Reprint from the Progress Times - September 12, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

NEWS BRIEFS

 

You can crash at my place

Vanessa Blanco Esparza received a rude awakening last Friday afternoon when a pickup crashed into her bedroom as she was sleeping. The impact sent her and the bed flying across the room and into the opposite wall.

According to Mission Police investigators at the scene of the accident, 18-year-old Tina Garcia, of Palmhurst, drove the truck northbound on Shary Rd., veered to the left, jumped the curb and crashed into the residence of Baldamero Blanco, a brick home located at 2217 N. Shary Rd. Police could not give an estimate of the speed the truck was traveling, although they speculated that the driver was likely going at least 45 miles-per-hour, the speed limit at that location. No one else was in the pickup at the time of the accident.

Lt. Martin Garza, public information officer for Mission Police Department, said the driver was charged with failure to control speed, failure to show financial responsibility (no insurance) and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

Both Esparza and the driver were transported to Mission Regional Medical Center and later released.

 

Kika de la Garza hospitalized

 

 

 

Former U.S. Congressman Eligio “Kika” de la Garza and his wife, Lucille, were injured in an auto accident Tuesday in McAllen. Both were hospitalized and in intensive care following surgery.

De la Garza was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964 where he served his constituents for 32 years. He rose in power to become the chairman of the Agriculture Committee from 1981-1994. He was the first Hispanic to chair a standing committee of the House since Ladislas Lazaro in 1917.

“Kika,” as he has always been affectionately known, was born in Mercedes, September 22, 1927, although his family lived on Dunlap Street in Mission at the time. His mother, following the custom at the time, returned to her home in Mercedes to give birth, but returned to Mission with her son when he was two weeks old.

De la Garza attended Mission High School where he played on the football team. He recently donated his high school jersey and other memorabilia to the Mission Historical Museum where a special exhibit in his honor was set to open soon.

 

Sharyland ISd hononrs 9/11 patriotism

 

 

In honor of Patriot Day and the seventh anniversary of the attack on September 11, Sharyland Independent School District displayed American flags in front of the administration building and Sharyland High School.

The display was aimed at remembering those who lost their lives to the 2001 attack.

 

Citizen awards deadline nears

Mission citizens are reminded that the deadline to submit nominations for Mission’s Citizen Awards—Mr. Mission, First Lady of Mission, Man of the Year and Woman of the Year—is next Friday, September 26.

Nominations may be submitted in person at the Progress Times office at 1217 N. Conway or by mail to Citizen Awards, c/o Progress Times, P.O. Box 399, Mission, Texas 78573. Nomi­nations may also be submitted by email to awards@progresstimes.net or by fax to 956-585-2304.

Nomination forms are available at the Progress Times office and on the newspaper’s Web site: www.progresstimes.net. Forms may be requested by fax: 956-585-2304 or email: awards@progresstimes.net.

For qualifications for each award, see the Progress Times Web site, www.progresstimes.net or call the Progress Times office at 585-4893.

The awards will be presented at the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce banquet in October.