The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 13, 1987 Page: 1 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 24 x 15 in. Scanned from physical pages.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:
pharr, Texas 78577
# the Pharr Press e
CC SLOGAN
VOL 64, NO. 41 USPS 429 660 _______ THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1987
PLANS ARE UNDERWAY for “Pharr on the Rise/Casino Night II” sponsored by the Pharr Chamber
of Commerce. The gala event is scheduled for Saturday, September 26th at Plantation South Recreation
Hall. Pictured are steering committee members sitting from left to right, Mike Coggins, general co-
chairman, Sue Sexton, general co-chairman, Bernice Jeffreys, cashier and thank yous, and Jennie
Morehead, prizes. Members standing are Joe Williamson, sponsors, Baldemar Cano, prizes, Jim
Schmidt, sponsors, Wayne Phillips, sponsors, Joe Trevino, prizes, and Willie Garza, prizes. (Pharr
Chamber of Commerce photo)
Chamber of Commerce Casino
Night is Sept. 26, Plantation South
City lets contract to
re-pave 4.2 miles of streets
Bus. 83 Widening
Project Underway
at a Cost of $2.3 M.
The long awaited widening of
Business Hwy. 83 through
Pharr began the last of July
with Foremost Paving of Wes-
laco the contractor.
The highway will be widened
to two lanes each way, plus a
parking lane on the south side
and a median in the middle for
left hand turns only. Curb and
gutter will also be installed.
The project extends from the
overpass at Jackson Rd. on the
west to “I” Road on the east, a
distance of 2.3 miles.
Total cost of the improve-
ments is $2.3 million dollars.
Total time to complete is 13
working months which means
the completion date will be
August or September of 1988,
states a spokesman for the Tex-
as Highway Dept.
The Pharr widening project is
nearly identical to improve-
ments in Mission and Weslaco
on Hwy. 83, which have been
completed.
The inspector for the project
is Noe Rodriguez and the resi-
dent engineer is Federico Pa-
checo.
Motorists are reminded to
obey the highway signs during
the construction project.
Local motorists may want to
use Kelly St. or Sam Houston as
an alternate route.
Pharr continues to be the
bright spot in the economy of
the County and the Valley, sales
tax wise, with a healthy in-
crease in sales taxes this year,
compared to a year ago.
At the last report from the
State Comptroller, Pharr re-
ceived a sales tax check for
$87,494, compared to $77,034
for the same month the preced-
ing year, an increase of 11.44
percent.
Total sales tax income for the
year to date is $812,016, com-
pared to $728,681 the year be-
fore, an increase of $83,335.
The increase for Pharr, com-
pared to other cities in the
county, the Valley and the
state, has not been explained
by economic experts. First, it
was explained as a correction
process, as large sales tax-
payers were “catching up” on
payments, but this trend has
continued for every month this
year, so that explanation is not
the reason.
McAllen collects the most
sales tax of any city in the Val-
ley, but its receipts are 4.80
The date is set for a gala
event in Pharr. The Pharr
Chamber of Commerce is spon-
soring “Pharr on the Rise/Ca-
sino Night II” on Saturday, Sep-
tember 26, 1987.
The gala which includes gam-
ing, auctions, hors d'oeuvres
and a cash bar will be held at
Plantation South Recreation
percent lower than a year ago.
This is a spread of more than 15
percent from Pharr. Edinburg,
the county seat, with Pan Amer-
ican University, has had a de-
crease of 11.44 percent, the
exact amount of Pharr’s in-
crease, or a spread of nearly 23
percent.
Ernesto Ayala, finance direc-
tor for the city of Pharr, says he
does not know for sure the rea-
son or reasons, but he admits
that the revival of El Centro
Mall with Sam’s Wholesale Club
in the mall, has been a factor.
Other “experts” say the
three lumber yards in Pharr
with many accessories is a fac-
tor. No other city in the Valley
has this number of large firms.
They are Matt’s Cash & Carry,
McCoy’s and Handy Dan.
Alamo is another city with an
increase in sales tax income. To
date this year, Alamo’s sales
taxes are 12.49 percent higher
than a year ago. They have re-
ceived $87,868 for the year,
compared to $78,115 a year
ago.
Hall on South Cage Boulevard
in Pharr.
The proceeds generated from
this event will fund the Pharr
Chamber of Commerce projects
such as the Leadership Pharr
Program, Business Clean-Up
and Beautification, and Eco-
nomic Development.
