Galvan told investigators that he and Corbarrubias were arguing with Garza, who initially began to walk away, before getting in the truck and accelerating toward the pair, according to the affidavit.
Authorities obtained surveillance video from neighboring homes that corroborated Galvan’s story.
After his arrest, Garza said in a video confession that he got into an argument with Galvan over $100 he owed Garza.
“He intentionally drove his truck towards Jorge striking Jorge and Briseida causing her death,” the affidavit stated.
Garza remains held in the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on a total of $1 million in bonds.
The Texas Department of Transportation is warning Texans of texting scams that are targeting toll customers in the state.
“There have been multiple reports of TxTag customers receiving text messages claiming to have a balance due or past due,” TxDOT said in a news release.
TxDOT said the SMS texting phishing scams, also known as “smishing,” have been occurring since April, but appear to have increased recently. The agency says they’re working to have fraudulent websites taken down in hopes of preventing customers from becoming victims.
“While TxTag currently communicates with customers via email, text and outbound phone calls, it will not send text messages regarding final payment reminders or past due balances,” the release stated.
This photo illustrates an example of the TxTag text message scam, which sends the receiver of the text an unauthorized web link after claiming they have an unpaid balance. The Texas Department of Transportation said that any text messages sent to TxTag customers will be sent from 22498, as opposed to an actual phone number like this photo shows. (Courtesy photo)
An example of the scam consists of the receiver of the message being sent a photo claiming to be TxTag with the following text:
“Your recent journey on the Texas Toll Roads has resulted in a charge of [balance total]. It’s essential to settle your balance promptly to maintain uninterrupted access and to prevent any additional late fees. To make your payment visit the following link.”
The photo will be followed up with an unauthorized link.
TxDOT also said that any text messages sent to TxTag customers will be sent from 22498.
In order to receive emails and/or texts from TxTag, TxDOT said customers are required to opt into notifications, adding that if customers are unsure if they are opted in, they can log into their TxTag account or contact customer service to confirm.
Those who receive unsolicited text or email messages purporting to be from TxTag or another toll agency, TxDOT urges to contact TxTag Customer Service directly at TxTag.org or at 1-888-468-9824 as well as to not click on or open any links.
Anyone who believes they have received a fraudulent text can file a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. For more information regarding this scam, the FBI has published a public notice announcement.
Camp RIO and IDEA Public Schools have partnered up to launch a new year-long outdoor program designed for kindergarten students called Nature Buddies. (Courtesy: IDEA Public Schools)
Camp RIO and IDEA Public Schools have partnered up to launch a new year-long outdoor program designed for kindergarten students called Nature Buddies. (Courtesy: IDEA Public Schools)
Camp RIO and IDEA Public Schools have partnered up to launch a new year-long outdoor program designed for kindergarten students called Nature Buddies.
The program will offer kindergarteners an educational journey to explore the magic of nature through hands-on activities and adventures, a news release stated, adding that the program will have each student visit Camp RIO for five sessions throughout the year.
“’Not every classroom has four walls’ is a concept we believe in deeply,” Camp RIO Director Nancy Mance said in a news release. “Children at this age especially learn best through interaction with the world around them, and the natural world is one of the best teachers of creativity, problem-solving and community.”
The release stated that a new designated area has been built specifically for the program at the camp, which will include various activities designed to improve kindergarten students’ cognitive growth, physical development, and emotional and social well-being, as well as environmental stewardship.
Camp RIO and IDEA Public Schools have partnered up to launch a new year-long outdoor program designed for kindergarten students called Nature Buddies. (Courtesy: IDEA Public Schools)
Some activities include:
>> Sensory exploration that will engage all senses through hands-on environmental discovery such as learning different textures of soils, leaves and plants;
>> Guided hikes that will be a quarter mile of exploring native habitats to spark curiosity and creativity;
>> Woodland rhythms which will consist of creating music and art that can be found in nature or the play area, such as onsite instruments or finding tools to create sounds; and
>> Wildwood play that will feature free time of uninstructed play in Camp RIO’s Australian Pine Forest using nature’s elements.
Foam ripples out on the water’s surface as it empties into a reservoir Friday, July 29, 2022, at the Brownsville Public Utilities Board's Water Plant No. 1 in Brownsville. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
The Texas Water Development Board has awarded millions in funding for the East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation.
The state water regulator announced the $32,997,500 of funding, divided into two separate tranches, in a news release Thursday.
