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Boswell seeking re-election

HARLINGEN — Mayor Chris Boswell will seek another term for the top elected post in the city.

Boswell, who is a 30-year resident of Harlingen born and raised in the Valley, has served as mayor since 2007. Prior to that, he served on numerous boards and committees and served three terms on the Harlingen City Commission.

The attorney is proud of the recent accomplishments of the city, which he cited as the creation of nearly 3,500 new jobs, the reduction in the city’s unemployment rate from 11 percent to 5.5 percent and the expansion of the retail and restaurant sector.

He cites the establishment of facilities such as Bass Pro Shops and Sam’s and nearly $200 million in new capital investment of businesses and expansion.

Public safety also has been a key component to what Boswell calls successes.

Boswell said his record on public safety shows a 5-year trend in the crime rate dropping violent and property crimes by half.

“Public safety has been a number one issue for me and I know how important that is to our community,” he said. “I’ve also made it a priority to target run-down buildings and structures which have been havens for gang activity, drugs and graffiti.”

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Son, friend remember Eloy Cano Sr.

HARLINGEN — Family and friends remember Eloy Cano Sr. as a loving family man, respected lawman and revered justice of the peace.

Cano died at his home Wednesday night after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 79.

Cano worked as an investigator with the Harlingen Police Department, going on to serve as chief deputy of the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department and as a longtime justice of the peace.

“He was a rare, unique man,” said his son Eloy Cano Jr., who followed his father’s footsteps to the Cameron County justice of the peace bench.

“He taught me many lessons, humility being one of them,” Cano said. “The best thing my father ever did for me was take me to church. That was the glue. He was a man of God so he had all those qualities — loyalty, integrity, good attitude.”

Cano said his father kept his office open to the public.

“His open-door policy was different — he was open, period. He just enjoyed company,” Cano said. “He was humble and generous. He was special — not just to our family. I’ve heard hundreds of stories, all nice, and good deeds.”

After leaving the judge’s bench, Eloy Cano Sr. served four years as chief deputy under Sheriff Omar Lucio.

“I, my family and the sheriff’s office extend our deepest sympathies and condolences,” Lucio said. “The community lost a great leader. He was a well-respected, well-liked, community-minded individual. He had the best interests of the public.”

Lucio said he worked with Cano at the Harlingen Police Department.

“I had tremendous respect for him,” Lucio said. “We were great friends. He became an excellent investigator. He was a great partner. We solved several good cases together. He was a great worker who’d work all night long if the need arose.”

Longtime Justice of the Peace Sally Gonzalez remembered Cano as “a very straight-forward, stern judge who took his profession very seriously.”

“He was trustworthy and liked to help people in our community,” Gonzalez said. “He was a good mentor for our youth. He served our community very well.”

Police release name of man found in jetties

RAYMONDVILLE — Authorities have identified the body of a Georgetown man found in the beach’s surf about 12 miles south of Port Mansfield’s jetties.

Gregory Lowe, 58, had been reported missing before his body was recovered Wednesday on South Padre Island after a two-day search, Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence said yesterday.

Spence said the man’s body was found in beach surf near the 20-mile marker near Access No. 6.

Cameron County Sheriff’s Office alerted authorities at about 2 p.m. Tuesday after residents believed they spotted the body, Spence said.

But Spence said a high tide, choppy waters and high winds stopped Willacy County deputies from continuing the search late Tuesday.

Beach cleanup on SPI slated for Saturday

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – Sea Turtle Inc. and the Respeta tu Playa Group will join together on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to host the second annual “End of the Road“ beach cleanup.

The cleanup will remove trash that would otherwise harm and possibly even prevent sea turtle hatchlings from getting to the ocean. Because of red tide, the fall coastal cleanup was cancelled and the amount of trash that has accumulated on the beaches is more than usual.

“Trash might impede the hatchlings getting into the ocean, because they’re small little guys, so even water bottles are big obstacles,“ said Caitlin Bovery, educator with Sea Turtle Inc. “And unfortunately, the marine debris out there is not soft or malleable. It’s hard, it’s sharp, and it can cause injuries to not just sea turtles, but all marine line.“

Ocean pollution causes an estimated hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine animals to die each year, according to Sea Turtle Inc.

In South Padre Island, there are between 20 to 70 sea turtle nests a year, and nesting season begins in April and continues until early August.

“We encourage cleanups all-year round but especially during that time of year because the turtles will interact with the trash on the beach,“ Bovery said.

Sea Turtle Inc. has a rehabilitation center for sea turtles they find that have been injured due to marine debris.

The sea turtles can suffer injuries to their intestines if they ingest plastic and subsequently starve to death or get caught in debris and lose flippers.

