Harlingen police say they arrested nearly half a dozen drunk drivers during Spring Break.

Police, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, patroled high risk area in the city during hours when alcohol-related crashes might happen.

The DWI enforcement period ran from March 4 through 21. Police say they arrested five drivers who were charged with driving while intoxicated.

HARLINGEN – She cringes beneath the covers, pulling them tight around her neck for protection as those terrifying footsteps move toward her room.

The door opens, the shadowy figure silhouetted against the hall lights. The hinge creaks as the door closes, and the nightmare begins again.

Fast forward 10 years. She cringes beneath the covers, breaking out in a sweat as the faces pop in and out of her mind like flashcards. She seeks the liberation of sleep, but the monsters intrude. They follow her as she rushes from the nightmare into the freedom of wakefulness.

She lights a joint, snorts a line of coke, or has a drink, anything to numb the pain.

She wonders about tomorrow.

She wonders if it even exists.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families, says its website.

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HARLINGEN — The Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker exhibit is the beginning of an effort to bring more attention to the important Native American heritage in our region.

The exhibit is sponsored by The Texas Trail of Fame.

Special recognition is given to the Comanche Nation and the many members of the Parker family for keeping this story alive and sharing materials and information.

Ben Tahmahkera, great great grandson of Quanah, has provided special inspiration for the project.

Several individuals and organizations are involved in this effort. Douglas Harman, board member of the Lakes Trail Region and Clara Ruddell, Historic Photograph Research and Consulting, worked with The Lakes Trail Program to put this exhibit together.

The Texas Lakes Trail Region is one of the 10 Heritage Trail Regions created through the Texas Historical Commission.

The principal researcher, Ruddell, assembled the photo materials.

The Redstone Visual Impression Company, through its graphic designer Paula Abney, created the exhibit materials for display.

Many organizations and individuals have assisted in making available photos and information which have gone into the creation of the exhibit.

HARLINGEN — A traveling photo exhibit of a kidnapped Texas girl and her son who became the last Comanche chief is in town.

“The Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Exhibit, A Woman of Two Worlds and a Man In Two Worlds,” is a traveling exhibit of rarely seen photos of Quanah and Cynthia Ann Parker.

The 38-photo exhibit is on display today through April 29, at The Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum.

“We have had a lot of interest about this exhibit,” said Stefanie Miller, museum director.

Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker are two important names in U.S. frontier and Texas history.

The exhibit is an effort to tell the story of the Comanche Indians of Texas.

In 1836, a Comanche raiding party took Cynthia Ann from her family from Fort Parker in West Texas. Over the following years, she became wife to a Comanche chief and mother to his children, including Quanah.

Quanah became a full warrior at age 15. A series of raids established his reputation as an aggressive and fearless fighter, and he became a war chief at a relatively young age.

Quanah mounted an unsuccessful war against white expansion in northwest Texas in 1874 and 1875.

Quanah eventually agreed to settle on a southwestern Oklahoma reservation.

Cynthia struggled with re-assimilation into American culture.

“She didn’t like it,” Miller said. “And she made many unsuccessful attempts to escape back home to her husband and son.”

After Cynthia Ann was taken back by Texas Rangers, Quanah became one of the most important Comanche leaders both in war and peace.

The photo exhibit tells this story of the lives of these two persons caught between two different worlds.

Miller said a short documentary film about the Parkers is available for viewing at the museum.

The Lakes Trail Region in West Texas views this traveling exhibit as a way to educate visitors about their lives.

HARLINGEN – Victims of childhood trauma can take a survey to determine how much the abuse has affected their adult lives.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey asks such questions as “Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often … Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you?” or “Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?” Yes or no? If yes, check a box at the bottom of the page.

ACE is a list of 10 questions created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every time a victim answers yes to a question, the severity of the person’s problems resulting from abuse increases. It also shows the likelihood of an ACE survivor committing suicide, said Janet Magee, founder and executive director of Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative.

Magee says she uses the ACE survey in her WINGS class where women learn how to release themselves from their past.

After taking the survey, the women in the class use material from ACE Overcomers to gain control of their lives.

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From the perspective of Port of Brownsville officials, liquefied natural gas is a win even if the port never sees a single LNG facility get built.

Plans by three companies that want to build LNG liquefaction/export terminals at the port are under review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Environmentalists have been highly critical of the plans, which have also caused nervousness among some local officials.

A global glut of natural gas makes bringing new export capacity online unfeasible at present, though the companies eyeing the port — Annova, NextDecade and Texas LNG — are planning far ahead and wouldn’t be operational until around 2020.

