HARLINGEN — When Lonnie Davis names the African American he most admires during Black History Month — or the rest of the year, for that matter — most people don’t know her.

“Fannie Lou Hamer,” he says with a slight chuckle, knowing the listener will most likely be stumped.

Davis, 72, speaks with great passion and eloquence about his hero and her crusade for the right to vote. This was the 1960s, and such a crusade demanded great courage. Davis talks about the painful price she paid for her bravery — she was horribly beaten and fired from her job — and her determination to continue her mission.

“She stood up,” said Davis, owner of Finance and Insurance Systems at 1213 W. Van Buren Ave.

Hamer helped organize the 1964 Freedom Summer African-American voter registration drive in Mississippi. She also appeared at the 1964 Democratic National Convention with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge Mississippi’s all-white delegation.

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HARLINGEN — Fannie Lou Hamer was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

She stated that mantra regularly as she continued a pitched battle for voting rights.

Hamer joined the civil rights movement in 1962 when she traveled with several other African-Americans to Indianola, Mississippi, to register to vote.

They met heated opposition from law enforcement and Hamer was fired from her job. The termina-tion made her even more determined to fight for voting rights. The New York Times quoted her as saying, “They kicked me off the plantation, they set me free. It’s the best thing that could happen. Now I can work for my people.”

And so she did. She worked for a number of organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which fought racial injustice in the South, says the www.biography.com/people/fannie-lou-hamer.

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Harlingen — State Rep. Eddie Lucio III was ready to help work on the new Habitat for Humanity home yesterday.

But the crew of Texas State Technical College students from the building construction department had it all under control.

“This is how it gets done. It takes a community effort,” Lucio said. “There are multiple benefits of what’s happening here.”

Lucio said the project is helping tremendously as students are learning, there’s corporate engagement with the community and a family is going to get a home.

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College students in hard hats and protective goggles were hard at work yesterday nailing together the frame of a new home for experience and for the Habitat for Humanity family.

The building construction technology students have been gaining industry experience by helping Habitat for Humanity all semester long. They have been building the home located in Harlingen on Bowie Street from the ground up.

“It’s beneficial for us as students that we make the connection between our lectures and hands-on experience,” said Jorge Plata, a TSTC student. “It gives us practice with the tools and what we need to do to make it in our field.”

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BROWNSVILLE — The Cameron County Commissioners Court was advised yesterday on what would be done to ensure the tax assessor-collector’s office can continue operating.

Civil litigation counselor Juan A. Gonzalez gave the commission a report of the bond requirements imposed by a visiting judge on Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre Jr.

“The Chief Deputy Jesse Garcia is fully authorized to do all the things the tax assessor can do in his absence. Mr. Garcia will be running that office and the general public can do all of their business as usual,” Gonzalez said.

Yzaguirre will not be permitted to return to work until April 15.

On Jan. 6, Yzaguirre and three other county tax office employees, Pedro Garza Jr., Jose Mireles and Omar Sanchez Paz, were arrested as the result of a two-year investigation under the code name “Operation Dirty Deeds.”

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SAN BENITO — Last week, the San Benito City Commission postponed taking any action on a public swimming pool and skateboard park project until more information could be gathered.

Today they will meet in a special meeting to discuss both.

The meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the San Benito Municipal Building, 401 North Sam Houston.

This item on the agenda was brought up close to the end of the meeting when City Manager Manual De La Rosa deferred the matter until the commission could participate in a workshop.

There city officials could meet with building consultants to discuss financial and development options.

These projects have been a topic in the community and among city officials for several years.

Mayor Celeste Sanchez said she wants to see both come to fruition by summer.

Any action on the swimming pool idea has been up in the air since it was introduced by former City Manager Manuel Lara several years ago.

The swimming pool has been closed a little more than seven years and the skate park has been closed for a little less than a year.

HARLINGEN — Police have finally identified the man who they say was shot and left for dead in an irrigation canal over the weekend.

Jose Filiberto Casillas, 33, of Houston appears to have been shot at least once.

Three people have been arraigned on charges in connection with the killing of Casillas, whose body was found in an irrigation canal Sunday off of Wilson Road just west of Bass Boulevard.

Gregorio Ramirez, 33, of Primera was arraigned on first-degree murder, third-degree felony arson, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and a first-degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity. His bond was set at $800,000.

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Mayra Alejandra Camero, 22, of Brownsville was arraigned on first-degree murder, third-degree felony arson, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and a first degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity. Her bond was set at $500,000.

Jesus Antonio Ramirez, 30, of Primera was charged with a second-degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and a Class A misdemeanor charge of failing to report a felony. His bond was set at $195,000.

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LA FERIA — It’s hard work to be the best. But this chemistry teacher has the formula to keep wining.

Roumaldo Guerrero has coached the high school science team to three consecutive state championships, 2009-2012.

“It’s addicting and it’s a lot of fun,” Guerrero said. “The UIL experience has made my teaching experience so much more gratifying.”

Guerrero is one of only 15 teachers selected by the University Interscholastic League as being one of the best UIL sponsors in Texas.

He was awarded the 2015 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges in the areas of academics, athletics and music from nominations submitted by school principals and superintendents across the state.

Throughout his 20 years as a UIL academics sponsor, Guerrero has coached science, mathematics, number sense and calculator applications.

Guerrero said he was asked to sponsor the science team when he was hired by the district.

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Serves 8

Ingredients

½ pineapple, cut in half then sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

1 teaspoon grape seed oil

Optional: ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 hot dogs – I used Grimm’s smokies (use vegan hot dogs for a vegan hot dog feast!)

8 hot dog buns (gluten free, if needed)

For the teriyaki mayo:

¼ cup real mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip!), sub vegan mayo if needed

3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

½ tablespoon lime juice

Pinch of sea salt

Toppings:

Thinly sliced red onions, jalapeño peppers, cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to high and oil the grate.

2. Combine all the teriyaki mayo ingredients together in a small bowl and mix well.

3. Toss the pineapple slices with the grape seed oil then grill until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Flip the pineapple slices over, sprinkle with cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy), then remove the pineapple from the grill.

4. Turn the grill down to medium-high and BBQ the smokies until they are cooked through, 7-10 minutes, turning a few times. Lightly toast the buns on the grill for about 1 minute.

5. Serve the hot dogs with slices of grilled pineapple, teriyaki mayo and some or all of the toppings.

Serves 8

Ingredients

for the daikon/carrot slaw:

(adapted from the kitchn)

1 c julienned daikon

1 c julienned carrots

a big pinch of salt

1/4 c sugar

1/2 c white vinegar

1 c water

For assembly:

8 hot dogs

8 cobblestone bread co. windy city hot dog buns

1 large cucumber, seeded and sliced

1/2 c hoisin sauce

sriracha mayo (1/2 c mayo + 2 tsp sriracha, or more if desired)

2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced

fresh cilantro sprigs

For the slaw, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, cover, and then refrigerate until ready to use. (you want it to sit for at least half an hour.)

For assembly, grill the hot dogs. place them in their buns and top each with a slice of cucumber, some hoisin sauce, sriracha mayo, some slaw, a few jalapeño slices, and a sprig or two of cilantro.

Buffalo Chicken Dogs

Serves 6 Dogs

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken

2 tablespoon parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup hot sauce (use Franks)

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 large carrots, shredded

1 cup lettuce, shredded

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

4-6 whole wheat hot dog buns, toasted

Spicy Avocado Ranch

1 large avocado, peeled and pitted

1/2 cup greek yogurt

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons dried dill

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons hot sauce (I use Franks)

pinch of salt and pepper