“We have one right now that lost a flipper to entanglement. There are just a wide variety of injuries they can sustain and that we see each year,“ Bovery said.

The event will cover a 3-mile stretch of prime sea turtle nesting area.

TO REGISTER

Participants can register for the event at Beach Access No. 6 off of Highway 100, which is about six miles north of Sea Turtle, Inc.

Mercedes students accused of sending terroristic Tweets

Handcuffs

Two Mercedes teens accused of sending terrorist messages on social media have been arrested.

The pair are accused of sending Tweets via Twitter wishing for another 9/11 and threatening to shoot at the school.

Mercedes superintendent Daniel Trevino said the teens were pulled out of class Wednesday morning after representatives from Google contacted the school with concern about the tweets.

One students Twitter profile has a photo of him showing off two machine guns.

The superintendent said one student sent a message that he planned to go to the school to shoot it up with his friend. The other commented that he wished for another 9/11

“I hope that these youngsters understand and those parents understand that our authorities are not going to take this lightly,” said Trevino.

The district sent an automated voice recording to all parents today notifying them about the incident.

The teens were arraigned and given a $250,000 bond each.

Dr. Trevino said more security was put in place, but it’s business as usual at the Mercedes school.

Boswell says he’s running for re-election

HARLINGEN – Mayor Chris Boswell will seek another term for the top elected post in the city.

Boswell, who is a 30-year resident of Harlingen born and raised in the Valley, has served as mayor since 2007. Prior to that, he served on numerous boards and committees and served three terms on the Harlingen City Commission.

The attorney is proud of the recent accomplishments for the city, which he cited as the creation of nearly 3,500 new jobs, the reduction in the city’s unemployment rate from 11 percent to 5.5 percent and the expansion of retail and restaurant sector.

Boswell sees more on the horizon.

“We’ve really reached a point where we’re going to continue to see positive growth, new retail and more commercial expansion,” he said.

He has some priorities if re-elected to another term.

“Making sure the RAHC campus is a key component of UTRGV, public safety, increased manufacturing jobs, more retail and continued attention downtown and beautification of the city are all the ingredients to continued momentum for growth and prosperity,” he said. “I love my city and I truly enjoy serving the citizens of Harlingen. I’m asking for their vote so we can continue the growth.”

Meat Industry – 9, Consumers – 0

The “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” released recently by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services marks the ninth time in a row that the meat industry has successfully suppressed scientific findings recommending reduced meat consumption.

The reduction was recommended by the government-appointed Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in a 571-page report based on review of thousands of studies.

Reduced meat consumption was first recommended in 1977 by the U.S.

Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs in “Dietary Goals for the United States,” a precursor to the Dietary Guidelines. The meat industry forced the Committee to destroy all copies of the report and to remove the offending recommendation from a new edition.

That wanton government sell-out to the meat industry has replayed itself with every new edition of the Dietary Guidelines since then. “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” shape school lunches and other government food support programs and underlie public health campaigns to lower rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Fortunately, American consumers are not easily duped. Sales of plant-based meats, cheeses, milks, and ice creams have skyrocketed, and every grocery store provides seemingly countless choices of fruits and vegetables.

Sincerely, Hector Cheverly Harlingen

Thank you

Regarding open carrying handguns Jan. 1, 2016.

I would like to thank HEB and any other retail or eating establishment for making such sensible policy, which does not allow people who wish to openly carry and display firearms at their place of business.

Personally, I don’t feel safe shopping and having people with loaded firearms around me, unless they’re law enforcement officers.

Again, thank you for the courageous steps HEB has taken. And let us not forget, the Valley is not Dodge City and Mat Dillon was a fictitious character.

Frank Garcia Harlingen

Origin of rights?

Some time back, there was an exchange of opinions on this page about the origin of rights. The consensus was that they come from God. I disagree.

There are millions of God-fearing people around the world who have no rights except the very few granted by their oppressive governments or religions.

There are many millions of others who enjoy an abundance of rights, and we Americans are among them. We won those rights on the battlefield and secured them in a godless constitution.

So let’s give credit where credit is due.

Jack King Harlingen

3 critically injured, 7 flee after truck accident near Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA — Three men are in critical condition after the truck they were passengers in rolled over.

Seven other occupants of the truck remain at large, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety who is currently investigating the crash.

The accident happened this morning at 6:23 a.m. on F.M. 1425 south of S.H. 107 east of Santa Rosa. Preliminary investigation revealed the 2002 brown Chevrolet Silverado had 10 people inside as it headed south on F.M. 1425.

DPS says the driver was speeding at a curve when he lost control and veered onto the eastside shoulder and into an open field. Three men were transported Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen and are listed in critical condition.

The other seven are being searched for via a DPS aircraft and U.S. Border Patrol.