In the meantime, the port is collecting lease option payments from those companies. Port commission chairman Ralph Cowen said that through December, the three LNG companies paid more than $4.4 million in nonrefundable lease option fees on 2,280 acres.

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HARLINGEN — After many years of service as a nurse at Valley Baptist Medical Center, Marcia Fuller is putting down her stethoscope and trading it for time with family and traveling.

Fuller will be retiring from nursing in April after 48 years of service.

“I don’t remember wanting to be anything else but a nurse,” Fuller said. “I’ve enjoyed it tremendously.”

Fuller has seen it all as a nurse. She has assisted all ages of people injured and ill over the span of her career.

“You have to be prepared for anything that comes through the emergency room because it’s the front door of the hospital,” she said.

Fuller has worked in all areas of nursing but she truly loved the emergency department.

“A good memory is that I learned something every day,” Fuller said. “And my goal was to be caring for people and making my co-workers feel a part of the place where we are working.”

Fuller is certified in emergency nursing and pediatric nursing.

Since 2000, she has been teaching incoming trauma and pediatric nurses in helping the ill and injured regardless of age at the hospital.

She has trained hundreds of nurses during the past 16 years.

Fuller said she is looking forward to retirement.

She plans travel, cook more and make her own schedule.

However, she still plans to be involved with nursing by serving on local nursing boards.

She also plans to become the president of the Texas Emergency Association in 2017.

“I feel experiences I have learned are important and I would like to share it, and give back to the community,” she said.

Originally from Nebraska, Fuller moved to Texas soon after graduation from the University of Nebraska.

The Nebraska native is still a Big Red fan and intends to be in the stands next fall rooting for the Cornhuskers college football team.

“Nursing was really an exciting part of my life,” she said. “I’m looking forward to spending more time with family and friends.”

AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott announced yesterday the appointment of 15 people to the Governor’s Commission for Women.

Among them is a Harlingen resident, Tina Yturria Buford.

Buford joins Estela Avery, Jennifer Chiang, Starr Corbin, Alejandra De la Vega-Foster, Debbie Gustafson, Karen Harris, Amy Henderson, Nancy Ann Hunt, Karen Manning, Imelda Navarro, Rienke Radler, Jinous Rouhani, Catherine Susser, and Laura Koenig Young on the Governor’s Commission for Women. The terms are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2017.

Buford is the education project manager for the East Foundation developing natural resource education programs for South Texas youth.

Previously, she worked alongside her family at the H. Yturria Land and Cattle Company. Buford serves as the vice president of Texan by Nature, president of the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation, board member for Sand County Foundation, committee member for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and advisory board member for the Texas Ag Land Trust.

She has previously served as the president of the Texas Wildlife Association. Buford earned a bachelor of science in rangeland ecology and management from Texas A&M University at College Station. She received a certificate in Ranch Management from the Texas Christian University School of Ranch Management.

The Texas Wildlife Association was thrilled with Buford’s appointment.

“She has been a tireless advocate for educating young Texans about the value of wild places and wild things and how uniquely dependent they are on the private late stewardship here in the great state of Texas,” said David Yeates, TWA chief executive officer. “We are proud to have one of our key volunteer leaders selected for service by Gov. Abbott. We know she will be a tremendous asset to the Commission for Women.”

Additionally, Abbott named Catherine Susser as chairman and Alejandra De la Vega-Foster as vice chairman of the commission.

Since 1967, the Governor’s Commission for Women has served as a liaison between Texas women and government agencies, as well as private entities addressing women’s needs. The Commission helps women identify information and services best suited to their needs, as well as find solutions to emerging issues facing women.

“Empowering women is critical for families, communities and the State of Texas,” said Abbott in a press release. “The 15 commission members reflect the incredible strength and diversity of women leaders in the Lone Star State. It is my privilege as governor to work by their side.”

Additionally, Abbott announced the Commission will be restructured to focus on increasing opportunities in five key areas:

* Women-owned businesses

* Education through STEM

* Volunteerism

* Women and children’s health

* Women Veterans and service members

SAN BENITO — Mayor Celeste Sanchez has been mayor for almost two years.

In that time, she said her experience in office has had its ups and downs.

“It’s been good but it’s also been rough,” she said. “The responsibilities are greater and so are the influences.”

Yesterday, Sanchez sat down with members of the community in the Chamber of Commerce event “Coffee With.”

There, she talked about some of her successes.