The first funding award, consisting of more than $18.9 million, will go toward paying for an expansion of East Rio Hondo’s reverse osmosis-based water infrastructure, which is used to treat groundwater.
“(T)he Corporation will upgrade and expand the North Cameron Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant from 2.3 million to 5 million gallons per day as the first phase of a three-phase project that will expand the total water production capacity to 10 million gallons per day,” the TWDB news release states.
East Rio Hondo will also use a portion of the funding to dig two new groundwater wells and make other infrastructure improvements.
Further, the water supply company won’t have to repay some $10 million of the overall $18.9 million funding grant, as that principal amount will be forgiven, the news release states.
The remaining $8.985 million will be financed as a low interest loan.
In the second funding award, the TWDB has approved just over $14 million in funding via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which will be used to make improvements to East Rio Hondo’s raw water infrastructure.
“(T)he Corporation will install a dissolved air flotation system at the Martha Ann Simpson Water Treatment Plant to remove algae from raw water,” according to a TWDB news release.
“The system upgrades include flocculation basins, dissolved air flotation basins, and mechanical support systems. Additionally, the project includes adding an emergency generator for the Harlingen Waterworks Pump Station to ensure a reliable backup water supply during emergencies,” the news release further states.
Again, the funding award is divided into a grant that won’t need to be repaid, and a low-interest loan.
The TWDB will forgive some $9,747,500 in principal, while financing the remaining $4,265,000, the news release states.
The East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation serves an expansive territory of rural homes and businesses in northern Cameron County.
Its service area stretches from the west, just north of Combes, eastward across Rio Hondo and toward the Laguna Madre. From rural Rio Hondo, the corporation’s service area extends southward to the outskirts of Harlingen, San Benito and even Los Fresnos.
A view of downtown Brownsville Historic Market Square Dome Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)
The Rio Grande Valley got some good personal economic news this month: People in the Brownsville area lead the nation in upward mobility.
All elements of our region have contributed to the improvement. Now we just have to keep it going. According to information released by the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights project, people who were born in this area in 1992 were doing better economically at age 27 than people born in 1978 at the same age.
The analysis of 50 of our country’s largest metropolitan areas found that incomes of the younger generation in the Valley on average were 6.7% better than those born a half century ago.
In many of the regions studied, the current generation actually is doing worse than its predecessors — as much as 12.7% worse in average household income than its predecessors in Philadelphia.
It’s important to understand — and acknowledge — the many factors that have contributed to our ranking. One of those is the low baseline from which this region started, especially compared to most of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. The Valley traditionally has been one of the nation’s poorest regions; in 1978 the Brownsville and McAllen metropolitan statistical areas had the lowest average incomes in the nation, with more than half of our residents living below the poverty line. Contributing factors included the dominance of agriculture in the area, a seasonal industry that traditionally yields lower incomes, and the area’s high population of immigrants. Unemployment rates, especially in the highly rural western end of the Valley, were in the 30% range.
Educational improvement has helped local residents find better-paying jobs. Pan American College had only earned university status in 1971, and the Brownsville campus opened in 1973. Today they are sister campuses of the University of Texas RGV, which is growing rapidly in terms of size, programs and respect.
Also, the Valley’s economy also has diversified, leading to a steady drop in the region’s jobless rate. In February 1992 our jobless rate was 17% — better than before but still well above the state and national average — and now has dropped to 5.4% as of July.
Other factors contributing to our improvement include Texas’ pro-business policies that attract investment. Other areas in the top 10 upward mobility areas include Austin and San Antonio.
State and federal infrastructure investment, especially with regard to highway improvements, also has increased trade, tourism and retail business that also has raised employment and income levels.
Local officials have worked hard to attract new business, and we are confident that their efforts will continue.
Those officials should not only bask in the report’s good news. They should review it, and the many factors that have led to the Valley’s economic improvement.
Most importantly, Valley residents have taken advantage of new opportunities to make their lives better.
We trust that this report is only a sign of things to come. Many people have worked hard to improve Valley residents’ economic conditions — let this motivate us to continue working to make the fortunes of our next generation even better.
Commercial and commuter traffic moves along FM 509 Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in Harlingen. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Texas is booming.
Our state adds a new Texan almost every minute of every day. Our quality of life and vibrant $2.4 trillion economy make our state an attractive place to live and a compelling destination for future Texans. While growth poses challenges, the Texas Department of Transportation is meeting the moment with a record investment in our transportation system to ensure Texas remains the preferred destination for families and businesses.
