A HAPPY, ALBEIT BELATED BIRTHDAY TO HEB'S TONY ESPARZA

 

AT THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE, ARE CHAIRMAN GUERRA AND DIETRICH USING POSITIONS TO PUNISH POLITICAL FOES?

Special to El RrunRrun

After 23 years of leasing and operating warehouses at the Port of Brownsville, Beto Torres's nightmare began when he ran for a seat on the board of the Brownsville Navigation District against the wishes of current board chairman Esteban Guerra.

Torres, who had announced for Place 1, thought he had the blessing and support of Guerra untilthe board chairman announced his support – and campaigned for  Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez – a partner in  Brownsville Gulfside Warehouse Inc., which also leases land from the port and subleases warehouse space there. 

In items that have come before the board, the commissioners have approved purpose clause amendments for them and other lessees, in contrast to denying Torres's requests to even get an item for consideration on the board's agenda. In fact, Gutierrez's Gulfside has a lease amendment agenda item also for the board's consideration today.

Torres's problems came even after Port Director William Dietrich assured him – before witnesses –  that his B & L Freight Service LLC could rent his warehouse space to anyone he wished. After the election results came in, Dietrich, in a meeting called with port staff and Torres, denied that he had ever told Torres any such thing and stormed out of a meeting he called to iron out his stand on the requests. 

"Dietrich called me after the election and told me that he wanted me to be happy," Torres recalled. "He said he wanted me to make a million dollars. He said that as long as I didn't use the word sublease, I could rent to anyone I wanted and that the port wouldn't care. Then he denied he ever told me anything. and I was told that Guerra was doing this because I needed to be punished for going against his candidate. Se tiene que castigar."

Dietrich's actions against Torres has raised eyebrows at the port given that the port director's personal

romantic relationship with one of Guerra's female relatives. Dietrich – a retired Brownsville Police Department commander – was picked by Guerra to be interim port director after Eddie Campirano retired, and after a pro-forma national search, was appointed permanent port director by the board. 

Despite the fact that he came in third in the four-man race for Place 1 on the board, and behind eventual winner – and current incumbent Gutierrez who was supported by Guerra – his efforts to amend his purpose clause on his lease to allow him to sublease or rent to tenants has been removed from the port's agenda time after time since he first submitted it last February. In fact, Torres said that  Gutierrez called him and offered to pay his campaign expenses if he would withdraw from the Place 1 race.

The authority to place or remove items on the BND 's board agenda is delegated to the chairman and the port director. 

And even after the BND's Leasing Committee then chaired by commissioner Tito Lopez reviewed Torres'  proposed lease and sublease amendments and determined that he had complied with with the BND's leasing policies, the board's counsel determined that it is up to Guerra to ultimately decide the timing and placement of items on the agenda. So far, Guerra had refused to place the item on the agenda. It was only after Torres procured legal counsel that the item was placed on today's port commissioners' agenda. 

In frustration that the recommendations that his leasing committee made to allow the B & L Freight Service to amend his lease and sublease on his two warehouses had been ignored by the director and board chairman, Lopez resigned as its chair. Lopez's frustrations with Guerra and the port's director came to a head during a September 18th meeting, when Lopez openly questioned the motives behind the negative consideration of Torres's request  

Since then, the officers of Bureau Veritas – the company who has been trying to sublease from Torres to expand its business –  have had to wait for the item to be placed on the agenda and get the approval of the sublease before the commission. 

The animosity by Guerra and port director Dietrich toward Torres has been increasing as time went on. One of the issues that the port has raised is the use of B&L Freight Service – a trucking company – to allow third-party parking of trucks awaiting to load their cargoes before departing to Matamoros. The port director – Dietrich – determined that allowing trucks to park in his yard constituted "unauthorized use of third-party truck parking and staging" alleging that such use posed a "grave safety and security risk."

That "risk," the port said, required he get a $3 million liability policy, which he did.

Yet, after he was prevented from using his yard to park third-party trucks, video footage taken by Torres as late as November 8 showed that the trucks were allowed to use ROBCO LLC, in which Guerra has an interest, and at commissioner Gutierrez's lease, and in the lease of former port commissioner Ralph Cowen. At first it was just third-party tanker trucks, but soon even flatbeds were prohibited in Torres's yard, but are now welcome at Guerra's and Gutierrez's companies, putting $1,000s in their pockets at $20 a day. Do they have the $3 million liability policy that was required from Torres? Somehow, he seriously doubts it.

"And supposedly they don't want any third-party parking," Torres said. "Those trucks used to be in my yard." 

In fact, there were repeated letters warning Torres about using his yard or subleasing (or renting) to tenants without the board's approval, and even threatening possible termination of his leases. 

