HARLINGEN — Four young men have been arrested after police said they stole beer and other alcoholic beverages.

At approximately 6:56 p.m. Tuesday officers responded to the H-E-B on Expressway 77 in reference to a theft in progress.

Information provided by the caller said two male suspects were inside a vehicle in the parking lot with property and two other men had fled on foot.

Police said the responding officers located and detained all four suspects.

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An investigation revealed the four young men all worked together to steal beer and other alcoholic beverages valued at $63.89, police said.

The stolen property was returned to the store.

The suspects are identified as Austin Durivage, 20, of Edinburg, Nathan Durivage, 19, of Harlingen, Antonio Trejo, 17, of San Benito and Clyde McDowell, 19, of Harlingen. They were arrested and transported to the city jail.

All four were charged each with a Class C misdemeanor theft and a Class B misdemeanor engaging in organized criminal activity.

HARLINGEN — A group of World War II veterans departed from ValleyInternationalAirport yesterday, en route to Washington, D.C., to be honored for their service and sacrifice.

A total of 11 men and women were staging for their Honor Flight departure at the TexasTravelInformationCenter at 2021 W. Harrison Ave.

“It’s a special flight only for World War II veterans for Memorial Day flight,” said Honor Flight of the RioGrandValley’s Lisa Dwyer. “We’re going to meet in Austin with another group and we’ll be up there for a special presentation.”

Dwyer said this is the first flight to be exclusively for World War II veterans for the Valley organization.

“Usually we have World War II, Korea and any other veterans we can get to fill up the flight,” she said. “We’re really focusing on World War II because we really want to make sure they get this experience.

“Unfortunately, we’re losing our World War II vets really quickly,” she added. “And they’re our heroes — big-time.”

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SANTA ROSA — A Santa Rosa man has been sentenced to 70 years in prison for the continuous sexual assault of child.

Fernando Esquivel, 30, a relative of the child, was convicted of sexual abuse of a child: victim under 14 years old.

The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office says the child told her mother and grandmother about the abuse after a counselor from Maggie’s and Monica’s House spoke to the child’s class about good touches and bad touches.

The DA’s office says the abuse started when the child was in the second grade and continued until the she was in third grade.

“I’d like to thank all the counselors and staff and Maggie’s and Monica’s House, who have to deal with these difficult cases on a day to day basis,” said Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz. “They have these difficult conversations with children who suffer the repercussions of abuse. Their expertise in dealing with these children empowers them and gives them the courage to “outcry” about the abuse they have suffered.”

It took the jury just a little over an hour to return the guilty verdict.

Toyota, one of the world’s top automakers and longtime TSTC partner, made its ad slogan, “Let’s go Places” come to life when it handed TSTC the keys to a 2015 Toyota Tacoma valued at $20,000 at a luncheon and press conference on Friday.

Gulf States Toyota, The Friedkin Group and Toyota Texas presented four trucks in all and $250,000 worth of parts to three local high schools – San Benito High School, Gladys Porter Dean High School and PSJA High School – and TSTC’s Automotive Technology program.

The giveaway is all part of Toyota’s commitment to technical education and the next generation of technicians entering the automotive service industry.

“Our goal was simple – to support future technician leaders with best-in-class technology tools in order to drive excellence in our automotive workforce,” said Laird Doran, director of Government Relations for The Friedkin Group, a consortium of automotive, adventure, hospitality and entertainment companies.

Doran handed off the Tacoma keys to Provost Stella Garcia who lauded Toyota’s continued support for technical education and for TSTC.

“Automotive Technology is a necessary and very worthy career and we as educators and industry leaders need to do a better job of promoting technical education opportunities,” said Garcia. “Labor Department data shows that job demand is in technical skills.”

To prove her point, Provost Garcia offered one of the attending high school students, San Benito High School senior Juan Hernandez, a $1000 scholarship. The SkillsUSA Automotive state gold medalist had mentioned he was considering an education at TSTC.

