Rio Grande Valley citrus researchers hope to get their hands on a portion of $22 million in grant funding being made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the fight against Huanglongbing or citrus greening, the world’s most serious citrus disease.

U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela’s office announced the funding Tuesday. He is co-chairman of the Congressional Citrus Caucus.

Huanglongbing has inflicted major damage on citrus production in Florida since it was detected there in 2005 and threatens to devastate the Valley’s citrus industry as well if a solution isn’t found.

The disease, spread by a small insect called the Asian citrus psyllid, was first confirmed in the Valley in 2012 in San Juan. HLB also is threatening California’s industry, which grows about 80 percent of the nation’s fresh citrus.

On the home front the news is mixed, according to Dr. John da Graca, director of the Texas A&M-Kingsville Citrus Center in Weslaco. Most new infected trees being reported are in the mid-Valley, where the disease is concentrated, though more reports are coming in from the Upper Valley and Lower Valley, he said.

In the face of the threat, growers are going the extra mile in maintaining their orchards in terms of fertilization and aggressive spraying for the psyllid and other pests, da Graca said. So far at least, the disease hasn’t spread as rapidly in the Valley as it has in Florida, he said.

“We’re not seeing the decline that they saw in Florida,” da Graca said. “It may still happen, but certainly the disease progression is a lot slower than we’ve seen elsewhere. We still need to be concerned and try and stay on top of it. We can’t relax.”

He knows of one orchard with HBL that, nevertheless, has seen its best production yet, he said.

“What will happen next year or the year after, I’m not going to try to predict,” da Graca said.

Meanwhile, the Citrus Center continues to collaborate with partners including the USDA, the citrus industry and the Texas Citrus Disease and Pest Management Corporation, which is mapping psyllid infestations.

The most promising research so far is that of Dr. Erik Mirkov, a plant pathologist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco. His work involves combining a spinach gene with conventional citrus trees such as Rio Red grapefruit and Hamlin orange in order to create a “transgenic” tree resistant to HBL.

“He came yesterday and met with the Citrus Center faculty,” de Graca said.

“We’re putting together a proposal to try to get some of the money from this $22 million to actually test his trees in the field. We’re working closely with him.”

Mirkov is a decade ahead of other researchers in the field, de Graca said. Unfortunately, testing the theory will take a long time.

Since Mirkov’s transgenic trees are young, five to eight years must pass before they’ll bear fruit — or not — and settle the question of whether they’re actually HBL-resistant, de Graca said. It also remains to be seen whether transgenic citrus will taste right, he said.

“It’s going to be a number of years before we really know what’s happening,” de Graca said. “You have to be patient with citrus. But if we don’t get started now we could regret it.”

HARLINGEN – Construction on the new Border Safety Inspection Facility at the Los Indios international crossing continues to lag behind schedule.

State transportation officials briefed the Harlingen-San Benito Metro Planning Organization yesterday about the $7 million project, which began in February 2015 and was projected to have been finished two months ago. Instead, construction is only two-thirds complete and already has run past its completion date.

“There’s a large pond to contain water and a lot of time those fences are going around the large ponds, there’s a large one and a small one, and then after that we have some erosion control,” said Sergio Sustaita, project manager for TxDOT. “Those (erosion control) blankets go pretty much along the sides to the middle of the pond.”

Sustaita said those have been installed, and that crews also are performing a lot of significant electrical work.

Rick Cavazos, mayor of Los Indios, voiced what he said were the concerns of his community about how the truck traffic at the border crossing would be routed from the inspection station north.

“Is the traffic is going to be routed on GSA Road to 509 or is it going to go straight up Joaquin Cavazos (Memorial Drive) to 281?” Cavazos asked. “Right now the only thing designated, you just have an arrow telling you to go straight to 509.”

Cavazos said he was concerned about safety in the area.

“There’s a warehouse district there, there’s pedestrians crossing the road, they have their own commercial traffic in and out of there,” he said. “So the concern was – we don’t know how busy that inspection facility’s going to be, hopefully very – so it seems to me that the easiest way to exit the facility is to go west on GSA Road and turn on 509 to go north rather than go up Joaquin Cavazos to 281 then take a left and then 509 north.

“What’s the mechanism to actually make sure that is what happens?” he said

TxDOT officials acknowledged it could present difficulties, but Espinoza said the state can’t just install a sign.

“We’ve got to be careful where we route this traffic,” he said. “Right now, we’re still working as far as getting that special sign,” Espinoza added.

In an interview, Cavazos said that since it is unclear how much truck traffic would be using the facility, it was important to answer some of these traffic questions now.

The Los Indios bridge project consists of construction of the border safety inspection facility, drainage structures and paving.

Authorities are at the scene of a helicopter crash that happened late this morning outside Los Fresnos.

The accident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on FM 803 and Ebony Road, said Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio.

Lucio said the helicopter pilot was able to get out of the aircraft before it burst in to flames.

