There are two major political parties in the U.S. today. We know them as the Democrat and Republican parties. Both have been in existence for more than 100 years.

The Democratic Party is represented by a donkey and the color blue on political maps. Democrats typically support more government pro-grams and social services in their daily lives.

They are called liberals or left-leaning. They are against increased spending on the military.

Democrats support higher minimum wages, progressive taxes (higher taxes for those who earn more) and Social Security. They also favor more government regulation over businesses.

They are usually op-posed to the death penal-ty and are pro choice (support a women’s right to an abortion.)

Democrats generally support raising taxes to fund the government. They also support government provided universal health care.

The Republican Party is represented by an elephant and the color red on political maps. It is also called the GOP (Grand Old Party).

Republicans usually oppose more government programs and less governmental influence in their daily lives. They are called conservatives or right-leaning. They sup-port more spending on the military.

Some programs Republicans support are wages being set by the free market, a flat tax (same tax rate regardless of income) and the growth of private businesses.

They favor less government regulations over businesses. They usually support the death penalty and are pro-life (anti-abortion).

Republicans generally oppose raising taxes to fund more government. They also oppose government-supported universal health care services.

The independent parties are usually a combination of both Democrat and Republican political philosophies.

Hopefully, all eligible citizens will exercise their civic duty and cast their vote for their choice of candidates in the upcoming general election in November.

Silvestre Morena Jr.

Mercedes

BY NORMAN ROZEFF

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the next installment in an ongoing series on San Benito’s Sam Robertson. Find previous parts at www.ValleyStar.com.

In 1979 a Texas Historical commission marker was erected at the house that Sam had constructed in 1911 at 509 N Sam Houston Blvd., corner Adele Street.

The marker reads: “San Benito was begun in 1904 by Sam A. Robertson (1867-1938). A wealthy civil engineer and builder, he saw farming potential in the valley. He became Sheriff and first Postmaster. He built irrigation canals and a railroad network that connected farms with produce markets. He started a Padre Island development and Del Mar, a recreational area at Boca Chica. In 1911 Robertson and his wife Adele built this house.

With thick walls and high windows, it served as a fortress against marauding bandits from across the border. In 1945 the house was sold to John T. Lomax.”

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The wording while mostly flattering exaggerates in calling him “wealthy.” We all know that he was far from that despite all of his successes. His investment miscues were numerous. John Lomax was an early San Benito banker and businessman, who in 1945 purchased the house from Col. Sam’s widow.

Designed with a central courtyard similar to homes in Mexico, the house is situated on a ledge supported by a retaining wall that gives the house commanding height. Much of the building materials, including bricks and tiles, came from Mexico. Creosoted railroad ties were used in the foundation. Gray cement covers the exterior brick walls which are 18 inches thick.

Tiles for the roof were made especially for the house. Each is numbered. Once settled in their home with its three fireplaces and four bedrooms, the Robertsons entertained each March 17 to celebrate their wedding anniversary. In 2014 the house is occupied by the law offices of Jeffrey Jackson.

Robertson had been introduced to his future wife by her brother, Fred Wedegartner, with whom he had been associated in construction work.

Miss Adele Wedegartner was a lovely blonde with fair hair and dazzling skin. They were married March 17, 1901. German-born Adele Wedegartner had been born August 31, 1879. She was to die in middle age on November 21, 1921.

Solicitous railroad officials sent a private car for the immediate family and a coach for friends for the funeral trip between San Benito and San Antonio.

On board the George Washington of the American Steamship Line on October, 28th 1922 en route to a tour of Europe, Sam meets Maria Seidler of Austria.

She is the 26-year-old woman who would become his second wife. They were married in Vienna (another source says Paris) on December 3, 1922. Neither his first nor his second union produced any offspring.

On 1/11/58 Robertson’s widow married widower Dr. Harry Drucker. Maria died September 2, 1985 in Sid Peterson Hospital, Kerrville, Texas.

Maria’s 1932 interview with the Fort Worth Texas Star provides us with the details of Sam’s second marriage. “Maria Robertson Drucker, formerly Seidler was born February 7, 1896 in Vienna Austria. She was the daughter of Adi Siedler and sister to Isabell and Adi Siedler Meyer. Her sister Isabell introduced her to Colonel Sam Robertson, after Isabell and Sam were on a trip aboard the George Washington.

