PRISCI SLAMS ANTI- MUSLIM SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST GONNELLA, A CATHOLIC

RAISING THE STANDARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY

By Prisci Roca Tipton

What we are seeing in this race is disappointing, but unfortunately not surprising.

The smear campaign against Mr. Shariff Gonnella is reprehensible. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Shariff, and while we are running in different races, I respect his experience, his professionalism, and the way he engages with voters. He has been open, direct, and willing to answer tough questions, and that is what leadership should look like.

Campaigns should be about ideas, experience, and who is best prepared to serve our community. 

They should not be tied to anonymous pages pushing misleading claims or benefiting from the spread of false information. No candidate claiming to stand on high moral ground should be associated with or advertising on pages like this.

I want to be clear. I do not support smear tactics, and I believe our community deserves better than campaigns that rely on them.

Voters deserve facts, not confusion. They deserve transparency, not misinformation.

We all have a responsibility to elevate the level of conversation in this community, and I will continue to stand for that.

I invite you to take a moment to visit Shariff Gonnella for Brownsville Port Commissioner Place 2 @ shariffgonnella.com.

At your service.

FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU. FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME...

WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!

VILLARREAL MAILER ELIMINATING PORT TAXES CAUSING WAVES

"Back in 1936, the Port of Brownsville was built with a promise to the people – that once it became self-sufficient the tax would go away.

Here we are nearly 90 years later. The port is thriving, growing, and succeeding. But families are still paying that tax. 

I believe that a promise made should be kept. This isn't about politics. It's about fairness, accountability and keeping our word to the people. Let's honor that promise – together." 

CHAVEZ SUSPENDED; LA JOYA'S ALDA BENAVIDES APPOINTED NEW BISD SUPERINTENDENT EARLY TODAY

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

 In a marathon meeting lasting until the we hours of the morning today, a majority (5-2) of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District voted to replace Dr. Jesus Chavez with Dr. Alda Benavides, formerly of La Joya, Texas.

The board had previously approved Chavez's retirement effective June 30, but an agenda item titled XII.E.1. Discussion and consideration regarding the Superintendent’s contract, including placing the Superintendent on administrative leave, suspension, or termination of contract was placed on Tuesday's agenda. Discussion and consideration on naming an Interim Superintendent. (Board Agenda Request Carlos Elizondo/Board Support Minerva Pena.

Those voting to suspend Chavez were Elizondo, Peña, Denise Garza, Frank Ortiz, and Neida Ruth Grantland. Those voting against were Daniel Lopez Valdez, and Jessica Gonzalez. 

Benavides graduated from La Joya High School in 1971 and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Pan American University.

After seven years with the McAllen Independent School District and a stint at the Region One Education Service Center, she returned to La Joya as a counselor. Benavides earned several promotions before taking the top job in September 2006. She abruptly "retired" from the top job with the La Joya BISD in February 2019. 

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE REMINDED OF THIS (CRITICAL RACE THEORY)

"THE PROBLEM WE ALL LIVE WITH": NORMAN ROCKWELL

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

In November 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became one of the first Black children to integrate an all-white public school in the American South, attending William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Her enrollment came after federal court orders to desegregate schools following the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Each day, Bridges was escorted to school by U.S. federal marshals as large crowds of white segregationists gathered outside, shouting threats and insults.

Some protesters carried disturbing props, including a small coffin with a Black doll inside, meant to intimidate and terrorize the child. 

Despite this, Bridges continued attending school, often as the only student in her class, taught by teacher Barbara Henry, who agreed to instruct her when others refused.

Her experience became a defining image of the Civil Rights Movement and later inspired works like Norman Rockwell’s 1964 painting “The Problem We All Live With,” which depicted her walk into school under federal protection.

WHAT ABOUT YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? DAVILA FILMED CAMPAIGN AD INSIDE PORT'S EXECUTIVE BLDG.

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Under Texas Election Code § 255.003, a person (including a candidate or officeholder) may not use public funds or public resources for political advertising. All candidates are absolutely covered by this law.

For the uninitiated, being a candidate means that the content of the ad is clearly political advertising. If so, then that scrutiny is higher, not lower. In the ad above, Martha Davila – one of three candidates for the Brownsville Navigation District's Place 4 – is filmed inside the Port of Brownsville's executive building facing the port's main gate. 

So if any candidate films inside a public building, in most cases it is not allowed. This includes filming a campaign ad in city hall, county buildings, port buildings, district buildings, government offices, lobbies, or meeting rooms even if the candidate is not currently an officeholder, no money is exchanged, it's “just a background shot.”  It can still be considered use of a public resource for political advertising.