Thanks to the vision of Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature, the Texas Transportation Commission is up to the task with the adoption of the largest financial commitment to roadway infrastructure ever: $147.9 billion. This includes $104.2 billion for TxDOT’s 10-year transportation plan known as the Unified Transportation Program. The $147.9 billion investment — including development and routine maintenance — marks an increase of $5.6 billion from last year’s previous record.
From 2010 to 2020, Texas’ population grew more than any other state. We added nearly 4 million people, roughly the entire population of Oklahoma. Currently, Texas has eight of the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing counties for numeric growth, which are part of our five largest metro districts and home to 68% of all Texans.
The support of Texans has been central to our continued delivery of new and better roadways, thanks in large measure to voter support of Proposition 1 in 2014 and Proposition 7 in 2015, which is the same year I joined the commission.
A lot has changed since then. These days, TxDOT has a record $52.3 billion in projects currently under active construction — more than triple the amount of projects under way in 2014.
TxDOT is keeping pace with Texas’ growth and infrastructure needs. Later this year, we will break ground on an $11 billion project to improve mobility and reduce flooding along a stretch of Houston’s I-45 corridor. That stretch of roadway accounts for nine of the top 25 Most Congested Roadways in Texas — a project supported by $5 billion from 2023’s UTP. Last spring, we also broke out the shovels to expand capacity of Loop 1604 to give San Antonians more travel lanes and better connections to I-10.
Those are just two examples of turning dirt on congestion-relief projects as part of the Texas Clear Lanes initiative. Since 2015, we have dedicated nearly $35 billion of funding toward $76 billion worth of projects on Texas’ 100 Most Congested Roadways list. The 2025 UTP features an additional $1.9 billion of funding for these Texas Clear Lanes projects.
Soon, TxDOT will also break ground on the $4.5 billion I-35 Capital Express Central project to expand and improve an 8-mile stretch in the heart of Austin. In North Texas, the just-approved UTP supports the full funding of the US 380/Spur 399 congestion relief and safety improvement project in Collin County, the second-fastest growing county in the nation.
Improving connectivity for rural areas, which are home to one of every 10 Texans, remains paramount.
To help connect the rural parts of the state, this UTP includes an additional $1.7 billion in funding for rural corridors and key roadways in economic hubs. Major improvements are occurring in rural Texas, including along US 87 and US 83 in the Panhandle running through Amarillo and Lubbock. This supports the transport of goods in agriculture, oil and gas production, lumber/timber and other products to our population centers. Border transportation also gets a boost with a planned alternate to I-10 and Phase 2 of the Borderland Expressway in El Paso.
Safety is at the heart of every project at TxDOT, and this year’s plan reflects that. We will spend $17.3 billion on safety-focused programs, over and above our efforts to reduce congestion and improve connectivity. We understand that Texans want to make it to work and get their kids to school safely and on time.
Finally, our commitment to maintenance has not wavered. While the department celebrates a record-breaking UTP for the second year running, we also have established a record investment of $43.7 billion in development and maintenance funding. When added with the $104.2 billion UTP, the unprecedented $147.9 billion total investment will help keep Texans and our economy moving.
I want to thank my fellow commissioners who have helped guide TxDOT as the agency works to improve safety, provide congestion relief, increase statewide connectivity and enhance the quality of life for all Texans. As our population and economy continue to grow, we are meeting the challenge to provide a robust transportation system that will serve all current and future Texans.
J. Bruce Bugg Jr. is chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission.
The McAllen City Commission stands for a photo with City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodríguez, fourth from right, on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Rodriguez is retiring this week after nearly two decades of service with the city. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, center, receives a hug from District 5 McAllen Commissioner Víctor “Seby” Haddad while Mayor Javier Villalobos looks on during a commission meeting on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. The commission took a moment to honor Rodriguez on his pending retirement. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
McALLEN — Nearly 40 years total in public service.
Decades with the city of McAllen, including nearly 3,000 hours spent at over 600 McAllen City Commission and more than 200 public utility meetings.
Working with hundreds of employees and department heads, as well as scores of local and foreign dignitaries.
How does one distill the monumental work of one’s career into a few short sentences?
For McAllen city leaders and Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, the longtime city manager who, on Friday, will begin a well-deserved retirement, those numbers helped quantify things during a farewell celebration at McAllen City Hall on Monday.