Col. Sam had just finished a tough campaign to unseat the 8 year standing Sheriff, W.T. Vann of Cameron County, Brownsville Texas, and was taking a break to visit the grave of his adopted son in France and the family of his late wife, Adele (Wedegartner) Robertson, who passed on in 1921 along with her mother Meta Wedegartner, also in 1921. They were from Oldenburg Germany. Adele, on her deathbed had told Sam that he should remarry, and she had a favorite cousin in Germany that she felt would be perfect for him and requested that he return to Germany and meet her family and if did not care for her — fine. As he crossed the English Channel from England to France, he met an attractive young woman, Isabell Siedler, who kept the restless children quiet by telling them stories in various languages. She invited Sam to visit her family if he didn’t care for the German woman. He did visit the Seidler home in Vienna. There were two daughters besides the one he had met on the crossing. He asked for the hand of the middle daughter, Maria, known to us as Mitzi. Aunt Mitzi, aka Maria Seidler, remembered the meeting in this way. ‘In Vienna, he made the acquaintance of his present wife, Fraulein Maria Seidler. Being a man of action, he decided to marry Miss Seidler and have it over quickly. Through the American Military Attaché in Vienna. he proved his good character and reliability, and with the aid of a Presbyterian minister, a hasty marriage with Miss Seidler was arranged…The jump from musical Vienna to the home of the Sheriff of a Mexican border country, to say the least, was somewhat a shock to his wife.’ Mitzi’s mother was hesitant about her daughter Mitzi going to live in Texas and she felt Sam was too old for Mitzi. He promised if Mitzi was not happy in Texas he’d send her and her concert grand piano back to Vienna. Mitzi stayed and “Mama Adie” (Ada) came. Later he sent for the younger sister, also named Ada or Adie to join them, The younger Adie came to Texas then moved on to Los Angeles when she married Paul Walter Meyer. Isabell, the sister Col. Sam met shipboard, married and remained in Austria. Merry Robertson Thomas said they pronounced Aunt Mitzi’s mother’s name “Mama Adie” but that it was spelled ADA, it is ADI on her tombstone.”

In 1914, as adventurous as ever, he plunged into acquiring some seemingly valuable mining property in Mexico, only to see it lost with revolutionary activities in that country. Its development was already suspended because of uprisings by revolutionists and sporadic banditry. He spent much time inspecting various mining and other projects in many parts of Mexico, as far south as the state of Cuernavaca, Mexico, where he made a trip during the Emiliano Zapata uprisings. As border incidents heated up Sam’s knowledge of Mexico would later be of value. Robertson would suffer a major financial setback in 1914. Together with sugar mill, he relinquished control of the San Benito Land & Water Company.

Sam became involved in American efforts to secure the border as banditry and thievery increased precipitously. He aided Colonel R.L. Bullard of the 26th U.S. Infantry stationed at Fort Brown by gathering intelligence. In one hairy incident south of the border, Sam was ambushed and had to fight his way free. A young goatherd named Salomon Lerma aided his escape. Later, fearing reprisals, the boy fled across the river and sought Sam’s aid. The young man became a mascot for the soldiers stationed in the Valley during the Border Era. During WWI he was to join the Army going to Europe with the American Expeditionary Force. He would die there of service-associated pneumonia.

Robertson’s Bandit Era adventures did not stop there. Sam also served as a scout for General Pershing, who entered Mexico in pursuit of Francisco “Pancho” Villa. In Mexico City in January 1917, when on one of his expeditions, he met an old acquaintance of many years before, by the name of Thomas Jones, a Welshman, who for a number of years had been prospecting over Mexico, Central America, and as far south in the Andes of South America as the Republic of Chile.

Returning to Guadalajara, he met Jones on March 1, 1917. They, along with a Mr. E. R. Coffey, started immediately to the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico, outfitting at a place called Ameca, which was the end of the railroad. Ostensibly they were investigating mineral prospects in the vicinity of Maseola on March 2 and had taken shelter in a small hut that night. A few hours later they were confronted by five bandits who took all of their money and fired at least ten bullets into Jones, according to Sam. The outlaws then tied lariat ropes around their necks and, laced to their saddles, dragged the two victims through the village. Had not they grasped the ropes they would have been strangled.

