SAN BENITO — The San Benito Chamber of Commerce has come a long way.

It went from being a defunct and nameless entity to a full-running chamber, complete with a board and now newly appointed executive director, a position that was recently created.

The working entity now has almost 100 members.

Yesterday, the spotlight was on the chamber’s new executive director, Sandee Alvarez, who participated in the chamber’s weekly “Morning Coffee” session.

Rather than talking at guests, Alvarez proposed to have a conversation instead.

Alvarez previously worked for the city for 13 years as Community Grants and Programs director and Housing Program Specialist before that.

Now, she looks forward to working with the chamber and conquering the challenges the chamber faces as a relatively new entity.

“It’s obviously going to be difficult to take on but I am looking forward to it. We all have hopes and I really believe that it is going to grow,” she said.

“We all have the same dream and the same hope that San Benito will prosper.”

Part of Alvarez’s job is making sure that’s exactly what happens, especially the prosperity of the business community.

“Just knowing that the businesses here have somewhat of a distaste for the earlier chamber, there is a lot of skepticism of what we’re doing and how,” said Chamber Board President Lionel Betancourt.

“It’s going to take some real pavement to get everybody back on board. We have had to overcome a few things.”

With Sandee coming on board, Betancourt said businesses have already inquired about how they can join the chamber.

Just the mere fact that we made this change and it was a good change with a very positive person has sparked additional interest in the community, he said.

What she wants to do is get the business community excited about becoming participating members of the chamber.

As the new director, she plans to cultivate better working relationships between businesses and the city.

As a former city employee, she said that will work in her favor.

“I’ve worked for the city and I know where to point people if they need help,” she said.

“I believe my experience with the city and being familiar with the system will help.”

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South senior Adey Awah is a model student.

He’s Top 10 in his class, is spoken highly of as an athlete by all his coaches and seems to have it all figured out.

Now, after earning the Terry Foundation Scholarship, Awah will get to attend Texas A&M University with out any worries.

“The scholarship meant a lot to me because without it, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to attend Texas A&M,” Awah said. “Once I was awarded, it was a weight off my shoulders. I didn’t have to worry my mother about the money for it, nor would I have to think of ways I would have to pay for it all — it was a blessing.”

The Terry Foundation’s goal is to improve and develop the state of Texas by assisting qualified students in attending the state’s top universities.

This spring, more than 990 seniors applied and were interviewed and 475 scholarships were awarded, totaling $8.2 million.

So, essentially, being a recipient means a full ride, but it’s a long process filled with waiting and interviews.

For the South senior, it was a nerve-wracking process.

“I waited almost a month before I heard back and, for a moment, I didn’t think I had gotten it,” Awah said. “Then, during a science day at school, I checked my emails during a break and found out there was an interview date arranged for me.”

There was a lot of competition for the scholarships, but fit the bill.

He is a team captain in football and track and field, involved with community service projects and is active in extra curricular activities.

In the end, a nervous Awah walked into his interviews and just went with the flow.

“I was excited, but as the interview neared, I told myself maybe I’m not ready,” he explained. “I wondered what they were going to ask. All I knew was to be prepared to talk about myself, so that was hard.

“When I came into the interview, it helped that they were Terry Scholars themselves. I was just myself and had a conversation.”

Now, Awah hopes to live up to what the Terry Scholarship is all about.

He will head to Texas A&M and study bio chemistry and upon completion, will enroll in the pharmacy program.

Ultimately, Awah is hoping to study nuclear pharmacy and become a doctor of sports medicine and follow in his family’s footsteps.

“My whole family is in the medical field in someway,” Awah said.

“Being able to help people in their daily lives is intriguing to me. I always wanted to do something that allowed me to better someone’s life.”

HARLINGEN — When Priscilla Claudio of Harlingen had her second child at Harlingen Medical Center, she never thought she would be breastfeeding her baby for 19 months – even after she went back to work.

