Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 7, 1994 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
H ^ R
Ir
L—
TV-m I)
lio Grande Herald
1 Rio Grande City, Texas every Thursday by The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
Lino's
Pharmacy
Specials
Page 2
USPS 466-200
Vol. 81, No. 33, Thursday, July 7,1994
25 cents
LOVED HY STUDENTS TRUE—The graduating class of 1994 at Rio Grande City
High School joined in a Circle of Unity and sang their alma mater as a closing to
their commencement exercises. (KGCCISI) Photo)
RGC High 1994 graduates
awarded scholarships
Numerous scholarships were
presented to 1994's graduating
seniors from Rio Grande City High
School at commencement exercises
held at Joe R. Sanchez Stadium on
the evening of Tuesday, May 31.
A large number of scholarships
were presented to graduates by
many local groups and
organizations. Many scholarships
were also presented to graduates on
behalf of numerous colleges and
universities.
The scholarships are based on
such criteria as academic excellence,
standard test scores, financial need,
and interest in pursuit of
post-secondary education.
The value of local scholarships
presented amounted to $52,850.
The following college
scholarships were presented. The
annual amounts are listed below:
UTPA SELDON/LEOVELL-
Melissa Lopez, $500 scholarship.
UTPA DAVISON-ALUMNI-
Sergio Villarreal, $500 scholarship.
ST. EDWARD'S CAMP
SCHOLARSHIP- Bertha Rodriguez
and Sonia Briseno, $11,000
scholarships.
UTPA FORD/EEDC- Sonia
Briseno, $500 scholarship.
UTPA TEXAS ADVOCATE
FOR M1G. STUDENT- Sonia
Briseno, $300 scholarship.
ST. EDWARD CAMP
SCHOLARSHIP- Dorisa Rivera,
$ 11,000 scholarship.
LAMAR UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENTIAL
SCHOLARSHIP- Longino
Villarreal, $11,000 scholarship.
LAMAR UNIVERSITY MUSIC
SCHOLARSHIP- Longino
Villarreal, $300 scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE-
Longino Villarreal, $700
scholarship.
LAMAR
ALUMNI
Zacharrias
scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE-
Zacharias Serratos, $500
scholarship.
AUSTIN COLLEGE- Melissa
Garza, $500 scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STA1E-
Maria Castillo, $2000 scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE
YOUTH OPPORTUNITY
FRESHMEN- Maria Castillo,
$1000 scholarship.
A&M & CORPUS- Melisandra
Mendoza, $8000 scholarship.
UNIVERSITY
ASSOCIATION-
Serratos, $10,580
RGC inauguration
ceremony Friday
An official inauguration
ceremony for the new city of Rio
Grande City will be held Friday
morning, July 8 from 10 a m to
noon.
The City Hall offices at 402 East
Main Street will be officially
dedicated in a ribboncutting
ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday. The
ceremony will be earned out under
the auspices of the city government
and the Rio Grande City Chamber
of Commerce.
The 400th block of East Main
Street will be partially sealed for
the duration of the inauguration
ceremony.
At noon, a luncheon will be held
at the K.C. Hall, with attendance
by INVITATION ONLY. The
general public is invited to attend
the ribboncutting ceremony.
A number of Starr County
officials will be present at the
ribboncutting, as well as officials
from all three school districts in the
county and officials from the city
governments of Roma and La
Grulla.
State Senators Judith Zaftirini of
Laredo and Eddie Lucio of
Brownsville will be present for the
ceremonies. McAllcn Mayor Othal
Brand will be the featured speaker at
the noon luncheon at the K.C.
Hall.
Man charged in Roma
robbery episode
A 28-year-old Mexico native
currently residing in Roma has been
charged with aggravated robbery for
allegedly brandishing a handgun
while demanding a six -pack of beer
at a convenience store in the Roma
area early Saturday morning.
Jose Guadalupe Garcia was
arrested without incident at B-B
Mart, located near Roma, just
before sunrise Saturday. He was
later arraigned before Justice of the
Peace "Cochc" Garcia and charged
with aggravated robbery. Bond was
set at $10,000.
Sergeant Francisco Garcia
indicated that the Roma Police
Department was called at
approximately 5:55 a.m. Saturday
"concerning a man at a drive-thru
window demanding a six-pack of
beer and threatening the clerk with a
handgun."
Garcia stated that the police were
summoned and "moved to the store
and found the man still at the
window and brandishing a handgun.
Several officers approached the
vehicle and arrested the man
without incident."
The sergeant indicated that the
suspect was in possession of 357
Magnum revolver.