At tonight's meeting, the board's agenda has an item that will consider B & L Freight Service LLC's requests to amend its purpose clause as it aims to expand its operations. The current purpose is for freight transportation, storage of coils and sheet metals. The lessee wishes to amend the purpose to warehousing of non-hazardous dry bulk materials, and for a laydown area of non-hazardous dry bulk materials. 

The request clearly states that he will not be authorized to permit third-party trucks parking or staging or transloading and storage of hazardous materials on the premises. Given the chairman and port director's animosity toward Torres, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the item will probably not get their recommendation for approval.

It is interesting to note that the BND's Code of Ethics clearly prohibits such conduct from commissioners. It states that:

"No Commissioner shall: 

1. Participate in a vote or decision on a matter involving a business, contract or real property in which the Commissioner has a substantial interest if it is reasonably foreseeable that an action on the matter would confer a special economic effect, distinguishable from its effect on the public, on the business, contract or property involved."

Is the port's code of ethics merely words on paper to be ignored by the chairman and the port director and the other commissioners to retaliate and satisfy a whim for political revenge? Is this any way to run an international industrial port? 

TRUMP COMES TO BROWNTOWN: "FROM BOCA CHICA TO MARS?"

By Alejandra Yanez

ValleyCentral

BROWNSVILLE, Texas Sources have confirmed President Elect Donald J. Trump will be visiting Brownsville Tuesday to watch the sixth SpaceX launch.

The team of U.S. Representative for District 34 Vicente Gonzalez confirmed Trump will be in attendance Tuesday as space enthusiasts, locals and out of towners watch SpaceX attempt to launch the Starship rocket.

Sources have not specified where the president elect will be flying in nor at what time. However, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) there will be flight restrictions at the Brownsville Airport beginning at 2:30 p.m., which indicate a VIP visit.

Leading up to the Nov. 5 election, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk showed support for Trump while on the campaign trail.

“Musk pumped an estimated $200 million through his political action committee to help elect Trump and has been named, along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead an advisory committee tasked by Trump to dramatically cut governmental costs and reshape how Washington operates, which has sparked ethics concerns over Musk’s many interests before the federal government,” the Associated Press reported.


After his victory in the Rio Grande Valley and the country, Trump is coming down to watch the rocket launch first hand.

This is SpaceX’s sixth attempt at launching Starship and this time around, it aims to test the landing capture system of the booster, while the upper stage continues to a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

“Objectives include the booster once again returning to the launch site for catch, reigniting a ship Raptor engine while in space, and testing a suite of heatshield experiments and maneuvering changes for ship reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean,” SpaceX stated.

According to SpaceX.com, Starship is expected to launch Nov. 19 with a 30-minute launch window beginning at 4 p.m.

A stream of the launch can be watched here on ValleyCentral.co

NEW POST-ELECTION SECTION AT YOUR BUHO BOOKSTORE

VOTER SUPPRESSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES REAL IN TEXAS

By Isabela LoCicero

Austin American Stateman
Opinion

Growing up in Paris, Texas, 20 miles from the Oklahoma border, I heard a lot of anti-woman rhetoric about politics at my middle school during the 2016 election. People said Hillary Clinton would launch nuclear weapons when she was on her period if she got elected. At our local church, people said she “reeked of sulfur,” like the devil.

What’s interesting about Texas, though, is that at our very core most of us believe representative democracy is a good thing. But what we’re seeing in terms of concerted voter suppression from our government is a direct affront to this belief. 

Recently, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a series of raids targeting Latino households in South Texas which have been described as interfering with the Latino vote, and over which no criminal charges have been filed, suggesting they were a waste of taxpayer money. Texas leads the country in closing down polling sites on racial lines and the state continues to close down polling places for young voters of color.

Meanwhile, Paxton is attempting to close down nonprofits – he recently failed to convince a court to close down an immigrants rights group in Houston – by claiming that they breach tax rules about being party-political. That has made nonprofits across the state nervous.

As a volunteer registering voters in Texas, I came across questions around my intentions and faced skepticism that registering young women to vote is nonpartisan. It seems wanting other young women to vote because it is our civic duty and because it’s critical to a strong democracy appears threatening for many in Texas.

There is nothing about women in politics that’s inherently partisan. Even in a state where several jurisdictions recently outlawed travel on highways to seek an abortion, a woman has a right to vote for whomever she wants, even if she supports laws that will be used to criminalize women. Voter drives might be one thing in the abstract, but the concrete reality here in Texas, to paraphrase George Orwell’s famous book, "Animal Farm," is that some voters seem to me to be more equal than others.

I strongly believe that federal intervention is the only way to mitigate these issues in Texas and beyond. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 was proposed as legislation designed to restore and strengthen aspects of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including in Texas, which has closed more than 400 polling sites since 2012. 