The natives of the village were unsympathetic to the Gringoes and kicked, stoned and beat them. Robertson was dragged behind the horse with the rope around his neck until he was believed to be dead. When one of the two bandits dragging them dropped a machete, Coffey was able to quickly cut his bonds and then did the same for Robertson.

The other three bandits had ridden ahead. Coffey dispatched one of the bandits with the machete and brained the second one. Both Robertson and Coffey, who had barely escaped with their lives, seemingly vanished. The two headed for Port Manzanillo hoping to go on to Mazatlan. After a period, Robertson and Coffey, in sad condition, reached the U.S. border and staggered into Army headquarters.

From Nogales, Arizona, Sam telegraphed home revealing his experiences and soliciting funds to purchase the railroad fare home.

Each April since 1987 the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) has sponsored Alcohol Awareness Month, with the expressed aims of increasing public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma, and encourage communities to focus on Alcoholism and alcohol-related issues.

This year of 2016, their theme is “Talk Early, Talk Often: Parents Can Make a Difference in Teen Alcohol Use.”

This month NCADD highlights the most important health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family, and community consequences. The month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events aimed at educating people about treatment and prevention of alcoholism.

Our schools, churches, and many other community organizations will sponsor a host of activities that create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol related problems.

The timing of this most important month of recognition is most apropos, as it precedes the month when our youth begin their summer vacation; a time when the onset of underage drinking and alcohol related problems most emerge. Alcohol Abuse by young people is extremely dangerous — both to themselves and society, and is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex, and other problem behaviors, even for those who may never develop a dependence or addiction to alcohol.

While contemplating this article during “Spring Break,” I, as well as many millions of other individuals, watched on TV as thousands of college-age students descended on South Padre Island, engaging in almost unimaginable behaviors while under the influence of alcohol. With the national attention of the events, we have come to realize that the abuse of alcohol among our young people is most certainly becoming worse in our society.

Year after year the Bacchanalian orgies that have taken place on the beaches across our nation have led to residents of many cities to proclaim, “enough is enough!” and they have established legislation to ban alcohol consumption on the beach. But we need not go to the beaches of Florida and other states to see this, for the same events unfolded on South Padre Island as well.

It is most assuredly close to home. This lessening of values among our young people strikes at the heart of Mental Health, for good values are part of the building blocks of establishing good mental health; and the abuse of alcohol surely interferes with that.

Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among America’s youth, used by more people than tobacco or illicit drugs; and it is more likely to kill young people than all other illicit drugs combined. Nearly one-third of our youth begin drinking before age 13, even though it is known to them to be a crime to do so; purchase or use of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 is illegal in all 50 states….not to mention that if they do begin drinking ethanol before age 13 then they are more likely to develop Alcoholism than those who begin drinking later in life.

Adolescence, most specifically, is an age of heightened risk taking behaviors and young people may not be fully developed or prepared to anticipate all the consequences of drinking alcohol; such as “chugging” drinks to celebrate a particular occasion, or being in a car with a driver who had been drinking. Yes, underage drinking has most assuredly placed many youth in dire straits, and by the time they enter university the problems become more severe.

Almost 2,000 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol related unintentional injuries, including car accidents. About 600,000 students are unintentionally injured while under the influence of alcohol (we have most certainly seen our share of this during spring break at South Padre Island, haven’t we?). About 700,000 college students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking. About 100,000 students are victims of alcohol related sexual assault or date rape.

And all of this most likely has its impetus before the age of 13!

Statistics aside, the vast majority of us know that alcohol abuse is a major problem in our society; not only among our youth but adults as well. As I have pointed out in previous articles, we really do not need a “Month” to emphasize the problem (although it certainly helps); it should be on our minds throughout the year. It is so important that everyone truly internalize the nature and affects that alcohol use has with our youth, as well as adults, and what the residual effects have on all of us.

We know that reducing underage drinking is most important to having a healthy future for our youth. And that requires a cooperative and collaborative effort from parents, the schools, business leaders, civic and other community organizations, our State and National legislators, government agencies, alcohol brewers and distributors, stores selling alcohol beverage; and of course a clear choice by youth not to commit the crime of drinking until they are of age to do so (and if they chose to do so when of age, to do so responsibly).