Over 100 exciting and unique
prizes have already been
donated by local businesses for
the auction/casino extravagan-
za. Patrons for the evening will
have a chance at either winning
prizes through the play money
casino or may purchase items in
the silent auction or the black-
board auction.
The men that evening will
surely want a close look at the
beautiful brown felt hat from
Warnock’s Hat Works, or the
gorgeous Colibri pocket watch
from Britton's Fine Jewelry, or
possibly the lustrous chrome
pen and pencil Cross desk set
from Copy Data/Office Supplies,
to name a few.
For the ladies, a sterling
heart pendant necklace from
Stinnett’s Jewelry, or a ladies
sports outfit from Calvin’s, or
sculpture nails from the Gazibo
Hair Fashions and the list goes
on.
A 16x20 family portrait from
Xavier’s Photography, a coun-
try style all wood high back
rocking chair from Whalen’s
Furniture, or a weekend for two
— two nights and three days in
a deluxe suite — a bottle of
champagne — two breakfast
buffets each morning in the Ter-
race Room from the Sheraton
Fairway Resort Inn.
Dinner for two at Red Lob-
ster, or dinner for four at Ar-
mando’s, or a child’s birthday
party package from Laugh and
Giggles and Associates, or an
adult bowling party for five
couples at Metro Lanes.
Price Committee Chairman
Guillermo Garza says the gala
Industrial
Park is ready!
The Pharr Industrial Park is
now in place and ready for use
by large or small industry,
Ralph De Anda, Jr., told the
Pharr noon Kiwanis Club at a
recent meeting. De Anda is the
executive director of the Pharr
Industrial Foundation, which is
responsible for the develop-
ment of the Park.
The Park is located on U.S.
Highway 281 south of Pharr
about four miles from Sam
Houston intersection, and con-
tains 150 acres Streets are
Coin'd, on Pg. 3
will have “something to offer
any interest, taste or size”.
Tickets for “Pharr on the
Rise/Casino Night II” are $15
per person in advance and $25
per person at the door. Tickets
are available from any Pharr
Chamber of Commerce director
or at the Chamber office, 308
W. Park, 787-1481.
Rainfall is
up in ’87
Rainfall in Pharr for the first
seven months of this year is
considerably better than for the
same period of 1986, with
18.11 inches recorded this
year, compared to 14.61, a nice
increase of 3.50 inches.
Above average rainfall in
January and then a whopping
7.25 inches in June accounted
for the gain this year.
In 1986, the rainfall in Pharr
was 22.97 inches, so if the rain-
fall for the remainder of this
year is “normal”, the 1987 total
should be in the 25-28 inch
range.
Here are the totals by month
for 1987 and 1986:
1987
1986
Jan.......
.... 2.90
.60
Feb.......
.... 1.80
1.61
Mar.......
.....45
Apr.......
.....35
1.00
May......
. . . . 4.11
6.35
June.....
. . . . 7.25
4.40
July......
. . . . 1.25
.65
Totals.....
.... 18.11
14.61
The Pharr City Commission
has let a contract for $296,997
for street improvements total-
ing 23,935 feet, or 4.2 miles.
Community Development
grant funds will be used to pay
for the project.
The street improvement will
be an overlay of hot asphalt
with some streets reconstruc-
ted. Curb and gutter will be in-
stalled where it does not exist
now.
Contractor is Mission Paving
of Mission.
All the improvements are on
streets north of Business Hwy.
83, and between Sugar Rd. on
the west and “I” Road on the
east and Polk St. on the north.
This area qualifies for Com-
munity Development funds.
The engineer’s estimate for
the cost of this project was
$420,000 so the city feels like
they have received a bargain.
The money “saved” can be
used to re-top more streets.
Rene Castellanos, director of
Community Development funds
states the contractor has al-
ready started on the project.
Here are the streets that will
be over laid or reconstructed:
Northwest Pharr
Polk from Aster to U.S. 281,
180 feet west.
Polk from Cage to 180 feet
west.
Hawk from Flag to Cage.
Clark from Dahlia to Cage.
State from Dahlia to Cage.
State from Sugar Rd. to Hibis-
cus.
State from Hibiscus to Blue-
bonnet.
Clark from Flag to Dahlia.
Dahlia from State to Hawk.
Dahlia from Hawk to Juarez.
Canna from State to Juarez.
Bluebonnet from State to
Juarez.
Aster from State to Juarez.
Northeast Pharr
Hawk from U.S. 281 to Cyp-
ress.
Juarez from Cypress to Dog-
wood.
Fir from State to Evans.
State from Cage to Cypress.