Chase leads to attempted
capital murder charges
A&M & CORPUS YOUTH
OPPORTUNITY FRESHMEN-
Melisandra Mendoza, $1000
scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE-
Melisandra Mendoza, $2000
scholarship.
HARVARD- Mario De La Garza,
$28,000 scholarship.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-
Omar Mascorro, $6000 scholarship
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENTIAL ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD- Jackie Salinas, $10,000
scholarship.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE
MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP-
Dagoberto Garza, Mario Espirio and
Luis Delado, $500 scholarships.
GLORIA AND JOSEPH
MATTERA NATIONAL
SCHOLARSHIP FOR MIGRANT
STUDENTS- Sandra Aldape, Sonia
Briceno, Maribel Lopez, Laura
Ortiz, Sonia Ortiz, Julissa Rivas,
Dorisa Rivera, Marilu Solis and
Sergio Villarreal. All of these
graduates received a $100
scholarship with the exception of
Drrisa Rivera, who received a $200
scholarship.
U.S. ARMY COLLEGE FUND
MONTGOMERY G r. BILL- David
Ochoa, $30,000 scholarship.
The following graduates weie
awarded scholarsbi; by local clubs
and organizations:
ALBERTO VELA- Mario De La
Garza and Diana Gonzalez, $150
scholarships each
ALICIA A CLARKE
SCHOLARSHIP Adrian Silva,
$300 scholarship
ALVAREZ AN > ALVAREZ
SCHOLARSHIP- 3ubcn Salinas,
Annette Flores, and Kathy Marie
Garza, $500 each.
AMANDA C. PEREZ
SCHOLARSHIP Raul G
Hernandez, $2000.
AMERICAN ASSOCATION OF
UNIVERSITY WOMEN- Jose
Mario Espino, $fi >
AMERICAN LHJION POST
3382- Melissa I Lopez and
Jacqueline Salinas, i250 each.
ASSOCIATION OF TEX
PROFESSIONAL Arnulfo Ali
Gonzalez, $250.
ATPE- Alcida Garcia, Alissa
Garza and Luis Gomez, $350 each.
BAND BOOSTER MUSIC
SCHOLARSHIP Dagobcrto Garza,
Amy Jo Ramirez, Neida Lopez,
Mark Laurel, Jose M. Espino,
Longino Villarreal, Zacarias Scrrato
and Nazario Trcvino, $500 each.
BETA ZETA OMIERON
SCHOLARSHIP- Jackie Salinas
and Michelle Molina, $250 each.
C.O.D. AUTO PARIS
VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSH1P-
Mario Gazca, $250.
CAL.AME LINEBARGFR
GRAHAM SCHOLARSHIP-
Melissa Lopez, Juan Manuel
Cantu, Jr., Rebecca Garcia, Kathy
Marie Garza and Arnulfo Ali
r 4
A 27-year-old Garceno man faces
attempted capital murder charges
after he allegedly attempted to run
over police officers with his vehicle
during an intense pursuit northwest
of Roma that lasted roughly two
hours on the morning of
Wednesday, June 29.
Eric Garcia was shot in the hip
area as officers opened fire during
one of the episodes in which Garcia
allegedly tried to run over an
officer. Garcia was released late on
the afternoon of Wednesday, June
29 from McAllen Medical Center.
Garcia was later arraigned before
Justice of the Peace "Roy" Perm and
charged with two counts of
attempted capital murder. Bond was
set at $ 100,000 per count for a total
of $200,(XX).
Roma Police Department
Sergeant Francisco Garcia indicated,
"Our units responded to an
assistance call from the Border
Patrol. They (the Border Patrol)
were trying to stop the vehicle
driving from Fronton to Roma on
Fronton Road."
The pursuit began just after 6:30
a.m. on June 29. A McAllen
Monitor article on June 30 stated
that Border Patrol officers "noticed
Garcia driving out of an area where
more than 700 pounds of marijuana
had been seized earlier that day."
Officers from the Roma Police
Department, U.S. Border Patrol and
Sheriffs Department were involved
in the pursuit. Sgt. Garcia
indicated, "All of this lasted about
two hours. Several times during the
episode, the officers lost contact and
ended the pursuit, only to see him
return to where the officers were."
Garcia said, "The vehicle pulled
off near La Minita, just before the
rest area on U.S. 83 and just before
the Salineno cutoff. The man pulled
behind a closed restaurant and (then)
pulled the vehicle to where it was
facing U.S. 83."
The sergeant stated, "He (Eric
Garcia) exited the vehicle and said 'I
give up.' The officers exited the
patrol unit and moved toward the
man. But Garcia got back into his
car and sped away and in the process
knocked down a Roma police
officer with his vehicle, trying to
run over the officer."