I encourage all of you to get involved in alcohol awareness at any level you can, but most importantly parents and/or significant adults. NCADD provides us with 10 tips to help parents: 1) Don’t be afraid to be the an assertive parent… a tough stand can help our children say no. 2) Connect with your children’s friends…pay attention to who your child is hanging out with 3) Make connections with other parents…building mutual support.4) Promote healthy activities. 5) Establish clear family rules about alcohol and drugs. 6) Get educated about alcohol as well as other drugs. 7) Be a role model and set a positive example. 8) Keep track of you child’s activities. 9) Keep track of alcohol and prescription drugs in your home. 10) Get help…if at any point you believe your child may have a problem with alcohol or other drugs.

Now I do not purport to having all the answers, but I do know that there is less chances that children will begin abusing alcohol or other drugs, should parents and other adults put these tips into practice; when they truly become involved…when they become a part of the solution. For further, more detailed information, I refer you to the NCADD website, and to my book “More Straight Talk: Answers to Questions Young People Ask About Alcohol,” currently in its 3rd edition, available through Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and other book sellers. Until next time, Stay Healthy my Friends!

Each year, the children in Room 623 are lucky enough to go to the Margaret Clark Aquatic Center. During those four weeks of swimming, the children are magically transformed from little humans into fish.

The fun part for the adults is watching the children improve their skills as they swim in the pool. That was especially true while observing Dominic. It was his third year in the Structured for Life Program and he had changed the most this year.

Dominic was a quiet boy who barely spoke any English or Spanish during his first year in the unit. The child was incredibly shy and it was difficult to even get him to utter more than one or two words at a time. Dominic’s anxiety was extreme. It had taken quite a while for the teacher and staff to gain his confidence.

When it was the month for swimming, most of the students were excited. Dominic had no idea what was ahead of him. When he saw the water, the boy fell apart. Fear was deeply etched in his whole body. The child was absolutely terrified of going into the water.

Those first years of swimming with Dominic were hard on whomever was assisting the boy in the pool.

Dominic would cling to the person and even scratch him if he didn’t like what was happening. Fortunately, the pool had a wonderful enclosed section with a raised platform. That section was placed directly in the shallowest part of the pool.

At first, Abraham Hernandez and Sandra Streb, the swimming instructors, slowly immersed Dominic into that wading area. This enabled the boy to walk around in the water safely without any real assistance.

More importantly, it allowed Diego to become comfortable in the water. As he became less afraid, the boy was moved out of the platform into the main shallow area of the pool.

Dominic gained the ability to walk around the shallow end of the pool. Yet, when it was time to learn to float, he would scream. Moving his feet off the ground, the sensation of being on his back was not anything that he wanted to try. The teacher knew that some of her students would never be able to be truly water safe. The sensations with the water would calm some students, but others absolutely did not like the feeling. For the most part, water was an incredible sensory calming experience. She wanted that to be the same for Dominic.

This year, Dominic had sprouted in height. He also had been deeply involved in the DIR Model used in Room 622. He was learning wonderful interactive communication skills with his peers in the room. Dominic had a very special friend, Gabriel.

Gabriel had been able to swim well for the last several years. He was very tiny when he started first grade. However, he liked water from the beginning and wanted to learn to swim. Gabriel, by second grade had done well enough to be moved off the platform into the general pool area. Two other boys that Gabriel liked were already in the deeper end of the pool and Gabriel soon followed. That gave Dominic a powerful motivator to improve his swimming skills.

The first days were hard for the boy but he kept looking over at the other side of the pool. Gabriel and the other boys looked like they were having so much fun. Even the newest boy, Teddy, was moved over to the deeper end. Dominic knew what it would take to get there. He had done this program for the last two years.

The teacher watched Dominic work hard to overcome his fear of floating. He listened carefully as Abraham and Sandra worked with him. “You can do it Dominic!” Abraham told him. “You can join Sandra and the boys if you just trust in yourself.” Abraham reminded the boy he could always stand up in the pool when fear got the better of him.” Well, this year, Dominic conquered that fear. Midway in the swimming class, he moved over to the deeper end. He had learned how to swim! Friendship is a powerful motivator!

Pamela Gross Downing, a special education teacher can be reached at [email protected]

Jose and Ana have dreamed of owning a home for years. As their three children become teenagers, their cramped living in a two-bedroom trailer is becoming more difficult.