In the case of the race that Davila is in, the other two candidates – Luis Villarreal and Prisci Roca-Tipton – are also prohibited from using public property and assets for political campaigning. They have so far avoided filming in the port's buildings in their ads.

The key legal logic applies since the issue is not who you are (candidate vs. private citizen), but rather: "Did you use government property or resources to support a campaign? To state it more simply: A public building = government resource; a campaign video = political advertising. That combination is what creates the violation.

Walking through a public building while being filmed incidentally may be a gray area, but  staging or intentionally filming a campaign ad inside is a problem. You simply cannot use it as a campaign asset, even if  they got permission and a public official says: “You can film here.”
They cannot authorize use of public resources for political ads.

The bottom line is that a candidate filming a political ad inside a public building is still likely a violation of Texas law, because it constitutes using public resources for political advertising – regardless of their status as a candidate

Got it?

ONLY 3 MORE DAYS TO TEXAS BEST CONJUNTO IN HARLINGEN

 

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CANCELS APRIL 12 LAGUNA VISTA CANDIDATES' FORUM AFTER BIAS CONCERNS ARE RAISED

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Breaking News: League of Woman Voters  cancels candidate forum in Laguna Vista.

They haven't said why, but at  this point, what's going on in this bay city doesn’t feel like an isolated incident anymore, but part of a pattern of something that has been going on for a while. It may help explain the constant online harassment, the bullying, and the half-truths and narratives meant to stir things up instead of actually being useful to the undecided voter.

And – according to some sources – when you look a little closer, resident Natalie Ruiz seems to be right at the center of it. Her close friend, Jeannie Canter, tried to position herself as just an objective member of the women’s forum, but given their close relationship, that’s hard to take at face value.

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Darla Jones has stayed in the background, circumspect, almost as if she deliberately tried to keep herself removed from it all, even though it is common knowledge that she clearly was an active party and went along with it.

It honestly comes across like this was all coordinated to make their slate look like stronger, when in reality they appear to be reliant on the online negativity and tactics devoid of substance.

The page in question is built around anonymous posts, constant negativity, and repeated attacks, all targeting certain candidates while presenting itself as some kind of impartial information source. That alone, residents say, should raise eyebrows about how this campaign has been handled from those quarters..

Now that same pattern appeared to be spilling into what was promoted as a “candidate forum.” It was supposed to be neutral, but the people behind it have already made their support for certain candidates pretty clear. That prompted the League of Women Voters to step in to clear any suspicion of non impartiality. 

The League has stepped in and canceled the April 12 "until we can unsure that all league policies and guidelines are fully followed." That’s not something that happens for no reason.

At a certain point, people start connecting the dots. When something is presented as neutral but clearly isn’t, it raises real questions about transparency, fairness, and how this whole campaign is being run. It can only be deduced that some of the candidates have relied on skullduggery behind the scenes because they didn’t have a campaign of substance or an actual platform to run, and now it’s evident.

THE STATE OF BROWNTOWN?: THE UNHEALTHIEST CITY IN AMERICA

By Dina Arevalo
WalletHub

It’s an unbelievable distinction.

The unhealthiest city in America. But it’s a distinction that was recently bestowed upon Brownsville, the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley.

Out of 182 large cities across the United States, the city "on the border by the sea" came in dead last in a new ranking of the Healthiest and Unhealthiest Cities in America by personal finance website WalletHub. 

And it wasn’t the only South Texas city orbiting the bottom. Of the 16 major Texas metropolitan statistical areas that made WalletHub’s list, only four cracked the top half on the "healthiest" side of the ranking. The remaining 12 were ranked firmly on the "unhealthiest" side of the coin, including Corpus Christi and Laredo, which joined Brownsville in the bottom 10.

"Where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. "So, the best cities are the ones that provide the greatest access to high-quality healthcare, green spaces, recreation spaces, and healthy food."

To create the ranking, WalletHub culled data from multiple sources in order to assign weighted scores across four major metrics, which the site refers to as "key dimensions" — Health Care, Food, Fitness and Green Space. The site then compared 150 of the most populated American cities, including at least two of the most populated cities in each of the 50 states in order to take into account states with smaller populations.

"The analysis considers everything from the cost of a medical visit to fruit and vegetable consumption and the percentage of adults who are physically active," WalletHub officials said.

Brownsville ranked the worst of any city in terms of fitness, and second-to-last in terms of health care and food. And at No. 172, the city of nearly 195,000 residents also has among the worst access to green spaces, which may have contributed to its ranking within the bottom five when it comes to the percentage of physically active adults.

