Anzalduas Bridge to open Dec. 15

By Jim Brunson

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It’s here at last. The long-awaited opening of the Anzalduas International Bridge, connecting Mission with Reynosa is scheduled for Dec.15, according to bridge officials.

“We have gotten a date from the State Department to commence operations on Dec. 15,” said George Ramon, port director for bridge.

Early this year, local officials had hoped the GSA facilities at the bridge port of entry would be completed by October, but in September GSA official Jim King told mayors and other members of the Anzalduas Bridge Board that the opening would likely be in January. After that meeting, the mayors of Mission, McAllen and Hidalgo pressured GSA for an earlier opening date.

Port Director Ramon said the December opening will be without much fanfare, as high-level dignitaries could not be scheduled to attend an opening ceremony without a firm opening date set. The bridge board is planning a “spectacular grand opening to include dignitaries in early January,” Ramon added.

“I feel very confident [about the opening date],”Ramon said. “We pressed the federal government for an earlier date, but that’s the best we could come up with. They were actually talking about a January or February opening, but we were able to accelerate that date to mid-December.”

On the Mexican side of the bridge, everything is completed and ready to go, except for the roadway accessing the bridge. And that was by design to keep people from attempting to use the bridge prior to opening.

Mission Mayor Norberto Salinas said, “It’s been a long time coming. We started working on this in 1998. It’s good for us and for McAllen. We’re going to have more people coming to Mission.”

“The [economic] impact is … that people will be investing in Mission. We already have some people from Mexico that are interested in investing in our area, and of course we feel good about that…. It only means that we’re going to have more value for our city and less taxes for the people that live in Mission. The more we grow, the less taxes [Mission residents] will have to pay,” he said.

Presently, the work still pending completion for the GSA port of entry facilities is the cabling and installation of some of the equipment and furnishings. Everything should be in place by the end of November, allowing about two weeks for testing of equipment and training of bridge personnel, Ramon said.

The Anzalduas Bridge Board, a partnership between the cities of Mission, McAllen, and Hidalgo, was awarded at Presidential Permit for the construction of the Anzalduas Bridge in 1999. Construction of the $28.5 million structure began in June 2007. The total cost of the project is almost $100 million, when including the cost of the support facilities needed and the roadway infrastructure improvements provided by Texas Department of Transportation.

Mission students honor veterans

By Edwina P. Garza

MISSION — Over 100 Veterans Memorial High School students honored local veterans at a Veterans Day ceremony where Mission High School graduate and Prisoner of War Army Spc. Edgar Hernandez spoke about his 21 days of isolation.

More than 30 veterans, some relatives of VMHS students, attended the event, and each one was recognized for their efforts in the U.S. military. Students also lit candles to honor the thousands killed in action during World War I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Students also lit a candle to remember the thousands of military service persons missing in action or prisoners of war.

As a member of the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Hernandez was captured by Iraqi soldiers on March 23, 2003 along with eight other soldiers. He was held captive for 21 days and was shown on Iraqi television with bruises on his face. The group was held until they were rescued by U.S. Marines on April 13.

Hernandez reenlisted in the Army for four more years before he was honorably discharged. Today, Hernandez works as an officer for the Pharr Police Department, is married and has two sons.

Regardless of background or circumstance, Hernandez reminded the students that their citizenship binds everyone together.

“We are Americans,” he said. “We must support those who put their lives in harms way. They have given us the chance to live in freedom.”

Hernandez said he was attracted to the military at a young age and enlisted in 2000, and characterized his time in Iraq as a “personal war.”

“My goal was to survive and return home,” he said. “This experience has changed my life.”

He’s learned not to take life for granted and the value of his family, he said. He advised students to stay away from drugs and gangs and concentrate on graduating from high school.

“I was sitting where you are,” the 1999 Mission High School graduate said. “I thought I was invincible. The military has shown me there are many great things to aspire to.”

Following his speech, the audience went outside the VMHS gym to watch members of the school’s band perform “Taps” as the Catholic War Veterans Post 1065 did the 21 gun salute.

CWV member Manuel Tanguma Jr., a Vietnam veteran who served with the U.S. Air Force and later the U.S. Army Reserves, said the group had visited four Mission schools before VMHS.