Until such legislation is passed, representative democracy will continue to be a great idea only in the abstract here in Texas, which is a grim and terrifying reality for women like me who grew up and aspire to build our lives and careers here.

"ONCE THERE WAS A WAY, TO GET BACK HOMEWARD..."

 

SAN BENE VS. VARCO DISPUTE LANDS IN EURESTI'S COURT TUESDAY

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

 The long-simmering dispute between Brownsville-based Varco Real Estate over a multi-million San Benito Economic Development Corporation Resaca Village shopping center project has landed before Judge Benjamin Euresti in the 107th State District.

The city – citing what they say is non-compliance with the original contract – stopped the company and its subcontractors from entering the site, and later said that one of them had tapped into a city water line without authorization.

Varco's lawyers say that the subcontractor "mistakenly" tapped into the city water line, but that the city is using that as an excuse to void the agreement and hand out the construction to other developers.

This comes on the heels of a visiting judge voiding a charter amendment election on November 4, one day before the November general election and after the nine day-early voting period where two-thirds of the final vote has traditionally been cast. The Cameron County Elections Department reported that more than 5,000 votes for and against the amendments had already ben cast when the judge voided the election. The city has appealed his ruling.

And on the sidelines Wayne Dolcefino, President of the Houston-based investigative media firm Dolcefino Media that has been championing Varco alleged that it is investigating "nepotism, alleged corruption and cover-ups in San Benito" and charging that the city has acted illegally in not certifying signatures on a petition to recall the entire city commission. 

It also claims that the city is spending money on lawyers without the city commission authorizing their hiring.

The whole wriggling mess, with San Benito residents lined up on either side, has landed in Euresti's court and will be heard Tuesday..

Varco has denied that it has anything to do with the Dolcefino media firm and that they are acting on their own. The city has remained skeptical of those claims.

"THE SHOW BEGINS ON MONDAY, JANUARY 20, WHEN MR. TRUMP GETS SWORN IN ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CAPITOL..."

FONDLY REMEMBERING BILL YOUNG A YEAR AFTER HIS PASSING

(Ed.'s Note: How time flies, as the saying goes. It has been more than a year since our good friend and media colleague Bill Young passed away a year ago last October. It was always fun to find an email from Bill in my inbox because it usually contained something smart and, for the most part, linguistically entertaining.

Bill was a wordsmith, as the articles and short stories that he wrote when we worked together in the 1970s in the Brownsville Herald showed. He had been a veteran, a newspaper man, a broadcaster, a local history buff, and later, a one-man show as the Public Information Officer for the City of Brownsville. 

He loved to repeat a favorite saying of old copy desk editor bulldog Ward Coldwell who said that a journalist is just a newspaper man out of work.

I had stored this email he sent me which showed the origin of common phrases and had never posted it. It is only fitting that it should be posted now as a sign of appreciative remembrance of our good friend. We extend our warm greetings to his wife Patricia and daughter Morgan. Peace be with you friend, wherever you may be. He is missed.)  

1. WHY?: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

BECAUSE : When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

2. WHY?: Why do ships and aircraft use "mayday" as their call for help?

BECAUSE: This comes from the French word m'aidez - meaning "help me" - and is pronounced, approximately, "mayday."

3. WHY?: Why are zero scores in tennis called "love"?

BECAUSE: In France , where tennis became popular, the round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called "l'oeuf," which is French for '"he egg." When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (naturally), mispronounced it "love."

4. WHY?: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

BECAUSE: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often

signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

5. WHY?: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called "passing the buck?"

BECAUSE: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would "pass the buck" to the next player.

6. WHY?: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

BECAUSE: In earlier times it used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the Host’s glass with his own.

7. WHY?: Why are people in the public eye said to be "in the limelight?"

BECAUSE: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer 'in the limelight' was the Centre of attention.

8. WHY?: Why is someone who is feeling great on "cloud nine?" 

BECAUSE: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, With nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

9. WHY? In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?

BECAUSE: When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game "golf." He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into caddie.

10. WHY?: Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?

BECAUSE: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of dense orange clay called "pygg." When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as "pygg banks." When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

BIG CHEEKS.

Bet you don't know "Big cheeks”!

Big cheeks. A grandson of slaves, a boy was born in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans known as the "Back of Town." His father abandoned the family when the child was an infant. His mother became a
prostitute and the boy and his sister had to live with their grandmother.

Early in life he proved to be gifted for music and with three other kids he sang in the streets of New Orleans. His first gains were coins that were thrown to them. A Jewish family, Karnofsky, who had emigrated from Lithuania to the USA, had pity for the 7-year-old boy and brought him into their home, initially giving "work" in the house, to feed this hungry child. There he remained and slept in this Jewish family's home where, for the first time in his life, he was treated with kindness and tenderness..