It’s been challenging to save or qualify for a home on Jose’s income as a maintenance worker at a local hospital. Ana hasn’t been able to find work after several years of staying home to raise her kids. They have had to accumulate some debt to make ends meet, and after their car broke down, they had to take on car payments as well.

Ana shares, “We felt trapped. I was grateful that we owned the land but our trailer is very old and small. We would visit friends or family and my kids would ask us why they all had to share a small bedroom. ‘Why can’t we live in a real house?’ they would ask.”

You can’t really say Jose and Ana are in a financial crisis, because they are making ends meet. But you can say they have a chronic financial illness. They haven’t been able to save or qualify for a loan on a house. And with little savings or assets, they are just one small crisis away from financial disaster.

Fortunately, Jose and Ana found a local non-profit organization that is providing financial wellness coaching and they are on their way to owning their first home. Community Development Corporation of Brownsville (CDCB) through its La Puerta program, is addressing the financial instability epidemic. According to its coordinator, Zoraima Diaz, the program aims to equip and empower families to achieve financial stability, resilience and long-term security through three core program interventions: (1) the provision of knowledge and skills, (2) access to sound financial products and services (3) targeted opportunities to save.”

Long-term financial stability is important to the health and wellbeing of our local residents, and our local economy. The health of a community and an individual is tied, in many cases, directly to the level of financial stability.

Diaz continues, “Financial coaching and financial education workshops are the primary tools that we employ to provide families with the knowledge and skills they need to improve financial behavior and decision making. CDCB’s financial coaches use an interactive approach that engages families to take incremental steps towards reaching their financial goals while taking into consideration the unique financial circumstance of each individual.”

“We went to the first appointment and they ran our credit. Then they met with my husband several times to set up a plan to reduce our car payments and pay off some debt. We started using a budget and spreading out our payments. I make lists and plan what we need to buy. We cut back where we can but really just stay focused on our goal, which is to qualify to own a home. We filed our taxes through the free tax program and used that money to pay down debt and start our savings. We are almost there and couldn’t have done it without the guidance of the program.”

The comprehensive design of CDCB’s La Puerta program allows clients to participate in ‘financial therapy’ through a variety of asset building services simultaneously to achieve financial stability, resilience and long-term prosperity.

Diaz continues, “When a family visits CDCB for an initial financial coaching session the coach performs a ‘triage’ of their households’ financial situation such as their current savings balance in a fashion similar to a nurse taking a patient’s pulse. Then a credit report, similar to lab work in a doctor’s office, will provide detailed information on an individual’s current accounts, credit limits, credit score and collection accounts. If a family decides that homeownership is their primary goal during their initial financial coaching session, they might recommend intensive budget counseling in order to assist the family to reach ‘home buyer ready’ status.”

High cost payday and car title lending is a huge barrier in our area and many of the families served by La Puerta have fallen victim to these types of loans. Because we have so many folks living just at or below poverty, any small setback can throw their families into financial crisis. While some of us may find it easy to come up with $500 to pay for a hospital bill, or put it on a credit card and pay it off fairly quickly, others have no access to this kind of extra cash.

According to Diaz, “Predatory lending represent a loss of financial footing that can snowball into crisis and at the least impede their accumulation of long-term wealth.

The opportunity costs of operating outside the financial mainstream are real, significant and translate into an immediate loss of current assets and leads to chronic financial illness.”

CDCB also provides an array of culturally relevant bilingual financial education workshops that cover a variety of topics

The group setting provides clients with an opportunity for peer to peer learning through the discussion of workshop topics and perhaps more importantly serves as a ‘support group’ to ensure families and individuals that they are not facing the battle of improving their financial lives alone.

“While the family is working on revamping their household budget, the counselor might assist them with identifying an ACA enrollment agency if they are carrying a significant medical debt burden due to a lack of health insurance. Financial health enables family stability, education, and upward mobility, not just for individuals today but across future generations.”

Ana is excited for her family’s future home. “We don’t need a big house, but just a safe, comfortable place with a little more privacy for our three children. I don’t want them to be embarrassed or ashamed of where they live because my husband and I have worked very hard. It’s not always easy, but we are taking every step we are told so we can reach our dream!”

Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! Your Health Matters!

BY LORI MURRAY

One of the most stunning ornamental trees in the Valley is the spring blooming Orchid Tree, the Purple Bauhinia purpurea commonly known as Pata De Vaca from the shape of its leaves. In March it can be found everywhere — on city streets and in front and back yards — and in all sizes and shapes, always laden with flowers.

