HARLINGEN — When Kristen Resendez gave birth to her son Jack Oliver, she didn’t get what she expected.

Jack, or as some call him Captain Jack, is a beautiful baby with captivating blue eyes and blonde hair.

But Jack, now 8 months old, is not an average healthy baby.

Jack will probably never walk, eat or drink on his own, sit up on his own or talk. He won’t stand or do the many other things healthy children can do.

Jack has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, the most severe type of genetic condition which affects the nerves that control muscle movement, the motor neurons.

What some parents take for granted in other children is an everyday struggle for Jack and Kristen.

SMA robs children of their mobility and freedom.

Jack depends on others for his survival. But it does not affect his ability to think, learn and build relationships with others.

He is very aware of people. Every time Kristen coos or talks in his direction, his eyes light up.

He knows that she is his mommy.

Without medical intervention, most children with this disease don’t live to see their second birthdays.

Jack was officially diagnosed at 7 weeks old, but Kristen said she noticed changes in his mobility at three weeks and even in the womb.

“He was moving like any normal baby and we blinked and he stopped,” she said. “Everything trickled down from there.”

By 10 weeks old, Kristen and Jack were in Dallas seeking treatment.

There, Jack currently is part of a clinical trial where every few weeks doctors will inject medicine into his spine.

The drug is called Nusinersen and it’s the first drug to target the underlying genetic cause of SMA. Jack will receive his last two injections in July and October.

It gives Kristen hope.

As a single mother, dealing with the difficulties of Jack’s disease at times has been rough. But realizing what a blessing Jack has been gets her through those hard times.

“I wish that this didn’t have to happen to Jack or me,” she said. “You got to wake up every day and realize that somebody’s life is more important than yours. I do everything I can for Jack.”

When having a child like Jack, you realize how your life is different.

“You don’t complain about food anymore because Jack can’t eat, you don’t complain about your cold anymore because it takes Jack two months to get over a common cold.

“You don’t complain about your legs being tired because Jack is never going to walk and Jack might never get to say momma,” Kristen said.

“That’s how I look at my life and that’s how I cope. You have to be so much more thankful for what you have.”

It’s sad, but Kristen said Jack’s life is not meaningless. Jack has a brain and he amazes Kristen every day.

“He is so smart and happy, he has done so many things I didn’t think I would see him do,” she said.

“He understands when you talk to him and he has understood for a long time,” Kristen said. “He doesn’t even know that his body is not normal. He doesn’t skip a beat, he hardly cries, he knows my dad’s face, he laughs at my mom and he knows my voice.”

Kristen’s mother, Sylvia, and father, Ramiro, have been a blessing to her and Jack.

“They raised me to be a hard working girl and then I had Jack and work had to take a back seat,” Kristen said. “They have been so awesome. They help me provide for Jack.”

SMA affects approximately one in 10,000 babies, and about one in every 50 Americans is a genetic carrier. It can affect any race or gender.

In June, Kristen will attempt to take Jack to Disneyland in California where they will attend the Cure SMA Conference.

There, Kristen said they can meet other families from around the world who are just like her and Jack.

The conference brings together researchers, health care professionals and families to network, learn and collaborate.

SAN BENITO — If you’re purchasing a commemorative for Memorial Day, you are running out of time.

Friday is the deadline to purchase a brick so it is ready for the May 30 Memorial Day ceremony.

Bricks honoring veterans will be engraved with the name of the honoree, branch of service, rank and era of service.

Events on Memorial Day begin with a solemn, silent March of Veterans at 8:50 a.m. in front of City Hall, 485 N. Sam Houston.

The marchers will receive a police escort down Sam Houston Boulevard to the Veterans War Memorial at 151 E. Rowson, according to event organizer Victor Garza, chairman of the San Benito Veterans Advisory Board.

“This will be a silent march as we take the time to remember those whose blood has been shed, for the lives that have been lost, for the family members who lost loved ones,” Garza said.