But other cities in deep South Texas didn’t fare much better. 

For instance, Laredo ranked last for access to mental health counselors, with nine times fewer per capita than Worcester, Massachusetts; Missoula, Montana; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Richmond, Virginia and Manchester, New Hampshire, which all tied for first for counselor availability. The Webb County border city also ranked second-to-last when it came to the number of healthy restaurants per capita.

Meanwhile, of the four cities that made it to the top half of the overall ranking, Austin came in first in a five-way tie for the city with the best access to dieticians and nutritionists per capita. And Plano — an affluent suburb of Dallas — ranked third-best when it comes to its premature death rate.

Here’s how every Texas city ranked overall: Austin (9), Plano (63), Houston (70), Dallas (83), San Antonio (101), Fort Worth (116), Lubbock (130), Garland (133), El Paso (136), Arlington (145), Irving (147), Grand Prairie (154), Amarillo (162), Corpus Christii (175), Laredo (180) and Brownsville (182).

McAllen, the second-largest city in the Valley, which was named the second-fattest city in the nation, was not listed in WalletHub’s ranking of healthiest and unhealthiest cities.

(Dina Arévalo has been a journalist in the Rio Grande Valley since 2004 and is a graduate from Baylor University. She was previously with The Monitor in McAllen covering Hidalgo County governments and KRGV as a weekend technical director and associate producer.)

IF EVER ANYONE HAS BETRAYED U.S., IT HAS BEEN TRUMP

 

GONNELLA "MUSLIM SLURS, CARTEL TIES AGAINST ME ARE BLATANT LIES. IS THIS THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WANT TO BE?"

(Ed.'s Note: With port elections coming up less than a month away (May 2), opponents of Place 2 candidate Shariff Gonnella have started posting false accusations against him calling him a "Venezuelan-born Muslim" and alleging that he exported stolen fuel out of the Port of Brownsville for the past 8 years for the drug cartels. Curiously, they echo statements – although these were documented – made against outgoing chairman Steve Guerra, in a runoff for Cameron County Judge. In his answer below, Gonnella counters the allegations that appeared in the anonymous Brownsville and Valley News – and online publication that appears before elections to slur their political opponents. The two other candidates are Alex Najera and David Garcia. Neither has claimed responsibility nor publicly denounced the scurrilous attacks. Gonnella slams his shadowy accusers below.) 

By Shariff Gonnella

I’ve worked across the world in logistics and infrastructure, in environments where facts matter and integrity matters. I have dealt with complex challenges, high-stakes operations, and real responsibility. But I have never seen anything like this kind of politics.

Blatant lies. Fabricated accusations. A complete disregard for the truth.

So I have to ask, what does that say about the people behind these attacks?

What does it say about the candidates they are trying to promote?

Maybe they are afraid of what I bring. Maybe we are challenging interests that are used to control outcomes. Or maybe they still believe that misleading people is a way to win.

But here is what I know. Attacks like this are not aimed at someone irrelevant. 

They are aimed at someone who is connecting with people, gaining momentum, and offering something different. That tells me we are doing something right.

I am not backing down from this. I am addressing it head-on. Because this moment shows the difference between a campaign built on hard work, experience, and real conversations and one built on misinformation and distraction.

Let me be clear.

I was born in Venezuela, raised in the United States, and I am proud to call this country my home. I am a man of faith, a Catholic, and I believe in living with integrity. 

Most importantly, I have lived my life in a way that my children will never see their father compromise his values or step outside the law.

If you want to know who I really am, do not listen to anonymous pages. Look at my work. Look at my experience leading global operations, building infrastructure, and connecting markets around the world.

Go to ShariffGonnella.com. See it for yourself.

BEST CONJUNTO COMPETITION THIS WEEKEND AT HARLINCHON

WHERE'S A RICHARD NIXON WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

 

WAR...WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...

 

IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE, LIVING LIFE IN PEACE...

Marco Rubio three days ago: “Imagine if Iran funded the well-being of its people, rather than its military.” 

Trump: “We can’t fund daycare or Medicaid, Medicare and all those individual things 

The US military budget is larger than the military spending of the next nine largest countries combined. Trump wants it to be even bigger — a record $1.5 trillion. Meanwhile, he's asking for massive cuts to social and domestic programs. The priorities are clear. 

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH: THE GOP STOPS HERE...