When he went to bed, Mrs Karnovsky sang him a Russian lullaby that he would sing with her. Later, he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs.

Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family. The Karnofskys gave him money to buy his first musical instrument; as was the custom in the Jewish families. They sincerely admired his musical talent. Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions, such as St. James Infirmary and Go Down Moses.

The little black boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family who had adopted him in 1907. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore a Star of David and said that in this family, he had learned "how to live real life and determination."

You might recognize his name. This little boy was called: Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong ..

Louis Armstrong proudly spoke fluent Yiddish! And "Satchmo" is Yiddish for "Big Cheeks”!!!

SO ONCE EMPEROR TRUMP IS IN GROCERIES WILL GO BACK TO $97?

   WHY DID IT WORK HERE?

BUT NOT HERE?

FORMER BISD BOARD COUNSEL FACES STATE BAR COMPLAINT

(Ed.'s Note: The last time that former Brownsville Independent School District board counsel Baltazar Salazar poked his head out of his hole was just before the district's board member election when he was seen with BISD rogue board members Carlos Elizondo and Frank Ortiz trying to take over the board majority. If they had achieved their goal, Elizondo had spread the word that the superintendent would be replaced and that Salazar - who had been fired by the previous majority - would be back in the gravy train with a $300,000-plus salary tag. 

Fortunately for the district, only one seat was gained by the conspirators - Minerva Pena's -not enough to oust the super, and, more importantly, not enough to get the lawyer's cushy gig back. As the story below shows, that is not the only underhanded activity the slithery Balty has been up to. 

His shenanigans with the Progreso city commission have resulted in a commissioner filing a complaint against him with the Texas State Bar. Prior top that, the Rio Grande ISD also had enough of him and fired him, too. Veteran Valley reporter Dave Hendricks fills in the details of this slimy shyster.)

By Dave Hendricks 
ValleyCentral

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A member of the Progreso City Council filed a complaint against City Attorney Baltazar Salazar a week ago Saturday, concerned that Salazar had taken part in “clear misconduct.”

Salazar represented Mayor Hugo Gamboa, City Councilwoman Sandra V. Estrada and City Councilman Raul Flores in a lawsuit against the city of Progreso.
While the lawsuit remained pending, Gamboa, Estrada and Flores hired Salazar to serve as the city attorney. “It, absolutely — to me — is a conflict of interest,” said City Councilman Javier Morales, who filed the complaint.

Morales mailed the seven-page complaint to the State Bar of Texas on Saturday morning. He sent a copy to Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios, Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra and the Texas Rangers.

“It needs to be investigated,” Morales said. “And, if it’s a slap on the wrist, if it’s: ‘Hey, don’t do that,’ — then that’s fine. I’m not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary.”

Gamboa, Estrada and Flores filed a lawsuit against the city of Progreso in August. Salazar agreed to represent them without charge.

Along with the city, they sued Morales, City Councilman Ruben Abundiz, City Councilman Raul Martinez, City Manager Alfredo Espinosa and Assistant City Manager Francisco “Frank” Alanis.

The lawsuit claimed they had mismanaged City Council elections to maintain “corrupt political power.”

Members of the City Council are supposed to serve three-year terms.

Some members, however, served for more than four years without running for reelection. Others ran for reelection after serving just two years.

As a result, it remained unclear which City Council positions should appear on the November ballot and when each City Council term ended.

The mismanagement of local elections resulted in the “suppression and elimination of the entire political process” in Progreso, according to the lawsuit.

After holding a hearing, state District Judge Joel Johnson ordered Progreso to place three City Council positions on the November ballot.

Johnson, however, didn’t make a decision on the City Council terms.

“I’m not doing it today,” Johnson said during a hearing on Sept. 3.

“OK,” Salazar said. “Well, we’ll continue because it’s still a live suit. So we’ll continue to come to the court.”

On Sept. 27, while the lawsuit remained pending, the City Council held a meeting. Just three members — Gamboa, Estrada and Flores — showed up.

They fired City Attorney Javier Villalobos and replaced him with Salazar, who had represented them in the lawsuit against Progreso.

“I believe he’s the right person that’s going to guide us in the right direction,” Gamboa said after the meeting on Sept. 27.

Gamboa signed a contract with Salazar that included a flat fee of $4,000 per month.

“I believe this represents a clear case of conflict of interest,” Morales wrote to law enforcement officials, including the sheriff and the district attorney, “which is why a complaint with the State Bar has been filed.”

Salazar declined to comment. Gamboa said he didn’t see any issue with Salazar representing him before accepting the city attorney position.

“They can do whatever they want,” Gamboa said. “I really don’t have any major concerns or comments on that.”