All veterans are invited to participate. Military personnel including reservists are also encouraged to attend in uniform.

Veterans are encouraged to wear military uniforms, hats, caps or other symbols of patriotism.

Survivors of veterans are invited to join in the silent march and are asked to carry photographs of their loved ones who served in the military.

Upon arrival at the Veterans War Memorial at 9 a.m., a tribute commemorating the sacrifices of U.S. veterans will be conducted. Patriotic songs will be performed during the ceremony.

Speakers for the ceremony will be announced at a later time.

“We encourage the entire community to join in this event. It is a perfect time for families who lost loved ones, and for anyone who wants to demonstrate their love of country, to come together with us this Memorial Day,” Garza said.

Upgrades on the memorial itself have been ongoing.

The Veterans War Memorial now features two bronze pieces; one commemorates World War II era veterans and the second honors Korean War veterans.

Fundraising efforts through the sale of the commemorative bricks are under way to add a third bronze piece.

It will feature an American Eagle carrying an olive branch as a representation for the desire for peace throughout the world.

HARLINGEN — Valley Proud Environmental Council is proud to announce Valley Impressions, an art show and silent auction organized in conjunction with and held at Beyond Arts Gallery, 114 North A Street, Harlingen.

The opening reception is on May 12 at 6 p.m. at Beyond Arts Gallery. The show will remain open until June 30.

Curator Charles Wallis, along with 10 other artists, will be showing unique pieces that celebrate the mission of Valley Proud. Each artist will contribute a piece of work for a silent auction and will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Valley Proud, a nonprofit organization, to aid in their efforts to preserve the natural beauty and environment of the Rio Grande Valley.

Artists include:

Wallis, a graduate of the Baylor University fine art program, paints in a traditional realistic style as well as impressionistic and abstract styles.

Kirk Clark, who was born in McAllen. He studied sculpture and drawing in the mid-1960s and graduated from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Mark Clark, who commented, “My most notable work as an artist has been to create Galeria 409 in downtown Brownsville, a venue for the artwork of others, and a catalyst for the creation of paintings, sculpture, photography, music, performance art and poetry.”

Barbara German began as a middle school art teacher. She enjoys working in acrylic and mixed media. Each piece of her artwork has a special story or meaning attached.

Nancy Hampton Elliot has been exhibiting primarily in the Brazos Valley for the past seven years. She is a former art educator now working as a full-time artist. She holds a BFA in Visual Art from Auburn University and a teaching certification from Birmingham-Southern College.

Hailey Herrera works in watercolor, watercolor batik, ink and acrylic. Her art has found a home in many private and public collections around the world.

Jessica McBride was born in Edinburg. She studied commercial art and advertising at TSTC in Waco, and began her career in graphic design. After 15 years in the field, McBride shifted her focus to a full-time career in fine arts in 2004.

Jessica Monroe Martinez was born in McAllen. She holds a BA from Southwestern University and studied painting at New York University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. For more than 15 years, Monroe has exhibited her work throughout Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.

Monika Pate was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland, and has a master’s from Warsaw University. Pate works with transparent watercolor. Her artwork is included in private and corporate collections in the United States, Poland and Germany.

Anna Varela was born in Phoenix and her parents settled in South Texas. She said, “Interestingly, my Mexican-American culture has played a significant role in the depiction of the scenes found in my work … in the creation of the characters found in my work; and in the teachings I have conducted.”

Benjamin Varela, born in Brooklyn, New York, is a Puerto Rican artist who has exhibited in Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. In addition, his work is in many public collections.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — The Rio Grande Valley Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists is offering a nature photography workshop for intermediate and advanced photographers.

Conducted by professional nature photographer Ruth Hoyt, well-known in the Valley for excellence in teaching and photographic endeavors, this workshop will offer in-depth discussions on focus, exposure, composition and content.

The workshop will be held at the South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21.