State from Cypress to Dog-
wood.
Clark from Cage to Cypress.
Clark from Cypress to Dog-
wood.
Juarez from Ironwood to “I”
Rd.
Birch from Hawk to Clark.
Birch from Clark tc State.
Athol from Hawk to Clark.
Cypress from Bell to Egly.
Athol from Hawk to Juarez.
Birch from Hawk to Juarez.
Juarez from Dogwood to Iron-
wood.
For further information, in-
terested citizens should contact
the office of Community Devel-
opment, 208 North Cage.
Seen 'Round I
TfteToum I
GREETINGS to all. The Pharr
Press is in circulation one more
time. And did you know this
newspaper is the oldest in the
Valley under the same owner-
ship?
The Iran-Contra hearings
have ended (thank goodness!)
It could have ended long before
had it not been for the numer
ous members of the committee
who thought they would be-
come instant heroes with their
time in the spotlight. One com-
mentator summed it up very
well when he wrote: From
whom would you buy a used
car? From Lt.-Col. North or
from any one of 12 or 15 mem-
bers of that joint committee?
With progress, you have to
endure a lot of inconvenience,
like the reconstruction of Bus.
Hwy. 83 in Pharr. The business-
es that front on the Highway
will suffer the most. We hated
especially to see the Bougain-
villea and other plants disap-
pear at the northwest corner of
Hwy. 83 and 281, part of the
Chamber of Commerce beautifi-
cation project. When the high-
way is completed 13 months
from now, the CC can start over
again on the narrow strip be-
tween the pavement and the
RR t’rack.
This is a plea for help — Do
any of our readers have a pic-
ture of old Valley Institute, or do
you know of someone who may?
Mrs. Duane Mock of San Juan
was born at the Institute, re-
ceived her first schooling there,
and was married there. Her
father worked for the Institute
for 25 years. She is putting to-
gether a scrapbook on her life
and she would very much like to
have a picture of that building,
for which she has so many me-
mories.
Charles and Elaine Curtis are
thrilled about their grandson,
Trey, who has an extraordinary
talent for kicking the football. At
his High School last year at Cy-
press Creek in Houston, he
kicked 30 extra points in 30
tries, kicked three field goals
out of three, and caught passes
for 375 yards and five TD’s. He
has already made arrange-
ments to enroll at Texas Tech
Univ. in Lubbock and will try
out for the football team as a
combination extra point-field
goal specialist and wide re-
ceiver. His parents, of course,
are well known here, Charles,
Jr. and Marilyn Curtis.
Thirty years ago, 1957, the
PSJA Bears football team
played tie games on consecu-
tive weeks. One was with
McAllen, 6-6, and the next week
Donna, 12-12.
Rev. and Mrs. L.L. Nash are
enjoying retirement to the
fullest but they keep busy
visiting their children and
grandkids and they go out of
their way to see old time friends
and they distribute gospel
tapes. They live in Galena Park,
a suburb of Houston.
Remember Patrick Dalager?
Wo are sure former Mayor A.C.
Cont’d. on Pg. 4
PSJA’S TOP TWO — Homer Cantu, valedictorian with a 96.5935
four-year average, and Santa M. Hernandez, salutatorian with a
96.4433 scholastic average, pose with PSJA High School principal
Felipe Alanis. Both will attend the University of Texas at Austin on
tuition scholarships. Homer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Cantu of
San Juan, plans to be a pre-medicine student. Santa, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Isidro Hernandez of San Juan, will major in pharmacy.
I PSJA ISD photo)
PSJA EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR — PSJA School Trustees
recently recognized Employees of the Year in the various district sup-
port departments for their outstanding and dedicated service. At
recognition ceremonies are, from left, Roel Lizcano, trustee secre-
tary-treasurer; Juan Rodriguez, Jr., Transportation Employee of the
Year; Joe Sanchez from Longoria School. Custodian of the Year;
Oralia Sandoval, Central Kitchen Employee of the Year; Virginia
Carranza from Ramirez Elementary. Food Services Employe? of the
Year; and Carlos Villegas, trustee president. Not shown are
Esperanza Muniz, Central Kitchen Employee of the Year; Isenia
Rodriguez from Ford School. Food Services Employee of the Year;
and Plinio Garcia. Maintenance Department Employee of the Year.
(PSJA ISD photo)
Pharr is economic
hot spot in Valley
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.
Glover, Lloyd H. The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 13, 1987, newspaper, August 13, 1987; Pharr, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth867281/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Pharr Memorial Library.