 

CARVED FROM MARBLE, A STUDY IN MOTHERLY LOVE...AND GRIEF

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

At just 24 years old in the late 1400s, Michelangelo created one of the most technically flawless marble sculptures ever made. The Pietà depicts the moment after the crucifixion, with Mary gently holding the lifeless body of Jesus across her lap.

Mary appears strikingly youthful, serene rather than overcome with grief—a deliberate choice. Michelangelo aimed to convey purity and timelessness, elevating the scene beyond ordinary human sorrow.

Carved from a single block of Carrara marble, the sculpture is polished to an almost lifelike softness, giving the stone a sense of living flesh. At the time, many found it hard to believe such perfection could come from someone so young.

The doubt lingered long enough that Michelangelo returned one night to carve his name across Mary’s sash—the only work he ever signed.

Its proportions are also intentionally altered. Mary is sculpted larger than Jesus, her scale concealed beneath flowing drapery so she can support his body while still appearing natural to the viewer.

REAL SOLDIERS – UNLIKE HEGSETH – DON'T DIE, THEY'RE PUSHED AWAY

General Randy George getting pushed out by Pete Hegseth in the middle of a war is exactly what happens when politics are allowed to matter more than experience, stability, and the lives of the people actually fighting.

Randy George is a career infantryman who enlisted in 1982, fought his way into West Point, bled in combat, and spent decades leading soldiers from platoon level all the way up to the entire U.S. Army.

Hegseth’s move isn’t just a personnel decision, it’s a message: fall in line with the personality cult or your record, your expertise, and your duty to speak hard truths won’t protect you.

Doing that in peacetime would be reckless; doing it in wartime, rips out continuity, disrupts planning, and tells every officer down the chain that loyalty to Trump matters more than competence and candor.

THE FIGHT NEVER ENDS TO SAVE OUR RGV

Hi Folks who love the RGV,

Just when you think you can rest, there is more! And we do this to put our “gotita de agua” and together we can make a difference!

Take Action: Rio Grande LNG Expansion!

If you missed the recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) public scoping sessions in Port Isabel, there’s still time to make your voice heard and submit a comment!

What’s Happening?

FERC is reviewing NextDecade’s request to add a 6th liquefied natural gas (LNG) train to its Rio Grande facility along Highway 48. The request to increase capacity at the industrial site, prior to any of the other 5 trains being constructed and operating, cannot be properly assessed. At the very least, a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should be written to take into account the cumulative effects from all current and planned developments.

A natural gas train isn’t a vehicle—it’s a major industrial processing unit. Adding one is like adding an entire new production line, with real impacts on the surrounding environment and community.

As part of the environmental review process, FERC evaluates how a project could impact the environment and considers public concerns before making a decision. This early input phase is called “scoping.”

Why This Matters

Approving a 6th train before any of the first 5 trains are even built and operating is premature and risky.

Without real-world data on the impacts of the initial trains, there is no responsible way to assess the true effects on:

*Public health
*Environmental quality
*Community safety
*Local economy

At a minimum, a new, comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is needed to evaluate the cumulative impacts of all current and proposed developments in the region.

Deadline to Comment

April 8, 2026

 4:00 p.m. CDT

Urge FERC to deny this request until the public has full transparency on the impacts of the first five trains.

How to Submit a CommentSubmit your comment here:
Public Scoping Session for the Rio Grande Expansion Project (PF26-3-000)
Here is How to Submit a Comment
View documents and community comments:
Visit FERC eLibrary and enter docket PF26-3-000

Suggested Talking Points

Need some talking points for comments? Here are some suggestions. Feel free to add your own:

1. Declining Air Quality

Air quality in the Laguna Madre area has already suffered. For 72% of the days in 2022, the Air Quality Index daily values (from the monitor at Isla Blanca on SPI) showed GOOD air quality. In 2025, the number of GOOD air quality days dropped to 35%. This is unacceptable, especially when you consider the emissions from the actual liquefaction process to turn the fracked gas (being delivered by pipeline) into a liquid state. Cumulative impacts to air quality from the other industries planned for development in the Port of Brownsville must also be considered in a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

2. Increasing Industrial Pressure

Multiple large-scale developments are planned for the Port of Brownsville, including: Saronic Technologies - Shipbuilding for autonomous surface vessels for the U.S. Navy
America First - A proposed crude oil refinery
Expanded SpaceX operations nearby with the acquisition of 712 acres of wildlife refuge land

These large projects will stress the availability of natural resources such as water, energy supply, and ship channel access. At the same time, SpaceX has approval for 25 annual launches and landings, and has expanded its footprint tremendously in the area not far from the Port, including a recent request for 712 acres of USFWS Refuge land surrounding their testing site. A new EIS is required to reassess these cumulative impacts.

