RAYMONDVILLE — Less than a week after its opening, Veterans Park is already making way for more parking.

In a meeting today, city commissioners will consider the purchase of two lots to serve as parking areas, City Manager Eleazar Garcia said yesterday.

The 25-foot by 125-foot lots at 936 W. Durango Avenue stand across the street from the sports complex which opened May 18.

Earlier this month, the city paid $4,570 for two 25-foot by 125-foot lots, also located across the street from the park, Garcia said.

Garcia said low prices have led the city to buy the lots.

The sports complex features two lighted playing fields that will host local baseball and softball teams along with tournaments.

The park also features an 8,000-square-foot skate park, a 6,000-square-foot pavilion and a half-mile walking trail with exercise stations.

To fund the project, the city borrowed $1.2 million at interest rates that average 3.53 percent during a 20-year term.

Officials will use Raymondville Economic Development Corporation money to pay off the debt.

Garcia said the city hired subcontractors to save about $300,000.

In 2014, Willacy County commissioners gave the city $250,000 to install 10, 60-foot light poles along the playing fields.

HARLINGEN — Joseph Plomin hopped into his Toyota to drive over to his wife Garnette just like he does every day.

But, yesterday wasn’t just any other day. It was a special day.

The Plomin’s, both 94, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary with their daughter, Janet Hayes, and friends at the Retama Manor Nursing Center.

“The secret is taking care of each other,” Joseph said. “We talk about things and discuss what is happening.”

The two met in Chicago while working at Stewart-Warner manufacturing plant, contracted by the U.S. military during World War II.

Back then, Joseph would take Garnette out on dates in his maroon 1933 convertible Plymouth fitted with white wall tires.

“We had a lot of good times,” Joseph said.

Today Garnette clings to an enlarged heart-shaped pillow to provide comfort from her triple bypass heart surgery she recently had.

Garnette is also legally blind.

Joseph drives to visit Garnette at the center three times a day. He lives a few blocks away at the Camelot Retirement Home.

“For a young girl, she is doing pretty good,” Joseph said.

One of their worst memories they shared was when Garnette received word Joseph was missing in action during World War II.

Plomin served in the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, 10th Battalion, Company B.

Joseph was captured in France when German flamethrowers attacked his company and forced his surrender and held him a prisoner of war.

He did eventually return, but not unscathed.

He lost all feeling in his feet due to the cold weather during the time in the prison camp.

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Berta Cabaza Middle School (BCMS) choirs were among the numerous choirs from throughout the Rio Grande Valley that participated in the annual Texas Music Educators Association Region 28 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Choral Concert and Sight-Reading Contest held at the Harlingen CISD Performing Arts Center.

All of the BCMS students received Division 1 Superior ratings for their concert performance, and the school’s Varsity Boys and Varsity Mixed choirs each earned a coveted “Sweepstakes” trophy for their Division 1 Superior ratings for their concert and sight-reading performances. The award-winning choirs are under the leadership and direction of director Eradio Martinez and assistant director Ezequiel Lyra, both San Benito High School graduates.

According to Martinez, the Berta Cabaza Middle School choirs have now received a total of 11 Sweepstakes awards in the past four years, and they seek to continue this tradition of success for many years to come.

“These awards demonstrate the consistent success that has become attached to the music programs at Berta Cabaza Middle School and San Benito as a whole,” Martinez proudly added.

SAN BENITO – Marriott International Inc. has told city officials they will not build in San Benito.

The $19 million hotel and conference center was to be a big project for the area and sparked much enthusiasm among city officials and the community.

The announcement comes a year after the Economic Development Corporation first announced the project located at 2550 W. Expressway 77/83 on a three acre site.

At that time officials said it would break ground in six months and the current structure demolished, but it never did.

The proposed four-story Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott would have had between 90 to 110 rooms and a resort-style swimming pool.

Despite this upset, city officials remain confident.

“While we are disappointed, we are not giving up in promoting that property for development,” said San Benito Mayor Celeste Sanchez. “We believe that is prime property and area for development and the feasibility study conducted supports our vision.”

For more on the story read Tuesday’s Valley Morning Star.

Harlingen police are trying to identify a man who was struck by two cars Sunday night.

The victim was found in the 1200 block of north Expressway 77 at 10:30 p.m..

