The Monitor's 2023 All-Area Volleyball Setter of the Year, Sharyland's Kassandra De La Garza (Andrew Cordero / Special to The Monitor)
Kassandra De La Garza earned her second straight All-Area Setter of the Year award during a season in which she also became a dominant force attacking. And she has another year to go.
The Monitor’s 2023 All-Area Volleyball Setter of the Year, Sharyland’s Kassandra De La Garza (Andrew Cordero / Special to The Monitor)
Known for her silky pure touch and being able to control the ball with pinpoint sets from anywhere on the court, De La Garza also became a major force on the right side.
She averaged 5.1 assists per mach in the Rattlers 6-2 offense and will surpass 2,500 assists – with 3,000 also being a possibility, during her senior season. Her 340 kills (2.7 per set) was a career high and sets her up to have a shot at surpassing 1,000 kills next season.
Being a lefty at the net also forced blockers to hold their ground ever so slightly longer, opening options for De La Garza all across the net.
“Kassandra really added a dimension to her game and what we could do by being more aggressive and attacking at the net more,” Castillo said. “Her being able to distribute the ball like she does and put it down when we need it just makes her all the more dangerous.”
A pedestrian braves cold temperatures that reached down into the 30s after a strong front hit the Rio Grande Valley on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service Brownsville-Rio Grande Valley station say they are monitoring two “significant weather systems” over the coming week that will present multiple hazards to Rio Grande Valley residents in the form of high winds and very cold temperatures.
The first weather event is an upper level system bringing a cold front to deep South Texas early Friday morning. In its wake is the threat of powerful northwesterly winds, fire weather concerns and hazardous marine conditions, the NWS said. The second event will hit early next week, as the first arctic blast of the season arrives as early as Monday, bringing with it the lowest temperatures and wind chill indexes of the winter so far, meteorologists warned.
“Confidence is increasing for a widespread freeze Monday night into early Tuesday morning, and a hard freeze — temperatures less than 28 degrees Fahrenheit — cannot be ruled out,” NWS reported.
The highest chances for such cold temperatures are in northern and northwestern portions of deep South Texas, with the lowest chances in the Lower Valley and along the Lower Gulf Coast. Rio Grande City is looking at a 50% chance of temperatures lower than 28 the morning of Jan. 16, while the chances of such low temperatures for McAllen, Harlingen and Brownsville are 31%, 41% and 24%, respectively, according to the NWS.
As the cold front moves into deep South Texas on Friday morning, winds behind the front will rapidly grow in velocity from the northern ranch lands to the Valley as the barometric pressure gradient increases through the afternoon, meteorologists said.
“Northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with potential gusts of 40 to 50 mph, are likely with this system,” they reported.
The NWS predicted the strongest winds will occur between about 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, with at least a 70% likelihood that wind gusts of 30 mph or higher will persist into late Friday afternoon. The risk of rapidly spreading wildfires is expected to be elevated Friday as well, with falling relative humidity through morning (15% to 25% by midday) combining with strong winds and gusts of 34-45 mph or higher.
Hazardous marine conditions will worsen early Friday, with frequent gale force gusts by late morning into the evening. Small Craft Advisories could begin as early as Thursday due to strengthening winds, with gale warnings expected by Friday morning.
A pedestrian zips up his jacket before crossing the street as temperatures fell into the 30s after a strong front hit the Rio Grande Valley on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Weslaco. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
“Peak wave heights Friday afternoon are expected to be between 12 and 14 feet across all the Gulf waters,” meteorologists warned.
Residents and agricultural operators were advised to take precautions against the coming high winds and low temperatures. The NWS forecast contained high confidence, 70-80%, that temperatures will reach 32 or lower across the northern ranch lands Monday, and low to medium confidence, 30-60%, that temperatures would fall that low across the Valley.
Meteorologists had medium confidence, 50-60%, that temperatures would reach 28 degrees or lower across the northern ranch lands, and low confidence, 20-40%, that it would get that cold across the Valley.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas on Wednesday issued a Weather Watch for Jan. 15-17 due to extreme cold weather forecast for the region. The situation will create higher demand for electricity and “potential for lower reserves,” though grid conditions are expected to be normal, ERCOT said.
Grid conditions can be monitored at ercot.com, where residents may also sign up for grid notifications through ERCOT’s Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS).