3. Lack of Emergency Planning

With the addition of these projects, a more robust emergency response plan is also required. Note that an emergency response plan has yet to be shared with the public by NextDecade after almost 10 years of asking.

4. Ongoing Legal Challenges

An appeal was filed on 8/29/25 against the FERC Order on Remand by Vecinos para el Bienestar de la Comunidad Costera, the City of Port Isabel, South Texas Environmental Justice Network, and Sierra Club. They point out that FERC didn’t adequately address the carbon capture project and the effects of air pollution on nearby communities. Any consideration of Train 6 by FERC should be paused until the appeal is settled.

Your Voice Matters

Public input plays a critical role in holding decision-makers accountable. Taking a few minutes to submit a comment can help ensure that community health, safety, and environmental protections are not overlooked.

And Thank you for all you do!
DONATE (Every little bit helps!)

www.savergv.org
contact@savergv.org
https://www.facebook.com/saveRGVfromLNG

Membership (Consider becoming a member!)https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEWmMSqieFLUBdDnAF...

ASTRONAUTS MISS CONNECTING FLIGHT TO MOON, STAY IN ATLANTA

La Cebolla

ATLANTA—Forced to call off the approximately $4 billion journey around the moon due to unforeseen delays experienced by its four-member crew, NASA confirmed Thursday that the Artemis II mission failed Thursday after astronauts missed their connecting flight in Atlanta. 

“We thought we had enough time to stop for a Cinnabon, but before we knew it, we were sprinting across the terminal in our space suits and the rocket had already fired up its thrusters to leave orbit,” said Cmdr. Reid Wiseman, noting that Mission Control had provided the astronauts with discount hotel vouchers that could be redeemed at a nearby Holiday Inn Express. 

“We tried switching our tickets over to another flight, but the next rocket to the moon isn’t scheduled to leave until May 2028. The whole situation is really frustrating. Still, we’re hoping to make the best of the mission by collecting some sediment samples around the Atlanta airport before we return to Florida.”

The Artemis II crew reportedly grew further exasperated after realizing all their luggage had been successfully transferred and was now on its way to the moon.

HURTLING ONWARD THROUGH THE FOG ON TRUMP'S TRAIN WRECK

In “From Farce to Tragedy,” the author traces the first year of Donald Trump’s second term as a turning point in American political life. What once carried elements of chaos and dark comedy has hardened into something more deliberate and consequential. Trump’s return to power, framed by him as total vindication, has brought an unprecedented expansion of executive authority, the systematic weakening of institutions, and the normalization of personal loyalty over law. Drawing on sharp observations from leading journalists and scholars, the piece shows how emergency powers, executive orders, and transactional politics have reshaped governance at home and abroad. The result is not renewed greatness, but a spectacle of democratic erosion—an American tragedy unfolding without the comfort of a happy ending.

By Cemal Tunçdemir*

“What the American public always wants is a tragedy with a happy ending,” the American critic William Dean Howells, who was a central figure in Gilded Age American literature, once said. 

The second coming of Donald J. Trump to the US Presidency was not an accident of fate, nor even absurdity of democracy. It was a sequel demanded by majority of American voters that having once liked the “first season” and asked upon longer run. 

The real tragedy was not that Trump was Trump, that was obvious from the start, but that so many Americans mistook his loudness for conviction and saw his challenge to the rules as bravery.

“The first time around, there was something almost thrilling about Donald Trump as president,” explains American historian and journalist Thomas Frank, “The respectable world came together against him with a gratifying unanimity: the legacy media, the nonprofits, the universities, the think tanks, the tech sector, the intelligence community. Insulting this imbecile became the most rewarding pastime on earth.” 

By contrast, according to Frank, for much of 2025, the feeling was darker. “Absolute despair” if you will.

The difference in the second term wasn’t just the lack of the thrilling or accidental comedic elements of the first term. Donald Trump viewed his return to the White House as a profound vindication. In his telling, his four years of exile had proven that he was right about everything. 

About economy, about “stolen” election, about press, about elites, about universities, about institutions. This absolute conviction liberated him from all doubt, and all rules.

Trump’s unrestrained mind is on full display in a recent letter he sent to the Prime Minister of Norway as he wrote, “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.”

“Donald Trump now genuinely lives in a different reality,” observes Anne Applebaum, “one in which neither grammar nor history nor the normal rules of human interaction now affect him.”