PORT ISABEL DEVIL DOGS INVITE PUBLIC TO USMC B-DAY BALL

 

THE COMEBACK KID: ERASMO CASTRO BISD BOARD PRESIDENT: FOR WOULD-BE CHIEF CARLOS ELIZONDO, A RUDE SURPRISE

(Ed.'s Note: Preaching a message of unity, former Brownsville Independent School District board member Erasmo Castro was elected president after the new members were sworn in Thursday. The motion to make him board president was made by outgoing president Jessica Gonzalez, who remains on the board after her reelection November 5 over Victor Caballero. The motion was seconded by board member Denise Garza.

That is quite a comeback for Castro after resigned from the board January 2020 after he was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated on Sept. 2019. Castro was first elected to the BISD Board of Trustees in November 2018.

Perhaps one of the most surprised people in the BISD board room was none other than former Brownsville Fire Department Chief Carlos Elizondo, who had brought his wife and supporters to his would-be coronation as board president only to have Denise Garza and his ally Frank Ortiz vote to make Castro president.

Witnesses after the meeting said there was a confrontation in the parking lot outside the main building where Minerva Peña and Elizondo demanded to know why Ortiz had backed out of supporting Elizondo for president, as they had apparently agreed beforehand. Curses. Foiled again!)

CHANGING BISD, PI ISD BOUNDARIES SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER

By Juan Montoya

Sometime back, when State Senator Morgan LaMantia was courting political support, she was told of a possible solution to the chronic economic condition of cash-poor Brownsville Independent School District in contrast to its tax-wealthy neighbor the Point Isabel Independent School District.

Look at the map above closely.

It depicts the southwesternmost boundaries of the Point Isabel ISD. The BISD's eastern boundaries lie across the red boundary line along Highway 48 to the west all the way to San Pedro along the Rio Grande.

The PI ISD district stretches from the northern reaches of South Padre Island, covers Laguna Vista, and then runs west along State Highway 48, takes in all of the Port of Brownsville, then south along the Rio Grande to Boca Chica beach. SpaceX now lies within its boundaries. SpaceX property taxes will go to PI ISD. The district gave SpaceX an incentive to build. The district will not tax the company for anything more than $20 million during the next 10 years.

“It’s good incentive for the company to locate in South Texas. At the same time, it provides the school district the opportunity to increase tax revue on property that was completely undeveloped,” then- PI ISD Superintendent Dr. Lisa Garcia said at the time. The school district estimates they will net about $5 million during the next 10 years. Half of that will go back to the state as part of the re-capture or Robin Hood plan.

It is a huge district. For as long as anyone can remember, a bus from PI ISD was sent daily to pick up a lone student on the Boca Chica beach side of the ship channel.

What if the PI ISD and the BISD  agreed to letting the BISD extend its boundaries as far as the Jaime Zapata Boat ramp? The PI ISD would lose the tax income from the industry at the Port of Brownsville, SpaceX, and the agricultural taxes south of the ship channel, but it would still have to pitch in to the state's Robin Hood fund (Recapture) because of the tax income it gets from the properties on South Padre Island, even with its lower tax rate. Why not keep those monies here and help out your cash-strapped neighbor?

LaMantia said her staff that was supposedly "studying" the problem never got back to us. Will newly-elected Texas District 27 Senator-elect Adam Hinojosa address this issue?

In fact, the PI ISD has to pitch in some $20 million yearly to the Texas so-called Robin-Hood ("recapture") plan for distribution to property-tax-poor school districts. And it's the only school district in the Rio Grande Valley to have to send money to the state. Brownsville is one of those recipient school districts. 

According to the district's response to a Request For Information, the PI ISD in the last 10 years has pitched in $186,285,274 to the "recapture" plan. You read that right: almost $200 million sent to Austin.

Even if PI ISD gave up the Port and Brownsville ISD got that tax income, PI would still have to send some money to the state and Brownsville would still be receiving some of those recaptured state funds.

And fears by PI ISD residents that BISD taxes would be foisted upon them with the envisioned boundary change seem to be unfounded since the BISD proposed boundaries would only extend to as far as the Zapata Boat Ramp and wouldn't go near any residential properties of Port Isabel. All that public land is within the boundaries of the Brownsville Navigation District.

While it's Brownsville residents who put up with the traffic congestion created by port workers and freight and who endure with the threat of hazardous cargoes rumbling past our schools and neighborhoods, and in the majority of cases educate the children of the majority of port workers, the bulk - if not all - of the taxes go to the Point Isabel ISD.

(In the photo at right, trucks laden with hazardous chemicals roll past Canales Elementary School on International Blvd. in Brownsville.)

Except for a strip of land along the westernmost edge of the Port of Brownsville, nearly all the industry (including Amfels, Transmontaigne, the shipwreckers, the Shrimp Basin, etc.) pay taxes to the PI ISD, not Brownsville schools. The three proposed LNG plants would be the same. Same goes for SpaceX. It, too, lies in the boundaries of the PI ISD.