A Harlingen Police Department car patrols Crockett Elementary Wednesday, May 25, 2022, after school dismissal. (Miguel Roberts | The Brownsville Herald)
HARLINGEN — After 18 months of negotiations, city commissioners and school board members are formally meeting to try to reach an agreement aimed at providing police security across the Harlingen school district’s campuses.
Commissioners and board members are set to meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Collegiate High, the high school which the city and school district helped develop.
In closed session, officials are expected to “deliberate the deployment, or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel, critical infrastructure or security devices,” the meeting’s agenda states.
During the meeting, commissioners and board members are expected to discuss coordinating law enforcement efforts while considering reaching an agreement in which the city’s police department would assign officers to work security at the district’s campuses, the agenda states.
Commissioners and board members are set to return to open session to discuss coordinating law enforcement efforts before considering “possible action” on the security agreement, the agenda states.
On Wednesday, city and school officials declined comment on the meeting.
Since officials entered negotiations in mid-2022, Thursday’s forum marks the first time commissioners and board members are formally meeting to discuss school security, which became one of the community’s biggest concerns in the wake of the May 24, 2022, shootings in which a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at an Uvalde grade school.
Now, new schools Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez, who took office in August, will have a hand in the discussions.
For about 20 years, the city and school district have been renewing a security agreement.
Then in 2019, the city’s police department began assigning four full-time officers, including a sergeant and three officers, to help work security across the district’s 31 campuses.
A view of Harlingen High School Wednesday, May 25, 2022. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)
As part of previous agreements, the district has paid the city $213,714 in exchange for the four officers, along with $14,000 to cover vehicle maintenance and $2,336 for travel and training, city records show.
Now, the police department, with 138 officers on duty and 11 joining the force, is straining to staff shifts to patrol the city whose population has grown by at least 11%, climbing to about 72,100, since the 2010 Census.
Every year, commissioners and board members have been automatically renewing the agreement.
But in July 2022, the parties hit a snag after Police Chief Michael Kester called on district officials to “take steps” to develop a police department like those of many school districts, adding the city would help.
In late 2022, negotiations stalled as the parties were discussing a city proposal to charge a new administrative fee aimed at offsetting some of the program’s costs.
As negotiations entered their second year, district officials were requesting the police department assign six officers to the program, officials said.
In response, city leaders proposed assigning five officers.
Last year, city officials were requesting the district pay a new administrative fee to help offset program costs, including Kester’s time in overseeing the operation along with payroll expenses, officials said.
Amid negotiations, district officials have been taking steps to bolster security across campuses.
In 2022, they entered into agreements with Cameron County and the cities of Primera and Combes to provide officers to work security, with the agencies’ daily assignments of 12 to 17 off-duty sheriff’s deputies, deputy constables and police officers, officials said.
By the opening of the 2022-2023 school year, the district was also hiring more security personnel, boosting their numbers to 42, they said.
At district offices, officials also began operating a “surveillance room,” monitoring hundreds of surveillance cameras across 31 campuses.
Meanwhile, city officials continue honoring the parties’ previous security agreement, assigning four police officers to the district.
Edinburg Vela head football coach John Campbell, pictured above as part of The Monitor's 2017 All-Area Football honorees, announced he will be retiring at the end of this year after seven seasons leading the SaberCats football program. Photo by The Monitor.
Edinburg Vela head football coach John Campbell, pictured above as part of The Monitor’s 2017 All-Area Football honorees, announced he will be retiring at the end of this year after seven seasons leading the SaberCats football program. (The Monitor)
EDINBURG—EdinburgVelaheadfootballcoachandathleticcoordinatorJohnCampbellannounced he will be retiring at the end of the school year on Wednesday afterspending20seasonsasaTexashighschoolfootballheadcoach.
“Itisofficial.I’mgoingtoberetiringattheendofthis school yearinanattempttomakesuretheprogramisingoodshapeandthedistrictcanmoveforward,”CampbellsaidinaninterviewwithTheMonitor.“I’mstillgoingtobewiththeschooldistrictfortheremainderofthisyear,butIwantedtomakesureVelaandtheschooldistricthadanopportunitytomoveforwardwithmyreplacement.”
Edinburg Vela John Campbell gives direction on the sidelines in a scrimmage game against Los Fresnos at Richard R. Flores Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Dr. R. Armour Forse DHR Health Bariatric and Metabolic Institute
Yes, it is a new year, but there is that old problem, my weight. I have year after year resolved to get my weight under control….and year after year it is still there on my list of new year’s resolutions. For many your weight problem (BMI> 30 wt/ht2) is really a disease; obesity!! Yes, obesity is a disease as defined by the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization. A disease with complications and death. So why fight a disease on your own? Your 2024 resolution: I need to get help and conquer my obesity. This is the year to treat your disease, successfully lose the weight, and win back your health.
