ture of our student population. I ask
the community to look at those who do
not support this vision for excellence
and try to determine what their mo-
tives are in trying to hold back the
future of our children.
If they tell you that they are look-
ing out for the taxpayer, then ask them
how they intend to do that, without
doing what is right for our children
and their future.
By the way, it is my understanding
that the financial surplus left behind
by the previous administration has
grown by several million dollars.
Our schools are being brought up
to date, thanks to the support of some
school board members and the hard
work of the superintendent and all of
his staff. Their efforts for a better edu-
cational system including the renova-
tion of facilities, will have a generous
Open House is an event that is very
important to the school district. Teach-
ers have the opportunity to talk to the
parents about their children. My con-
cern is why the school district decides
to have Open House only over a three
day period.
There are eight schools in our dis-
trict. During two of those days, three
schools must have Open House on the
same night. I see parents coming to see
one child’s teacher at one campus, and
then having to rush off to see another
child’s teacher at another campus.
Some employees of the school dis-
trict cannot attend Open House be-
cause their child’s Open House may
coincide with their own school’s Open
House schedule.
Open House helps parents view
their child’s work and discuss other
concerns with the teacher.
Extending the amount of days so
that each school will have their own
special day for Open House would
help many parents.
Every parent should be allowed
the privilege of coming to their child’s
Open House — even school employ-
ees.
Sincerely,
Rosalda Chavez
Editor,
The Enterprise;
It would appear that a letter written
by Robert Gracia and published in The
Enterprise stirred a lot of emotion in
they not speak freely of the wrong? make a big job easy. (Each pole has an
Withou t knowing Mr. Gracia’s source, identifying number on it. That’s what
Proceeds from a benefit barbecue
that will be conducted Saturday, March
13, will be used to help a family that
lost their home to a fire.
Barbecue chicken with all the trim-
mings will be sold for $3 a plate, while
brisket with all the trimmings will go
for $3.50.
Serving will run from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m. at the Corner of 10th Street and
Colorado Avenue.
Those who wish to purchase plates
or make a contribution may come by
on the day of the event or call 514-
0251.
Memorial Mass Scheduled
JUAN
ORTEGA,
SR.
Passed away
nine years ago,
March 10
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A memorial mass will be said July 10 at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart
Catholic Church.
A million times, we’ve needed you, a million times, we’ve cried.
If love alone could have saved you, you never would have died.
In life we loved you, in death we love you still,
for in our hearts you hold a place no one could ever fill.
God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around you and whispered, come with me.
God broke our hearts to prove to us he takes only the best.
You had a friendly word for each of us and died beloved by all
It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone.
A part of us went with you, the day God took you home.
To your resting place we visit and we place the flowers with care,
but no one knows the heartache, when we turn and leave you there.
Felipa Guzman and Isabel & Kim Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Ortega
Eloy Martinez Mr. and Mrs. Juan Ortega
Mr. and Mrs. Eliud Martinez, Sr. and Elmer Mr. and Mrs. Rey Ortega
an attack based on a possible breach of we need to know.)
confidentiality is groundless. An at- •••
tack based on the truth would be more
appropriate, but based on the rules Understand the city has des-
imposed by the rebutting parties on ignated an “official” bird,
confidentiality, the rebutters them- % butterfly and tree for
selves should be clueless as to what Mercedes.
really transpired. We suppose the “queen butterfly”
Aboardof trustees has been placed and Rio Grande Ash are appropriate
in office by a majority of the voters; selections as butterfly and tree, but we
we need to trust in the decisions they were surprised by the choice for offi-
make for the good of our children. The cial bird.
board is empowered to receive infor- They named the white tipped dove,
mation which is not public informa- We’ve been whitewing hunters and
tion and the board members are bound bird watchers for the better part of 20
to confidentiality for certain informa- years. We routinely feed a flock of two
tion dozen whitewings that swings through
When they, the board members, our neighborhood some mornings.
, ... .But never have we seen a white
make a decision, it is based on the . . ...
whole truth, not a partial truth. If a tipped dove in Mercedes or its vicin-
1 tv Sure they re out there — hunting
board member makes decisions the ,U ’ y „ „ -
majority of the voters do not agree bagimenaaqBuplnggbe
with, the answer is simple — the ma- taken y Aun8 Bus mncy re
1 not often seen.
Jonty removes the member from of- , . ,
. : • . Based on numbers (and noise and
fice. This is the power given to the , .
people by the founders of this country, smell and guano output), it would seem
* more appropriate to name the grackle
Public Relations Director, nice title, as official bird.
but what are the duties? When some- After all, they’re coating half of
one is paid $45,000 a year to do public downtown (including those pretty new
relations work, you would figure that street lamps) in several inches of the
that person would read the local paper, aforementioned guano.
which is loaded with citizen s ques- Heck, there might even be a new
tions and concerns. For $45,000 a year industry there if someone has the stom-
I would expect questions answered. ach to harvest that stuff.
If the position is designed to an- (And no, we don’t advocate re-
swer questions, I love it, but if its moving the live oaks to get the birds
purpose is to push controlled propa- out of downtown.)
ganda, who needs it? I don’t need •••
someone to tell me how well off I am.
If I’m well off. I’ll know it. I h embers of the Mercedes
Consultation fees of $50,000 or Letter Carriers organi-
$2,800, big difference, but free still HEA zation, a branch of the
sounds better. I wouldn’t expect very National Association of Letter Carri-
much for $2,800 from a team of ex- ers, have traditionally run a Christmas
perts coming all the way to Mercedes greeting announcement with this pa-
from California, but then again, some- per.
times you can find some good bar- After it came out, we sent them a
gains bill, addressing it to “Mercedes Letter
-• Carriers, Branch 2562.” That’s all we
The issue of deceit referencing wrote on the envelope.
millions in construction dollars has We figured when one letter carrier
been a long standing issue in diedis- or another saw it, they could hand it to
trict. Did I miss an update by the Pub- whichever one of their compadres pays
lic Relations Director, or is this still a the bills -
beast that haunts us with no answers? You guessed it _ it came back
I don't know if the deceit is real or not marked, ••Returned for Better Ad-
I don’t know the facts, but if I entered ,„
dress,
into a contract and deceit was used to
reel me in and the deceit was a fact.
Jack, I would say adios to the other
party.
“The tide is changing” sounds
pretty, and I hope to God it’s true. Our
children deserve it.
In reference to Mr. Gandara’s con-
tract, I advise the board to do what
they have been elected to do, to do
what Father Flanigan would do, to do
what is best for the children based on
all the information before them, since
only they hold the whole truth in their
hands.
r PA CO S
I Beauty Palace
J 166 N. Vermont
* "For the best service on
■ your hair, you need time
and expertise...
| Paco's has both!"
| Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mr. and Mrs. Jose Luis Ortega
Eliud Martinez, Jr.
Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren
To Mr. Gracia and those who re- |
butted his letter, I applaud them for |
their concerns and their activism. May |
they never lose sight of the main issue ।
— the children.
Oscar J. Garcia L M
EVERYDAY!
Francisco Aldape
Owner & Stylist
565-9776
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 10, 1999, newspaper, March 10, 1999; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1632251/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: 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.