At the top of her list, Sanchez said one thing she is really proud of is being able to re-establish the chamber after years of being inactive.

The citizen’s academy is another success the mayor was proud to boast about.

In its first class, the citizen’s academy graduated about 17 local citizens who spent several weeks studying the inner workings of city departments.

“We are in the middle of the second class,” she said. “They leave feeling more secure about the city. Those people are our ambassadors.”

With that first class, the group was able to branch out and start Keep San Benito Beautiful.

The summer youth employment program was a great success.

Sanchez said 10 teens were hired to clean up downtown, paint curbs, and pick weeds.

Seeing the need for more workers, the Cameron County Workforce sponsored to hire five more and a church sponsored another one.

All of these successes, Sanchez said, played an important part of her platform for when she ran for mayor.

She wants to continue to make San Benito a community of choice.

“A community where people want to live,” she said.

Beautifying downtown, being transparent with its citizens, and bringing in more business are all the factors that play into people choosing to live, work and shop in San Benito.

“You want to live here because it’s a good place to raise your kids with good schools, a safe community, safe streets, and good shopping,” she said.

Recently, technology has been brought to City Hall.

Sanchez said residents soon will be able to watch city meetings via the website. Cameras are being installed this week and viewing will be available at any time.

Additional “Coffee With” guests will be invited to continue this series of transparency in the community.

Next Wednesday, Congressman Filemon Vela will be conducting his talk at 9:30 a.m. at the conference room of the Super 8 Hotel on US77/83 just south of Paso Real.

Sanchez encourages everyone to attend.

“Ideas are always welcome,” she said. “Ask for things for our city.”

RAYMONDVILLE — Sherry Salazar hopes her daughters learned about growing chemical-free vegetables for their family’s backyard garden.

Yesterday, the Texas-Mexico Border Coalition held a workshop here to teach local residents like the Salazar family how to improve their methods of small-scale farming.

The half-day seminar featured experts as part of a series of events planned for the Rio Grande Valley, with the next set for Harlingen April 21.

“I hope more people and more families can start growing their own produce and eventually scale up their production to grow their own food, to produce enough to make an income,” said Aisha Cruz-Reyes, project director at the Texas-Mexico Border Coalition in San Isidro.

Experts taught about 15 area residents how to better care for soil and build high tunnels, similar to greenhouses.

Gabriel Cavazos taught residents about no-till planting and other ways to care for soil.

“It’s tricky — it’s not easy,” said Cavazos, an agronomist with the Natural Resource Conservation Center. “We want to protect our soil.”

Cavazos urged small-scale farmers to use roller crimpers in their garden.

More conventional methods such as discing rob the soil of nutrients, Cavazos said.

“If you disc, you deplete organic matter,” Cavazos said. “We want to feed out soil. It takes years, but your nutrient cycle starts working like Mother Nature intended.”

Through agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, residents can use loans to expand their operations and build high tunnels to extend their growing seasons.

Cruz Salinas, with the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, showed residents how he built a high tunnel for $3,200.

Every week, under a polyethylene cover, Salinas harvests as much as 50 to 75 pounds of tomatoes and other crops.

In the audience at the Reber Memorial Library, Salazar said she wanted to teach her daughters Amber and Melissa about self-sustainable living.

“We never know what the future’s going to be,” said Salazar, a housewife. “Kids are not taught how to really survive. They should know their connection with our planet.”

Two years ago, she began turning her backyard into a garden to help feed her family.

“I’m loving it,” she said. “It’s the entire backyard. I want to be able to provide for my family more nutritious food — knowing what’s in it.”

Residents like Debra Rodriguez are new to small-scale farming.

Two weeks ago, she began tending her seven-foot by 20-foot garden, where she grows squash, poblano and chili peppers, watermelon and cantaloupe on her three-acre ranch in the Raymondville area.

But she turned to the experts to learn how to expand her garden into a half-acre plot.

“I’m thinking about growing on a larger scale,” said Rodriguez, who planted her garden after retiring from a local prison. “I want to get knowledge of planning fruits and vegetables and learn about the soil.”

Brian Schalk brought his son Caleb to learn how to boost production on the 30-foot by 180-foot plot on their Santa Monica spread named Grace Heritage Ranch.

“It’s a struggle for us,” said Schalk, who guides ranch tours to teach guests about self-sustainable living. “We’re always willing to learn more about our gardening and put things into practice. A big part of that is networking — meeting gardeners and people giving demonstrations, picking up tips on soil.”