The next step is to commit to attend program seminars, visit with a healthcare professional, and learn about treatments for obesity that you are eligible for. This can be an easy resolution to keep. Yes, you can visit “Drs. Google and Yahoo,” but not all their information is reliable. Instead, meet a healthcare team and ask about professional online sites. Knowledge is your power!! You will learn that for obesity there are three primary treatment options; diets, medications and surgery. You will also learn that the treatments are most successful when provided as part of a comprehensive program includes healthcare professionals, dieticians, exercise trainers, and behavior professionals. Yes, sounds complex, but this is what is needed to be successful, and you want to be successful.
With diets long term success is around 5% for the obese patient. Medications are successful for those who qualify. They require careful monitoring and are not approved for a lifetime. Weight rebound is often a problem when medications are stopped. The other option for treating obesity is weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery. Yes, that’s scary and sounds aggressive; it’s surgery! The fact is, today, surgery is highly successful and a very safe option. Visit local program websites, as well as the web site of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). You will learn that, indeed, bariatric surgery is now considered a safe surgery.
You will also learn that there are two operations, the sleeve gastrectomy and the gastric bypass. With the sleeve gastrectomy, patients lose on average 80 to 100 pounds, while with the gastric bypass, they lose on average between 120 to 150 pounds. Theses surgical
patients eat a small, but healthy, diet and significant weight regain is not a common problem.
Remember that obesity is a chronic disease, and the longer you have it, the shorter your life expectancy. This is because obese patients are likely to develop other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Patients who lose and keep their weight off often dramatically decrease their medical problems and significantly reduce their risk for cancer. These medical improvements associated with weight loss provide the patient with an overall better quality, healthier, and longer life.
No, medications and surgery are not for every obese patient, but if you are a candidate, this is the year for you to find out if it’s for you. As always, the choice is yours. If you or a loved one would like more information about bariatric surgery or would like to sign up for an informational session at DHR Health Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, please call (956) 362-5673. Our experts are ready to answer any questions you may have.
Victor Godinez, 28, listens to the conversations of his lawyers during a break as he stands trial for the death of Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Moises Sanchez in the 389th state District Count on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Jurors in the trial for the Edinburg man accused of killing Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Moises Sanchez in 2019 heard testimony Wednesday morning from a Texas Ranger who helped in the manhunt for the defendant.
Victor Alejandro Godinez, 28, is charged with two counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer and one count of capital murder of a peace officer for the 49-year-old Sanchez’s death.
He was shot on April 6, 2019 and died in August 2019 following a surgery in Houston.
The court heard from Staff Sgt. Juan Lopez of the Texas Rangers regarding the manhunt that happened that fateful Saturday evening when Sanchez was shot in the head and shoulder.
Jurors were told a K-9 unit was utilized during the manhunt for Godinez, but was ultimately unable to locate him.
Lopez stated that they scoured the area until their K-9 became tired, so his team returned to where the Texas Rangers had established a command post to pick up another K-9 unit to continue their search.
Another witness, Rodolfo Garcia Jr., testified that he came into contact with Godinez just minutes before the second shooting occurred.
Garcia stated that he had stepped outside his home to make sure all the vehicles parked at his residence were locked as he had his son, daughter and their kids and spouses over at the time when he saw a man walking on the opposite side of the road.
“What are you doing, dude?” Garcia asked the man.
He testified that the man stated he was in an accident on 10th Street and was walking somewhere for a ride.
Garcia said he “looked like a man on a mission to get somewhere.”
It wasn’t until his son told him to call the police that Garcia turned back to the street and managed to wave down an unmarked police vehicle and advised them of the man he described to have no shoes and rolled up pants.
Garcia added that he got curious and continued to observe the police approach the man who was about four to five houses down and said he heard them shouting at the man to stop.
Gunshots were then exchanged.
Garcia dove to the ground while his son hid on the side of the home.
Another witness testified that he found what he called a “speed loader” in his backyard and reported it to authorities the next day following Godinez’s apprehension.
The Pharr Police Department on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The Pharr Police Department on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The Pharr Police Department informed the Texas Attorney General on Tuesday that a 36-year-old McAllen man died in its jail.
