Karate & Zumba

City hears financial report

Health Dept: Kids need second dose of H1N1 vaccine

RGRWPG set meeting

Speer Libryar celebrates Black History Month

Early voting starts Tuesday

Notice to political candidates

Karate & Zumba: Alternative ways to get healthy

By Mary Nichols

MISSION — There’s more to fitness than just treadmills and free weights.
A new year usually means a new start, and trying new physical activities is not only fun and challenging, but can help a person get into shape.

Sharyland’s Mile High Karate is a specialty character development program for kids and family that produces Ivy League results.

Jason Soils, co-owner of the academy, has been practicing martial arts since he was three years old and has been in business since July 2002.
“Our goal is to help children with low self-esteem, obesity, anti-bullying, and life and leadership skills,” he said. “We make them highly successful and Ivy League material so they can go to their college of choice, Harvard, Brown or Princeton.”

Not only does Mile High Karate help children, but they offer adult self-defense classes that teach leadership, discipline and promote weight loss. Solis said these classes are the best form of exercise. The average gym membership last for one to two months, even if clients have signed a two-year contract.

“The turnover ratio is way too high, meaning the gym is not taken seriously. Marital arts includes life skills, self-respect and discipline,” said Solis. “So they can stay motivated and continue to work out in a fun matter that actually benefits their body.”

olis said conventional exercise usually consists of one isolated exercise, while martial art is all-inclusive, making a person work to tone their whole body and get results quicker.

“We do functional fitness; we don’t try to bulk you up or cut you down so much in weight that you are having headaches and are hungry,” said Solis. “Or that you are so muscular and big you can’t be functional. You will get a healthy body while learning how to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

Mile High Karate is offering a two-week trial course, with a free uniform for both programs. There will be no obligation to continue afterwards. A free diet consultation, free parent/child consultation, free analysis, and bonus CD/DVD are also included, Solis said. For more information on Mile High Karate call 956-458-8876.

Another form of marital arts that will also help burn calories and learn practical methods of self-defense is Brazilian jujitsu. Mike Tinajero, the owner of McAllen Brazilian Jujitsu Academy, is one of the pioneers of bringing this art to the Rio Grande Valley and has had his school for four years.

Tinajero said depending on the experience level of the individual they could either start with basics or enter a higher level.

“Each individual starts by understating attacking, defending, starts sparring, and engaging in wrestling and technique,” said Tinajero. “They begin to initiate attack and defend against attack. They workout all parts of their bodies, fingers, toes and core strength. No one get hurts because it’s a very controlled setting.”

Tinajero said the training starts very easy than slowly begins to increase intensity levels depending on the certain individual. He said he has had clients come in who weighed 220 pounds and reduced to 175 pounds. The repetitive drilling and interval round training is what causes such a huge calorie burn.

“If someone knocks you down, you’re on the ground, they have both hands around your neck and want to choke you out,” he said. “I show them some steps to reverse that situation, but also, they do it a couple of times so not only are they learning how to defend themselves but they are actually working out.”

Tinajero has eight years of training experience and is passionate about what he can offer people of all ages. For the new year he is offering a week free to see if Brazilian jujitsu is something they would like to commit to.

“Eventually before they know it the individual will get so involved with the process that they are going to see results,” Tinajero said. “They get into it physically, mentally and appreciate the art of it.”

For more information on MBJJ contact Tinajero at 956-393-1981 or visit mcallenjujitusu.com.

If sweating it out in self-defense grappling manner is not your style, try dancing to a healthy start.

Zumba is a combination of Latin rhythms, like salsa, merengue, cumbias, and reggaeton. This dance exercise concept originated in Columbia, but was officially started in Miami.

Lisa Chavez and her husband, Jonathan Sanchez, both moved here from Miami five years ago and brought Zumba with them. Now several gyms like Cornerstone Fitness carry Zumba with their own instructors.

Chavez owns Extreme Fusion dance studio in McAllen that offers Zumba classes in the morning and evening.

“It’s a form of exercise that is actually fun. You can burn 500 to 1,000 calories in one hour,” said Chavez. “It’s a different way to lose weight and burn calories really fast.”

