Richard Nixon says goodbye with a victorious salute to his staff members outside the White House as he boards a helicopter after resigning the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974. (Bob Daugherty/AP File Photo)
Fifty years ago, on Aug. 9, 1974, Col. Ralph Albertazzie, then pilot of Air Force One, was flying over Jefferson City, M., with President Richard Milhous Nixon and his family on board. He was taking the Nixons home to California. Passing mid-Missouri air control, he received word that Vice President Gerald R. Ford had just been sworn in as president of the United States. Albertazzie contacted ground control and gave this message: “Kansas City, this was Air Force One. We are now redesignating as SAM 27000.”
The reversion of the plane to its assigned tail number indicated there was no longer a president on board. Nixon had resigned a few hours before and was heading into a shameful retirement. The resignation, the shame, the enduring stain on what was, in many ways, a laudable presidency was the result of Nixon’s presidential hubris and latent moral flaws.
I met Richard Nixon once. I was at the Western States Young Republicans’ Convention in Albuquerque, N.M., my freshman year of college (1965). A group of us had driven down from Colorado State College in Greeley, Colo., to the convention. It was a good time. The dynamic Barry Goldwater (fresh from his presidential drubbing) was the keynote speaker, but the person I remember most is Richard Nixon. Even knowing everything I do now about all the demons this man fought and gave in to, I can say that he was both warm and charming. I was with the group introducing him to the convention and, as we waited off-stage, he was chatty and gracious. His handshake was sincere and warm. He asked us questions while answering ours.
He was, frankly, good at the things presidents are good at: He could make you feel as if you were part of his inner circle just by making eye contact. He emitted an aura of sincerity. There was no doubt that Nixon had each of us in his corner when he regrouped, reinvented himself and ran for office again.
“Where were these guys when I was around?!?”
My very first presidential vote was cast in 1968 for Richard Nixon. (For my grandchildren, that was in the day when you had to be 21 to vote.) Then came Watergate and I realized that my vote had been cast for a man who did the one thing I don’t accept from anyone: He screwed with my Constitution. I voted for George S. McGovern in 1972. I knew the vote was wasted as far as electability went, but I thought there was a point to be made. There is a moral obligation to be a good American. If you can’t see beyond affiliation to substance, you are nothing but a dupe, and not a patriotic one at that.
Nixon had been made to resign because Sen. Goldwater, R-Ariz., U.S. House Minority Leader John Rhodes, R-Ariz., and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, R-Pa., went to Nixon and made it clear that he faced certain impeachment, conviction and removal from office in connection with the Watergate scandal. Nixon had broken the law. He had counted on party loyalty to protect him from responsibility for his crime. He had broken faith with his friends, his party and his Constitution. Now, the leaders of his own party were telling him that they would not be complicit in his willful behavior.
This was when people were patriotic enough to put their country ahead of their party. If we had Republicans today made of the same stuff as Goldwater, Rhodes and Scott, we would not have to even smell Donald Trump, let alone put up with his second attempt to steal an election. Trump should have been convicted of his treasonous attempt to overthrow a lawful, free and fair election. But the leaders of Congress now do not have the moral fiber of those from my first election. I look at the current crop of GOP leaders and see only weakness. I look at their supporters and see only bigotry.
So now the hope, the volunteer time, the money, and most certainly the vote I used to give to a Republican Party that no longer exists goes to the Democrats instead. What both surprises and delights me is that I am absolutely overjoyed with the Harris-Walz ticket and every other Democrat down the ballot. We may not have a Goldwater anymore, but I still have my vote, and I will keep the faith by using it for the Democratic Party.
Louise Butler is a retired educator and published author who lives in Edinburg. She writes for our Board of Contributors.
Recent TSTC Business Management Technology graduate Ruth Rios now works for the human resources department at the city of Harlingen. (Photo courtesy of TSTC)
Recent TSTC Business Management Technology graduate Ruth Rios now works for the human resources department at the city of Harlingen. (Photo courtesy of TSTC)
HARLINGEN — Peace of mind. Elation. Joy. Relief.
Ruth Rios probably experienced all of that and more when she landed a job with the city of Harlingen before she graduated on Aug. 21 from Texas State Technical College with her Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management Technology.
“I was hired as a human resources generalist in June,” she said. “I help employees who have been injured on the job and perform other duties as well. I love my job because I help employees behind the scenes. It makes me feel that I’m an unsung hero.”
Claudia Caballero is a risk and benefits manager for the city of Harlingen.
“Ruth has quickly learned her position since she started,” she said. “Most importantly, she relates to our employees.”
Edna Quintana Claus was one of Rios’ instructors at TSTC.
“Ruth is an example of the success that a student can have in our online program,” she said. “She acquired the skills that led to her success and obtained a position in the workforce.”
Rios said the training that she received at TSTC prepared her well for her career.
“The Business Correspondence and Communication course refined the way I communicate to employees by email,” she said. “The Principles of Accounting course helped me understand why the accounting process matters. The Payroll and Business Tax Accounting course polished my payroll knowledge based on past job experiences.”
TSTC offers online training for its Business Management Technology program, which includes an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management Technology and certificates of completion in Bookkeeping Accounting Assistant, Business Management Technology, and Office Assistant.