Claudio, age 35, says she feels that her baby girl Emma is getting nature’s best nutrition because she is still nursing her with breast milk.

“I never anticipated going this long with breastfeeding, but I’m very excited that I’ve been able to, because it’s the best nutrition for the baby,” Claudio said.

Ms. Claudio noted that several studies have shown that breast milk helps protect newborn babies from various health conditions. In addition, Ms. Claudio said breastfeeding promotes closeness between mom and baby.

Eight weeks after her baby was born, Claudio went back to work. Fortunately for her, it was her very special job as a nurse and breastfeeding educator at Harlingen Medical Center which helped her in her quest to continue breastfeeding her baby. Her own positive experience with breastfeeding is allowing Claudio to encourage other new mothers at the hospital to give breastfeeding a try with their newborn babies.

“When I talk to the patients about breastfeeding, they want to try it. We lead by example,” Claudio said.

Extensive knowledge of breastfeeding is also imparted to new mothers at Harlingen Medical Center by Claudio and her fellow breastfeeding educator at the hospital, Jenny Diaz, RNC, IBCLC. Both Claudio and Ms. Diaz were recently certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

To achieve this board certification, Claudio and Diaz prepared for over a year for a rigorous exam which is administered across the world in July.

“It’s an international exam,” Claudio said. “Austria received their results first, and in the United States we had to wait three months to be notified that we had passed, in September. It was so exciting that I cried!”

In addition to the lactation certification, Diaz was previously certified as a Breastfeeding Counselor by Prepared Childbirth Educators, Inc.

“We encourage mothers to breast feed, and we teach them about what we call skin-to-skin breastfeeding with their baby,” Diaz said. “The purpose of skin-to-skin is to encourage breastfeeding by placing the baby on mom’s chest area as soon as possible after birth. This also helps to make the bonding closer between mom and baby.”

In fact, the first hour after the baby is born, “the golden hour,” is the most critical time to encourage breastfeeding. Recognizing this, the labor-and-delivery nurses at Harlingen Medical Center perform many of their assessments of the baby while the baby is in mom’s arms. The nurses may take the baby a few feet away for five minutes or so to weigh the newborn and get the baby’s footprints, but then they put the baby “back on mom’s tummy right away,” Diaz said.

Harlingen Medical’s two certified lactation consultants also share valuable information with new moms – including practical information on how they can get an electric breast pump for free in many cases, either through their health insurance or, for those who qualify, through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

New mothers often call Diaz or Claudio for support as they learn to breastfeed. And all new mothers at Harlingen Medical Center can learn about breastfeeding in advance by attending free childbirth preparation classes which Claudio teaches on the last Saturday morning of every month, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, in the HMC Medical Office Building Conference Room. To learn more about the breastfeeding and childbirth classes, and the Women’s Center at Harlingen Medical Center, please call (956) 365-1139, or visit www.harlingenmedicalcenter.com/Services/Womens-Center.aspx.

In addition, Harlingen Medical Center will host a free two-day workshop on breastfeeding June 29-30. The event will be sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services, and will be free and open to nurses, social workers, and new mothers. For more information or to register for the breastfeeding conference, please call the HMC Education Dept. at (956) 365-1034 or e-mail [email protected].

HARLINGEN/BROWNVILLE – The second annual “Red Ball” to benefit education to fight strokes or “brain attacks” in the Valley will be held on Saturday evening, June 4, 2016 at the Venezzia Events Center, located next to the Brownsville Events Center at Five Event Center Drive in Brownsville.

The black-tie event will be an elegant evening featuring food and beverages and musical entertainment provided by the ChocoBanda. In addition, there will be a short program featuring Valley residents who have survived stroke.

“For the second year in a row, Cameron County cities are joining forces together with the American Heart Association American Stroke Association for a united local effort to fight stroke,” said Teri Retana, Market Director of Marketing for Valley Baptist Health System, which is serving as presenting sponsor for the charity event. “Sponsorship and support of this event will be used locally to help stop stroke … this is an opportunity for Valley residents, medical professionals, and the business community to come together, to help make stroke preventable, treatable and beatable, right here at home.”

Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease which affects the arteries leading to the brain and the arteries within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, and that part of the brain starts to die.

Each year in the United States, more than 795,000 people suffer a stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States – and a leading cause of disability. In the Valley, many residents are at risk of stroke because of high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Proceeds from the “Red Ball” event to stop stroke will benefit local educational efforts of the American Heart Association American Stroke Association. Those who would like more information and ticket information on the gala may call (956) 893-0534 or (956) 307-9966 (leave message) or e-mail [email protected]. Tickets are also available at the First Community Bank locations in San Benito (at 1151 W. Business Highway 77, near HEB) and in Brownsville at 470 East Morrison Road (across the street from Target).

Information is also available on Facebook at “The Red Ball-Benefitting Education to Stop Stroke in the RGV.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

It’s important for Valley residents to know the following warning signs of stroke and teach them to others – because with stroke, every second counts:

* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body

* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

* Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Stroke is a medical emergency – call 911 immediately if you or someone you know experiences symptoms. Learning to recognize the warning signs of stroke and acting quickly when they occur can mean the difference in surviving a stroke and minimizing long-term disability, or being physically and mentally devastated and dying from stroke.

HARLINGEN — A young La Feria couple was arrested after police say they bought drugs in front of their child.

At approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday, officers were on the 600 block of S. Lewis Lane investigating a robbery.

Officers say Omar Ybarra Jr., 18, told them a man armed with a gun approached him in the parking lot and demanded money.

A further investigation revealed Ybarra and a woman identified as Sonia Karina Gonzalez-Ramon, 20, were in the parking lot buying drugs from someone, police said.

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Investigators say the couple’s one-year-old son was present during the drug buy and subsequent robbery, placing him in imminent danger.

Both were arrested and transported to the city jail.

Ybarra was arraigned on abandoning/endangering a child, possession of a controlled substance and having a prohibited substance in a correctional facility. His bond was set at $100,000.

Ramon was arraigned on abandoning/endangering a child, with bond set at $5,000.

HARLINGEN — Jose Cisneros and his younger brother Adrian burn their free time writing legendary lyrics for their punk rock band called Punk-69.

And they are not lying when they say they’ve won back-to-back competitions at the battle of the bands hosted at the House of Blues in Houston.

This Saturday they will be performing a free concert live at the Harlingen Elks Lodge from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. located at 1426 S. Commerce Street.

“It was great performing at the battle of the bands in Houston,” said Jose Cisneros, guitar player for Punk-69.

For more on Punk-69 read Thursday’s Valley Morning Star.

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HARLINGEN — The next Trash-Off Day may have added significance due to the Zika virus.

The next community junk day is scheduled for June 11 at Casa de Amistad at 1204 Fair Park Blvd. from 8 to 11 a.m.

The threat of Zika virus transmitted by mosquitoes means people should bring in any used tires that have been sitting outside.

Zika virus causes birth defects in infants, can cause fever and joint pain and has been linked to the paralyzing syndrome called Guillain-Barre.

There is no vaccine or cure.

Esmeralda Guajardo, Cameron County health administrator, said earlier this year it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when Zika becomes widespread in the Rio Grande Valley.

To date, Texas has recorded more than 30 cases of travel-related Zika virus.

The Zika virus is transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in the Valley. This species of mosquito can be identified by its small size, the white stripes on its legs and its habit of biting during daylight hours.

One of its favorite breeding sites is stagnant water found in old tires piled outdoors.

Harlingen residents can drop off up to four tires at Casa de Amistad during Trash-Off Day.

On the previous Trash-Off Day, held in March, 6.7 tons of debris was dropped off for recycling or removal, including 100 tires.

As always, however, there are some rules with Trash-Off Day.