“This is amazing. This makes me aware of all the opportunities that are out there and getting a $1000 scholarship was great. For sure, I’m coming to TSTC now,” said Hernandez.

Also expressing gratitude today, TSTC Industrial and Manufacturing Division Director Adan Gutierrez who points out this donation will be put to good use by TSTC students and their instructors.

“TSTC is all about valuable hands-on and real-world experience. This truck and the parts donated will be used for training purposes – the diagnosis of systems in the vehicle which is equipped with the latest technology,” said Gutierrez. “We’re thankful. This donation shows Toyota’s commitment to supporting a pipeline to workforce.”

TSTC has a long standing partnership and relationship with Toyota.

“Toyota dealerships in the Valley and throughout Texas have been hiring our students for decades. You go to any Toyota dealership in South Texas and you will find TSTC graduates at work,” said Gutierrez. “Our students are fortunate to have opportunities to work for such a great company.”

Toyota made more than $350,000 worth of in-kind and cash donations today to TSTC and the participating high schools. The vehicle and parts donated to TSTC have an estimated worth over $50,000.

For more information on TSTC Automotive Technology Program or to register for TSTC go online at tstc.edu.

RAYMONDVILLE — Veterans groups today placed a granite stone bearing the dates of Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony Aguirre’s birth and death on the small yard where he played as a little boy.

Aguirre was 20 when he was killed Feb. 26, 2007, after a roadside bomb exploded while he was on foot patrol in Iraq’s Al Anbar province.

“I’m real proud,” his father Arturo Aguirre, 78, said after a flag-raising ceremony in front of his home on East Gem Avenue. “When my son passed away, I thought people didn’t care. I thought people forgot. But here, people still remember him.”

About 100 veterans joined community leaders to honor the Marine they hailed as a hometown hero.

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“The stone being unveiled today is a way to help us remember Anthony Aguirre,” state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. told the crowd huddle in front of the Aguirre’s front porch. “It hits at the heart of what this country is all about. We lose our sons and daughters in the act of bringing peace to the world.”

Members of American Legion Post 390 have worked to renovate the 26-foot by 24-foot plywood home where Aguirre’s keeps his son’s memories.

“This is the highlight of my career as a commander of the American Legion,” Commander George Solis said after the ceremony. “By far, this is the most rewarding project we’ve done on the part of a fallen hero.”

TSTC wants former employees and alumni to “come back home.” It’s all part of a statewide effort to reach out to retirees and former students who are part of TSTC history, and as administrators point out, important to its future.

“Retirees and graduates of TSTC are best suited to tell our story. They were part of the TSTC family and know what we mean to industry and the state of Texas. We want these folks to reconnect with the college and help support our growth in this state,” said Harlingen Provost Stella Garcia.

TSTC statewide has graduated over 100,000 people into the workforce in its 50-year history.

According to Human Resources there are well over a hundred Harlingen TSTC retirees, many of them may still be living in the Valley.

“We recently had a Retirees Luncheon and afterwards people called us and said, ’You didn’t invite me,’” said Garcia. “We want to make sure we get these folks on our database. They are a valuable resource for our college and especially our students and we want them to reconnect.”

The Retirees Luncheon was hosted by the TSTC Staff Senate at the suggestion of the Harlingen Make A Texas-Sized Difference Campaign Committee which is helping The TSTC Foundation raise scholarship funds for deserving college students committed to a technical education.

Former TSTC Provost Al Guillen is chairing that committee.

“TSTC gave us and our families so much when we were employed here and now it’s time for us to give back. Every little bit counts. In fact, the college is matching every donation dollar per dollar. Whatever you give will be doubled,” said Guillen. “We are challenging all retirees and alumni to make a donation to this cause and make a difference in the life of a deserving student.”

Rio Grande alumni who attended or graduated from either Texas State Technical Institute or Texas State Technical College at any campus statewide are also encouraged to reconnect by simply making a phone call.