Commentary this week addressed issues including workers forgotten on Labor Day, Richard Nixon’s resignation, U.S. foreign intervention and limiting elected officials’ terms. Other contributions discussed presidential debate formats, a proposed amendment to ban corporate involvement in elections, the presidential race and immigration, among other topics.
As always, we welcome readers’ contributions to our public forum, and thank those who have done so.
Change debates
Fact checking a debate.
In presidential debates Donald Trump lies and rambles but never answers the moderator’s questions. His aim is to filibuster and create chaos so that only the corrupt candidate wins. He has corrupted the entire news media with his lies and now even the presidential debates. Third country leaders shut down newspapers and kill reporters who oppose them. Trump did worse; he labeled all news as “fake news” and gullible folks believe him. They do not fact check. He creates confusion and chaos and promises everyone that he alone has the answers.
“Okay, we’re ready for the debates…”
No more traditional face-to-face debates is the answer: Put each candidate in a separate room, no assistants, no phones, no ear pieces, no crib notes and no contact with the outside, just paper and pencil. Questions will be given over a speaker or written. Candidates will have a reasonable amount of time to answer. Misspelling and grammar will be allowed as long as a real attempt at the answer is made. The moderators will then show and read the answers immediately afterward over the air so that everyone can see the actual written answers, not an interpretation of the answers. No more filibustering, no more talking over each other and no more putting up with timid moderators.
With Trump traditional debates cannot be held.
Do you have a better answer? Think.
Arnoldo Gonzalez
Brownsville
Putin’s misstep
Ukraine penetrates Russia for at least 25 square miles and Russia is stunned, does not react. Vladimir Putin does not want to destroy his own country; Russians will hold him accountable for all the destruction in their own country. It seems the Russian bear is just a paper bear with no bite.
In Ukraine, no problem. Putin kills thousands of Ukrainian innocent civilians men, women and children without batting an eye. And he on to destroy billions of dollars of Ukraine infrastructure to include people’s homes and buildings and yet, holds back when Ukraine enters and attacks inside Russia, Putin’s home. Putin chickens out, doesn’t react. That is kind of odd; what is wrong with this scenario?
“I am not concerned about Ukraine’s incursion into Russian territory, nor do I care that they now have F-16 jets. I have a doomsday weapon that can render Ukraine defenseless, and I hope to deploy it on January 20th.”
Ukraine has stood firm against Russia’s attacks and made the Russian Bear blink; very soon after Ukraine penetrates inside their perimeter. That is a sign of weakness.
Russia has run out of resources to continue to fund the war in Ukraine. Time is running out for Putin to deliver this victory to Russia on a silver plate to its people. Instead he is delivering a dull plate of disappointment to its citizens, a disappointment of the destruction of the Russian economy due to Putin’s unrealistic war of ego to steal land from Ukraine for selfish reasons. What a disappointment for Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin.
Rafael Madrigal
Pharr
Amendment supported
As a proud Brownsville native and the national co-director of Move to Amend, I am committed to advocating for our community on a national level. I traveled to Chicago to participate in significant events surrounding the Democratic National Convention. My goal is to urge the Democratic Party to incorporate House Joint Resolution 54, the We the People Amendment, into their platform.
HJR 54 seeks to address the undue influence of corporate money in politics and restore power to the people. This issue is crucial not only for our community in Brownsville but also for the entire Rio Grande Valley and the country as a whole. In our region, the looming threat of fracking projects, combined with the impact of high-profile ventures like SpaceX’s launch sites, poses serious risks. While fracking projects are still under development, their potential to disrupt our environment and contribute to pollution is a grim reality that could soon affect our community. Additionally, large-scale developments often lead to gentrification, pushing up property values and making housing less affordable for local families.
By supporting HJR 54, we can advocate for a system that prioritizes the needs of our communities over corporate interests, ensuring that our voices are heard and our environment is protected. This amendment challenges existing Supreme Court doctrines that equate corporations with people and money with free speech, doctrines that have allowed wealthy interests to dominate political discourse and policy decisions that impact our daily lives. Vice President Kamala Harris took the pledge to support the We the People Amendment while serving as a California senator. Additionally, vice presidential nominee Tim Walz has shown his commitment by cosponsoring HJR 48 (the precursor to HJR 54) and supporting related state legislation during his time in Congress. Currently, HJR 54 has 86 cosponsors, including its lead sponsor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal. To advance this important amendment, I urge readers to contact their representatives, such as Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, and ask them to cosponsor HJR 54. You can also sign the Move to Amend petition to show your support for this critical legislation.
Your involvement helps ensure that our call for a more equitable system that addresses corporate influence and protects our environment is heard.
Alfonso Saldana
National co-director
Move to Amend.org
Brownsville
Reporting on Gonzalez
Excellent story about Ms. Gonzalez dying. I knew her many years and wrote two books about her and her boy, and received a big medal from the Marine Corps commandant in 2009 for my service and my work as a civilian for the Navy and Marine Corps. He was Gen. James Conway, and he honored me with the U.S. Navy Meritorious Public Service Award for helping Dolia and Freddy and keeping his memory alive.
I was on board the USS Gonzalez when we went through Hurricane Josephine in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico from Norfolk to Corpus Christi for commissioning.
