The Mission Police Department, along with the nation, will observe National Peace Officers’ Memorial Week the week of May 12 through May 18. A ceremony will be held on Monday, May 13, at 9 a.m. at the Mission Police Department.

This ceremony is a way for the men and women of today’s public safety family, city officials and other dignitaries to pay tribute to those members who gave their lives in the line of duty for the betterment of the community and public safety as a whole, said Robert Dominguez, interim chief of police.

There are approximately 800,000 law enforcement officers in the United States, including 146 sworn members of the City of Mission Police Department. More than 20,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice and have been killed in the line of duty, including two members of the Mission Police Department.

Read more: Mission observes Peace Officers’ Memorial Week

MISSION — Over 1,000 Rio Grande Valley residents joined the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life for a 10-hour walk to raise funds for cancer research.

The event made its first appearance in Mission at the Mission High School Tom Landry Stadium.

Community Manager Heather Marks said the relay started in 1985, and since its inception, has grown tremendously.

“There are actually 5,200 Relay for Life events held through out the nation,” Marks said. “Every single one of them has a goal to celebrate cancer survivors, to remember those lost and to fight back against cancer.”

Read more: American Cancer Society holds Relay for Life in Mission

MISSION — After more than two years of construction, the Bannworth Pool is finally complete, but negotiations between the City of Mission and the Sharyland Independent School District to set terms for the district use of the pool have failed.

This comes despite the presumption by both parties two years ago that the school’s swim teams would use the pool.

The pool has been in the planning since Feb. 22, 2012, when the Mission City Council authorized staff to seek bids on improvements at Bannworth Park, including an enclosed swimming pool and a separate multi-purpose gymnasium for an estimated cost of $2.2 million.

Read more: SISD, city fail to reach agreement on pool

MISSION — Agape Christian School from kindergarten through sixth-grade created informational posters, towers and robots all with recycled materials from their homes as part of an Earth Day activity titled “Our Planet, Our Earth.”

Earth Day, nationally recognized on Monday, helped charge the campus-wide event. The campus’s main hallway was decorated with posters and projects made from recycled newspapers, milk jugs, cans, paint and cardboard.

Fourth-grader Alicia Gomez said recycling could help save the planet.

Read more: Agape Christian School holds Earth Day poster event

MISSION—For only the second time since 1935, a One Act Play from Mission Consolidated Independent School District is advancing to the state competition. The Veterans Memorial High School Harlequins placed first at the regional competitions held this past weekend, qualifying them for state.

In addition to qualifying for state competition, several individual honors were received by members of the Harlequins at the regional competition. Beto Cantu and Alex Hinojosa were named part of the all-star cast. Anna Olivarez was an honorable mention.

This will be the second year in a row that the Harlequins have qualified to compete at the state level.

Read more: VMHS Harlequins advance to state for second year in a row

MISSION – Seven police officers were promoted last week during a special pinning ceremony at the Mission Police Department. Five officers were promoted to corporal and two were advanced to sergeant.

Promoted to sergeant were Teodoro “Ted” Rodriguez and David Meza.

Officers promoted to corporal were Jorge Saenz, Marco Ramirez, Roel Valasquez, Estaban Jara and David Garza.

Read more: Mission PD promotes officers

MISSION—The Mission School Board on April 10 approved a 2.75 percent rate increase to renew the district’s health insurance plan with Humana Health Insurance for the 2013-2014 year.

MCISD Coordinator of Risk Management/Employee Benefits Sylvia Cruz explained that Humana had presented a higher rate – an increase of 3.9 percent – to the district’s insurance committee a week earlier. The district’s health insurance renewal date is on Oct. 1, 2013.

Humana representative Vanesia Adkins explained the increase is a representation of the increase in taxes that has to be paid due to the Health Care Reform Act.

Read more: MCISD Board approves Humana Health Insurance Renewal

MISSION – The Crime Victim’s Unit of the Mission Police Department will be hosting a Crime Victim’s Vigil at Mission Police Department on Sunday, April 21. The event will honor the memory of victims lost to violent crimes as well as celebrate survivors of such crimes. The event will coincide with National Crime Victim’s Rights Week, which begins April 21.

This year’s event will also honor Christine Jaqueline “Jackie” Kalifa, 23, and mother of three, who was found dead at 2 ½ Mile Line and Moorefield roads with a bullet wound to her neck a year ago. An 18-year-old was charged with capital murder for the incident on April 20, 2012.

The event will start with a walk at 4 p.m. that will begin at the Police Department, proceed east to Bryan Road, turn south to First Street, west to Highland, and north back to the Police Department. The event will end with a vigil at 7 p.m., in remembrance of victims of violent crimes.

Read more: Violent crime victims will be honored at vigil