Officers say the man was struck by at least two motorists and that one of the drivers fled the accident scene.

The man is listed in critical condition at Valley Baptist Medical Center.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident or can identify the victim to call them at (956) 216-5401 or (956) 425-8477.

Democratic Party Voting Locations

Note Location Change for Voters in Precincts 30, 104

1, 83 – Hon. Bennie Ochoa III County Annex Blvd., 505 Highway 100, Port Isabel

2, 99 – Las Yescas Elementary School, 23413 FM 803, Las Yescas

3, 66 – Los Fresnos Community Center, 204 Brazil St., Los Fresnos

4, 105 – Villarreal Elementary School, 7770 E. Lakeside, Olmito

5 – Victoria Elementary School, 2801 E. 13th St., Brownsville

6 – Career and Technical Education Bldg., 1351 E. Polk St., Brownsville

7 – UTRGV at Brownsville – La Sala Student Union, 650 E. Ringgold St., Brownsville

8 – Resaca Elementary School, 901 E. Fillmore St., Brownsville

9 – Annie Putegnat Elementary School, 730 E. 8th St., Brownsville

10 – Cromack Elementary School, 3200 E. 30th St., Brownsville

11 – Skinner Elementary School, 411 W. St. Charles St., Brownsville

12 – Russell Elementary School, 800 Lakeside, Brownsville

13 – Central Administration Bldg., 708 Palm Blvd., Brownsville

14, 82, 108 – El Jardin Elementary School, 6911 Boca Chica Blvd., Brownsville

15 – R.L. Martin Elementary School, 1701 Stanford St., Brownsville

16 – Villa Nueva Elementary School, 7455 Old Military Road, Brownsville

17 – La Encantada School, 35001 FM 1577, San Benito

18, 22 – Sullivan Elementary School, 900 Elizabeth St., San Benito

19 – San Benito Community Bldg., 210 E. Heywood St., San Benito

20 – Rio Hondo Civic Center, 121 N. Arroyo St., Rio Hondo

21 – Frank Roberts Elementary School, 650 N. Biddle St., San Benito

23, 43, 79, 103 – Community Bldg. Bonita Park, 601 S. Rangerville Road, Harlingen

24 – Santa Maria ISD Administration Bldg. Board Room, 11119 Military Hwy 281, Santa Maria

25 – Los Indios Community Center, 309 E. Heywood, Los Indios

26, 55, 58 – Old Sam Houston Elementary School, 474 Villarreal St., La Feria

27 – Maria Luisa Ruiz Guerra Technology Center, 116 Santa Vista Ave., Santa Rosa

28, 57, 87 – Combes Municipal Complex, 21646 Hand Road, Combes

29, 64, 85 – Wilson Elementary School, 16495 Primera Road, Primera

30, 32, 56, 104 – Vernon Middle School, 125 S. 13th St., Harlingen

31, 41 – Bowie Elementary School, 309 W. Lincoln Ave., Harlingen

33, 39 – Crockett Elementary School, 1406 W. Jefferson Ave., Harlingen

34, 44 – Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church, 2120 N. Ed Carey Drive, Harlingen

35 – Austin Elementary School, 700 E. Austin, Harlingen

36 – Harlingen High School South, 1701 Dixieland Road, Harlingen

37 – J.T. Canales Elementary School, 1811 E. 18th St., Brownsville

38, 97 – Sharp Elementary School, 1439 Palm Blvd., Brownsville

40 – Fred Booth School, 705 Zaragoza St., San Benito

42, 78 – Zavala Elementary School, 1111 North ‘B’ St., Harlingen

45 – Faulk Middle School, 2200 Roosevelt St., Brownsville

46, 86, 101 – Gonzalez Elementary School, 4350 Coffeeport Road, Brownsville

47, 49, 107 – Stell Middle School, 1105 Los Ebanos St., Brownsville

48 – Yturria Elementary School, 2955 W. Tandy Road, Brownsville

50, 109 – Ed Downs Elementary School, 1302 N. Dick Dowling, San Benito

51 – La Paloma Elementary School, 35076 Main St., San Benito

52 – South Padre Island City Hall, 4601 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island

