HARLINGEN — Train for the worst, hope for the best.

That’s the philosophy of the fire and rescue operation at ValleyInternationalAirport. They hope their training remains just that — training.

“Harlingen has some of the best airport firefighting equipment south of San Antonio,” said Bryan Wren, assistant director of aviation at VIA.

Valley International has been improving its firefighting capabilities, meeting standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration on Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, known by its acronym ARFF.

Airports are required to meet federal standards on ARFF capabilities based on several factors, including the aircraft most used at that airport. For Harlingen, the safety standards are based on rescue requirements for the short- to medium-range, twin-engine Boeing 737.

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HARLINGEN — These woodcarvers work all year long carving, cutting and painting all kinds of wood to create decorative pieces.

During the winter, the Chip-O-Tex Woodcarvers get together every Tuesday to peel shavings off of wood until it becomes a masterpiece.

This past week, members of the group made up of Winter Texans met to prepare for their annual show, putting final touches on their works of art.

They made it seem easy as they concentrated on the tiniest wood shavings to give their figurines shape.

“If you can peel a potato, you can carve,” said club member Ralph Saferty. “You just have to start carving.”

This week, the woodcarvers will come together from across the Rio GrandeValley to display their best work.

The club will host its 26th annual Chip-O-Tex Woodcarvers show on Friday and Saturday at Casa de Amistad in Harlingen.

The event is open to the public and is expected to draw more than 1,000 spectators throughout the two-day event.

The faculty band will perform a variety of music, including classical, jazz, pop, rock, big band, piano duets and solos.

Donations will be accepted at the door and will be used to fund the scholarships. The scholarships will go to selected graduating seniors from the school district’s music department who plan to major or minor in music.

The Cameron County Department of Elections and Voter Registration will continue to accept voter registration applications until 5 p.m. today.

David Garza of Brownsville went to the office Friday afternoon to pick up absentee ballots for his in- laws.

“It is important to vote to get the right people in office so we can get the things we need … and if everyone turns out to vote, we get the right person for the job,” Garza said.

County annex offices are located at 3302 Wilson Road in Harlingen and 1390 W. Expressway 77/83 in San Benito.

Chief deputy Norma Carrillo said the office opened its new location at 50 E. Madison St. last September. The last few weeks have been busy at the office as voters try to register before the deadline. Carrillo said there are 184,612 registered voters in Cameron County. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 29 a total of 536 new voters were registered and another 227 voters updated their address.

Carrillo said voters who submit registration applications received and postmarked after Feb. 1 will be eligible for the next election in May.

Deputy clerk Maribel Diaz said when election season nears residents rush to the office to register even though registration is year ‘round.

“Many people think that it’s only when an election is coming up that you can register but we accept applications all year ‘round, you can even call us and we can mail you an application so you don’t even have to leave your house.” Diaz said.

According to VoteTexas.gov all voters who register to vote in Texas must provide a Texas driver’s license number or personal identification number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. If you don’t have such a number, simply provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t have a Social Security number, you need to state that fact.

“It takes less than 10 minutes to fill out the application and we can help with the process, but it takes longer when everyone rushes and waits until the last minute to register,” Diaz said.

For more information, call the Cameron County Department of Elections and Voter Registration at 956-544-0809

Innovation in education works. Just ask Josue Aldrete, who in 2007 enrolled in Harlingen CISD’s Early College High School (ECHS), a decision that would propel him towards his dream of practicing medicine as a physician assistant.

“At the time, ECHS was brand new, and most of us took a leap of faith towards the promise of a dual credit program. Looking back, I can say with confidence that I made the right decision,” says Aldrete, who was later accepted into a physician assistant school at age 20, the youngest of his class of 75. “ECHS was a big part and a right step towards my education.”

Fast forward to 2016, when he will graduate from the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) with a Master of Arts in Physician Assistant (PA) Studies. Once certified, Aldrete plans to practice medicine both within and outside of the Rio Grande Valley.

Aldrete’s journey demonstrates that opportunity plus determination equals success. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Aldrete’s parents immigrated to Harlingen when he was three.

“My parents, who both currently work for HCISD, gave up everything to allow my siblings and me a better opportunity and education,” says Aldrete.

Full of high aspirations for their son, they saw enrollment at ECHS as an opportunity not to miss, and the years that followed confirmed that choosing HCISD’s ECHS provided definite advantages to the academically determined Aldrete. Four years after enrolling in ECHS, he graduated from high school with an additional diploma — an associate of science degree in biology.

His honors at graduation included being named valedictorian, a Distinguished Graduate, a Texas Scholar, and a Board of Regents graduate from TSTC with a 4.0 grade point average. Consequently, he earned his undergraduate degree in two years.

Moving on to graduate school, he secured a highly coveted seat in the UNTHSC PA Studies program, beating out over a thousand applicants for the opportunity.