The unidentified pilot has been transported to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. He is in critical condition. He is expected to be flown to a San Antonio hospital for further treatment, said Los Fresnos Fire Chief Gene Daniels.

Authorities said the helicopter clipped the power lines in the area and crashed.

A man in a nearby home heard the impact and called 9-1-1.

Cameron County sheriff’s deputies, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, local firefighters and Magic Valley Electric Company are at the scene.

HARLINGEN — The remnants of a Pennsylvania black cherry forest still stand in one of the downtown area’s hidden gems.

For four years, the city’s old post office has been for sale, now for $825,000.

Originally built in the 1930s, the old post office’s neo-classical architecture gives it a timeless feel.

But inside, a $3.5 million renovation makes the building dazzle with old-world charm.

Currently, a portion of the building is being leased and still used by the U.S. Postal Service.

But much has happened over the years.

In 1993, the former San Benito Bank & Trust renovated the building as part of its plans to expand into the Harlingen market.

Bank President Nathan Winters ordered and oversaw the project at 221 E. Van Buren Ave.

So Winters selected some of the finest talents for the job.

Architect Cortland Morgan designed the project while Robert Shaw installed the millwork.

Murray Thompson of San Benito served as the project’s contractor.

“We bought a black cherry forest in Pennsylvania,” Lew Vassberg, the project’s interior designer, said yesterday. “Every piece of veneer in that building came from that forest.”

Winters gave Vassberg a blank check, telling her to “make it the nicest building in Harlingen.”

So Vassberg spent about $800,000 on appointments.

Biedermeier-style furniture fills the vast lobby under a mural by the late Normah Knight.

Painted in the early 1950s, the mural tells the story of the Valley’s agricultural and industrial development.

Big boardrooms showcase grand conference tables while a maze of offices feature lavish desks.

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SAN BENITO — Before Los Indios Mayor Rick Cavazos was elected to office in 2015, previous city officials were just appointed.

For Cavazos, a fifth generation resident of Los Indios, family roots go back all the way to the 1800s when his family first pioneered the little border town. Now, as a full-time mayor, Cavazos is busy taking Los Indios to the next level.

Yesterday, Cavazos sat down with residents and city officials at the San Benito Chamber of Commerce “Coffee With” session to discuss the town as an economic force. Before becoming a fulltime mayor, Cavazos served as a Border Patrol agent for more than 25 years.

Some may not know very much about this little town but Cavazos said it has much to offer.

Los Indios was incorporated in 1993 and is home to a small population of about 1,100. It also has a few churches, a community center, one RV park, a community garden and the Los Indios Free Trade Bridge.

Transmigrantes routinely use the bridge and Cavazos said that traffic contributes to Los Indios growth.

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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Volunteers are signing up for what is being billed as the nation’s biggest annual, all-volunteer coastal cleanup campaign.

It’s the 30th Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup on Saturday, sponsored by the Texas General Land Office.

Land Commissioner George P. Bush will attend a special kickoff event at Andy Bowie Park.

Bush, along with Cameron County Judge Pete Sepulveda and South Padre Island Mayor Barry Patel, will address the cleanup volunteers before they head to the beaches.

A brief ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. at Andy Bowie Park, Beach Access #2, Highway 100.

“Sign up now to join forces with thousands of other Texans who care about the coast,” Bush said. “Marine debris kills wildlife and hurts tourism, but it’s a problem we can fix. Come out and be a part of the solution on Saturday.”

Each volunteer will be given data cards, gloves, pencils and trash bags. All volunteers are advised to wear closed-toe shoes, bring sunscreen and plenty of drinking water. The Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Cleanups are held rain or shine.

Texans who are not able to attend the cleanup can help keep their beaches clean by making a tax-deductible donation online at www.TexasAdoptABeach.org.

There are several different Adopt-A-Beach sponsorship levels ranging from $25 to $25,000, allowing both individuals and corporations to contribute to this major cleanup effort.

Everyone who signs up online and checks in at their cleanup location will be entered to win any one of the following:

– Yeti Tundra 45 cooler

– GoPro HERO4 Session HD Waterproof Action Camera

– Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 instant camera (one in pink and one in blue)

The random drawing will take place after the cleanup. Winners will be contacted directly.

The 2016 Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup is sponsored by SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, Schlumberger, Keep Texas Beautiful, Corona Del Mar Properties and Trusted Senior Specialists.

To learn more about the Adopt-A-Beach program, visit www.TexasAdoptABeach.org or contact the GLO at 1-877-TX COAST. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/texasadoptabeach or follow us on Twitter @TXAdoptABeach.

HARLINGEN – “Up in the morning, before day. I don’t like it, no way.”

The runners Saturday morning probably won’t sing military cadences, but they’ll still have the same passion for the run because they’re raising money for autism research.

The 2nd Annual 5K Color Run, organized by the student council at Harlingen High School South, will take place at 8:30 a.m. at the Harlingen High School South Mini-Stadium parking lot.

