WEEK OF MAY 2, 2012 THROUGH MAY 8, 2012 Rudy Garza Funerals, Inc. Packages starting at $2995 with casket LA FERIA 317 S. MAIN (956) 797-3122 800-425-8202 Complete Auto Collision Repair Facility Family Owned and Operated by 3400 W Expressway 83 PH: 956.797.2525 The Rudy Garza Family La Feria, TX 78559 www.collisionstop.com Free Insurance Estimates Our Family Serving your Family Your Community Newspaper, Serving the Heart of the Rio Grande Valley VOLUME 89 NUMBER 18 Commission Discusses Election Date Dilemma Look over options to move election date to November or purchase ballot machine At the city commission about $16,000. To lease elections to November. a discussion in a future rently being conceptual- ing for bids. The bid meeting Tuesday night the machine costs about For the city to also make meeting. ized. One idea brought opening will occur May (April 24th), the commis- $6,000. the change to November, The city commission forth is to the possibility 15th with a decision on sion discussed the pos- “We have a three year a resolution will need also authorized the sale of getting equipment that who is awarded the bid sibility of moving elec- term, so it is hard to line to be passed before De- of the house located on is handicapped acces- to hopefully be made by tion dates for the general up with other elections,” cember 2012. No action the property located on sible. June. The March 2012 Citizens Committee city election for the year Commissioner Victor was taken that night, and the corner of 4th and West On the library expan- fi nancial statements and Hears Update on 2013. Gonzalez noted. the city will have further Street that is to become sion project, the city has the minutes from the Texas Clean Rivers The county has changed The school board has discussion, get staff rec- the Northwest Park. As received permission from April 10th meeting were Program their election from May decided to change their ommendation, and make of now, drawings are cur- USDA to begin advertis- also approved. pg 7 to November, and due to a shortage of ballot ma- chines used for voting, Ground-Breaking Ceremony the city would be unable to use the ballot machine on certain election years. Held for Sunfl ower Estates To keep the elections STCHD brings 80-unit multi-family rental housing development to La Feria in May, the proposed so- lution is for the city to simply purchase their own ballot machine. The NATIONAL DAY other option is to move OF PRAYER the elections to Novem- Annual ber with the county. “If we do decide to buy La Feria Prayer the machine, we will also Ceremony need to make sure there is Thursday, someone in the area who May 3, 2012 knows how to service 9 a.m. them in case it needs re- LOCATION: pair,” City Manager Sun- ny K. Phillip said. Flag Pole in Depending on other front of the elections going on, the Municipal ballot could include those Complex running in federal, state, Everyone is county, and then those welcome!! running for city elections. For the city to buy its own machine would cost LFN Photo by MBWright Shown in the photo are: (l-r) John Ftacek, LFISD Superintendent Dr. Nabor Cortez, Jr., Mayor Steve Author and Former Football Star Brewer, City Commissioner Victor Gonzalez, Jr., City Attorney Rick Talbert, Commissioner John Hernandez, First United Methodist Pastor Harold Tim Green Visits LFISD Dailey, Betty Jo Dunlap, General Contractor for Students of W. B. suspense novels, many of Plan A, Plan B, and Plan readers wanting to know Concept Builders Mark Gross, STCHD Board member Green Jr. High and Noemi them best sellers. C. Tim Green stressed what happens next. The Teacher Appreciation Week Emma Martinez, STCHD Executive Director and City Dominguez Elementary Tim spoke about his that as much as he loved sports topics appeal to Manager Sunny K. Philip, STCHD President Luis See Page 9 On How You School in La Feria were football experience, shar- sports, education always boys but also have won- Garza, Lance Elliott of TIRZ Consultants, Grantor and treated to a visit by Tim ing humorous stories came before sports. He derfully strong female Can Show Appreciation To Developer Dan O’Dea of Dephi Affordable Housing, Green, best-selling author while relating to students did add that there some- characters with plots that S Williams HCDC Consultant Valery Kedroff, former Your Favorite Teacher and former linebacker and that dreams are attainable; thing more important focus more on relation- Mayor Carlos Cantu, Salomon Torres, Commissioner defensive end for the At- they do, however, require than education—your ships and character than Angelica Baldivia, City Engineer Joe