But Rodriguez — known far and wide for his stern, blunt demeanor — added a bit of emotion that may have come as a surprise to the public, but not for those who have spent some of those years working closely with him.
“Thank you so much, mayor and city commissioners, my staff, assistant city managers, 35 department heads and 2,500 employees,” Rodriguez said with his characteristic straightforwardness while standing at a lectern to face the audience that had gathered for the farewell.
But that facade broke just the tiniest bit as emotion briefly, quietly, flowed across the longtime leader’s face.
Rodriguez tapped the palm an open hand over his chest — over his heart — as he added, “Thank you. I love you.”
Rodriguez thanked the McAllen community “that has treated me better, certainly, than I deserve,” he said, adding that he hopes the public’s memories of him are that of equitable treatment.
“I hope that when you look back, you just feel that I treated you, as a citizen, fairly and that I provided the best possible service that I could,” Rodriguez said as the entirety of the city commission stood behind him.
Retiring McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodríguez shows off his custom cowboy boots emblazoned with the city of McAllen logo as the McAllen City Commission honors his years of service at McAllen City Hall on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
Moments earlier, the commissioners had read from a proclamation declaring Monday to be “Roy Rodriguez Day.”
They recited his long history of service, not only to the city of McAllen, but also to Weslaco, Harlingen, Jefferson County and other places where he spent his career lending his expertise in civil engineering or public administration.
“There isn’t much more for me to say. It is certainly very, very bittersweet for this day to come,” Rodriguez said, adding that he nonetheless had had his retirement date marked on a calendar.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for the time that I’ve been able to spend in this amazing city, (this) really, really amazing city that has adopted me — (though) not everybody, right?” Rodriguez said, quipping about reactions his tough demeanor has elicited.
“I’ve got some ‘other-than-friends’ out there, but I love them anyway, because this community is really amazing,” he said.
Reflecting on Rodriguez’s tenure with the city, members of the commission also made a point of emphasizing that public facade, saying it belies Rodriguez’s big heart.
“Roy’s really a Care Bear,” District 5 Commissioner Victor “Seby” Haddad said.
McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodríguez, center right, enjoys a slice of cake while speaking with residents during a celebration of his pending retirement at McAllen City Hall on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
“He cares deeply about the city of McAllen, and most of all, he cares most about the people. He’s got a tough exterior — and I think he needs to have it, that sort of very poised, stern demeanor has served us well — but, once you get to know Roy, you’ll realize he cares more than anyone else,” Haddad said.
And that tough exterior, in turn, is evidence of the high standards the city manager has not only held himself to, but those he works with, Haddad said.
“He’s demanded a lot and created excellent leaders from the various city departments, but he also demands a lot from the city commission and from the mayor,” Haddad said.
That demand for excellence is part of what has made McAllen so successful for so long, what Haddad described as the city being at its “pinnacle.”
For McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos — whose day job has involved serving as a city attorney for various municipalities across South Texas — Rodriguez’s drive for excellence has created something even more unique — a leader whom Villalobos can truly call a friend.
“I’ve been doing governmental work for so many years, and it’s very few people that I can say that they’ve become my friends — either commissioners, city managers or anything. I’m very glad that I can call Roy my friend,” Villalobos said.
McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodríguez, in a moment of emotion, thumps his chest with his hand as he reflects on his long years of service to the city. Rodriguez is retiring on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
For the mayor, Rodriguez has become a brother. For Haddad, the city manager’s steadfast leadership has set an example where nothing is impossible.
“The beauty about talking with Roy is that … we don’t start with talking about constraints, we talk about the idea,” Haddad said.
And that makes Rodriguez’s departure all the more “bittersweet.”
Nonetheless, though the commissioners expressed their sadness in seeing Rodriguez retire, the atmosphere at city hall Monday remained one filled with hope and excitement about the future.
Rodriguez leaves behind a team of public servants who won’t skip a beat, Villalobos said. And they’ll have the benefit of his protege, Isaac Tawil, taking over the reins.
Joe Rodriguez stands for a portrait on the turf at Sams Memorial Stadium on Thursday, June 29, 2017, in Brownsville. (Jason Hoekema/The Brownsville Herald)
Joe Rodriguez
The Brownsville Independent School District will dedicate the playing field at Sams Memorial Stadium as Joe Rodriguez Memorial Field in an unveiling ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday at the stadium.