“Trump 2.0 is Trump 1.0 in some ways but on steroids,” compares Peter Baker, New York Times’s chief White House correspondent who have covered six US presidents, including Trump in his first term, “A lot of the things that he talked about doing or exploring in the first term -or tried but failed to do or was dissuaded from doing-he’s now doing and in spades.”

Unlike the first term, in the beginning of his second term, there was less confusion, more intent. And more so preparation. Trump has rolled out many of the Project 2025, 900-page Heritage Foundation-led blueprint, he once claimed he has nothing to do with. 

Many of Trump’s executive orders reshaping the government were outlined in this right-wing policy plan. From the early days of his tenure, Donald Trump began advancing Project 2025’s primary objective: the "deconstruction of the administrative state," a term coined by his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon. He has expanded the scope of executive power in ways unparalleled in modern history.

By the end of 2025, some 317,000 federal employees were out of the government, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This was the largest reduction of the federal workforce in American history. He even fired members and officials from various independent and bipartisan boards, agencies, and commissions, including dozens of inspectors general, key watchdogs for waste, fraud, and abuse across all government.

(*) Cemal Tunçdemir is a New York–based veteran journalist with extensive experience covering US politics and international affairs. 

To read rest of post, click on link: https://www.populismstudies.org/from-farce-to-tragedy-the-first-year-of-trumps-second-term-and-the-unmaking-of-america/

TORTILLAS, SALSAS FUEL ASTRONAUTS ON MOON-BOUND ARTEMIS

(NASA announced that the diet of the Artemis moon journey crew included almost five dozen tortillas that the crew had requested. We remember when kids would laugh at you if you pulled out a taco for lunch at the school cafeterias in the district. Those were the days when you could be punished for speaking Spanish on school grounds. Times, apparently, have changed. It reminded us of something that happened a few years ago. Have fun as you munch on a taco.)

By Juan Montoya

A few years ago, when we were looking up a file with the Cameron County District Clerk's office, we found ourselves wandering over to what used to be Amadeo Rodriguez's courthouse coffee shop. (Zeke Silva now has his coffee Roast House there.)

But back then we ran into a couple of attorneys, among them the late Ruben Herrera, and Trey Mendez and Alfredo Padilla, who are still with us.

As oft happens when people who have an inside track on civic and court stuff come together, the talk turned to local politics. 

Herrera, besides being a hotshot criminal lawyer, also sat on the Brownsville Housing Authority board and the Brownsville Visitors and Convention board. He also went on to become a trustee on the board of the Texas Southmost College, too. 

Padilla has made a nice living defending the accused and has often been talked about as a possible candidate for one of our courts. He was also a court magistrate and is now a prosecutor for the City of Brownsville. 

Trey, of course, before he did a stint as city mayor, was one of the four trustees on the Texas Southmost College majority that defied the powers that be and separated the University of Texas at Brownsville from college district so that we could have two free-sanding institutions like other communities in Texas.

Padilla declined to order the cholesterol-rich huevo con chorizo con papas y frijoles submarines that used to pass off as breakfast tacos at Amadeo's shop. Instead, he opted to slice off a piece of Herrera's bulging flour breakfast taco.

"Cuidando la linea," he said as he sliced off the piece and put it on a plate. All of us, except for Trey understood exactly what he meant. Pork chorizo and eggs with refried beans would tip off any diet red flag anywhere.

We commended Trey for his stand at UTB-TSC and told him that some of us would love to take a photography class or audit a history course, but that the $700 in student fees apart from the cost of the course was prohibitive.

"We're working on that," he replied as he wiped his mouth and started walking away. "I know exactly what you mean."

"But Alfredo," I commented, turning back to the talk at the table. "Nowadays you can get reconstituted wheat tortillas, low-fat, low-bleach ones that are actually healthy for you."

"That's true," he replied as he munched on the morsel. "But not here."

"Furthermore," I continued with the set up, "You can get blue corn, black corn, yellow corn, all kinds of tortillas without the chemicals that we got used to eating when we were growing up. I'm not talking about gorditas, now."

There was a general murmur of contented agreement around the table and I let them have it.

"Well, if anyone, as a lawyer you should know. It's called tort reform."

TRUMP'S "BACK TO THE STONE AGE" RHETORIC FUELS OIL PRICES

By Marc Jones

Reuters

LONDON, April 2 - Oil prices surged and global equity and bond markets recoiled ​again on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump dashed hopes of a swift resolution to the Middle East war.

Brent crude jumped more than ‌7 percent  to above $109 a barrel after Trump said in a disjointed prime-time address on Wednesday that the U.S. would hit Iran "extremely hard" in the coming weeks and "bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong".