53 – Besteiro Middle School, 6280 Southmost Road, Brownsville

54 – Burns Elementary School, 1974 E. Alton Gloor Road, Brownsville

59 – Port Isabel High School, 18001 Hwy 100, Laguna Heights

60, 69 – Del Castillo Elementary School, 105 Morningside Road, Brownsville

61, 72, 106 – Hudson Elementary School, 2920 FM 802, Brownsville

62 – James Pace High School, 314 W. Los Ebanos Blvd., Brownsville

63 – Oliveira Middle School, 444 Land O’ Lakes Drive, Brownsville

65 – Las Palmas Housing Project Community Room, Highway 100 & Orive Blvd., Los Fresnos

67 – Laguna Vista – City Hall Board Room, 122 Fernandez St., Laguna Vista

68, 102 – Rivera High School, 6955 FM 802, Brownsville

70 – Brownsville Public Library – Southmost Branch, 4320 Southmost Road, Brownsville

71 – Perkins Middle School, 4750 Austin Road, Brownsville

73 – Brownsville Country Club Golf Center, 1800 W. San Marcelo Blvd., Brownsville

74 – Cameron Park Community Center (El Centro Cultural), 2100 Gregory Ave., Brownsville

75 – Garden Park Elementary School, 855 Military Highway, Brownsville

76 – Hanna High School, 2615 Price Road, Brownsville

77 – Garza Elementary School, 200 Esperanza Lane, Brownsville

80 – Gutierrez Middle School, 3205 W. Wilson Road, Harlingen

81 – Rio Hondo High School, 22547 State Hwy 345, Rio Hondo

84 – Long Elementary School, 2601 N. 7th St., Harlingen

95 – Dora Romero Elementary, 9705 Cajun Blvd., Brownsville

96 – Perez Elementary School, 2514 Shidler Drive, Brownsville

98 – Benavidez Elementary School, 3101 McAllen Road, Brownsville

100 – Olmito Elementary School, 2500 Arroyo Blvd., Brownsville

Republican Party Voting Locations

1, 59, 67, 83 – Port Isabel City Hall, 305 E. Maxan St., Port Isabel

2, 20, 81, 99 – Rio Hondo High School, 22547 State Hwy 345, Rio Hondo

3, 65, 66 – Los Fresnos Community Bldg., 204 N. Brazil St., Los Fresnos

4, 95, 100 – Villarreal Elementary School 7700 E. Lakeside Blvd., Olmito

5, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 38, 46, 47, 48, 49, 62, 63, 71, 75, 76, 96, 97, 98, 107 – Brownsville Public Li-brary, 2600 Central Blvd., Brownsville

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 37, 45, 53, 60, 69, 70, 77 – Southmost Public Library, 4320 Southmost Road, Brownsville

14, 68, 82, 86, 102, 108 – Rivera High School, 6955 FM 802, Brownsville

17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 40, 50, 51, 109 – San Benito Community Bldg., 210 E. Heywood St., San Benito

23, 33, 36, 41, 43, 79 – Bonita Park Community Center, 601 S. Rangerville Road, Harlingen

24, 26, 55, 58 – Old Sam Houston Elementary School, 474 Villarreal, La Feria

27 – Maria Luisa Ruiz Guerra Tech., 116 Santa Vista Ave., Santa Rosa

28, 29, 57, 64, 80, 85, 87 – Gutierrez Middle School, 3205 W. Wilson Road, Harlingen

30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 44, 103, 104 – Vernon Middle School, 125 S. 13th St., Harlingen

39, 42, 56, 78, 84 – Zavala Elementary School, 1111 North ‘B’ St., Harlingen

52 – South Padre Island City Hall, 4601 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island

54, 61, 72, 73, 74, 101, 105, 106 – Burns Elementary School, 1974 E. Alton Gloor Road, Brownsville

The primary runoff elections are coming to a close tomorrow — and afterward Cameron County will have new leadership.

As voters cast ballots for their choice of the next Cameron County judge, several local politicians have chosen sides, backing either former Brownsville mayor Eddie Treviño or former county commissioner Precinct 4 Dan Sanchez.

Voters will determine tomorrow which of the two could be the next Cameron County judge. There is no Republican challenger for the position.

The list of Sanchez supporters includes District 1 Brownsville City Commissioner Ricardo Longoria Jr., Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell, South Padre Island Mayor Barry Patel and Port Isabel Mayor Juan Jose Zamora.