Freddy Gonzalez Elementary School will miss her. She was like a mother to all the little kids there over the years on a site where Freddy once promised, “I will build you a house right here, mom.”
And he did, in a way.
John W. Flores
Albuquerque, N.M.
Trump guilty in Capitol riot
Regarding Mr. Longoria’s letter of July 30 absolving Donald Trump of any responsibility for the invasion of the Capitol, the ensuing damage and the loss of life, I give you the following.
Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., used witness testimony to piece together Trump’s actions the afternoon of Jan. 6, as there was not an official call log from the White House that afternoon and nothing included in the presidential daily diary.
“Oval cell secure, sir…”
“President Trump sat in his dining room and watched the attack on television while his senior-most staff closest advisers and family members begged him to do what is expected of any American president,” Luria said. “When lives and our democracy hung in the balance, President Trump refused to act because of his selfish desire to stay in power.”
I then ask you: If a fully capable man with the ability to, without any risk to himself, prevent, stop or minimize a situation resulting in damage and/or loss of life refuses to act, is he not as guilty as those breaking the law?
Hopefully a moral person will say, “of course”!
Ned Sheats
Mission
Construction takes too long
The RGB needs to try and focus on finishing the 281 to 83 freeway as well as the 83 freeway construction. That has been going on for far too long. It took Katy less time to start I10 construction and expansion, and they started after RGV started their work.
Alfonso Zuniga III
Houston
Increase medical research funding
Washington has pledged to boost biomedical research funding. But lawmakers should also be working to maximize the bang for their research buck.
Health nonprofits have long been expert advocates for their patient membership. But more recently, patient-centered research foundations have been moving toward a more active role in medical research. Staffed with former R&D veterans, they are increasingly devoting resources to facilitating progress from initial discovery to clinical benefits for patients.
They provide seed and bridge funding, forge collaborations and invest their expertise to accelerate approvals.
Most importantly, these public-private partnerships provide a model for how Washington can work directly with the nation’s top disease experts to spur breakthrough medical research — which could save the lives of millions of patients in years to come. Bringing foundations into the research and development ecosystem has delivered outsized results. My organization partners with a Defense Department research fund — Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs — to research neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis, a group of rare genetic disorders that cause tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. This work also provides clinical insights for the military on phantom limb pain and how wounds heal.
Other nonprofits are also building public-private partnerships. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, for instance, has collaborated with government partners on research to determine molecular changes that cause ovarian and breast cancers. Some nonprofits have embraced a strategy of “venture philanthropy” to support researchers pursuing riskier novel approaches. Nonprofits like the American Epilepsy Society are seed-funding small grants to help researchers get started and compete for larger grants. Collectively, nonprofits now make up the fourth-largest source of biomedical funding, contributing $3.8 billion annually.
Foundations have created centralized clinical databases where researchers can quickly recruit trial participants and share their data in real time. Foundations are also encouraging greater scientific collaboration through “platform” trials, in which researchers collaborate to test multiple therapies for efficacy against each other at the same time.
In some cases, foundations are investing in providing pharmaceutical companies with a specialized service offering disease expertise and easy connections to clinic networks, preclinical hubs, platform trials, and the like. As Congress discusses its 2025 budget, lawmakers must not forget how effective public-private partnerships have been at leveraging donor and taxpayer dollars.
Annette Bakker
President
Children’s Tumor Foundation
New York City
Progeny of dreams
We are the children of immigrants, settlers and exiles — descendants of dreamers and of dreams that link the passion that was to the obsession that is.
From the stepping stone at Plymouth Rock to the giant leap at Tranquility Base on the moon, dreamers and their descendants have defied the boundaries of imagination — and reset the compass of human ingenuity, creativity and vision.
It is descendants of dreams who have kept the torch glowing, while expanding the dream and the vision, by erasing the boundaries that once divided and separated one from another because of diversity — color, ethnicity, creed, sexuality.
We are the seeds of the passion and obsession that has inspired and motivated not just a nation but the world, and the destiny of man. And despite the adulterated dreams conceived by warped and twisted minds that have spawned the nightmares of generations past, and nightmares that have defined heroes who sacrificed for country, honor, duty, the descendants of dreams always pick up the torch, relight the flame, and march forward. Not backward. Not into the darkness of despair and regret, but into the light of day, and into the path that leads back onto that stepping stone at Plymouth Rock, and onto that mystical stardust on Tranquility Base.
Children of immigrants, settlers and exiles — descendants of dreams. Linked by imagination and inspiration to the magic of an expanding universe without end. If only we could keep the dreams from becoming nightmares that deceive and destroy. Imagine what other stepping stones and milestones may lie beyond the boundaries of our imagination. Beyond the rainbow of galaxies. And beyond time itself. All yet to be revealed and exposed by the descendants of dreams — our dreams.
Al Garcia-Wiltse
San Juan
Delusional disorder
Recently, John Bolton was interviewed by CNN’s Katlan Collins following Donald Trump’s recent news conference. As you may know, Bolton served as the national security adviser to President Trump and had many one-on-one conversations with Trump. After listening to Trump during his extended news conference, Bolton told Collins that Trump has trouble differentiating between fact and fiction.
