SAN BENITO — Aside from one bad inning, the San Benito Greyhounds were defensively prepared for the Edinburg Bobcats.

With Edinburg pitcher John Gonzales on the mound, however, it wouldn’t matter.

The San Benito lineup just couldn’t figure Gonzales out, leading to a 14 strikeout no-hitter and a 5-1 Edinburg victory in Game 1 of their best-of-three bi-district series Friday night in San Benito.

“I saw that San Benito was looking for the off-speed so I just tried to work the fast ball more than anything,” Gonzales said. “I just tried to overpower them with my fast ball.”

In addition to 14 Ks, Gonzalez walked four batters on the night for Edinburg.

Full story at RGVSports.com

KINGSVILLE — In what would have to have been the most important softball game in school history, the Santa Rosa Lady Warriors came out flat in Game 1 of their area-round playoff series against Odem.

The Lady Owls delivered an impressive 11-1 victory in five innings over the Lady Warriors on Friday evening at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville softball field to take a 1-0 series lead.

The Lady Warriors were held to just a single hit as the Lady Owls’ junior ace Mia Auster threw six strikeouts, walked three and held Santa Rosa to just one run.

“From the very first play I could tell we were nervous,” said Santa Rosa head coach Erica Molina. “I already knew Odem had good pitchers and good hitters, and I think we were just intimidated by her. We’re not going to do much with no hits and seven errors.

“I told the girls, it’s not over, come out fighting tomorrow and lets compete. That’s all I can ask.”

Full story at RGVSports.com

BROWNSVILLE — A newly-designated Main Street city, Brownsville was visited by the First Lady of Texas, Cecilia Abbott, yesterday.

An annual tradition of the Texas Main Street Program, Abbott conducted her First Lady’s Main Street Tour. Abbott was accompanied by Texas State Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. and several Texas Historical Commission representatives.

THC Chairman John Nau III and THC Executive Director Mark Wolfe were present. Brownsville city commissioners and members of the Main Street Advisory Board also were in attendance.

The event was held at 2:30 p.m. on an outdoor stage at 1301 E. Madison St. Taking place in front of the Cueto Building, a restored building and historical landmark, Abbott remarked about the importance of Brownsville’s accomplishment and welcomed the city into the program.

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HARLINGEN — It’s election day.

Residents can make their voices heard, in this case deciding who will be a trustee for the Harlingen school district.

Two candidates, Eladio Jaimez, 39, and Rosalinda Mercado-Garza, 43, are running for Place 7. Incumbent Greg Powers, Place 3, is running unopposed.

Jaimez, who was born and raised in Harlingen, said he’d like to continue being an advocate for the district’s children. He also wants to support community members who don’t have children in the district’s schools.

Jaimez comes from a journalism background. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas-Pan American. He spent 12 years as a reporter for the Valley Morning Star, and then worked as a communications specialist for TexasStateTechnicalCollege. He’s currently the communications consultant at AEP Texas.

Mercado-Garza came to the United States from Mexico as an infant, graduated from HarlingenHigh School in 1992 and moved into Sunny Glen Children’s Home at age 17.

She holds a doctorate of philosophy in curriculum and instruction. She was in the Houston area for several years and has served as a teacher, a principal, assistant principal and a superintendent. She’s now chief executive officer of E-Colors in Education, Inc.

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HARLINGEN — Selena Lemus was driving home after class one day. While heading down Jackson Avenue in McAllen, everything became blurry.

A driver slammed into her car from the rear at a speed of 40 miles per hour.

Lemus, 21, was suffering from a concussion after her head whipped the steering wheel.

She said the driver was distracted from the road for text messaging while driving.

Yesterday, Lemus gave her testimony about the importance of wearing seat belts as the Texas Department of Transportation launched it’s annual statewide Click It or Ticket Campaign and awareness tour.

She told the news media if she had not been wearing her seat belt, she might have died that day.

Police departments across the nation will step up the “Click It or Ticket”

enforcement efforts from May 23 through June 5.

“With Memorial Day weekend and the summer vacation season approaching, we’re urging people to buckle their seat belts every time they get in their vehicle,” said James Bass, TxDOT executive director. “Every person in a vehicle front seat or back seat needs to buckle up. Not only is it the law, but seat belts save lives.”

Last year in Texas, 2,370 vehicle crashes involving unrestrained occupants resulted in 889 fatalities and 1,854 serious injuries. Wearing a seat belt helps keep occupants from being ejected in a crash and increases the chances of surviving by 45 percent.

“Click It or Ticket,” said Trooper Johnny Hernandez. “We’re going to make sure everyone is safely belted.”

Hernandez said between Hidalgo and Cameron counties, 3,500 tickets for no seat belt were handed out last year, and that’s too many in his book.

“This has already been a law that has been in effect for a long time,” Henandez said. “It’s a law and everybody has to comply with it because it’s going to save lives.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that since its inception, the “Click It or Ticket” campaign in Texas has resulted in 4,687 fewer traffic fatalities while preventing 79,578 serious injuries.

When “Click It or Ticket” launched in 2002, only 76 percent of Texans used their seatbelts. Today, nine out of 10 Texans buckle up.

In Texas, the law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs up to $200.

Children younger than 8 years old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet, 9 inches.

BY Amanda Sotelo

Texas State Technical College graduate and Brownsville native Adrian Cisneros, spoke with students during the Fifth Annual Agriculture Expo recently hosted by TSTC’s Career Services, the United States Customs and Border Protection and the United States Department of Agriculture at the Student Center VIP Room.

Students from Agriculture Technology and Biology were in attendance to speak to Cisneros and the 13 other agencies on hand who provided displays and information about internships and career paths.

