MISSION — Last week Sharyland Independent School District board members, along with an architect and engineers, visited the site of the proposed second high school on 6 ½ Mile Line and Shary roads to allow trustees to see land and ask questions on where buildings were going to be and what needed to be done to prepare for construction.

The land, more recently being used as agricultural property, will need to be raised nearly 36 inches to be higher than Shary Road. Water and sewer lines will also need to be established. Board members are waiting to see if the City of McAllen will annex the property so they can be tied into the city for sanitary lines, or if other options will work.

Read more: SISD visits site of proposed second high school

MISSION — The Mission City Council upheld the Planning & Zoning Commission’s decision to revoke a permit for a drive-thru convenience store located at 210 N. Conway Ave. amid complaints that residents and customers in the area were unable to move in and out of the neighborhood with delivery trucks blocking alleyways.

Read more: Mission revokes permit for drive-thru

MISSION — On Monday, voters here can begin deciding whether to allow the Sharyland Independent School District to sell $55 million in bonds to build a second high school in the district’s north side to address overcrowding that has doubled in the last 10 years.

If approved, the bond could increase tax rates next year for the district by $0.097, making the total tax rate for the district $1.297.

Read more: Early voting for Sharyland HS starts Monday

LA JOYA – The La Joya High School cosmetology department is hosting a Locks of Love event to provide hair to make hair prosthetics for financially disadvantaged children. LJHS will be opening its doors for hair donations on Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A free shampoo and blunt haircut will be provided for each individual. Bleached hair cannot be accepted.

Locks of Love is a not-for-profit organization that provides the highest quality hair prosthetic to financially disadvantaged children with medical hair loss. Most recipients have lost their hair due to an auto-immune condition known as alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Others have suffered severe burns, radiation treatment, or any number of dermatological conditions resulting in long term or permanent hair loss. Approximately 150,000 hairs are injected by hand into the silicone base, all of them from donated ponytails (about six to 10 inches).

For more info, call 580-5100, Ext. 5172.

On Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m., Lou Ann Gramann will be presented in concert by the First Presbyterian Church of Mission as a part of their Celebration Sunday Concert Series. She will be joined by David Bowen, pianist.

The concert series is now in its 14th year. All concerts are held in the Sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church of Mission, 1102 Ash. These concerts are open to the public and free of charge.

Read more: Harpist Gramann to perform at First Presbyterian

October 22

• The Sixth Annual Spooky Science Fest will be held 6 to 10 p.m. at Estero Llano Grande State Park, 3301 S. International Blvd., Weslaco. There will be educational activities, crafts, a kids’ costume contest, night hikes, live animals, spooky stories, science experiments and more. Cost is $5 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. Call 565-3919 for other information.

Read more: Halloween Happenings

Early voting begins Monday on Propositions

The Texas Constitution, first adopted in 1876, has been amended over 400 times. State legislators are asking voters to approve ten new amendments (propositions) this fall. Early voting for the Texas Constitutional Amendment Election runs Monday, Oct. 24 through Friday, Nov. 4, with actual election day on Nov. 8.

Read more: Texas Constitution to be amended

AUSTIN—I-69 Segment Committee regional leaders agreed recently to accept public comments through the end of October, giving citizens more time to weigh in on the group’s recommendations and priorities for I-69 corridor development.

The five-member citizen’s group met last month to read the public comments received in September and decided that more input was needed. Committee members will meet in November to finalize recommendations to be submitted to the I-69 Advisory Committee.

Jim Wehmeier, I-69 Segment Two Committee chair, noted that public comment provides valuable direction for the group’s recommendations.

“Decisions are not made in a vacuum,” he noted. “The committees adjust recommendations and priorities based on citizen input. For example, the I-69 Segment Two Committee added a recommendation for a relief route in Moscow largely because of public comment.”

Read more: Regional Leaders Continue to Receive Public Comment on I-69 Development