Brownsville school would probably educate the students who came along with their parents to work there, too.

As far as we know, there are no petrochemical courses being taught at the local community colleges. If the plants were to be built tomorrow, the bulk of those "high-paying jobs" – as in the case of SpaceX – would probably be taken by outside professionals coming from somewhere else, mainly California.

There is still a debate on the desirability of having the LNG plants come here, but regardless of whether they come or not, the same disparity in Port of Brownsville and SpaceX taxes going to PI ISD and not to BISD will remain. LNGs thrown into that scheme will just exacerbate the issue.

How about it PI ISD and the new board over at the BISD?

THEY'RE BAAAAACK! CASTRO, PEÑA, 2 OTHERS TO BE SWORN IN TO BISD BOARD; DA CHEEZ TO HOLD DINNER AT TOSCAFINOS

(Ed.'s Note: Like him or not, local gadfly, podcast facilitator, and newly-elected Brownsville Independent School District board member Erasmo Castro will be sworn in along with the three other winners in November 5 election Daniela Valdez-Lopez, Jessica Gonzalez, and, yes, Minerva Peña, again. Oh, yeah, Castro is also an ordained minister and marrier of couples. The board will also be re-organized and officers elected. Hold on for the ride!)

OKLAHOMA INTRODUCES LAW TO POST 10 COMMANDMENTS IN WOMB

La Cebolla

OKLAHOMA CITY—In an effort to provide all developing fetuses in the state with a thorough grounding in Judeo-Christian values, a new bill was signed into law Tuesday that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every womb in Oklahoma. 

“With this landmark law mandating the Ten Commandments be hung on every pregnant woman’s uterine wall, Oklahoma pushes back against attempts to secularize our wombs,” said Gov. Kevin Stitt, explaining that the law will order healthcare providers to install the clearly visible intrauterine religious doctrine as soon as possible after conception, with both women and their doctors being subject to fines for failure to comply. 

“As a foundational text, the Ten Commandments have played a profound role in the way our society handles women and pregnancy. This law merely acknowledges that. If the virtues that Oklahomans hold dear are to thrive moving forward, then it’s important that God’s law as revealed to Moses be the first thing our embryos see when they develop eyes.” 

At press time, several pregnant Oklahoma residents had reportedly died due to complications arising from the posting of the Ten Commandments.

REP. GAMEZ INTRODUCES AMBITIOUS 2025 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

On May 11, patrons at the Brownsville Central Library were startled to hear one single gunshot explode the normally quiet atmosphere inside the building.

The library visitors – mainly children and students and their parents – were evacuated by library employees to safety as a man lay dying in front of the coffeeshop by the checkout counter.

The shooting occurred after what police said was a verbal altercation that occurred between 33-year-old Humberto Paz and Vahid Khaledi, 71, who was found unresponsive at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head. Paz didn't shoot the gun anymore, but stayed sitting at his table until police arrived and arrested him.

This generated concerns from the public that demanded that city officials provide more security for library visitors and many demanded that guns be prohibited from being brought into the facility.

However, with the new gun laws that had ben passed in the state legislature, having a gun in a library was allowed.

 

Today, Texas State District 38 Representative Erin Gamez said she will introduce a bill this coming legislative session to give communities the right to prohibit firearms in libraries in municipalities and counties across the state.

“I’m thrilled to share that I have filed my initial round of bills for the upcoming legislative session. These bills were developed in collaboration with various community stakeholders," she said. 

"I believe these initiatives will make a positive difference in our community and across our great state. In order to enhance safety and accessibility for all members of our community, I am introducing the following bill(s)."

HB 1138: was filed in response to the tragic shooting incident at the Brownsville Public Library last summer. It empowers municipalities and counties to prohibit firearms in libraries they establish and operate.

HB 1136: directs the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to study the parking needs of individuals with disabilities, particularly disabled veterans and those with mobility impairments. The goal is to evaluate current laws and regulations regarding designated parking spaces and recommend improvements.

HB 1126: permits judges to utilize tinting for their vehicles to improves their security.

"I have introduced several bills to strengthen our local economy and prepare our workforce for the future, focusing on enhancing skills training and education," her statement reads..

HB 1154: initiates a skilled labor task force in Cameron County. This task force will connect businesses, government officials, and educators to improve workforce training and address skills gaps—ultimately strengthening our local economy.

HB 1147: will establish a six-week training course on workplace soft skills in Cameron County under the Texas Workforce Commission. HB 1114: aims to improve how Texas schools are rated by adding new factors that reflect student success, such as achievements in the arts, bilingual education, and career readiness, while recognizing accomplishments beyond test scores, like college credits and industry certifications.