“The country is down as far as patriotism,” Tanguma said. “By doing this I feel we can try to raise awareness on patriotism and honor our brothers in arms. We really want to reach out to the children to build patriotism because they’re the next generation to lead this country.”

‘Mission Night’ with Killer Bees benefits Foundation

The season’s first “Mission Night” fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the RGV Killer Bees hockey game will benefit the Foundation at Mission Regional Medical Center. Hockey fans can save on the ticket cost and, at the same time, help raise funds by purchasing tickets through the Foundation’s website for $16. A portion of the proceeds will be donated back to the organization. The tickets normally sell for $20 or more. To purchase tickets, look under “Special Events” online at www.thefoundation atmrmc.org, or by calling 323-1102.

The Bees play the Odessa Jackalopes that night, and the first 1,000 hockey fans through the gate will receive a free Killer Bee Jersey. Rink of Dreams for skating opens at 4 p.m., gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

“In partnering with the Killer Bees, we get to pair the excitement of professional sports with the culture of philanthropy. The Foundation seeks to foster for the benefit of our community,” states Marianna Treviño Wright, director of the Foundation, “We think it’s important people know it can be fun to do good! Our agreement with the Bees means fans and families can enjoy the hockey season, or just a couple of games, and improve our quality of life in the Valley, because a portion of designated ticket sales will be donated to the Foundation.

“Fundraising to support Mission Regional Medical Center enables the hospital to give so much back to members of our community,” asserts Wright, “In addition to quality healthcare for patients of all ages, we provide scholarships to graduating seniors at area high schools, educational programs such as ‘Safe Sitter,’ and health screenings to senior citizens. We are privileged to serve the residents of western Hidalgo and Starr Counties, and to enjoy their support in return.”

Missing Alton teen back with family

ALTON — The 17-year-old girl who was reported missing and feared kidnapped weeks ago has been reunited with her family, Alton police said Wednesday.

Jasmine Espericueta was reported missing on Oct. 17 after being gone from home for two days, said Alton police investigator Sgt. Mike Luna. On Halloween, the girl reportedly contacted her mother, saying she wanted to go home, but said the people holding her wouldn’t let her go.

For days, the girl’s family appeared on television newscasts pleading for her return. In previous media reports, her family said the teenaged mother had run away from home before, but Luna said the contact she made with her family indicated she may have been taken against her will. Once Alton police upgraded her status from missing to a possible kidnapping, authorities with the statewide Missing and Exploited Children database contacted Luna and offered to print signs notifying residents on her possible abduction. The group also contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigations for their involvement also, Luna said.

“There was an abundance of help,” he explained.

Police are still working on the case, trying to determine if Espericueta was taken against her will or left home.

“She’s a frequent runaway,” Luna said.

Espericueta reportedly also text messaged a friend, telling them she was in an abandoned home, before her mother found her in Pharr on Nov. 8. Luna said it’s unclear how Espericueta’s mother located her and is still trying to interview her for the case.

“We’re still trying to get the story straight,” Luna said.

If Alton police discover Espericueta left her home on her own, there’s no indication she’ll be charged criminally. Luna said her age and status as a parent could allow her to leave her parent’s home without consequence.

“Above all, though, even if she did have a history of running away, we wanted to make sure she’s okay,” Luna said.

Luna explained that parents should report their children missing immediately and not wait a day or two, as often shown on television.

“The moment they’re gone they can report them missing because that helps us,” Luna said. “Because even one day is a lot of time.”

Property owners oppose annexation

By Kathy Olivarez

Plans by city staff to annex two new tracts of land into the city were opposed by two of the property owners in the Monday, Nov. 9, meeting of the Mission City Council. David Oliveira and Brendan Hall, attorneys for Frontera Energy, spoke in opposition to the annexation of their site.

Enrique Garza, who owns part of one of the tracts of land to be annexed, also spoke in opposition saying that if his land were annexed and given a residential subdivision zoning, he would no longer be able to keep his domesticated animals. Garza owns 13 acres in Lot 30-2, which he uses to raise Santa Gertrudis cattle and for whitewing dove hunting.

Garza told the Progress Times the annexation would force him out of business. He said he did not have the money needed to buy land in a more rural area and had tried in vain to sell his land in the past. He also said that some of the other residents in the areas being proposed for annexation also had animals including chickens and goats. Because the land is currently zoned AO-I, the animals are acceptable. But if the city changes the zoning to R-1, no one would be allowed to have domestic animals, other than dogs and cats.