All ages are welcome to walk, jog, or skip at their own pace, said information from the student council.

Along the simple route on Dixieland Road, participants will learn why the event is called a “color run” when they are bathed with colored powder. To accentuate the power color, runners/walkers/skippers are asked to wear white T-shirts, although this isn’t a requirement.

The student council members who have been organizing the even are really excited, said Claudia Rogers, sponsor.

“The kids are working hard to get more people involved,” Rogers said. “They want to get parents to come and help us. They want to get more sponsors to help out.”

Adults participating in the run will pay $25. The charge is $15 for students in grade first through 12th.

This “color run” began last year when the student council decided it wanted to initiate some sort or charitable activity, Rogers said.

“They wanted to do something for the community,” she said. “They wanted it to be fun and they wanted it to be for a good cause.”

They decided on a run for autism during Autism Awareness Month. However, they wanted their 5K run to be a little different, so they decided to toss colored powder onto the runners.

Rogers said people can pre-register by contacting her or coming to Harlingen High School South. Rogers can also be reached at [email protected]. She can also be reached at Harlingen High School South at 427-3800.

Blues for Autism later

The action continues Saturday afternoon with “Blues for Autism” at Ol’ D’s Soda Shop at 105 W. Jackson St. The event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Those in attendance will be provided with free finger foods while they last. People also can order from the menu.

While enjoying some good food, they’ll be entertained by blues artists Emilio Crixell, Big Bruce Hodge, Tom Gonzalez of Nashville and Johnny Harper.

The event is organized by Chris Maley, who also program director for 88FM RGV Public Radio. Maley ‘s 15-year-old daughter Caitlyn has autism and is nonverbal. He organizes “Blues for Autism” events several times a year. Experts make presentations at different venues. Two experts will speak at Saturday’s event.

Marshal Nelson, a professor of psychology specializing in the creative journal expressive arts, will talk to the audience about using art to help children with autism. Art, she said, helps them express themselves.

Lebby Salinas, a certified health coach, will talk about foods that tend to aggravate the behaviors of people with autism. She’ll also talk about foods that can help calm them down, as well as research about supplements.

Maley specifically scheduled these two experts with National Autism Awareness Month in mind. He’s seen first-hand the importance of nutrition as explained by Salinas.

“They’ve found that with kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) a change in their diet helps with brain frequencies,” Maley said.

Too much sugar, breads and preservatives can severely affect the brain function of someone with autism, Maley said.

“My daughter needs to be on a non-gluten diet, no sugars, no caffeine,” Maley said.

Examples of foods that can create problems are gluten dairy, and food dye, Salinas said.

“When we’ve taken those things out and eliminated them from the diet, there’ve been people that have seen improvement,” she said.

Because of Nelson’s use of art therapy with children who have ASD, Maley felt her presence Saturday is crucial.

“It helps to stimulate the brains of children with autism spectrum disorder,” he said.

Nelson, co-owner of El Rocio Retreat in Mission, said she uses an activity called dancing on paper,

“I use an activity called dancing on paper,” Nelson said. “I put on music and they scribble to the feelings the music invokes in them,” she said.

Those attending “Blues for Autism” are asked to make a $5 donation. For more information about this event, call 230-1963.

LAGUNA VISTA — For more than 45 years, Earth Day has been celebrated all over the world and by millions of people.

To carry on the tradition of caring for the planet, Laguna Vista will have its annual event Saturday at Roloff Park from 10 a.m. to noon.

The event is free and open to the public.

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22. But some events are being celebrated on April 23.

Events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

Event organizer Marilyn Lorenz expects this year’s event to be spectacular.

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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – Bring your binoculars to help the Island team call out as many birds and help win the state Big Sit competition.

Everyone is invited to experience the 20th annual Great Texas Birding Classic Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau boardwalk and gardens.

“It’s quite entertaining seeing all these people in a circle trying to find as many birds as they can without leaving the circle,” said Scarlet Colley, a member of the Big Sit team. “Plus the gardens are a magical place; it’s full of butterflies and colorful birds.”

The Big Sit is often called a “tailgate party for birders.”

Big Sit teams have organized on the Island in the past, but this is the first time the Island Convention & Visitors Bureau is sponsoring a team.

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PALM VALLEY – Any resident with a trailer sitting in their front yard … be ready to move it. The city’s police department has been given the go-ahead to deal with the minor concern.

On Tuesday night, Police Chief Alvaro Garcia requested the city council rework the parking ordinance to include the wording of “trailers,” so those can’t be parked in the front yard or in driveways for more than three days every 30 days.

But after several minutes of explanation by city attorney Jason Mann, officials determined the city’s current ordinance does include the stipulation and it can be backed up by law.

Garcia had suggested because the city’s ordinance did not directly use the word “trailer” his department had no ability to enforce the matter.

Mann spent several minutes reading from and explaining the city’s ordinance.

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