“Look, Trump can’t tell the difference between what’s true and what’s false,” Bolton said. “Its not that he lies a lot, because to lie, you have to do it consciously. He just can’t tell the difference.”
So, what is Bolton describing? He is describing a person with a delusional disorder. A delusional disorder is a mental condition in which a person cannot tell what is real from what is imagined. A delusion is an unshakable belief in something that is untrue. For example, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Trump honestly believes he didn’t lose the 2020 election. He believes the election was stolen from him, although there is no credible evidence this occurred.
There are many types of delusional disorders, including grandiose. People with this type of disorder have an overinflated sense of self-worth, power, knowledge or identity. Remember “I know more than the generals,” “I alone can fix it, no one else can,” and other such statements.
How can a person with this disorder effectively negotiate with other foreign leaders on the numerous critical issues of the day? Entering into agreements based on false information could have disastrous consequences for us and for the world. The North Korean leader already knows how to soften up Trump: flattery!
Melchor Chavez
Harlingen
Secret Service garners praise
In reference to David Mellinger’s recent letter (“Trump a hero?”, Letters, Aug. 9), I give Mr. Mellinger high marks for his interpretation of what real heroes are all about.
I’ll be glad to let everyone know who emerged as true heroes in light of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump that took place on July 13th in Butler, Pa. They are the gallant members of the U.S. Secret Service.
When the U.S. government established the Secret Service in 1865, no one ever said the agency itself was going to be perfect. When Secret Service agents were tasked with giving full protection to presidents and presidential candidates starting in 1901, no one also said their job was going to be easy.
As a matter of fact, those agents work long hours every day while placing themselves at high risk to shield our political leaders from all types of danger here and abroad. We may never know them on a first-name basis, but all members of the Secret Service are willing to go above and beyond the call to preserve the life of one who serves in the most prestigious office in the free world.
From frustrated politicians who attempt to grill them through hearings on Capitol Hill to media critics who claim the agents aren’t doing enough of a better job, the U.S. Secret Service has survived it all through the test of time and will continue to do so.
All members of the Secret Service should be praised more often for their tireless efforts in maintaining safety in the name of national security.
Roberto Lopez
McAllen
VP choices evaluated
To attract women voters, John McCain chose Sarah Palin for his running mate and it cost him. To attract evangelical voters, Donald Trump chose Mike Pence for his running mate and it helped him. When Trump lost his reelection bid, he urged Pence to ignore the election results and declare him the winner. Pence ignored him and on Jan. 6, 2021, the angry mob that stormed the Capitol got even angrier, and thus the call to lynch Mike Pence began.
This time around Trump chose J.D. Vance for his running mate. Yes, the guy who called him “America’s Hitler.” Some Trump supporters thought this was an odd choice, but Trump assured them that J.D. would not be like Mike Pence. Vance will gladly do his bidding. Besides, the MAGA crowd will be voting for Trump, not J. D. Vance. Nothing to worry about, unless of course he croaks. Then America will worry.
MAGA Freak Show: “Hannibal Lecter!…Sharks!…Putin’s a genius…Ka-ma-la isn’t black!” JD: “Cat ladies!” Walz: “Weirdos.”
As for Democrats, we know Biden’s choice was brilliant! As for Kamala Hariss’ choice, what’s not to like about Tim Walz? Heck, the guy even resembles a favorite GOP hero, the late Senator John McCain. Talk about the icing on the cake!
So, Mr. Trump, don’t be lying to the American people that vice presidents are just pawns. Didn’t Mike Pence already teach you this? Hoo-boy.
Italo J. Zarate
Brownsville
Build cities for migrants
We don’t need to hire more Border Security personnel who are told not to do their job and use them to bus or fly illegals into cities anywhere in America on our dime.
We need to privatize this immigration invasion by using Uber and other forms of transportation to speed up the pace. Border security is understaffed for this task.
Cities need to be built to house all the people who are coming in. Government jobs need to be created so they can work. Health services provided for their health. Retirement programs provided to encourage others to follow in their steps.
And as for our veterans and homeless in America, you are on your own.
Rafael Madrigal
Pharr
Editor’s note: We welcome your letters and commentary. Submissions must include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters of 200 words or fewer will be given preference. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters may be mailed to P.O Box 3267, McAllen, Texas 78502-3267, or emailed to [email protected].
Construction workers cover up as the they are lifted into the air on a platform under the I-2/69-C interchange as excessive heat consumes South Texas on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The world celebrates Labor Day as International Workers Day on May 1. The United States is an outlier, even though the May 1 solidarity day began in Chicago in 1886 as a result of police violence against people demonstrating for an eight-hour workday.
President Grover Cleveland opposed the United States celebrating International Workers Day, but signed legislation in 1894 designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day. Cleveland did not want the U.S. union movement associated with a day he considered “socialist-inspired.”
The purpose of Labor Day or International Workers Day is to honor workers and recognize their tireless efforts worldwide, regardless of profession or social class. It celebrates workers’ vital role in building and maintaining economies and communities, the fabric of society.
Labor Day should be a platform to raise awareness about workers’ rights, including fair wages, safe working conditions, protection from exploitation and the need for continuous improvement in labor standards and regulations. It underscores social justice and equitable opportunities for workers, eliminating discrimination and creating a fair labor environment.