This stunning tree is deciduous, multi-trunked, and semi-evergreen so it even looks good in winter. It will grow in part or full sun though it seems to me that more sun equals more blooms.

It can grow 15 – 30 feet tall with a canopy width of 10 – 15 feet, and tolerates our heat extremely well. As an added bonus, it also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

There is also a less common white flowered version called Bauhinia variegata. Both of these species are incredibly saturated in flowers when they bloom.

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The only real danger to this tropical plant is cold weather as it is only reliable outdoors in our zone and further south, but if a freeze comes, the orchid tree will still come back from its perennial roots and soon regain its original size.

One of the things which amazes me about this beautiful tree is its ease of propagation. Our very first trees were the result of a walk around city lake and a few gathered seeds.

From those few seeds we have grown many orchid trees for ourselves and others. Also, the trees currently blooming in our yard helpfully drop their seed pods or the seed pods burst, and the seeds in turn root easily and provide more small trees.

There is no need to scarify the seeds; in fact, many of them root and grow right where they fall so it is not unusual to find an orchid tree or two in a nearby bed in the spring.

The species is a Southeast Asia native so extensively naturalized in subtropical and tropical climates that it has become invasive in some regions.

The orchid tree is also ideal for impatient gardeners because it is a fast grower and blooms right away.

In an article titled “Plants of Ornamental Value for the Rio Grande Valley of Texas,“ W.H. Friend, a former superintendant in Weslaco, laments that “Many thousands of dollars have been wasted in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in an effort to establish plants in this environment that are not adaptable to prevailing conditions.

Many plants which are not adapted to our soil and climate should give way to more suitable material.

For example…we should learn to avoid the pest-ridden Hackberry when it is just as easy to grow the beautiful Silk Oak or the Brazilian Pepper tree…Why grow Chinaberry trees, Spiraea and Honeysuckle in a land that will produce the lordly palm, beautiful Orchid Tree or the showy Flame Vine?” There is a lesson in that for all of us (and a reason to learn as much as possible about the kinds of plants that flourish right here at home.)

http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Family Vacation Critic said the Island is ideal for families of all ages.

The website’s editors rated for pristine beaches and relatively calm waters and looked for amenities such as restrooms, showers, parking, nearby accommodations, restaurants and other fun diversions, from historic sites to fireworks.

The Island beckons families to dip their toes in the water, fly kites and build castles in the sand, and is just steps away from world-class beach activities for people of all ages and skill levels, the website says.

The Island boasts a variety of family-friendly activities year-round.

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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — A family-focused website has discovered why families flock to the Island every year.

South Padre Island is ranked third on the Family Vacation Critic’s list of 10 Best Beaches for Families for 2016.

The two beaches ahead of the Island are in Outer Banks, North Carolina, and Glen Arbor, Michigan.

The Island ranked higher than beaches in California, Florida, New York and Washington state.

“This small island on the Gulf of Mexico beckons families to dip their toes in the water, fly kites, and build castles in the sand,” the website says.

“Speaking of sandcastles, the island hosts Sandcastle Days every October, a free event with fantastical creations (and especially beautiful weather).”

The website is a subsidiary of TripAdvisor.

Keith Arnold, director of the SPI Convention and Visitors Bureau, said they are honored to be included on the list.

“We are continuously making improvements to family-friendly offerings to keep our destination attractive, accessible and affordable for adventurers of all ages,” Arnold said.

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LAGUNA VISTA — Closure.

That’s what the family of missing kayaker Adrian Garcia felt when his body was recovered by Texas Parks and Wildlife agents yesterday morning.

His body was found in the waters near the Fingers in Port Isabel at approximately 10:30 a.m., Texas Game Warden Capt. James Dunk said.

“He’s in heaven,” repeated Leticia Garcia, Adrian’s mother, to friends and family at Roloff Park.

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Authorities said Adrian Garcia went fishing with a friend Thursday, and his kayak overturned. His kayak and its paddle had been recovered, but not Adrian.

Family members returned to the Holly Beach area yesterday morning hoping that some progress in the search for Garcia had been made.

The family received an outpouring of support from the community, Dunks said.

“A lot of people donated their time to help, whether it was on horseback, in boats or in four-wheelers,” Dunks said.

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