A plaque celebrating Rodriguez’s life and legacy will be unveiled at the ceremony, the district said Wednesday afternoon.
Rodriguez left a legacy of lifting up the young people of Brownsville through athletics and educational endeavors of all kinds, people who knew and worked with him over a career that spanned more than 50 years said at the time of his passing at age 85 in April 2021.
Coach Tom Chavez, who Rodriguez brought to Brownsville at the beginning of his coaching career in 1969 and who regarded Rodriguez as his best friend, credited Rodriguez with inspiring many of the new athletic facilities that had come on line in the years after 2015, including an indoor football practice facility at Rivera Early College High School, the new gymnasium at Hanna, turf soccer fields at all BISD high schools and other projects.
“All the facilities we have here now we wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for him,” Chavez said in April 2021.
Rodriguez served as BISD Athletic Director in the early 2000s. His offices were under the home bleachers at Sams Memorial Stadium.
Rodriguez coached baseball and football. His baseball Eagles went 125-72 with two state Final Four appearances. Brownsville High reached the state finals in 1965 and state semifinals in 1966.
Rodriguez’s football teams won 89 games, including the talented 1969 team that won a district championship and reached the second round of the playoffs. The 1969 team had gone 0-9 in Rodriguez’ first year in 1967, but the seniors enjoyed a banner season two years later, according to the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame, into which Rodriguez was inducted in 1991.
His brother, Eduardo, a Brownsville attorney, said coach Rodriguez “believed in giving young people the opportunity to spread their wings and see how far they could go. He believed in kids … The most important thing he did was instill in young people a desire to participate and do your best in whatever you do. … He loved sports, he loved his coaches and he loved his players. He always kept an interest in the school system.”
Joe Rodriguez stands for a portrait on the turf at Sams Memorial Stadium on Thursday, June 29, 2017, in Brownsville. (Jason Hoekema/The Brownsville Herald)
Even late in life “he wanted to go in and help the kids of Brownsville,” he said, adding that Coach Joe this past year attended basketball games at Veterans Memorial ECHS to see his grandson Campy Rodriguez play. He also attended all home football games at St. Joseph’s High School to see another grandson, Jackson Seguin Rodriguez, play.
Rodriguez was a member of the BISD Board of Trustees that in 1992 hired Esperanza Zendejas as superintendent.
She said many of the projects that came to fruition in recent years can trace their lineage to ideas first proposed during that time.
“When you spoke with Joe you felt better about what you were doing. He lifted you up,” she said. “As a board member, Joe was a force. He questioned. As a person, he was the type you wanted to hang around with.”
Zendejas served three years in the early ‘90s before going on to another position.
In 2014, Rodriguez again got elected to the BISD board. Zendejas said he and a few other board members called to ask if she would be willing to help out “for a few months.” It turned out to be four years.
“Joe Rodriguez has left a legacy that will not be forgotten,” she said. “Joe has helped so many young adults in so many ways. He raised up everyone he met.”
Donna Mayor David Moreno, left, and Place 1 Councilman Jesse “Coach” Jackson, look at the city attorney during a Donna City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
The two Donna city councilmen who are at the center of temporary restraining order prohibiting them from voting on the fate of the city manager and city attorney are firing back against allegations that they held a secret meeting in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
And now, the councilman who allegedly tipped Donna Mayor David Moreno off to the alleged illegal meeting, which spurred last month’s emergency litigation, is denying the mayor’s assertions.
“I ATTEST AND AFFIRM that the affidavits of Moreno and (Robert) Salinas, are FALSE!!,” Place 1 Donna Councilman Jesse “Coach” Jackson stated in a sworn affidavit filed with the court last Friday.
“Nothing within the contests of those affidavits are true. In Fact, (sic) these documents as well as the content therein are an extreme surprise to me, individually, as well as, in my capacity as City Commissioner,” Jackson further stated.
Jackson was referring to claims made jointly by the mayor and Donna City Attorney Robert J. Salinas as part of an application for a temporary restraining order meant to prevent the city council from firing Salinas or City Manager Carlos Yerena.
ELECTIONS AND THE TRO
The council was set to deliberate terminating Donna’s two highest administrators and naming their replacements during a special meeting on Aug. 26.
However, those efforts were stymied by the TRO, which was served on Councilmen Ernesto Lugo and Oscar Gonzales just as the meeting was getting underway.
The TRO came precisely one week after the council was forced to call for a municipal election in November for the Place 4 and 2 council seats currently occupied by Gonzales and Joey Garza Jr.