“It feels good being back at TSTC and being able to speak to the students who are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture,” said Cisneros. “They’re our future in the industry and it’s nice to help them in any way we can.”

Cisneros, 23, graduated from TSTC in August 2012 with an associate degree in Agriculture Technology. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in General Agriculture from Texas A&M Kingsville in 2014. He is now employed with USDA in Los Indios as a Plant Protection and Quarantine Technician.

In his new job role, Cisneros inspects plant products that come from Mexico, does insect imaging and other inspections needed at all borders and ports of entry in the Rio Grande Valley.

“The hands-on experience I received at TSTC not only prepared me for this job, but also for the university,” said Cisneros. “It allowed me to follow in my parents footsteps and be ready for anything that comes my way in the field. I learned a lot.”

Agriculture has been a career that Cisneros has been interested in pursuing since a young age. He grew up on a ranch with his parents, helping them manage crops, such as sorghum, and taking care of the cattle.

“TSTC changed my life. It gave me the opportunity to follow my dream of working in agriculture,” said Cisneros. “I’m really proud to call myself a TSTC graduate.”

Cisneros hopes to one day become an officer in the USDA and eventually a supervisor.

“Cisneros does a great job for us, he’s a great asset,” said Elias Gonzalez Jr., USDA officer in charge at the Los Indios Plant Inspection Station. “This position is a great chance for him to learn everything and in the future apply for an officer position.”

Gonzalez said Cisneros had worked at USDA during an internship through the USDA’s STEP UP Career Success Program, in which Gonzalez realized TSTC had definitely prepared Cisneros well for a professional career in agriculture.

The STEP UP program is a USDA-funded project to attract, support and train South Texas students for careers in agricultural and natural resource-related sciences. Five post-secondary institutions, including TSTC work closely with the USDA to provide students with hands-on experience in careers in agriculture, biological and environmental sciences through internships.

“I encourage all students to keep up their grades and not be afraid of applying for internships,” said Cisneros. “My internship helped me greatly. USDA careers are very competitive and this gives you a (hiring) edge.”

For more information on Agriculture Technology and the STEP UP program call 956-364-4639.

Registration for summer and fall 2016 begins April 4. You can apply and register anytime at tstc.edu.

HARLINGEN — The migration of pink flamingos is here in all its glory.

Before you start knocking over the furniture in a scramble to find your binoculars, or speed-dialing the rare bird hotline, maybe a little explanation is in order.

“Actually it’s a fundraiser that Young Life does, and we’ve been doing it for a couple years now to raise funds for kids to go to camp,” Stephen Robinson of Young Life Harlingen said earlier this week.

“We have a number of kids from the Valley and we have teams of volunteers who go into schools, middle and high school, to try and mentor these kids and pregnant teen moms,” Robinson added. “A lot of them have never been to a summer camp before in their lives, much less one out of the Valley.”

Young Life is an evangelical Christian ministry based in Colorado, although the organization has a global reach today. The ministry was founded in Dallas in 1941 by Presbyterian minister Jim Rayburn.

Robinson said Young Life Harlingen has been running flamingo “flocks” for a couple years now.

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BY Amanda Sotelo

Many students describe Joe Garza as an inspiration, a confidant and mentor earning him the recognition of TSTC Club Advisor of the Year for Texas State Technical College for the second year in a row.

The Intramurals Sports Club advisor was honored with his award during the Student Leadership Banquet hosted recently by the Student Government Association.

“While I’m honored to have received this award, this is a team win,” said Garza. The students do all the work and this is all about them.”

For Garza, TSTC’s Intramurals Supervisor, everything is about teamwork and working together, which has been his perspective throughout his career. Before coming to TSTC, he was a kinesiology teacher and football coach for 30 years for the Brownsville Independent School District.

“Coaching is my dream job,” said Garza. “I was lucky to do what I love and then find something after retirement that gives me the same satisfaction.”

After retiring from coaching and teaching, Garza said he was not looking for another job, but when he came across the assistant supervisor position at TSTC he decided to apply.

Garza has now been with TSTC for seven years. He was first assistant supervisor, then he was promoted to Intramurals Supervisor in 2011.

“We’re so glad he’s here at TSTC,” said Priscilla Hernandez, TSTC Intramural Sports Club secretary. “His positivity and continuous effort to guide us really touches everyone’s lives.”

It was Hernandez and her peers who nominated Garza for Advisor of the Year.

“His experience and lessons are invaluable to us,” said Hernandez. “Former students still come back to visit him and that says a lot about who he is as a person. He’s done so much for us, this is the least we could do.”

The Intramurals Sports Club also received TSTC Student Club of the Year and member Angel Gutierrez got TSTC Student of the Year.

“We’re always shooting for number one,” said Garza. “We have a fantastic club and successful students. They make my job so rewarding.”

For more information on the TSTC Wellness and Sports Center and the Intramurals Sports Club call 956-364-4340.

HARLINGEN — Selena Lemus was driving home after school on Jackson Avenue in McAllen when she remembers everything becoming blurry.

Lemus, 21, was suffering from a concussion after her head hit the steering wheel after her car was hit from behind by a driver going 40 mph.

She said the other driver was texting and driving and became distracted.

On Friday Lemus told her story about the importance of wearing seat belts. She told the news media if she had not been wearing her seat belt she might have died that day.

“With Memorial Day weekend and the summer vacations season approaching, we’re urging people to buckle their eat belts every time they get in their vehicle,” said James Bass, Texas Department of Transportation executive director. “Every person in a vehicle – front seat or back seat – needs to buckle up. Not only is it the law, but seat belts save lives.”

TxDOT unveiled its “Click it or Ticket” campaign across the state on Friday.

From May 23 to June 5, police will increase efforts to ticket drivers and all passengers not wearing a seat belt.