Anyone who wants to drop off items must be a Harlingen resident and prove it by showing a current water bill and valid identification.

Second, no contractors are allowed: It’s residential only.

Third, trash must be delivered by car or truck and trailer only.

Suggested items for the trash pile are furniture, appliances (nothing with Freon, so no air-conditioners), tires and electronic devices.

What isn’t going to be accepted are hazardous waste, paint in liquid form, concrete, batteries, motor oil or brush and tree limbs.

Volunteers will be on hand to help residents unload debris and trash from vehicles.

Mike Morath, Texas Education Commissioner, toured three Valley schools today including the Harlingen School for Health Professions.

He spoke in a casual, conversational manner with school officials and students alike. Students from Treasure Hills Elementary sutured banana peelings to demonstrate what they’d learned from student mentors at HSHP.

He also said he was glad to see the partnerships between business and education and the rest of the community.

For more on his visit read Thursday’s Valley Morning Star.

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Mr. Juan Gonzalez has mentioned $32 trillion (in off-shore accounts) in a couple of his letters to the VMS. He states it in a way that makes it seem like it’s US corporations that have all that cash stashed away.

To doubt there are some corporations and individuals that are guilty of doing that to avoid the tax-man. So, I looked it up.

This is what I found when I googled, “$32 trillion in offshore accounts”. (There are numerous articles) From a www.forbes.com article, “If you want to crack down on $32 trillion in offshore tax havens, lower taxes for the ultra-rich” which states, “Most of the biggest tax dodgers, according to the report, come from the world’s poorest countries.”

I cannot help but wonder if one of the two wealthiest men in world, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim might be one of those tax dodgers?

The estimated $21 trillion to $32 trillion that is stashed away includes corporations and individuals from all over the world, not just America as Mr. Sanchez led us to believe.

The truth is that there is greed at every level of income. A person may have $10 dollars and love money, or $10 billion and love money.

You reckon that’s why the Bible says, “For the love of money (not the money itself) is the root of all evil …” (1st Timothy 6:10 KJV).

Bottom line is that the more any corporation, business, or individual is taxed, the more likely it is that they will look for a means or a place that will allow them to keep more of their income.

Why can one suppose that many corporations, businesses, and millions of individuals have fled high tax states like California and New York?

Some corporations like Boeing relocated to S. Carolina and other corporations and individuals have moved to Texas which has lower taxes and no state income tax to avoid paying high taxes.

Think about it, higher taxes means businesses will reloate. No business means no jobs.

Think about this also, Democrats and RINOS are always for raising everyone’s taxes.

N. Rodriguez Harlingen

MERCEDES — Hernan Gonzalez didn’t mince words in his defense of supporting the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show.

The executive director of the Development Corporation of Mercedes recently admitted to being taken aback by criticism from City Commissioner Jose Gomez over the corporation’s monetary support of the event.

Specifically, the corporation granted $300,000 to assist the stock show with $2.5 million worth of upgrades, which will include a parking lot expansion to accommodate nearly 4,000 vehicles as well as drainage and lighting improvements.

“Obviously the stock show is a big part of Mercedes and a big part of our identity, so the improvements being done would make the venue better,” Gonzalez said.

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“But it’s a misunderstanding of the value of the stock show to narrow its impact to a 10-day event, even though it’s the only 10-day event south of San Antonio. I see a regional venue used year-round because it has a tremendous location, and with improvements to the parking and drainage, it will help attract more events to the stock show grounds.”

Gomez’s concerns, however, focused more on the show’s impact on the local business community as well as the discussion to approve the funding being held in executive session at a recent commission meeting.

“My thing is transparency, and it wasn’t put in the regular agenda,” Gomez said. “It was discussed in executive session, and to me, people should know what we’re doing with their money. It doesn’t matter how they put it or slice it, when it’s discussed behind closed doors, the public doesn’t have an opportunity to know what’s going on.”

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