At the beginning of August, a split council voted to not hold an election, citing the results of a 2021 charter amendment election during which Donna residents voted to extend the terms of elected officials from three years to four.
During that same election, Donna voters also elected Gonzales and Garza to their seats on the city council.
But now, some three years later, part of the council — including Councilman Ernesto Lugo — wondered if those longer terms of office applied to Gonzales and Garza.
Salinas, the city attorney, said no. The charter amendment was “prospective” and applied to future candidates, not to those who were elected during the same election cycle as the charter amendment
It was the same answer he had given former Donna Mayor Rick Morales in the fall of 2023, when Morales wondered if he could have an extra year in office.
But that answer didn’t satisfy everyone. Accordingly, by a vote of 4-to-1, the city council voted to not call a November election.
The mayor cast the sole vote against canceling the election.
Days later, his brother, Manuel “Manny” Moreno, launched a legal challenge — one that ultimately prevailed when the 13th Court of Appeals ordered Donna to call the election.
Manny Moreno is currently challenging Gonzales for his Place 4 seat.
ILLEGAL MEETINGS
Within days of the 13th Court of Appeals’ order, a notice of a special meeting was posted to the city of Donna’s website. The sole matters of discussion were set to be firing Salinas and Yerena, and naming their temporary replacements.
But, as residents crowded into the legislative chamber that Monday afternoon, a man with two sets of documents settled in quietly in the back row of seats.
The man turned out to be a civil process server who officially served Lugo and Gonzales notice of the TRO while an attorney, Jay Peña, used the public comments portion of the meeting as an opportunity to notify the council of the allegations against it.
Among those allegations are assertions that Gonzales and Lugo held secret communications to scheme about firing the city attorney and city manager.
In Texas, if enough members of a governing body participate in joint communications — whether via phone, text message, email or in person — to constitute a quorum, it can be considered a public meeting.
And any such public meeting that occurs without the public being duly notified is considered a “walking quorum,” which is a violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Attorney Moises Flores speaks before the Donna City Council on at Donna City Hall on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, regarding a mandamus decision from the 13th Court of Appeals that directed the city to hold a November election. (Dina Arévalo | [email protected])
The mayor and city attorney allege that Lugo and Gonzales hosted such a walking quorum when they roped Councilman Jackson into a discussion about the fate of the two administrators.
“Commissioner (sic) Jesse Jacskon, admitted to me that he, along with his co-Respondents, Ernesto Lugo, Jr., and Oscar Gonzales, held an informal meeting,” the mayor stated in an affidavit.
Salinas echoed the allegation in an affidavit of his own.
“The Respondents acted beyond the scope of their legal authority by holding an informal meeting to discuss my termination…” Salinas stated.
Salinas further argues that the Donna City Council does not have the authority to fire him from his parallel position as attorney for the Donna Economic Development Corporation 4A, which is a related, but independent arm of the city.
“FALSEHOODS”
The pair describe Jackson as a “cooperating” witness who was on their side, but now, Jackson has filed an affidavit wholly disputing David Moreno and Salinas’ version of events.
Jackson denies ever having met with Lugo or Gonzales outside of a publicly noticed council meeting.
Instead, he alleges that the mayor and city attorney are the ones who called him to a private meeting.
“I received a phone call from Mayor Moreno requesting me to meet him at Counsel Salinas’ office, and since I was in need of legal advise (sic) I went to said meeting,” Jackson stated.
Jackson roundly denies that his conversation with the mayor and city attorney at that meeting had anything to do with what the pair subsequently stated in their affidavits.
“Mr. Moreno’s sworn affidavit is FALSE,” Jackson’s affidavit stated.
He further claims that the mayor and city attorney’s allegations have caused him embarrassment “and disgrace in the Public and my constituents (sic) eyes” and demands that the mayor retract “such falsehoods.”
Donna City Hall in an undated photo.
COUNTERCLAIMS
For their part, Councilmen Lugo and Gonzales have each filed motions asking the court to dismiss the allegations against them and lift the TRO.
Like Jackson, both councilmen deny they held an illegal meeting and similarly refer to the mayor and city attorney’s accusations as “false statements.”
They characterize the litigation as a bid for attention, and an effort for the city attorney to hang onto his high-paying job.
“This lawsuit was really just a publicity stunt, meant to create publicity for (David Moreno and Robert Salinas) and their attorneys,” Lugo’s counterclaim states.
