Mission celebrates All-America City Award win
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. The National Civic League voted the city of Mission as one of ten All-America City Award winners last weekend in Denver, Colorado. A delegation from Mission, including civic leaders and local residents, represented the city during the trip and presented…
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: Proper pet care in the summer
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. Editor:The Rio Grande Valley is in dire straits. It is in this current occasion of heat advisories and scorching weather that media rescue groups, and pages all across social media involving pets and animals, have come into a surplus of…
Read MoreBig 7 baseball players receive district and state honors
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. With the unprecedented success Valley baseball teams, and in particular District 31-5A teams, experienced this year, the number of post-season honors individual Big 7 players and coaches are receiving are unprecedented as well. With Valley teams having a history of…
Read MoreA big year for Pioneer
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. When you have a successful year recognition usually follows. That was certainly the case for Sharyland Pioneer High School two weeks ago at the All Valley Sports Awards Banquet. Their big year translated into a big night as the Diamondbacks…
Read More‘The toughest week you’ll ever love;’ St. Paul’s Catholic Church 10th annual CYRP brings hope to families
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. High school kids, young adults and seniors alike have continued to embark on a particular week-long service project for ten years now, though its roots go back much further. St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Mission (1119 N Francisco Ave.) has…
Read MoreMission man pleads guilty in ‘Broken Blue Line’ case
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. A Mission man pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges last week. Luis “Pancho” Ortiz III, 39, of Mission appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington on June 21 in Corpus Christi. Faced with the prospect of…
Read MoreMission mourns and remembers
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. The Espericueta family, Missionites and people from across the country mourned the loss of Police Corporal Jose Luis Espericueta this week. Espericueta, who served the Mission Police Department for 13 years, was killed in the line of duty while chasing…
Read MoreA Grateful Community Mourns
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. Thousands lined the roadside as a seemingly endless procession of police and first responder units passed and thousands more filled a memorial service to honor a fallen hero. Corporal Jose Luis “Speedy” Espericueta was killed in the line of duty…
Read MoreBank threatened to close city of La Joya accounts unless mayor, city administrator stopped signing checks
This article originally appeared in the Friday June 28, 2019 issue of the Progress Times. Bankers presented the city of La Joya with an ultimatum last month: Either stop City Administrator Mike Alaniz, Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas and his wife, City Commissioner Mary Salinas, from signing checks or find a new bank. Birmingham, Alabama-based…
Read MoreLa Joya Housing Authority board blasts executive director
The La Joya Housing Authority board lambasted Executive Director Cristi LaJeunesse on Wednesday night, excoriating her for missing board meetings and failing to follow instructions. Commissioner Jorge Bazan accused LaJeunesse of refusing to post meeting agendas, ignoring requests for information, missing board meetings and spending just a few days a month in La Joya. After…
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