The U.S. capitalist system has adeptly eliminated Labor Day commemorations of American workers and diminished their visibility as a workforce. Labor Day has been reduced to an end-of-summer holiday. Few Americans, I wager, have a clue about the origins of the day, let alone its original purpose of lifting up workers.
Texas politicians bend over backward to oppress workers. The legislature, at Gov. Greg Abbott’s bidding, took away the legal ability of cities to require water and rest breaks for workers. Imagine construction workers under the hot Texas summer sun being told by their employer, “Sorry, no water or rest break for you.”
Wage theft is endemic. Even though I retired from the Texas Civil Rights Project eight years ago, I am still handling wage theft cases because people can’t find attorneys or government entities to help them. That occurs frequently with people building and readying the fancy apartment and office complexes all around us. The company gives the money to a “middleman,” who the company claims is an “independent contractor.” It is a subterfuge: Pay the contractor who in turn does not pay the workers and keeps the money. Nobody believes this happens by chance. The workers most exploited by wage theft are immigrants.
The current discussion about not taxing tips for service and restaurant workers underscores another point. The minimum wage law should not have an exception that depends on the random benevolence of customers possibly giving tips so that workers might make the minimum wage, as low and pathetic as it is. Nor is there any guarantee all the workers share the tipping, not just the recipient. We accept and don’t challenge this incongruity and injustice.
Most Texans enjoy the benefits of the labor movement: five-day work weeks, overtime pay, medical benefits, paid vacation and retirement. But we don’t “see” the other workers, those who don’t have these benefits, yet upon whom society depends to do the labor no one else will do and at wages no one else would accept.
This denigrates the unseen workers in our community, and it’s a lack of solidarity with those who do the dirty work and build the economic foundation of our society. And on Labor Day, of course, all kinds of people will be working in low-paying jobs so the rest of us can celebrate the long weekend, providing services, recreation, food (thanks to farm workers), and so on.
Workers’ rights are based on their inherent dignity. Workers are not a means of production like raw materials and capital. They are entitled to work in good conditions that offer fair pay. We need to “see” them and stand up for them.
This Labor Day is a good time to start doing better at “seeing” the workers around us and raising our voices loudly against injustice. And keep politicians from further exploiting workers in our name.
James C. Harrington is the retired founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project.
The Harlingen school board has called a special meeting for Tuesday afternoon to consult with legal counsel “regarding employment and possible resignation of Superintendent and appointment of Interim Superintendent.”
Former McAllen superintendent J.A. Gonzalez took the helm in Harlingen in September 2023.
In April, the school board gave Gonzalez a $10,000 raise, bumping his salary to $310,000 starting Sunday. The board also granted Gonzalez a one-year extension in his three-year contract after giving him high marks during an evaluation.
The Tuesday employment discussion will be held in executive session.
Following the executive session, the agenda said it may consider “possible action regarding employment of Superintendent, including possible acceptance of resignation letter.”
The board may also consider discussion and possible action to appoint or employ an interim superintendent.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“While the District cannot discuss any of the specifics of this agenda item outside of the Board meeting, please know that there are serious issues that have led to the need for the agenda item as posted,” the school district said in a statement Sunday from Marcy Martinez, executive director of public relations, student outreach and student events. “No further information can be shared with regard to these matters due to privacy concerns and because this is an ongoing employment matter.
“The Board endeavors to act as a fiduciary for our students, employees, parents and communities at all times, while having the privilege to represent Harlingen CISD. The Board appreciates our employees, parents and community’s support and patience while we consider our options with regard to this matter.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a statement from the Harlingen school district.
In this undated photo, Tim Ledwig, senior superintendent at Joeris General Contractors (standing at right, facing left), speaks with Building Construction Technology students from TSTC’s Harlingen campus during a recent tour of the Joeris General Contractors headquarters in San Antonio. (Photo courtesy of Hector Rosa)
HARLINGEN — Students in the Building Construction Technology program at Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus were recently given a tour of the Joeris General Contractors headquarters in San Antonio.
Joeris, a commercial construction company with additional locations in Austin, Dallas and Houston, welcomed the 22 students, along with their instructors, to interact directly with its company leaders and construction professionals and learn about its operations, career pathways and work culture.
“We discussed the types of roles such as carpenters, superintendents, project managers and our trade partners,” said Travis Bone, a human resources director at Joeris. “Students learned about the carpenter roles and the path to a foreman, assistant superintendent, superintendent and beyond.”
Students observed demonstrations of the company’s job processes, equipment and technologies, and asked questions of the staff.
Hector Rosa, team lead for TSTC’s Building Construction Technology and Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology programs at the Harlingen campus, said the tour was worthwhile.
“Our students were impressed by their hospitality and how they cared about their employees,” he said.
Among the students were Steven Bultes, of Harlingen, and Victoria Garcia, of Primera. Both are studying for Associate of Applied Science degrees in Building Construction Technology.
“I was impressed by how they use technology in their daily work,” Bultes said. “They use drones to take pictures of the perimeter of a job to get measurements.”
“I enjoyed how real the tour was overall,” Garcia said. “The company is very organized, and that’s a great quality.”