The officer that was knocked
down sustained minor injuries,
mainly bruises to an arm and
elbow.
Garcia said, "The other officer,
seeing the officer go down, shot at
the vehicle." Eric Garcia was
driving a Jeep Cherokee. Sgt.
Garcia indicated that this was when
Eric Garcia was hit.
Sgt. Garcia said, "He tried to do
the same thing to another officer in
the Fronton area. The officer was
outside of the unit, talking with
Border Patrol units. Garcia swerved
toward the officer on the side of the
road. He crossed the center stripe
into the oncoming traffic lane
toward the officer's vehicle. The
officer was standing in front of the
vehicle."
The sergeant continued, "He fled
again and his car came to a stop in
La Minita. That's where the
standoff occurred. We had a report
he was armed, so the officers did
not approach the vehicle."
The standoff occurred several
miles west of Roma after a tire
blew out in the Jeep Cherokee
vehicle driven by Eric Garcia
Garcia remained in the vehicle for
30 to 40 minutes.
f
According to The Monitor article,
Eric Garcia was bottled up in a
500-foot radius on U.S. 83 when
the standoff took place. The entire
pursuit took place in a seven-mile
area between Fronton and Salineno
Roads.
Garcia said, "After he (Eric
Garcia) exited the vehicle, he fled
on foot and jumped over two fences
before officers caught up to him."
The officer indicated that no weapon
was recovered.
The Roma Police Department
indicated that Garcia was involved
in three previous pursuits, in
November 1993 and March 1993,
as well as a pursuit involving
Sheriffs Department officers in the
late 1980's.
Probe continn.es into Los
Villarreales armed robbery
The Sheriffs Department is
continuing its investigation in
hopes of discovering and capturing
the currently unidentified male
suspect who committed an armed
robbery of Consumers Mart store in
the Los Villarreales area on Tuesday
morning, June 28.
The robbery, in which more than
$100 in cash was taken, took place
at approximately 9:15 a.m. on
Tuesday, June 28.
Sheriff Gene Falcon indicated, "A
robbery occurred in Roma about
one and one-half months ago. The
Roma Police Department indicated
this might be the same m/o and
robber."
Shortly after the robbery, said
Falcon, "deputies were advised to
proceed to Consumers Mart in the
r .os Villarreales area. The deputies
met with the owner of the business,
who indicated that the business had
been robbed."
The sheriff said, "The owner
indicated that he was placing fruit
into a freezer, with his back turned
to the entrance of the business. He
turned around and saw a male
subject in his mid to late twenties."
The owner told the deputies that
the man was about 5 feet, 8 inches
tall, weighed roughly 150 pounds,
had black hair and wore a red
bandana on his face. The deputies
indicated that the subject allegedly
pointed a handgun, covered with
another red bandana, at the owner
and allegedly threatened the owner
with the handgun numerous times.
According to the deputies, the
owner moved toward the cash
register, with the subject following
and continuing to point the
handgun. The owner told the
deputies that he threw more than
$100 in $20 bills and several food
stamp bills to the robber, but the
robber threw back the food stamps
and only took the cash.
Deputies stated that the robber
then got into a 1992 red Ford
Tempo two-door vehicle and took
off on U.S. 83 in an eastward
direction.
The proprietor indicated to the
officers that a male individual came
into the store during the episode,
but did not realize the armed
robbery was taking place. The
proprietor told the deputies that he
met with the witness outside the
store, with the witness agreeing to
try to follow the suspect's vehicle
in an eastward direction on U.S. 83.
The witness indicated that he saw
two vehicles fitting the description
given, and followed one that turned
off from U.S. 83 onto FM 3167.
The witness said he saw that a
female and small child were the
only occupants of this vehicle,
which did not match the proprietor's
description of a young male subject
in his twenties driving alone
According to deputies, another
person testified to seeing the amied
robbery and saw the suspect's
vehicle move eastbound on U.S.
83.
/
EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATES- Immaculate Conception School honored its eighth
grade graduate? with a mass on Wednesday, May 25 at Immaculate Conception
Church. Shown with Principal Sister Christine Garcia, SSND, at left, and eighth
grade teacher Ms. Mary Ann Blalock, at right, are. l-r, Ramon de la Cruz, Alyssa
Aide Vela, Debra Wagner, Crissy Corona, Eric Andrew Garza, Celina Garza, Leticia
Robles, Rebecca Klizondo, and Gilbert Ramirez. An awards dinner followed the
'•4 by faculty, parents, and guests. Father Patrick O'Donnell officiated at
/Y\
JL
Liy.x.-X'
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 7, 1994, newspaper, July 7, 1994; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195452/m1/1/: accessed June 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.