“Likewise, Counter Defendant Salinas is attempting to maintain his position with the City of Donna,” it further states.
Earlier this summer, the council unanimously voted to renew Salinas’ city attorney contract through July 31, 2026.
The city pays Salinas $17,500 per month for his services, which equates to $210,000 per year, according to a copy of the employment contract.
Meanwhile, the EDC 4A pays Salinas a sum of $10,000 per month, or $120,000 per year, according to the most recent version of that contract, which was slated to expire on Dec. 31, 2023.
Yerena, the city manager, draws a wage of $117.95 per hour, for an average annual salary of $245,336.
As part of the TRO petition, Salinas asks the court to award him his contracted salary as legal damages.
Lugo alleges that Salinas and David Moreno are perverting the legal process.
“(Salinas and Moreno) possess ulterior motives and purposes in exercising such illegal, perverted, or improper use of the process,” Lugo’s counterclaim states.
Gonzales claims that if anyone has held an illegal public meeting, it’s the mayor, adding that David Moreno is acting beyond his authority as mayor by unilaterally filing the litigation on the city’s behalf.
If the case isn’t dismissed outright, Gonzales further requests that it instead be transferred from County Court-at-Law No. 6 to a state district court.
For now, the temporary restraining order remains in place pending further court proceedings.
In this Sept. 13, 2023 file photo, Fred Uribe, at left, and Ricardo Silva prepare for the city of Harlingen’s inaugural Fiesta De Piñatas celebration. The inaugural event was set to take off last year, running across downtown’s western streets, before a fast-moving thunderstorm forced its last-minute cancellation. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)
HARLINGEN — La Placita’s streets are ready to burst into bright colors for Fiesta de Piñatas, Harlingen’s first festival commemorating Mexico’s independence from Spain.
The inaugural event was set to take off last year, running across downtown’s western streets, before a fast-moving thunderstorm forced its last-minute cancellation.
“So this is the first one,” Alexis Riojas, the Downtown Improvement District’s director, said of Saturday’s festival. “We’re more than ready. We’re ready to fiesta.”
After months of planning, the festival will commemorate Mexico’s independence from Spain, marking the Mexican holiday El Diez y Seis de Septiembre, while celebrating the culturally iconic piñata, whose artistry has become symbolic of Mexican-American culture.
Last year, Fred Uribe, co-owner of Don Gollito’s Restaurant, presented city officials with his concept of a piñata festival.
“It’s a celebration of the Hispanic Latino culture,” Uribe said in an interview. “Down here in Harlingen, we don’t celebrate the Hispanic culture. I think we lost the Hispanic culture in Harlingen.”
So he pitched his idea to Mayor Norma Sepulveda and city commissioners.
“I knew Fiesta de Piñatas was perfect the moment it was presented,” Sepulveda said in a statement. “It’s important to me that we create opportunities to celebrate our culture, and this event honors traditions while bringing families together to celebrate 16 de Septiembre with joy and a sense of community.”
While artists and chefs showcase their music and art along with salsas and dulces along West Van Buren Avenue from E Street to West Street, the festival’s Comida Market will feature fajita tacos, espiropapas, fruit cups, nachos and aguas frescas.
At Mercado Market, artists will display their hand-crafted ceramics and sterling silver jewelry along with leather handbags, shoes and hats.
Across West Van Buren Avenue from E Street to West Street, the festival will stage the music of Mariachis Estrelas del Valle, the Revo Live Band and headliner Amanda Solis and her Ultimate Selena Experience.
“We’re creating an event celebrating our culture,” Riojos said in an interview. “It’s an event for the family to come out and enjoy. A lot of people don’t know La Placita is part of downtown.”
For families, children will get their chances to burst piñatas filled with candies.
Then at 4 p.m., Fiesta de Piñatas comes alive at Gutierrez Park.
An hour later, the Mexican Consulate’s office will perform the traditional Grito, commemorating Father Miguel Hidalgo’s call, leading to the start of Mexico’s fight for Independence from Spain in 1810.
Running to 9 p.m., the festival turns the piñata into the life of the party, giving children chances to burst the brightly painted paper mache casks.
“Piñatas are very rich in the Hispanic culture — colorful, vibrant, fun, festive,” Riojas said. “They’re all uniquely different in their own way, with purples, blues, yellows, oranges — neon type colors.”