A custodial death report said Lizandro Estevan Martinez died less than two hours after being arrested on Dec. 4.
Police pulled him over that day because the white Honda Accord that he was driving was stolen, according to the report.
He initially evaded arrest before coming to a stop by 1301 W. Interstate 2.
When police made contact with him they smelled marijuana, according to the report.
“During the search of the vehicle Officers located a ripped clear plastic baggie with white powdery substance on the front passenger floorboard which tested positive for cocaine,” the report said.
Police also found baggies with meth in the vehicle’s glove compartment and in Martinez’s pocket.
He was arrested at 10:31 a.m. and charged with possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest and theft.
“At 11:36 am … the deceased appeared to be in a medical crisis and was found face down with blood underneath his head area alone in the cell,” the report stated.
He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:09 p.m.
The report notes that Martinez did not appear intoxicated and that he was not under restraint.
The preliminary ruling for his death is a drug overdose pending a final toxicology report.
A farmer tills the land Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Olmito. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Brownsville, is introducing a bill aimed at helping farmers along the Mexican border.
The Southern Border Farmers and Ranchers Protection Act, or H.R. 6921, “would provide farmers and ranchers with the financial and technical support needed to repair farming and ranching infrastructure and damage to fields along the southern border,” Gonzalez’s office stated in a press release.
U.S. Reps. Monica De La Cruz, R-McAllen, Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, are also leading the bill.
“This bi-partisan bill recognizes the financial hardship our farmers and ranchers experience from land and property damages caused by waves of irregular migration,” Gonzalez said. “These folks are forced to repair or replace everything from fences to complicated irrigation watering systems which are often costly and time-consuming. We must support our South Texas farmers and ranchers by providing them with the resources they urgently need.”
The bill codifies the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to help farmers and ranchers protect, repair and enhance their land and infrastructure, the press release stated.
Yesenia Gonzalez, the 21st Century district director for Jubilee Leadership Academies, second from left, stands with her parents and shows her Arly Impact/BellXcel Educator of the Year award on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (Gary Long | The Brownsville Herald)
Yesenia Gonzalez, the 21st Century district director for Jubilee Leadership Academies, second from left, stands with her parents and shows her Arly Impact/BellXcel Educator of the Year award on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (Gary Long | The Brownsville Herald)
In a surprise recognition ceremony on Tuesday, Yesenia Gonzalez, the 21st Century district director for Jubilee Leadership Academies, was named the Arly Impact/BellXcel Educator of the Year.
Gonzalez was the overwhelming choice for the award, BellXcel CEO Lauren Sanchez Gilbert said after the ceremony, held in the Jubilee gymnasium at 1025 Main St. in Brownsville.
BellXcel created the award to recognize outstanding individuals engaged with youth programs nationwide and celebrate their pursuit to help children reach their full potential, Sanchez Gilbert said.
Although the ceremony was a surprise, Gonzalez said she had a feeling something was up after seeing her parents and regional Jubilee officials assembled in the gymnasium.
“A lot of our students can’t go home because their parents are working and so we provide them a safe place to stay after school with academic alignment with what they’re learning during the day, and enrichment activities in the 2-3 hours that they’re with us,” Gonzalez said of the Texas Afterschool Centers, administered through a 21st Century grant.
“When the last bell rings, Texas ACE is just getting started with no-cost after-school activities for any student attending a participating K–12 school. Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) is a national program funded through 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The state-level Texas ACE program is administered and monitored by Texas Education Agency (TEA), which also offers robust training, technical assistance, and other resources for grantees,” Texas ACE said in a statement.
Its programs aim to improve academic performance/grades, school attendance, positive behavior, and student engagement by providing students with a safe place to go during non-school hours for extended learning and enrichment activities. The program serves students in Title 1 schools who otherwise would not have such opportunities, the statement said.
Lower Valley setter of the year Los Fresnos senior Jenna Rios. (Andrew Cordero/Special to The Brownsville Herald)
Setter of the Year – Jenna Rios, Los Fresnos
Los Fresnos senior Jenna Rios continued where she left off last season to pick up the setter of the year award in back-to-back seasons.
Rios, also the back-to-back District 32-6A setter of the year, had a standout career with over 2,000 career assists.
The senior setter has eyes on colleges and her teammates this season by providing 971 assists and showed her versatility as a setter with 353 digs and 87 aces.