“ECHS allowed me to get one step ahead towards achieving my goal of practicing medicine,” Aldrete explains.

HCISD’s ECHS, now in its ninth year, kicked off the district’s efforts to provide students and parents with a unique learning environment, offering students the opportunity to excel in both high school and college.

HCISD Superintendent Dr. Art Cavazos, a staunch advocate for public schools, reminds us that education is the great equalizer.

“The ECHS and TSTC partnership is a tribute to the power of community collaboration for student achievement,” says Dr. Cavazos. “Together we are offering a world-class education.”

Aldrete praises the school and encourages students to consider ECHS as a school of choice. He says it’s never too early to plan for the future.

“Placing yourself on a good career path by working on your education will save you time and money, helping reduce some of the worries about the future.”

Through its supportive environment, rigorous curriculum, and collaborative agreement with TSTC, ECHS moves students one step closer to their career of choice.

Vela Middle School wastes no time in getting kids excited about college and careers.

From university banners in the halls to the names of academic teams to the nickname — Vela University — that students and staff use for their school, all who attend the future-minded campus have college on the brain.

Alfonso Munoz, who teaches Exploring Careers and Technology along with Career Portals classes, appreciates the benefit of exposing students to career options before high school.

“We want to lay the foundation for students to be able to make decisions about their college and career choices,” says Munoz. “Building that foundation now will not only help them in college but also in ninth grade at Cano Academy as that is when students begin to choose which career path they want to follow.”

Career Portals classes are designed to allow eighth graders to explore different careers. Students also take research-based-assessments to determine their personal interests towards a particular profession and learn about college acceptance rates as wells as what degree is required to enter their field of choice.

This course, in turn, allows students to transition into ninth grade with an idea of which of the five career pathways they’d like to follow at Cano Freshman Academy.

Munoz emphasizes to his students the importance of keeping up with their grades so that they can get into the college of their choice.

“What we stress to the students is that they need to begin thinking about their GPA. During their freshman year is when it starts to count. It’s never too early for students to consider what they want to do with their future.”

Trey Vento, an eighth-grade student who plans to pursue a career in engineering, describes how his teachers are helping students link what they learn in class to real-world skills.

“Our teachers here are preparing us for what to expect in college and beyond,” says Vento. “Last year my Language Arts/Reading teacher had us do a mock interview with a full resume. I felt a bit out of my comfort zone, but my teacher guided me through it; I feel more confident now because of it.”

Teachers keep students motivated by instilling in them a love for learning.

Eighth-grade student Felicity Sanchez looks forward to attending school every day and wants to become a teacher so she can teach other kids to love school too.

“I’ve learned a lot from my teachers. I especially enjoy reading,” says Sanchez. “I’m thinking of going into education because I want to be able to pass on what I’ve learned to others as well.”

She considers herself fortunate to be part of a school that promotes an inspiring learning environment where students can thrive.

“Here at Vela we are hungry for a challenge and ready to learn. We may be kids, but we come early in the mornings prepared to give it our all and that’s what Vela University is.”

RAYMONDVILLE — A small boy in a plaid shirt held tightly to the saddle, the white horse “Cricket” beneath him nodding slowly with each step.

Lucas Riojas, 3, of Beeville, was a big man in small shoes Saturday at the Willacy County Youth Rodeo. Like many small children in the rodeo, he wasn’t racing through the cloverleaf barrel race. His parents, Carlos and Leticia Riojas, were gently leading him through the course around the barrels.

Many parents were leading the small children on their horses through the events to orient them toward horses and rodeos. At first glance, Lucas and his parents appeared to have this same purpose in mind. But Lucas was walking a different path from the others.

“My son had a stroke in utero,” Leticia said when they returned from the arena. She had a ready smile as she spoke about the challenges and the progress her son has made.

“Riding horses is a good way to work on balance for him,” she said. She gestured toward Lucas, brimming with boundless energy, struggling to walk, and fearless as people and horses towered over him. His non-stop talking revealed an above average intelligence and a passion for life.

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HARLINGEN — How’d you like to help send some talented musicians to college?

Well, you can. Just come listen to some good music Tuesday night at the HCISD Performing Arts Center at 3217 Wilson Rd. Present a donation of your own choosing as you enter the auditorium, and you will have done your part to support the arts.

Then spend the evening listening to a live concert. The Harlingen school district’s music department will be hosting the 15th Annual Bob Irby Memorial Scholarship Faculty Concert to raise money and showcase teachers’ talent.

The faculty band will perform a variety of music, including classical, jazz, pop, rock, big band, piano duets and solos.

Donations will be accepted at the door and will be used to fund the scholarships. The scholarships will go to selected graduating seniors from the school district’s music department who plan to major or minor in music.