“We are planning an alumnus networking event this summer. We are hoping for large turnout,” said Garcia. “There are so many TSTC graduates out there and we want to bring them together to celebrate their career success and bring them up to date on TSTC growth and opportunities.”

TSTC is also looking for alumni volunteers to help organize the networking event.

All TSTC retirees and alumni are encouraged to be counted by calling the Provost’s office at 956-364-4022 or emailing [email protected].

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Police Department is alerting the public to a recent and new phone scam from callers claiming to be from the IRS.

According to the IRS, aggressive and threatening phone calls made by people claiming to be IRS agents remains a major threat to taxpayers during this 2016 tax season.

The IRS has seen an increase in the telephone scams where callers are threatening police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things.

The police department along with the IRS reminds taxpayers to wary of the con artists.

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS do not give out any personal information. Hang up immediately.

Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to report the call (using “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting”).

Report it to the Federal Trade Commission (add “IRS Telephone Scam”).

Report to local police if needed.

If you know you owe, or think you may owe taxes: call the IRS at 800-829-1040.

The Republicans in the Texas legislature have removed public corruption cases from the Public Integrity Unit headed by the Travis County District Attorney.

The Texas Rangers will now investigate “credible” allegations of corruption by state officials, but prosecution of any charges will now take place in the official’s home county rather than in Travis County.

Why? Well, maybe because: 1. After spending hundreds of thousand of public dollars unsuccessfully chasing a presidential bid, Rick Perry, just before leaving office, gave out more bonuses to his departing aids in one day than he had in the preceding four years combined; or, 2. AG Ken Paxton continued to pay his top three aides after their resignations by putting them on “emergency leave.”

This meant they did not have to report to work while being paid their full salaries and benefits. One aide immediately took a paid position in the failed Ted Cruz campaign for president.

3. Sid Miller, the new Ag Commissioner, took a state paid trip to Oklahoma to get a “Jesus Shot.” He first claimed he was to meet Oklahoma state official’s there, but when this turned not to be true, he had to pony up.

Next, he took another state paid trip to compete in a national rodeo in Mississippi where he won some $880.

He tried to justify the trip by claiming he would try to meet some state official’s there. When no meeting took place, he repaid the state with campaign funds. A no no.

Miller you recall campaigned as fiscal hawk, but in 2015 he splurged for $413,000 in employee bonuses.

4. The Republicans’ newest darling, George P. Bush (Jeb’s son) took over the Land Office and quickly decided to clean house.

He fired over 100 employees. However, fearing being sued for wrongful termination, he offered the departing employees “emergency leave” of up to 4/5 months.

They would receive full salary and benefits (insurance, vacation, sick time, and accrue retirement benefits) without having to report for work provided they agreed not to sue or disclose the written agreement.

Former commissioner Patterson’s director of executive administration was paid more than $40,000 for not working for four months.

With an agency of 600 employees, Bush gave out to departing employees 1,850 days pay valued at $655,000.

So where’s the outrage from our Tea Party and other conservative friends for this outlandish abuse of power?

Melchor Chavez Harlingen

City Manager Dan Serna’s plans to renovate Lon C. Hill Park almost seems laughable. Lon C. Hilll Park is located in a less attractive part of Harlingen, and traffic mainly consists of the park’s neighbors.

More attention should be focused on Harlingen’s Pendleton Park which is located within 2 miles of Harlingen’s Valley International Airport. Thousands of visitors from all over the state and country pass by Pendleton Park upon their arrival to the city, only to see a WWII memorial that appears to be more like giant piles of manure and an insult to Veterans.

Also, Harlingen is fortunate to have The Arroyo Colorado that runs near the center of the city and next to McKelvey Park.

Any other leader at the local level from up north would have jumped on this “gem” to convert McKelvey Park into a “Riverwalk” type setting similar to the one in San Antonio.

Instead, it’s banks run wild with weeds and brush.

It’s about time local leaders do something meaningful to beautify the City of Harlingen.

Rene Castillo San Antonio