Treviño has received public endorsements from Brownsville City Commissioners Cesar De Leon and Jessica Tetraeu, County Commissioner Pct. 2 Alex Dominguez and former county commissioner Pct. 4 Edna Tamayo.

Endorsements do not make or break a race for whichever candidate has more, said Anthony Knopp, professor emeritus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

“That’s always the mystery. If we could quantify (elections), then we’d know exactly what to do when you go into a political campaign,” Knopp said.

Sanchez has previously said there is a lot of potential funding the county can tap into if the Rio Grande Valley comes together to form a regional metropolitan planning organization.

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HARLINGEN — The bite is definitely worse than the bark.

Dog bites are taking a chunk of money from homeowner’s liability insurance as settlement claims soared to more than $570 million in 2015, accounting for one-third of all homeowner’s liability payouts, a new study says.

Texas ranks No. 5 in total bite claims with 688, and the settlement cost for each bite averaged $30,241.

The report from the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit insurance industry numbers-cruncher, said the average cost per claim nationwide has risen more than 94 percent since 2003.

“You never expect your dog to bite someone, but you never know when a 2-year-old will get in your dog’s face … or somebody will just scare your dog,” said Mark Hanna, spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas.

“What’s surprising is the cost these days,” he added. “That’s pretty serious, and if that were to come out of your back pocket, that’s a pretty good chunk of money.”

The study was released to coincide with Dog Bite Awareness Week. It serves as a reminder that while a dog may indeed be man or woman’s best friend, even good friends can cost you.

“The majority of dog bites come from dogs we already know, and the largest groups are children and the elderly,” said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University and executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

“Dogs not raised with good social skills can become dogs that bite,” Beaver said. “Owners need to be able to read their dog’s body language. Don’t assume that a dog won’t bite.”

The rise in the payouts for dog bites isn’t just for the tooth marks left behind, the study says.

The trend of higher payouts is linked to what else happened when the dog bite occurred, and the study cited things like dogs knocking down children, bicyclists or the elderly. Often these cases result in fractures or blunt-force trauma injuries which raise the cost of the bite.

“Everyone’s fortunate if you have a homeowner’s policy and that inside that policy is a liability portion that is going to protect you if your dog bites somebody,” Hanna said.

Many insurance companies don’t have policies on dog ownership, or even what breed of dog a policy-holder owns, said Loretta Worters, vice president of communications for the insurance institute.

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HARLINGEN — Since the advent of text messaging, riding a motorcycle on Rio Grande Valley roadways has gotten even more dangerous than it already was, biker David “Dawg” Delnay said.

“I’ve been riding for 42 years — half a million miles — and it’s dangerous out there,” said Delnay, a Harlingen resident.

“Ever since we got text messaging, I’ve been ridden off the road, forced out of a lane or forced to the shoulder by texters or phone talkers dozens of times. They’re kind of like in a zone. You’ve got to be very defensive.”

Trinidad Flores, also of Harlingen and a 40-year biker, said he’s had biker friends die in crashes with drivers since moving here eight years ago from San Antonio.

“The main thing is to keep your eyes open,” he said. “People like to drive down the road looking right and looking left every couple of seconds. Something can happen in a matter of a split second.”

May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, a time when the Texas Department of Public Safety reminds drivers to use extra caution around motorcycles on the roadways.

Delnay, a past president and road captain of the Confederation of Valley Motorcycle Clubs, said road safety is the responsibility of bikers as well as drivers. While everyone understands that motorcycles are inherently more dangerous than cars or trucks, there are things bikers can do to lower their risk.

“I tend to dress in more brightly colored clothes so I’m highly visible,” Delnay said. “The riders need to maintain lane positioning. A big part of it is to stand out and to always be looking ahead.”

Use of mirrors and proper hand signaling also are important, he said.

Delnay supports the current law prohibiting lane-splitting and is a big advocate of helmets. He said he’s been in four serious crashes, three caused by other drivers and one due to mechanical failure. Many bike clubs now recommend that their members wear full-face helmets and full-body protection, he said.

Delnay said he supports the DPS recommendation that all drivers “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles,” which is the Texas Department of Transportation’s public awareness campaign highlighting motorcycle safety.

“Look twice and save a life — and don’t text and drive. The life you save could be your own,” Delnay said.

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