Once a month the studio has Zumba-thons, classes that normally last an hour get extended to shaking your hips to two to three hours straight. Chavez also instructs a class with her husband, to help men feel more at ease about part-taking in the class.

“We teach it together,” she said. “He does harder workouts, faster, stronger, so men can do it too. You get really sweaty.”

Chavez’s husband also teaches a weight training class, which involves light weight lifting done to the beat of music.

For a limited time Chavez is offering to waive any registration fees for the first month. Classes are $50 a session and special packages are offered if you sign up as a family.

“Clients just continue to come because it’s fun, and that’s the only way to see results when you are consistent with it,” said Chavez. “Some clients said that doing Zumba has helped them fight off depression, gain more energy and feel less stressed. It’s a great way to help improve a person’s way of life.”

For more information contact Lisa Chavez at 956-655-5246 or visit xtremefuzion.com.

Next week: Myths, stereotypes, bad advice on exercising and getting healthy.

City hears annual financial report

By Kathy Olivarez

MISSION — BFI/Allied Waste was given permission to raise their rates by four percent for the coming year at this week’s Mission City Council meeting. The residential rate will increase to $13.82 per month while the small commercial rate will increase to $16.09. The affidavit rate will increase to $5.46.

Members of the Mission City Council also examined the city’s financial records for the 2008-2009 fiscal year and the city was found to be financially stable.

Ruben Moreno of Long Chilton, LLP, gave the city’s financial report based on an audit. He presented his findings at this week’s council meeting.

The net assets of the city were $163.4 million. Capital assets amounted to $140.6 million. Unrestricted net assets amounted to $14.5 million while restricted assets amounted to $8.2 million.

Expenditures for governmental activities were $42.5 million. Revenues from programs amounted to $11.3 million and revenues from property and sales taxes amounted to $31.3 million for total revenues of $32.2 million. The change in net assets amounted to an increase of $1.1 million.
Expenditures amounted to $212.5 million in revenues over expenditures amounted to $1.2 million or a negative change in assets of $83,822.

The general operating fund had revenues of $31.8 million over expenditures of $31.7 million for a net change in the fund balance of $14,478. The general operating fund had reserved funds of $194,874 and unreserved funds of $7 million for a total of $7.2 million.

Debt service revenues amounted to $2.8 million while expenditures amounted to $2.7 million. The ending fund balance was $1.1 million.

In other action, the council authorized city staff to pursue annexation of lots in Mission Farm Estates and acreage of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife from Mile One South along Abram Road to the Rio Grande. The site includes 434 acres of land.

Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas suggested the city also annex up to 100 feet along the western side of Abram Road as well. That recommendation will be brought back at a future meeting.

The council approved a request from owner of Glasscock South Subdivision to have the city abandon plans to build a connecting street (a proposed portion of Union Street), between E. 2 ½ Street and Selena Street.

Following discussion in executive session, a request to have private bollards on public right of way at 319 Glasscock Road was denied. Attorney David Guerra said the bollards would be a liability issue for the city if they were located on city right-of-way.

The council authorized staff to solicit bids for the Texas Department of Rural Affairs Recovery Grant project for street repairs. Streets to be repaired are First Street between Holland Avenue and Bryan Road; Los Ebanos between FM 495 and Bus. 83; Inspiration Road between U.S. 83 and Mile One South; and Highland Park between Matamoros Ave. and Bus. 83.

Other streets to be repaired are Perkins Street between 10th and 15th Streets; Anita Street from U.S. 83 to Tencha Street; Judy Street between U.S. 83 and Barbara Street; Magdalena Ave. between the cul-de-sac and Maria Street; and Delores del Rio Street between U.S. 83 and 20th Street.

Also to be repaired are Tencha Street from Canal Street to Dolores del Rio Street; Barbara Street from Judy Street to the alley; and Maria Street from Magdalena Avenue to Dolores Del Rio Street.

Staff was authorized to accept the bid from Aguirre Construction for reconstruction of four homes in the amount of $163,700.

City staff was authorized to solicit bids for purchase of waterline material for the new Bryan Road overpass at Expressway 83 and construction of the Anzalduas Highway.

The council approved a proclamation declaring Feb. 8-14 as “Motivation in Motion Week” at the request of the Sharyland Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students who attended the meeting.