Tract A of the proposed annexation includes all of Lots 32-1,32-2, 31-2 and the north 30 acres of Lot 30-2, West Addition to Sharyland including all lots of Basham #2 Subdivision, Vela-Zamora Subdivision, Alex Cavazos Subdivision and Premier Subdivision.

The site forms an upside down “L” and runs from Inspiration Road to Los Ebanos Road along the Mile 3 Road on the north. On the east it runs from Greenwood Mobile Homes Subdivision to Mile 3 Road along Los Ebanos. In the west, it includes acreage north of Colinas Del Rio Subdivision to Mile 3 Road. It includes 150.79 acres of land.

Tract B includes Lots 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Mission Farm Estates.

It lies south of the City of Palmview’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) along Mile One South to the north. A large block includes Mission Farm Estates, which lies between Greene Road on the east and Ojo de Agua Subdivision, which faces Abram Road on the west. In the center, it extends southward to take in another section. Total acreage is 176.92 acres.

Considerable discussion took place concerning a move by the city’s Planning Department seeking council approval to initiate rezoning of certain recently annexed areas, which are currently residential use or school use. City Attorney David Guerra explained that when new areas are annexed into the city, they come in under the AO-I (Agricultural) zoning classification. Planning was seeking to change the zoning of the residential and school properties in the newly annexed areas to R-1 (Residential). However, AO-I zoning allows property owners to have animals, such as goats and horses, on their property, but the possible R-1 zoning does not.

Confusion arose over whether property owners who already had animals on their property at the time of annexation would be “grandfathered.” Mayor Norberto Salinas was adamant that there would be no grandfathering, insistent that the city’s zoning laws be enforced. Guerra was instructed to study the matter and report back to the council at the next meeting.

In other zoning related action final plat approval was granted to Monte Real Subdivision, Phase II, John H. Shary Subdivision PUD (planned unit development) in Hunt Valley Estates. It is located on 6.866 acres of lots 111, 101, and 102, John H. Shary Subdivision.

Final plant approval was granted to Palm Valley Church Subdivision, Phase II. The one-lot subdivision is being proposed for future expansion of the church. The site is 800 feet south of Griffin Parkway along the east side of Stewart Road.

The council approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for Konectaz Bar & Grill, located at 2109 W. 3 Mile Line, for the sale and on-site consumption of alcohol.

A CUP was approved for sale and on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages at Juancho’s Bar/Night Club, located at 1812-A and 1900-B W. Griffin Parkway.

The council approved the 2009 Certified Tax Roll, which said the total taxable value of the city is now $3,143,771,748. The 2009 Total Tax Levy is $17,355,446. The levy was broken down into three parts. The maintenance and operation value is $12,309,886. The interest and sinking funds stood at $3,272,248. Collections for TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) were $1,773,311.

R P Constructors, Inc. received the bid for construction of the proposed expansion of the north water treatment plant by a vote of four to one. The estimated cost of the project is $6,207,000.

The council approved a resolution giving the city’s 130 votes for the Appraisal District Board of Directors for 2010- 2011 to Amador Requenez.

Mission Police Department was authorized to purchase an IBM mainframe computer system through a Texas Direct Contract at a cost of $111,882, which would be paid over a three-year period with monthly payments of $3,217. The new system is needed in order to run the latest technology to address criminal activity in the city.

The city was authorized to accept a 0.4709-acres tract of land from Sharyland ISD to be used for the fire-police substation building being constructed at the intersection of FM 1016 and Glasscock Road.

City staff was authorized to purchase an additional vehicle via the state contract for the meter reader department after researching prices and determining the funds available would pay for six vehicles instead of five. A 12-year-old vehicle with 106,000 miles will be replaced.

Speer Memorial Library was authorized to accept the Loan Star Libraries Grant for fiscal year 2010 in the amount of $21,669 for the purchase of computers for the library.

City staff was authorized to accept the 2008 Supplemental Disaster Recovery Fund grant in the amount of $1,886,739 from the Texas Department of Rural Affairs. The money will be used for street repairs.

Authorization to solicit bids for fire extinguishers and citywide fire extinguisher inspection services was granted.

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