Although he also said the U.S. campaign was nearing an end, the renewed rhetoric sent the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 and Wall Street futures down by between 1.3 percent and 1.8 percent, after Asian stocks had taken ​a beating overnight.

Government bond yields jumped on expectations that an inflation spike would force central banks to raise interest rates, or at least keep them on hold.

The dollar, which ​has reasserted its role as a safe-haven currency, rose too, pushing the euro down 0.5 percent to $1.1526 and sterling below $1.32. /FRX

"Over the past 48 hours, Tehran ⁠and Washington have exchanged a cacophony of statements, some suggesting rising odds of de-escalation. At the same time, kinetic action has continued unabated," BCA Research's Felix-Antoine ​Vezina-Poirier said.

To read the rest of the article, click on link: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/global-markets-wrapup-1-2026-04-02/

WHETHER IN AMARILLO OR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXANS WANT A BETTER LIFE, BETTER SCHOOLS FOR THEIR KIDS

Team Gina

Wow. A packed standing room at our event in Amarillo. 

That’s not something we see every day. People packed the room because Texans are ready for something different — a governor who actually shows up, listens, and fights for them.

And that is exactly what Gina is doing on the campaign trail. Harlingen and South Texas is next.

She knows that issues differ all across the big state of Texas, which is why we’re visiting all communities — rural communities and big cities, in red areas and blue ones, because this campaign is for all of us.
We know the real fight in Texas has never been left versus right. It is the people of this state versus the powerful few who have rigged the system for themselves.

While Texans are working hard, a small group of wealthy insiders and political elites keep calling the shots — raising costs, underfunding public schools, stripping away freedoms, and making life harder for

working families.

Gina is running for governor to change that.

She knows Texans are tired of being divided and ignored. And she knows that whether you live in Amarillo, Brownsville, Houston, Dallas, or a small town in between, most people want the same basic things. 

Good neighborhood schools, affordable health care, decent jobs, safe communities, and the freedom to make their own decisions.

That is why this campaign is showing up everywhere, talking to everyone, and building the kind of grassroots power it will take to win.

EL MUERTO Y EL ARRIMADO, A LOS TRES DIAS APESTAN

Paula White on Trump: "You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It's a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us…God is with you and God is using you to defeat evil."

TRUMP'S LAWYER: UNSURE IF NATIVE AMERICANS ARE CITIZENS

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Various Sources

Sorry Don Jr, Eric, and Ivanka. Your mom wasn't a US citizen. Marco says you gotta go! 

Never mind that Marco Rubio’s statement is totally false under current U.S. law.

The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil and subject to its jurisdiction. The Supreme Court in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), upheld birthright citizenship, and they're about to smack down Trump's executive order banning birthright citizenship.

But I'm willing to make an exception for you, Marco... and Donald's kids!

HUMILIATING: Supreme Court LAUGHS at Trump lawyer "unsure" if Native Americans are citizens under the Trump executive order he was sent there to defend. Enjoy every word of a punishment well deserved.

Justice Gorsuch: Are Native Americans today birthright citizens under your test and under your friend's test.

Trump lawyer John Sauer: Uh, I think so? I mean, obviously they've been granted citizenship by statute.

Justice Gorsuch: Put beside the statute. Do you think they're birthright citizens?

John Sauer: No, I think the clear understanding that everybody agrees in the congressional debates is that the children of tribal Indians are NOT birthright citizens.

Justice Gorsuch: I understand that's what they SAID. But your test is the domicile of the parents. And that would be the test you'd have us apply today, right?

He paused for a long time, his brain collapsing.
John Sauer: Yes, yes. A tribal Indian, for example, gives up allegiance to...

Justice Gorsuch: Born today, birthright citizens.

John Sauer: I think so on our test. If they're lawfully domiciled here. I'm... I'm not sure. I have to think that through. But that's my reaction.

Justice Gorsuch scoffed at the idiotic answer.

Justice Gorsuch: I'll take the YES. That's all right.

He laughed. The other justices laughed. Trump's lawyer is so stupid, so unprepared, that he didn't even know what Trump's executive order meant for Native Americans.

For the record, they've been automatic US citizens by law for over 100 years.

The justice had to HELP Trump's lawyer in his own arguments. Humiliating to the core.

This is what Trump and his MAGA goons deserve -- to hear the nation laughing at them, at the highest level.