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in Texas can earn an average annual salary of $67,650, according to onetonline.org. The website projected that the number of these positions would grow by 23% in the state from 2020 to 2030.
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction Technology and a certificate of completion in Building Construction – Craftsman at its Harlingen and Waco campuses.
Gregg's blue mistflower are an excellent addition to any pollinator garden. Their long blooming period provides a food source for butterflies as they make their fall migration. (Courtesy photo by Mike Arnold | Texas A&M AgriLife)
Gregg’s blue mistflower has been named a Texas Superstar plant for its low maintenance, long bloom period and penchant for attracting pollinators, especially butterflies.
Mike Arnold, Ph.D., professor in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, director of The Gardens at Texas A&M University and Texas Superstar executive board member, said the plant has been a notable Texas wildflower for decades.
Gregg’s blue mistflower, Conoclinium greggii, goes by several names – Gregg’s mistflower, palmleaf thoroughwort, Texas ageratum or its former botanic name Eupatorium greggii.
It is a herbaceous perennial Texas native plant. Plants established in spring provide late summer and fall seasonal color in regions where cold prohibits overwintering.
This Trans-Pecos native is quite drought tolerant but does require well-drained soils in more mesic regions, Arnold said. Conoclinium coelestinum is a closely related herbaceous perennial with similar flowers but unlobed leaves that is sometimes also known as blue mistflower, however it lacks the drought tolerance and Texas toughness of Conoclinium greggii.
“Give it a sunny spot in well-drained soil and forget about it,” he said. “It’s extremely low maintenance and carefree. It blooms for a long time and into late summer and fall during that period when there is not much color in landscapes, and it is naturally attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. There is a lot to love about Gregg’s blue mistflower.”
To be designated a Texas Superstar, a plant must perform well for growers throughout the state. Texas Superstars must also be easy to propagate, ensuring the plants are widely available and reasonably priced.
Get to know Gregg’s blue mistflower
Arnold said Gregg’s blue mistflower is a “king among butterfly plants” for late summer and fall landscapes that attract fluttering clouds of the pollinator insects. Numerous butterfly species, including queens and migrating monarch butterflies flock to the flowers.
Plants produce clusters of small composite sky blue or baby blue to lavender-blue flowers that bloom continuously for months, Arnold said. Yellow flowering perennials such as Mexican mint marigold, Tagetes lucida, make excellent companion plants for contrasting colors.
Growth habits are initially upright, and Gregg’s blue mistflower grows taller than wide before spreading out. Cultivars are available with more compact habits or with differing flowering patterns. Plants can slowly sucker or seed to form colonies, which are even more attractive than a single plant.
“If you have grown old-fashioned Mexican ageratums, Ageratum houstonianum, think of Gregg’s blue mistflower as those on steroids,” he said. “They tolerate tougher sites, grow taller and come back year after year to grace our demanding regional gardens. That is a pretty good description of what Gregg’s mistflower will become.”
How to care for Gregg’s blue mistflower
Gregg’s blue mistflower can be planted from containers at any time except for the dead of winter in northern parts of the state. They bloom from late spring to late fall and peak in late summer and fall.
Plants prefer full sun to mostly sunny locations. Flowering reduces as shade increases. They are adapted to a wide range of soil pH levels and textures if they are reasonably well-drained. Do not plant Gregg’s blue mistflower in soils that maintain moisture, especially areas that remain wet during the winter.
Arnold recommends using them as a perennial fixture in mixed borders, as pockets of color, in rock gardens, in mass plantings for slopes, for butterfly or pollinator gardens or small-scale groundcover, and to naturalize wildflower areas or pocket prairies. Gregg’s blue mistflower can also be used in mixed fall patio containers.
Initial pinching of the plants will encourage greater canopy density but will not be necessary over time. Once it dies back during winter, Arnold said to clear back the dead foliage after the threat of frost has passed.
“Gregg’s blue mistflower thrives on being ignored once it’s established,” Arnold said. “It might need a little water during extended drought to improve blooms, but the ease of care and its adaptability make it a Texas Superstar. That along with its pop of color and reputation as a pollinator-friendly plant make it a no-brainer.”
Texas Superstar is a registered trademark owned by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Plants are designated by the Texas Superstar executive board, which comprises nine horticulturists from AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
Johanna Villareal is pictured with her Best in Show award at the third annual Members’ Juried Art Show exhibition at the International Museum of Art & Science in 2023. (Courtesy Photo)
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) has announced its 4th Annual Members’ Juried Art Show (MJAS), an exhibition that offers local artists the chance to display their work in a professional museum setting.
The exhibition will showcase the diverse talents of the community and celebrate the creative spirit of IMAS members from Oct. 5, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025. This year’s exhibition which fosters community development is supported in part by the Rotary Club of Edinburg.
Why participate?
The MJAS is a special opportunity exclusively for IMAS members to have their artwork featured in one of the region’s most respected art institutions. As part of IMAS’s ongoing commitment to fostering local talent, this juried exhibition is designed to highlight the artistic achievements of its members. Submitting artwork for the MJAS is a benefit of IMAS membership, which is open to all individuals ages 18 and older.