The class will gather Friday evening for Hoyt to get acquainted with the group and the gear being used, and the first classroom lecture. The field photography segment will take place on the scenic dunes and beach of South Padre Island in the early morning to take advantage of the sunrise and morning light.

The in-the-field effort will be immediately followed by additional classroom instruction and dialogue at the Nature Center, with a critiquing session for all participants. Following the late morning classroom segment, lunch will be on your own, with the option to return to the Birding Center boardwalks to incorporate the newly learned techniques.

Space will be limited in the workshop to allow for ample idea exchange and questions.

Registration is required for this workshop. The fee is $150, which includes the Friday evening session, the classroom instruction and the field session with instructors. A block of rooms is reserved at the Ramada Inn for those who wish to stay at the host hotel.

Further details and registration are available on the RGVCTMN website at http://rgvctmn.org/ — click on the Photo Workshop tab — or by calling Heidi Linnemann, committee chair, at 956-787-2872.

Incumbent Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell appears to clearly be headed back to a fourth term in office.

In early voting Boswell collected 1305 votes, more than double all of his opponents.

Jerry Prepejchal has 317 votes, Joe Rubio 127 and Kenneth Benton 122.

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BROWNSVILLE — NextDecade LLC, one of three companies that want to build a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville, on Thursday filed an application with the U.S. Federal Regulatory Commission for authorization to build and operate Rio Grande LNG, the proposed export facility, and Rio Bravo pipeline, a planned 137-mile pipeline to provide natural gas to the plant.

NextDecade said it expects to receive FERC authorization by the end of the first quarter of 2017 and will make a Final Investment Decision — whether or not to build the terminal — also in 2017. If the project moves forward, NextDecade expects to begin exporting LNG by the end of 2020.

Texas LNG, another one of the three companies with plans to export LNG from the port, filed its FERC application in late March.

NextDecade CEO Kathleen Eisbrenner said her company sees a “robust appetite for U.S. LNG on the long-term basis” around the world despite currently low oil and gas prices.

“This interest reaffirms the price competitiveness of U.S. LNG for customers looking to diversify their gas supply on a global level,” she said.

In response to NextDecade’s FERC filing, Jim Chapman of the anti-LNG group “Save RGV From LNG” released a statement describing the company’s plans as “a threat to the local South Padre Island and Port Isabel economy, which is currently thriving and actually supports the entire Rio Grande Valley region.”

“Rio Grande/ NextDecade LNG is touting the 200 jobs they bring, but they don’t talk about the several thousands of existing jobs which will be threatened by massive industrialization and pollution,” he said. “Fishermen, oystermen, shrimpers and beach and nature tourism depend on clean air, clean water and a high-quality fish and wildlife habitat.”

Chapman characterized LNG as “a dangerous business” that uses highly volatile gases to liquefy natural gas in order to transport it overseas. He noted that the terminal would be built 2.7 miles from Port Isabel and, in the event of an explosion, Port Isabel residents would be forced to evacuate.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Cameron County Beach Access No. 4 on South Padre Island is about to undergo a major change as officials plan to build a dune walkover at the location.

The goal of the project is to protect sand dunes and vegetation around the area and give the public easier access to the beach, said Joe Vega, county parks and recreation director. The new dune walkover will be wheelchair accessible.

Right now, “you have to walk over a dune to get to the beach. We wanted to make this access better accessible to our beach visitors and make the boardwalk wheelchair accessible as well,” Vega said.

Similar accesses are available at Isla Blanca Park and county beach access No. 3, Vega said. Construction on the dune walkover at beach access No. 4 should be completed by the first week in August.

The project cost is $160,000, with $96,000 coming from a grant from the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program Cycle 19. The remaining $64,000 will be paid by the county.

“This is part of our improvement plans with the county’s park and recreation that I implemented. We are just trying to improve beach access to our beach visitors,” Vega said.