"I will always work to support families and promote health in our community. I’ve introduced the following bills to continue that work."

HB 1127: protects mothers' rights to breastfeed at work, requiring state agencies to support breastfeeding.

HB 1119: improves data collection on mental health bed allocation by adding evaluations of resources, funding methods, and the impact of current protocols on state-funded beds, aiming to increase transparency and improve access to mental health resources.

"Protecting individual privacy and ensuring accountability is more important than ever, which is why I’ve introduced the following legislation focused on these issues," Gamez continued..

HB 1125: prevents government settlement agreements from silencing victims that have been subject to sexual assault or discrimination.

HB 1121: holds individuals legally accountable for sharing intimate photos or videos without permission, including those that have been altered using technology like AI.

"As our team continues to gear up for the Legislative session additional bills will be filed. I am dedicated to collaborating with my fellow legislators to enact meaningful policy change. Here’s to a successful 89th Legislative Session!,” she stated.

STATE REP. ERIN GAMEZ HOSTS THANKSGIVING VET LUNCHEON

Special to El Rrun-Rrun
An overflow crowed of veterans and their families attended the Thanksgiving luncheon hosted by District 38 Texas State Rep. Erin Gamez. Gamez thanked the veterans for their service and personally visited every table to greet them.

Frank Lara, a Marine combat Vietnam veteran, received a special award for his work assisting local vets. Below, the crowd stands in prayer before the ceremonies began and luncheon was served.

The vent was held at the former VFW Post 2035, at 1801 Veterans Boulevard. The Elks have now taken over the building and are in the process of renovating the facility. VFW members will be allowed to hold their meting and ceremonies after the building is officially opened.

JON STEWART SENDS SHOUT OUT TO CHENTE AND THE DEMOCRATS

WAR CONTINUES OVER SAN BENE CHARTER AMENDMENTS ELECTION

JULIAN RIOS, WHO TOLD THE VISITNG JUDGE THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN THE PROPOSITIONS, POSTED THIS PRIOR TO EARLY VOTING SO HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT WAS IN THE SAN BENITO CHARTER  AMENDMENTS. PERJURY ANYONE? 

According to San Benito's city charter, a petition to recall an elected official must be signed by at least 35 percent or 500 voters – whichever is greater – who actually voted in the election of the elected official in question.

San Benito City Manager Fred Sandoval said due to the charter, the petitions to recall the mayor and city commissioners would each need a little over 700 signatures.

Sandoval says when the recall petitions were submitted, there were only about 300 signatures collected for each candidate.

The city says because the required number of signatures did not meet the requirement, the signatures were not verified individually.

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

The decision to void was made Monday  – November 4 – by visiting judge Michael Garcia in Cameron County after San Benito city leaders proposed adding five amendments to their city charter on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The amendments on the ballot included city charter changes such as requiring all city commissioners to reside within city limits, and provide process and reasons for removal of municipal judges.

San Benito resident, and former EDC board member, Julian Rios (above) filed a lawsuit s over the amendments. The lawsuit alleged the city violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when the proposed charter amendments were placed on the ballot. Garcia voided the election results the day before the general election  after the early votes had been cast. 

The votes cast before the election was voided are listed below:

THE 11TH HOUR, OF THE 11TH DAY, OF THE 11TH MONTH...

Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, at 5:45 am for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War 1.

DECEMBER LAST MONTH THAT CAR INSPECTIONS WILL BE REQUIRED

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Most Texas drivers will be able to get their new registration stickers without an inspection at the start of the new year. The vehicle inspections due December are still required for plates to be issued at the tax assessor-collector's office this year.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2025, the safety inspection requirement for yearly registration will be voided for non-commercial vehicles. Drivers will have to pay $7.50 as an inspection replacement fee with their local tac assessor-collector's office at the time of license plate renewal. New vehicles will require a fee of $16.75 to cover two years.

However, if they are stopped by a law enforcement officer and faulty equipment is detected, they can be assessed a fine for the equipment violation. Martin Sarkis of SAGA Motor Vehicle Inspection, 1934 E. 13th Street, Brownsville, can provide more information to local residents on this matter.  Call (956) 435-957 for more information. 

However, commercial vehicles used for trade and commerce will still be required to have a yearly inspection. But they will not have to pay the inspection replacement fee.

There are a few counties in Texas that will still  require an annual emissions test to limit metropolitan pollution. 

The following counties will have the emissions test requirements: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, Williamson and El Paso counties. Bexar county will be added to the list in 2026.

REP. GAMEZ FETES VETS THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON TUESDAY

 

HAPPY 249th BIRTHDAY TO OUR MARINE CORPS BROTHERS. SEMPER FI!