IMAS members may submit up to two pieces of artwork, with the guarantee that at least one will be included in the show. The selected pieces will be reviewed by an independent juror, Jon Joanis, a renowned artist with a diverse background in fine arts and design. Joanis will not only select the final artworks for the exhibition but will also award Best of Show, Second Place, Third Place, and three Honorable Mentions, each carrying a monetary prize.
“It’s wonderful to see the variety and number of artists, style, and media that our community has to offer. The amount of support our community has for their artists is incredible!” said Marcelo Ramirez Garcia-Rojas, IMAS curator.
How to participate
To participate, artists must be current IMAS members. Memberships can be purchased or renewed at any time, including up to the date of artwork submission. Membership at IMAS comes with a variety of benefits, including free admission to the museum, discounts on events and classes, and the opportunity to participate in exclusive exhibitions like the MJAS.
Artists interested in submitting their work into the 2024 MJAS must complete the MJAS application, available on the IMAS website.
The completed form must be submitted in person during one of the artwork drop off dates below along with their artwork submission(s):
>> 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
>> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21
Key dates include:
>> Notification of declined artwork: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25
>> Opening reception: 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
>> End of show artwork pick-up: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 10 and 11
For those not yet members, now is the perfect time to join the IMAS family and take advantage of this incredible opportunity. Memberships start at $35 for individuals and $75 for families and can be purchased directly through the IMAS website or at the museum. By becoming a member, supporters not only help sustain the arts in the community but also gain access to a wealth of cultural experiences and events throughout the year.
For more information on how to submit artwork or to become a member, visit theimasonline.org/member or contact IMAS directly at (956) 681-2800.
The museum is located at the intersection of Bicentennial Way and Nolana Avenue at 1900 W. Nolana in McAllen. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Regular admission is $5 with discounted $3 for children ages 4 to 12, students with an ID, public school educators, veterans and active military, and senior citizens 65+. Museums for All (WIC/EBT) discount is $1 for up to four people per card. Visit www.theimasonline.org or call (956) 681-2800 for more information.
Rio Grande Valley resident Jan Seale is among seven inductees to the 2024 Texas Literacy Hall of Fame, selected by the Texas Christian University Mary Couts Burnett Library, in partnership with the TCU AddRan College of Liberal Arts, TCU Press and the Center for Texas Studies. The authors will be honored at the official induction ceremony on Oct. 29.
The Texas Literary Hall of Fame was established to celebrate and encourage the state’s rich literary heritage by honoring its foremost authors, whose original writing reflects enduring cultural relevance and artistic creativity. The Texas Literary Hall of Fame honors inductees every two years. Seale will join Tracy Daugherty, the late Molly Ivans, Stephen Graham Jones, the late Cormac McCarthy, Cynthia Leitich Smith and Sergio Troncoso.
Seale, the 2012 Texas Poet Laureate, is the author of 10 volumes of poetry, two books of short fiction, six books of nonfiction, and several children’s books.
Her writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers such as The Yale Review, Texas Monthly, The Chicago Tribune, and Writer’s Digest. Some anthologies including her work are The Southern Poetry Anthology, Quotable Texas Women, Folklore in Motion, Both Sides of the Border, and Birds in the Hand.
In 1982, Seale received a National Endowment for the Arts creative writing fellowship in poetry. Seven of her short stories were chosen for P.E.N. Syndicated Fiction awards. Her poetry has received the Kathryn Morris Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of Texas and the Bill Burke Award and Dolly Sprunk Memorial Award from the New York Poetry Forum. Her stories and poems have been broadcast over National Public Radio.
She has taught English and creative writing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, West Texas A&M University, and the University of North Texas. Workshops and readings by Seale have taken place in Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New Mexico, and in many Texas cities.
For 16 years she was the South Texas editor of Texas Books in Review. Other editorial work includes as a founding editor of RiverSedge literary journal and as an editor of The Valley Land Fund pictorial volumes.
Seale was born in Pilot Point, Texas, graduated from Waxahachie High School, attended Baylor University, and received a B.A. from the University of Louisville and an M.A. from North Texas State University.
She has served as a Scholar for Humanities Texas and as an Artist-in-Education for the Texas Commission on the Arts. Her organization memberships include the Texas Folklore Society, the Poetry Society of Texas, and the Texas Institute of Letters.
Seale lives in McAllen in South Texas. She has three sons and four grandsons.
“We are thrilled to honor these amazing authors whose induction into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame was inevitable,” said Tracy L. Hull, Dean of the TCU Library. “Their induction is a validation of their talent and expertise as an author.”
“The Texas Literary Hall of Fame showcases top literary writers across the nation. This group of inductees follows a long list of others who demonstrate how Texas has shaped the cultural landscape of their writings,” said Sonja Watson, Ph.D., Dean of the AddRan College of Liberal Arts.
Edgar Flores, a Remote Drone Pilot instructor with TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education department, uses a remote-control device to maneuver a drone in this undated photo. (Photo courtesy of TSTC)
Edgar Flores, a Remote Drone Pilot instructor with TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education department, uses a remote-control device to maneuver a drone in this undated photo. (Photo courtesy of TSTC)
HARLINGEN — Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education department will offer four new certification courses at the Harlingen campus this fall, including Fiber Optics – Broadband Technician, NCCER Basic Rigger, Phlebotomy Technician, and Remote Drone Pilot.
“The four programs we’re offering are short-term training that can lead to a high-paying job,” said Myra De Leon, TSTC’s executive director for Workforce Training and Continuing Education. “The jobs are in demand, and each certification is recognized by its industry.”
Instructor David Sanchez said the 105-hour Fiber Optics – Broadband Technician course lasts five weeks and will be taught in a hybrid format.
“Students will learn about the evolution of fiber optics, along with the integration, application and principles of fiber-optic transmission,” he said. “Individuals can enter the workforce as an entry-level telecommunications technician or a fiber optics installer.”
NCCER Basic Rigger instructor Orlando Luis Bultes said students in the 140-hour course can expect to learn how to perform rigging operations safely at construction sites.
“(They) will use various types of rigging equipment, understand rigging procedures and master essential safety protocols, (and) can pursue jobs such as a rigger, crane operator and other positions where rigging is essential,” he said.
Instructor Linette Jackson said the 86-hour Phlebotomy Technician course, which will include four weeks of training at TSTC and four weeks of clinicals at Valley Baptist Medical Center, will offer a fast-paced career pathway into the medical field.
“Students will learn how to draw blood, they will understand which tests the blood will be used for, and they will be familiarized with patient care,” she said. “Graduates of the program can find a job at a hospital, at a doctor’s office, in health insurance, or at a plasma donation center.”
The Remote Drone Pilot course will be divided into three consecutive days for a total of 24 hours. The certificate can aid workers in a variety of fields, including building inspection, real estate photography, and agriculture.
For more information about the courses and schedules, contact Myra De Leon at 956-364-4603 or [email protected].
Commentary: Nixon’s last flight
Fifty years ago, on Aug. 9, 1974, Col. Ralph Albertazzie, then pilot of Air Force One, was flying over Jefferson City, M., with President Richard Milhous Nixon and his family on board. He was taking the Nixons home to California. Passing mid-Missouri air control, he received word that Vice President Gerald R. Ford had just been sworn in as president of the United States. Albertazzie contacted ground control and gave this message: “Kansas City, this was Air Force One. We are now redesignating as SAM 27000.”
The reversion of the plane to its assigned tail number indicated there was no longer a president on board. Nixon had resigned a few hours before and was heading into a shameful retirement. The resignation, the shame, the enduring stain on what was, in many ways, a laudable presidency was the result of Nixon’s presidential hubris and latent moral flaws.
I met Richard Nixon once. I was at the Western States Young Republicans’ Convention in Albuquerque, N.M., my freshman year of college (1965). A group of us had driven down from Colorado State College in Greeley, Colo., to the convention. It was a good time. The dynamic Barry Goldwater (fresh from his presidential drubbing) was the keynote speaker, but the person I remember most is Richard Nixon. Even knowing everything I do now about all the demons this man fought and gave in to, I can say that he was both warm and charming. I was with the group introducing him to the convention and, as we waited off-stage, he was chatty and gracious. His handshake was sincere and warm. He asked us questions while answering ours.
He was, frankly, good at the things presidents are good at: He could make you feel as if you were part of his inner circle just by making eye contact. He emitted an aura of sincerity. There was no doubt that Nixon had each of us in his corner when he regrouped, reinvented himself and ran for office again.
My very first presidential vote was cast in 1968 for Richard Nixon. (For my grandchildren, that was in the day when you had to be 21 to vote.) Then came Watergate and I realized that my vote had been cast for a man who did the one thing I don’t accept from anyone: He screwed with my Constitution. I voted for George S. McGovern in 1972. I knew the vote was wasted as far as electability went, but I thought there was a point to be made. There is a moral obligation to be a good American. If you can’t see beyond affiliation to substance, you are nothing but a dupe, and not a patriotic one at that.
Nixon had been made to resign because Sen. Goldwater, R-Ariz., U.S. House Minority Leader John Rhodes, R-Ariz., and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, R-Pa., went to Nixon and made it clear that he faced certain impeachment, conviction and removal from office in connection with the Watergate scandal. Nixon had broken the law. He had counted on party loyalty to protect him from responsibility for his crime. He had broken faith with his friends, his party and his Constitution. Now, the leaders of his own party were telling him that they would not be complicit in his willful behavior.
This was when people were patriotic enough to put their country ahead of their party. If we had Republicans today made of the same stuff as Goldwater, Rhodes and Scott, we would not have to even smell Donald Trump, let alone put up with his second attempt to steal an election. Trump should have been convicted of his treasonous attempt to overthrow a lawful, free and fair election. But the leaders of Congress now do not have the moral fiber of those from my first election. I look at the current crop of GOP leaders and see only weakness. I look at their supporters and see only bigotry.
So now the hope, the volunteer time, the money, and most certainly the vote I used to give to a Republican Party that no longer exists goes to the Democrats instead. What both surprises and delights me is that I am absolutely overjoyed with the Harris-Walz ticket and every other Democrat down the ballot. We may not have a Goldwater anymore, but I still have my vote, and I will keep the faith by using it for the Democratic Party.
Louise Butler is a retired educator and published author who lives in Edinburg. She writes for our Board of Contributors.