Winston and lanta Falcons. Mr. Green hard work and sometime, character. What you the sport itself. Juan Gamez of Sigler Winston Greenwood Engineers has written over twenty even then, require luck. do--how you treat other Tim donated over three and Jose Gonzalez of Urban Consultants. sport books sports and It is best to always have a people—your regard for hundred and fi fty books others—is most impor- to the two campuses to The ground-breaking ceremony for Sunfl ower Es- tant. Mr. Green spoke given away to students tates Apartments was held last Thursday afternoon. about character in each of and to be placed in the The 80-unit top quality multi-family project is spon- his presentations , and in schools’ libraries and sored by the South Texas Collaborative for Housing his interaction with stu- classroom. Students were Development, Inc. (STCHD). The development will dents and adults through- very excited to receive be located off of north FM 506 on Lion’s Lane and out the day, he lived what copies of their own to is being developed through the Low Income Housing Democrat & Republican he preached. read. His visit was a huge Tax Credit Program. Primaries Tim Green says that success and the librarians With construction already in progress, the complex EARLY VOTING reading is weight lifting have not been able to should be completed within about eight months. The May 14 – Friday May 25 for the brain! Students keep copies of his books apartments will offer 1,2 and 3 bedroom designs, a ELECTION DAY only need to read twenty on the shelves since. You community building, a children’s play area, patios, TUES., MAY 29 minutes a day to receive may visit his website at gas appliances and sprinkler systems. The top of the Times & locations next the brain-boosting ben- timgreenbooks.com and line construction will be a green certifi ed project week efi ts! Tim also suggested visit his facebook page. which will include rainwater collection. More info students give a book four He said is always happy This is phase one of the project with more on the www.co.cameron.tx.us/election or fi ve chapters before to answer questions from drawing board. Look for more on this project in a deciding if they like it or student readers via email. future issue. not. Not every book is for every reader. One of San Benito Harlingen Los Fresnos Brownsville Michael Lamm.......pg.2 the appealing aspects of 399-3331 428-4100 233-4100 832-5100 Classifi ed.................... pg.5 Tim’s sports books is the Cricket’s Corner...........pg.5 Author Tim Green surrounded by La Feria short chapters with cliff- FIRST COMMUNITY BANK Feature Story................pg.7 students during a recent visit to the district hanger endings leaving South Texas’ Most Beautiful Funeral Home, Crematory, and Perpetual Care Cemetery in one location. Guaranteed Most Affordable. Funeral Home: Cemetery: 956.797.5500 956.797.5614 Medicine Chest Pharmacy welcomes Express Scripts and TRICARE members. To transfer your prescriptions, call 797-2366 or stop by our pharmacy www.heavenlygracememorialpark.com located at 101 N. Main La Feria 26873 North White Ranch Road • La Feria, TX 78559 2 • MAY 2, 2012 • LA FERIA NEWS Cars I’ve LOVED AND HATED by Michael Lamm licly but rather ask you to When I got it, the car one at Joe Machner’s fill- come with them to a more consisted of a 1931 Mod- ing station and the other private spot. el A roadster body mount- at Miller’s Garage. I The simplest solution is ed on a 1932 Ford frame. immediately asked Mr. to put it on another credit The owner/builder had Miller where I might pick card or debit card. If that Z’d the frame just ahead up a good used Ford V-8 doesn’t work, pay cash. If of the rear kickup. For- and a suitable transmis- you don’t have the cash, tunately for me, the car sion. As it happened, Mr. ask the wait staff where did come with 1940 Ford Miller had a friend who the nearest ATM machine hydraulic brakes, 1934 owned a wrecking yard in is located and run up there Ford 17-inch wire wheels the next town, Harlingen, quickly without being and a 1932 grille shell and he arranged for me to Q. Dear Ms. Eti- noticed. You can then (but no radiator). The gas buy an engine, transmis- quette, announce to your clients , tank and battery stood in sion and radiator at a very What does a person do “There, all taken care of.” the trunk. The instrument decent price. when hosting a business Just DON’T get embar- panel came out of a 1941 My good buddy and luncheon and everything rassed and flustered. Ford pickup, the steering high-school classmate, seems to be going ex- If the scenario gets wheel from a 1949 Nash J.D.