OH, YEAH! TRUMP TO ENJOY THE PRESIDENTIAL PERKS OF OFFICE...

 

TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR GILBERT HINOJOSA RESIGNS

 (Ed.'s note: After disastrous election results that saw Cameron County go red with Donald Trump, Gilbert Hinojosa has said he will resign effective next March. Ironically, the loudest voices calling for his resignation came from the extreme left who said he hasn't done enough to champion their causes. The general consensus is that the party has been seriously distracted by radical issues that alienate it from mainstream politics. The  Republicans have the same problem with their extremists, too.

And Trump's agenda is not ours. This is not his country. It's all ours' country. Right or wrong. When right to support it. When wrong, to set it right.

It is time to set a different course.  Jared, seriously consider following suit. We've weathered these storms before. Democratic ideals haven't changed. Let's reclaim them. Do not despair. Organize. )

TRAVESTY: VISITING JUDGE, RIOS, DISENFRANCISE SAN BENE VOTERS

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

SO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE DIDN'T COUNT?

Since when can an outside (visiting) judge issue an order disenfranchising a whole group of voters even after early voting had happened and one day before election day? Two thirds of the vote total happens in early voting. So the voice of the majority was voided. This is getting curiouser and curiouser. Is there such a thing as judicial malpractice?

HINOJOSA – WITH PINK APE STRATEGIES – TAKES THE WHOLE ENCHILADA

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Various Sources

The last time that Republican Adam Hinojosa ran for office against Morgan LaMantia for the Texas Senate District 27 seat, he lost by 569 votes. 

Analysts say that he was boosted by the endorsements of president-elect Donald Trump and, perhaps,  that former Democratic Party holder of that office Eddie Lucio Jr.

Still other say that it was the homegrown strategies provided by consultants, including Rodrigo Moreno's Pink Ape Strategies which focused on generating face-to-face encounters between the candidates and the electorate.

Hinojosa told The Texan that one idea – identifying prospective voters and exchanging enchiladas for candidate face-time, with maximized mobility, proved effective. They sent out a text to prospective voters advertising free food at a drive-through for the opportunity to meet the candidate. 

Hinojosa's campaign staffers said that the tactic has worked incredibly well and some events have seen hundreds of cars lined up – a long line that the candidate methodically makes his way down.

That, said Moreno, and basically neutralizing LaMantia's campaign  efforts in the southern part of the District while actively courting the northwest part of the district toward Hidalgo County was used Moreno told The Texan that they figured that if Hinojosa could minimize his losses in Lower Rio Grande Valley, he could win.

Using this strategy, the Corpus Christi Republican narrowly defeated the Valley incumbent for Texas Senate District 27. On Tuesday, the challenger beat incumbent LaMantia by fewer than 3,000 votes.

Hinojosa received 125,875 votes, or 49.39 percent to LaMantia’s 123,063 votes, or 48.28 percent  according to the Texas Secretary of State.

In Cameron County, LaMantia received 58,664 votes, or 52.33 percent, to Hinojosa’s 50,948 votes, or 45.44 percent with 100 percent of precincts reporting.

In Hidalgo County, LaMantia also edged out Hinojosa, but it wasn’t enough to reelect the freshman senator. She received 34,457 votes, or 55.43 percent, to Hinojosa’s 26,950 votes, or 42.13 percent with 100 percent of precincts reporting.

"Our strategy was to think we had the north covered," Moreno – also dubbed El Chango Rosa –  said. "If we could withstand LaMantia's attacks and hold the fort in Cameron County, keeping them busy and focusing in Brownsville, then we could maximize our efforts in Hidalgo and gain ground, and then coming in with the 'left-hook' from up north that General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. used to defeat Saddam in Iraq."

In 2022, Republicans conducted redistricting that added Bee, Nueces and San Patricio counties to District 27 in addition to Cameron, Hidalgo, Kleberg and Willacy counties. She won that race by just 569 votes. She received 87,860 votes for 50.2 percent to Hinojosa’s 87,291 for 49.8 percent.

During LaMantia's campaign, she reiterated that she was against Gov. Greg Abbott’s school voucher plan, which failed to pass in the last legislative session. Instead, she said she wanted to increase school funding.

STATE REP ERIN GAMEZ TO FETE VETS AT NEW ELKS LODGE

 

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN: TRUMP IS # 47, CHENTE, HINOJOSA IN; CASTRO, PENA BACK AT BISD, SAN BENE ELECTION VOIDED

CHENTE IN...

LAMANTIA OUT, ADAM HINOJOSA WINS

JANIE LOPEZ WINS

AND COUNTYWIDE...

THE BISD RESULTS...ERASMO'S BACK, AND SO IS NOT-SO-MINNIE PENA

SAN BENE CHARTER AMENDMENTS VOIDED.