Recycling is becoming more and more popular, especially in bigger cities, but some small cities are taking part in the recycling business as well. While some Valley cities are just getting started, others have been working their recycling program for years.

City of Alton has been conducting a recycling program for nearly four years. They started the program in early 2010. Rudy Garza, public works director, said their intention from the beginning was to include schools in the area. The city focuses a lot on educating school students about the importance of recycling.

Garza said families get more involved in their recycling efforts when the children are excited about recycling. The city even has a recycling mascot, HERO (Helping Earth Recover Resources).

Read more: Alton partners with local schools in recycling

“Where good things are growing” was the theme of the 74^th Annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show (RGVLS) which took place March 8-17 in Mercedes. The theme was especially fitting for many elementary, junior high and high school aged students from Mission, Sharyland and La Joya who walked away with many of the banners, buckles and ribbons and much of the prize money awarded at this year’s edition of the Valley’s largest livestock show.

Read more: Local students excel at Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show

MISSION—The long drought looms heavily, threatening not only agriculture, but some cities in the Rio Grande Valley as the water shortage grows more severe.

Read more: Mission still on voluntary water conservation plan

MISSION—Several Veterans Memorial High School DECA members have qualified to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference to take place in Anaheim, California in late April.

Maryah Lopez and Alejandra Martinez will compete in the Learn and Earn Project competition. Gabriel Lopez and Savannah Balderas will participate in the Entrepreneurship Project competition. Halisandra Medina and Matthew Gonzalez will compete with their advertising campaign.

Galilea Zorola was also elected as the 2013-2014 state secretary, and will help lead the 11 Texas DECA districts.

Read more: VMHS DECA students advance to national competition

ALTON—With no opponents filing for the city council positions up for election in May, the city council cancelled the city’s May 11 general election.

The council declared the incumbent candidates for Places 2, 3 and 4 unopposed, as they were the only ones who filed by the March 1 deadline.

The incumbents include Ricardo Garza - Place 2, Richard Arevalo - Place 3 and Emilio Cantu Jr. - Place 4. They are scheduled to take their oath on May 11, to remain on the council.

Read more: Alton council approves third judge for municipal court

AUSTIN—Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Alex Meade III of Mission and reappointed William H. “Bill” Dietz Jr. of Waco to the State Affordable Housing Corporation Board of Directors for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2019. The board oversees the provision of affordable housing for low income Texans.

Meade is CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation. He is a member of the Texas Economic Development Council, Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, International Council of Shopping Centers, Industrial Asset Management Council, Texas Border Coalition, 281 Coalition, and I-69 Alliance. He is also a past member of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Oversight Committee and Advisory Board of Economic Development Stakeholders, and past interim director and manager of economic development for the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce. Meade received a bachelor's degree from St. Edward's University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Brownsville.

Read more: Gov. Perry appoints Alex Meade to Affordable Housing Board

MISSION—Mission CISD held a committee meeting to discuss possible safety and security costs in upgrading each campus in the district, including the administration building. Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Lucio Mendoza showed the committee proposed costs and purchases for the proposed campus security enhancements.

Principals were asked to fill out a report of any issues and concerns they have relative to their campuses, explained Mendoza. He added, they don’t have reports from the high schools or Mission Jr. High since a walk-through with Mission Police Department has not yet been conducted.

The most common concerns were based on entrances, fencing and rolling gates. Mendoza said their main focus has been on the purchase of magnetic locks. Magnetic locks would stay locked throughout the school day and only open while students change from class to class.

Read more: MCISD considers $1.8 million for security changes

A 13-year-old student at Rafael Cantu Junior High in Mission CISD was caught with a handgun at the school Thursday, March 7, according to Mission Interim Police Chief Robert Dominguez. The student was arrested and charged with unlawful carry of a weapon and carry of a weapon in a prohibited area.

A letter sent home to parents by the junior high principal states that administrators acted on a tip that a student had a weapon on campus. The school was put on lockdown and police were immediately called.

Dominguez said the staff did a tremendous job in how they handled the situation.

Read more: Student caught with gun at Mission school