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What’s new in the Progress Times?

Another week is ending which means it’s time for a new issue of the Progress Times.

 

Below is a sneak peak at our front-page stories which include how the city of Granjeno is recovering one year after a storm that destroyed several homes in the city of 313 residents, the city of mission weighing in on a new dog park and more tax cuts for the Mission Consolidated Independent School District.

 Storm Recovery 20170610 5165Granjeno Mayor Yvette Cabrera stands inside her home that is being reconstructed after it was destroyed in a storm last year that damaged nearly 40 other homes in her city. Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III

Be sure to read these stories tomorrow online or pick up an issue of the Progress Times wherever our papers are sold

 

One year later: Granjeno mayor reflects on powerful storm

By Jose De Leon III

Granjeno Mayor Yvette Cabrera still remembers that fateful Tuesday night when her city was hit by straight line winds with speeds between 85 and 95 miles per hour, damaging at least 40 homes and the city’s community center building May 31, 2016 .

 

“I was asleep when all of a sudden it started raining and hailing,” Cabrera recalled. “I walked out of my bedroom to check it out, that’s when I heard a really loud noise against our house followed by glass shattering. The wind from the storm had broken all our windows and rain was getting everywhere.”

 

Cabrera said the winds awakened her two daughters who were screaming in terror from the violent winds that threatened their home. The best Cabrera could do to calm her daughters was wait with them in their room, praying for the storm to pass.

 

“The storm lasted maybe 30 minutes but it felt longer,” Cabrera said. “I couldn’t even sleep I was worried about what was happening in Granjeno outside my home. It wasn’t until I went to my living room and noticed that our roof had flown off, causing water to drip into the house, did I say to myself ‘I think this is serious.’”

Mission housing growth continues; City weighs dog park
By Joe Hinton

 

Mission’s city council has approved two new housing subdivisions and has taken steps toward creating the city’s first “off leash” dog park. The actions were among many on the council’s Monday agenda.

 

During Monday’s meeting the city council gave preliminary plat approval for two new subdivisions with a combined total of 155 single-family residences on the city’s northwest side.

 

The council approved the plat request from Everman Development, Inc. to build 81 homes on just more than 62 acres. The Camino De Abram subdivision will be located a half-mile north of 3 Mile Road between Abram and Brushline Roads. The frontage road for the development will be on Abram Road, according to city planning documents.

 

Mission CISD expecting tax cut for second year
By Joe Hinton

For the second year in a row residents in the Mission Consolidated Independent School District can expect a reduction in the property taxes assessed by the school system next year.

 

“In all it comes to just under a penny,” said Craig B. Verley, district spokesman, referring to the tax reduction from $100 of assessed property valuation the district is expecting in the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year.

 

The anticipated reduction is the result of the district’s refinancing tens of millions of dollars worth of bonds, Rumalda Ruiz, assistant superintendent for finance told the district’s board of trustees during a June 7 budget workshop meeting. The refinancing means a reduction in the district’s debt service tax from last year’s rate of $0.1882 to next year’s anticipated rate of $0.1802, Ruiz said.

 

In all the district is anticipating a total tax rate of $1.3502 in the 2017-2018 fiscal year, down from $1.3582 last year and $1.3672 in FY2015-2016, according to figures contained in the MCISD budget workbook.

 

Mission plans new design for Leo Peña Placita Park
By Joe Hinton

If approved by Mission’s city council the theater in the round at Leo Peña Placita Park will be replaced with a more traditional outdoor stage setting. Plans to completely refurbish the 2.5 acre park, site of numerous community events including the Texas Citrus Fiesta’s Fun Fair, were unveiled Monday during the council’s annual planning session at City Hall.

 

Carolina Civarolo, of the McAllen-based Orange Made Architecture, showed proposed plans to the city’s mayor and council that would eliminate the existing center stage and rows of concrete seating surrounding it and replace them with a stage on the west side of the current amphitheater with natural rock seating near the front of the stage with a grassy lawn throughout the remaining seating area where guests can either sit on the grass or lawn chairs.

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