Vega said the construction equipment already is in place and that the work should begin soon. Orders to the contractors already have been given.

County Judge Pete Sepulveda Jr. said he recently was on South Padre Island with Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, who is committed to the project.

“I know he is committed to this project and to continuing the great partnership between the Texas General Land Office and Cameron County on many other issues we are working on along the coast,” Sepulveda said a press release. “We will continue to work together to improve our facilities, to enhance our landscape, and to provide amenities the public can utilize and easily access for years to come.”

Vega said officials are looking for additional grant money that will allow them to make other improvements at beach access No. 4 — in the future — that would include the construction of restrooms and showers at the location and improve the parking area as well.

Vega said visitors to beach access No. 4 still will be able to gain access to the beach even though there will be construction in the area.

County Precinct 1 Commissioner Sofia Benavides said the project will provide economic development opportunities for the county by attracting more visitors to the area.

“Most importantly it will help preserve and protect the dune system by reducing impacts to the dunes and vegetation,” Benavides said in a press release.

WESLACO — Computers and the cafeteria.

Edouard Tresor Atangana Ndjina, 12, was to the point and humorous this past week when identifying his favorite classes at Armando Cuellar Middle School in Weslaco, where he’s taken a liking to much more than the campus’ access to digital technology and whatever may be on the breakfast or lunch menu.

“I also really like football, but you call it soccer,” Edouard, whose family recently moved from Africa to Weslaco for business, said in French.

Although the sixth grader doesn’t speak English, he’s able to communicate this and more to his teachers at Cuellar using a translator app. It’s not that the method is state-of-the-art or tailor-made — in fact, the app used is available on any smart phone — but its embrace by educators as an acceptable classroom tool that sets Cuellar apart.

Weslaco ISD officials, who have long identified 21st century learning as one of their more prioritized academic goals, say this is in contrast to other school districts where cell use is not allowed during instruction.

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HARLINGEN — Several break-ins have occurred at local restaurants over the past couple weeks.

Police say they have arrested the man accused of breaking into the Las Vegas Cafe in Harlingen.

Currently, police are still trying to identify and locate another in connection with a second burglary.

Alejandro Rodriguez Flores is charged with a felony for burglary of a building, police said. He has been transported to the Harlingen City Jail. His age wasn’t available.

Officers said Flores broke into the popular Mexican restaurant on March 18. Unable to find him, police issued a plea for help from the public. Hours later he was apprehended.

The search for the man who broke into Chapitas Restaurant April 24 and stole $100 from the cash register is still ongoing.

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HARLINGEN — Voters go to the polls today in an election in which Mayor Chris Boswell faces three challengers.

The only contested race for Harlingen City Commission is in District 2. It will be rematch of two opponents who faced each other in 2013 when Commissioner Tudor Uhlhorn took 59 percent of the vote against former commissioner Frank Puente, who had 41 percent.

Boswell, who is running for his fourth term as mayor, faces former City Commissioner Jerry Prepejchal, retired police Lt. Joe Rubio and businessman Kenneth Benton.

Boswell, 57, an attorney who served as city commissioner from 1998 to 2007, amassed more than $29,000 in political contributions to crushingly overspend his opponents.

Boswell said he is running on his record of economic development and job creation.

Prepejchal, a retired single copy sales manager for The Brownsville Herald, served as District 4’s city commissioner from 2009 to 2012.

Calling himself a voice of the people, Prepejchal vowed to help boost small businesses and work to improve the city’s workforce to help draw industry to town.

Rubio, 55, a private investigator who retired as a police lieutenant in 2001, lost to Boswell in 2010.

If elected, Rubio said he would evaluate the city’s funding and staffing, call for an audit to prevent theft and seek more public input into decision-making.

Benton, 63, owner of NorCAM Community Development, lost to Boswell in 2007.

Benton called for an economic development strategy surrounding the aerospace, aeronautics and the biofuel industries.

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