Reprint from the Progress Times - October 3, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved
NEWS BRIEFS
Butterfly Fest on the way
The 13th Annual Butterfly Festival is fast approaching as the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the most biologically diverse region in the United States, looks to top the excitement of last year’s event which boasted a record setting 149 different species of butterflies seen.
The festival, which will run from October 16 to 19, is a yearly event that highlights the four ecosystems that converge in the four county area. The Valley’s sub-tropical climate is home to over 300 species of butterflies, 513 species of birds and over 100 species of dragonflies.
Festival headquarters will be the Mission Parks and Recreation Gym located at 721 N. Bryan Road in Mission. Detailed information on trips and seminars is available at www.texasbutterfly.com.
Tournament to benefit firefighter
Three-year veteran Mission Firefighter Ignacio “Nacho” Cantu, after being diagnosed with skin cancer a few months ago, is getting a reminder of what it means to be in the brotherhood of Mission firefighters.
A benefit golf tournament for Nacho is being held Wednesday, October 29 at the Club of Cimarron. Sponsorships are currently available and can be bought for $500 for a First Alarm Sponsor, $1,000 for a Second Alarm Sponsor and $1,500 for a Third Alarm Sponsor.
Door prizes for closest to the pin, a hole-in-one and longest straight drive are also being offered at the three-person Florida Scramble. Entrance fees are $75 per person and $225 per team. Check in starts at 12 p.m. with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.
All money raised will be used for Cantu, who has battled cancer in one form or another for the past two years.
Anyone interested in helping the Mission Firefighters or in simply playing a round of golf is encouraged to contact Mike Silva of the Mission Firefighters at 432-6362 or contact Cimarron at 581-7405.
LJISD breaks ground
La Joya Independent School district held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Juarez-Lincoln High School on Monday, September 29. Various members of the board of trustees were in attendance, including Rita Garza-Uresti, Joe Aguilar, Espie Ochoa and Superintendent Dr. Alda Benavides. Also in attendance were Juarez-Lincoln student council members, cheerleaders and marching band.
With plans for a fall 2010 opening, Architect Raymond Gignac said the school will be a 340,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility and will have separate academic and activity buildings. Assistant Superintendent Rene Gutierrez said the school is estimated to cost $58 million. After completion of the new campus, the current Juarez-Lincoln campus, located at 801 N. Coyote Drive, will become part of La Joya High School.