THE FINAL BALLOT PLACES IN THE PORT, TSC ELECTIONS

FINAL BALLOTS FOR MAY 2, 2026 PORT OF BROWNSVILLE

EARLY VOTING APRIL 20-28

FINAL BALLOT FOR MAY 2, 2026 TEXAS SOUTHMOST COLLEGE

EARLY VOTING APRIL 20-28

BIGGER THAN YOUR INAUGURATION CROWD, AIN'T IT DON?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Organizers say around 8 million people protested against Donald Trump, while the White House dismissed the movement as being driven by “leftist networks.” The images, however, have fueled their own narrative.

Millions took to the streets on March 28 for the third “No Kings” protest, with more than 3,300 events held across all 50 states. If confirmed, it could represent the largest single day of protest in U.S. history.

The largest rally in St. Paul drew roughly 200,000 people. Bruce Springsteen performed, while figures like Bernie Sanders and Jane Fonda addressed the crowd. The event was also shaped by recent federal agent shootings involving individuals such as Renée Good and Alex Pretti. 

Protests extended beyond major cities into smaller towns and traditionally Republican areas, with issues like immigration enforcement, the Iran war, and rising costs cited by participants. In some locations, including Los Angeles, clashes with law enforcement led to tear gas deployment and arrests.

While independent crowd estimates have not been fully verified, the scale and reach of the demonstrations have made it a significant national moment.

HOHNER ACCORDIONS SPONSORS TEXAS BEST CONJUNTO EN HARLINCHON

 

AFTER A BRIEF RESPITE, CHRIST RETURNS TO DOVETAIL JOINT

La Cebolla

JERUSALEM—In an effort to soften the blow for a human race eagerly awaiting His glorious arrival, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, clarified Monday that His return would be strictly limited to His carpentry business. 

“While I will soon appear once more upon the earthly realm, My sole focus during this Second Coming will be various woodworking projects and not the establishment of a messianic kingdom,” said Christ, the Light of the World, adding that He was looking forward to finishing the walnut kitchen island He had set aside for His martyrdom two millennia ago. 

“I realize many of you were looking forward to Me performing various miracles and casting Satan into a lake of fire, but I honestly can’t wait to spend My time building bookshelves, artisanal cabinets, and handcrafted chess sets—you can’t get that perfect rosewood for the pieces in heaven. We didn’t have power tools in Galilee back in the day, so I’m also excited to find out what I can accomplish with a band saw and a router, even if the righteous will, unfortunately, not be resurrected.” 

The King of Kings went on to request that His followers not pray to Him unless they were potential clients reaching out for an estimate.

ABOUT TIME THAT MCDAVITT BLVD. GOT WIDENED, RIGHT COMMISSIONERS?

• 

  
  (Ed.'s Note: A woman, barely visible, sits on the sidewalk at rear right on the west side of McDavitt Blvd. nursing her head and crying after the SUV pictured above was struck by the silver truck that veered off and stopped front right. The crash created immediate congestion because part of the rear end blocked one lane and the rest of the traffic had to take turns going through. The inconsiderate nature of our local drivers made it worse. This happened at about 11:30 this morning. Hope everyone is well, if not a bit scared.)

ELIZONDO AND PENA: WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL JUNE TO DUMP CHAVEZ

(After two years in the role, Brownsville ISD Superintendent Dr. Jesus Chavez announced he is retiring. Chavez made the announcement during a February school board meeting. He said he will finish out his contract — which ends in June 2026 — before retiring. A majority of the board at that meeting voted to approve his retirement then.)

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

BISD April 7, 2026 Meeting Agenda

XII.E.1. Discussion and consideration regarding the Superintendent’s contract, including placing the Superintendent on administrative leave, suspension, or termination of contract. Discussion and consideration on naming an Interim Superintendent. (Board Agenda Request Carlos Elizondo/Board Support Minerva Pena)

This past February Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus Chavez announced – and a board majority accepted – his retirement effective June 30.

That acceptance, however, is now under challenge with two agenda items, to be heard in executive session, that Chavez be terminated immediately and an interim superintendent be appointed in his place.

The agenda items for Chavez's removal to be considered come as the BISD Board of Trustees had already begun the vetting process to select the next superintendent. The two trustees requesting the agenda item are Carlos Elizondo supported by Minerva Peña.

Elizondo and Peña are usually joined by trustee Frank Ortiz. Sources say that board members Denise Garza and Neida Ruth Soto-Grantland are "on the fence." 

So far, neither Elizondo nor Peña have made public their choice for Chavez interim replacement.

TRUMP'S POLL NUMBERS UP WITH DICTATORS, RACISTS, AND BILLIONAIRES

Dear Leader's new poll numbers are out. Looks like he's still got a strong following in certain segments of society.