The Progress Times is now accepting nominations for the annual citizen awards for Mr. Mission, First Lady of Mission, Man of the Year and Woman of the Year. Nomination deadline is 4 p.m., Sept. 28.

The Progress Times oversees the selection process for the annual awards and makes the awards presentations. The awards will be presented at the Mission Chamber of Commerce banquet on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Read more: Citizen Awards nominations now being accepted

Sharyland Leo Club sponsor Julissa Sanchez readies herself to take a shot at the dunking booth during the Sharyland Back to School Family Festival held last Friday. The Leo Club hosted the event to raise money for scholarships. Progress Times photo by Carina A. BrunsonMISSION – Sharyland High School Leo Club hosted a Back-to-school Family Festival last Friday to raise funds for scholarships that will be given out in the spring. Club members, visitors and other participants were having a roaring good time during the event.

The Family Festival featured a food competition, moon jumps, face painting, a photo booth, cakewalk, bull riding, rock wall, dunking booth and many other activities for visitors. There was also live entertainment provided by local talents, including Sharyland High School cheerleaders and dancers. Local sponsors were also at the event providing information to visitors.

Read more: Leo Club has a roaring good time fundraising

MISSION – Sharyland Independent School District officials reported to the school board Tuesday that plans are moving along for the construction of the proposed second high school for the district. Groundbreaking for the new campus, located at Shary Rd. and 6 ½ Mile Line, is expected to take place within two months.

The school district is still waiting for some details to be finalized before starting construction on the site, letting out bids for the new high school is still planned for late September. The district is currently under contract for an additional five acres where a homestead is still sitting within the piece of property and an additional quarter-acre on the west side of proposed high school complex to be used for the exit onto Glasscock Road. The reason for this acquisition is due to major power line anchors in the path of the proposed exit. These two items are expected to be complete within the next two weeks.

Read more: SISD second high school plans moving forward

Jim Brunson, publisher of the Progress Times, has announced that nominations are now open and will be accepted until 4 p.m., Sept. 28 for the annual citizen awards for Mr. Mission, First Lady of Mission, Man of the Year and Woman of the Year.

The annual awards will be presented at the Mission Chamber of Commerce banquet on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. This is the eighth year the citi­zen awards presentations are to be made at the chamber banquet. Previously, the Pro­gress Times coordinated the annual Mission Awards Show­case banquet where the awards were presented annually.

Read more: Mission citizen awards nominations now open

MISSION—Sergio Zavala, director of planning for the City of Mission, announced his retirement this week. His last day on the job is today.

“I’m ready,” said Zavala during a break in the Mission City Council meeting Monday. “I’ve been thinking about it pretty much all year. Retirement thoughts have been coming more often and stronger.”

He said he was leaving on a positive note, and was particularly pleased to have completed updating a wide array of city ordinances and codes over the summer months.

Read more: City Planning Director Sergio Zavala retires

North-south traffic on Bryan Road crossing Expressway 83 has been re-routed since the underpass bridge was demolished in March this year. However, TxDOT engineer Ryan Burch told the Mission City Council Monday that the intersection would be open to north-south traffic by the second or third week of September. Two lanes in each direction will then be open crossing under the expressway. Vehicles trying to access Mission Regional Medical Center from the north side of the expressway have had to detour to Conway, cross under the expressway and drive back to Bryan Road.

Sergio Zavala, director of planning for the City of Mission since 1998, announced this week that he will retire as of August 31. Zavala, who was hired as city planner in 1984, has been with the city Planning Department 28 years. He conducted his presentation to the Mission City Council for the last time Monday evening.

Julio Cerda, city manager, said Zavala has provided outstanding service to the City of Mission and will be difficult to replace. In the interim, Assistant City Planning Director Bobby Salinas and City Engineer John Hernandez will take over the duties of the planning director.

Read more: Mission Planning Director Sergio Zavala retires

Lt. Col. Roman J. CantuEL PASO—Mission High School and University of Texas-Pan American graduate Lt. Col. Roman J. Cantu recently took over command of the 1^st Battalion, 35^th Armored Regiment in June at Fort Bliss, which is part of the 2^nd Brigade, 1^st Armored Division. All together, he is in charge of 670 troops.

Cantu graduated from high school in 1989 and graduated from UTPA in 1994. When he graduated from college, he attended the United States Army Armor Officer Basic Course and was eventually deployed to Camp Casey Korea where he worked as a Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer from August 1995 to December 1996.

Once finishing his tour in Korea, Cantu was assigned to Fort Knox, Ken. Where he served as Company Executive Officer of a Basic Training Company from 1996 to 1999. But as the new millennium ushered in, Cantu came back to Texas where he was assigned to the 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood from 1999 to 2003. While at Fort Hood he held several positions including Brigade Level Assistant S3 (Plans) officer, Company Commander in 3^rd Battalion, 8^th Cavalry Regiment, and the Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Cavalry Division.

Read more: Mission grad takes Army command post