Since he was a child, piñatas captured Uribe’s fancy, leading him to delve into their historical, cultural and religious significance.
By some accounts, the piñata evolved in 14th Century Europe before the Spanish brought the tradition to Mexico and Latin America, where it merged with Aztec and Mayan traditions.
In Mexico, the Catholic tradition was associated with Lent, the piñata’s seven points symbolizing the seven deadly sins, while its candy represented temptation.
“The piñata brings the family together, the children together,” Uribe said. “It’s a figure that brings the family together. They dress up in festive colors — women in floral dresses with red flowers and men in their attire with charro hats. I wanted to see that in Harlingen.”
Commentary: Historic road investment
Texas is booming.
Our state adds a new Texan almost every minute of every day. Our quality of life and vibrant $2.4 trillion economy make our state an attractive place to live and a compelling destination for future Texans. While growth poses challenges, the Texas Department of Transportation is meeting the moment with a record investment in our transportation system to ensure Texas remains the preferred destination for families and businesses.
Thanks to the vision of Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature, the Texas Transportation Commission is up to the task with the adoption of the largest financial commitment to roadway infrastructure ever: $147.9 billion. This includes $104.2 billion for TxDOT’s 10-year transportation plan known as the Unified Transportation Program. The $147.9 billion investment — including development and routine maintenance — marks an increase of $5.6 billion from last year’s previous record.
From 2010 to 2020, Texas’ population grew more than any other state. We added nearly 4 million people, roughly the entire population of Oklahoma. Currently, Texas has eight of the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing counties for numeric growth, which are part of our five largest metro districts and home to 68% of all Texans.
The support of Texans has been central to our continued delivery of new and better roadways, thanks in large measure to voter support of Proposition 1 in 2014 and Proposition 7 in 2015, which is the same year I joined the commission.
A lot has changed since then. These days, TxDOT has a record $52.3 billion in projects currently under active construction — more than triple the amount of projects under way in 2014.
TxDOT is keeping pace with Texas’ growth and infrastructure needs. Later this year, we will break ground on an $11 billion project to improve mobility and reduce flooding along a stretch of Houston’s I-45 corridor. That stretch of roadway accounts for nine of the top 25 Most Congested Roadways in Texas — a project supported by $5 billion from 2023’s UTP. Last spring, we also broke out the shovels to expand capacity of Loop 1604 to give San Antonians more travel lanes and better connections to I-10.
Those are just two examples of turning dirt on congestion-relief projects as part of the Texas Clear Lanes initiative. Since 2015, we have dedicated nearly $35 billion of funding toward $76 billion worth of projects on Texas’ 100 Most Congested Roadways list. The 2025 UTP features an additional $1.9 billion of funding for these Texas Clear Lanes projects.
Soon, TxDOT will also break ground on the $4.5 billion I-35 Capital Express Central project to expand and improve an 8-mile stretch in the heart of Austin. In North Texas, the just-approved UTP supports the full funding of the US 380/Spur 399 congestion relief and safety improvement project in Collin County, the second-fastest growing county in the nation.
Improving connectivity for rural areas, which are home to one of every 10 Texans, remains paramount.
To help connect the rural parts of the state, this UTP includes an additional $1.7 billion in funding for rural corridors and key roadways in economic hubs. Major improvements are occurring in rural Texas, including along US 87 and US 83 in the Panhandle running through Amarillo and Lubbock. This supports the transport of goods in agriculture, oil and gas production, lumber/timber and other products to our population centers. Border transportation also gets a boost with a planned alternate to I-10 and Phase 2 of the Borderland Expressway in El Paso.
Safety is at the heart of every project at TxDOT, and this year’s plan reflects that. We will spend $17.3 billion on safety-focused programs, over and above our efforts to reduce congestion and improve connectivity. We understand that Texans want to make it to work and get their kids to school safely and on time.
Finally, our commitment to maintenance has not wavered. While the department celebrates a record-breaking UTP for the second year running, we also have established a record investment of $43.7 billion in development and maintenance funding. When added with the $104.2 billion UTP, the unprecedented $147.9 billion total investment will help keep Texans and our economy moving.
I want to thank my fellow commissioners who have helped guide TxDOT as the agency works to improve safety, provide congestion relief, increase statewide connectivity and enhance the quality of life for all Texans. As our population and economy continue to grow, we are meeting the challenge to provide a robust transportation system that will serve all current and future Texans.
J. Bruce Bugg Jr. is chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission.