Sunday, March 29, 2026
ON 14TH STREET'S EL TENAMPA, A SPLASH OF MEXICAN ARTISTIC COLOR
MARIA FELIX
WALL OF MEXICAN STARS
CANTINFLAS AND CORNELIO REYNA
THE BOYS IN THE BACK
CHENTE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS
Saturday, March 28, 2026
AT LAGUNA VISTA, A LACKLUSTER CAMPAIGN AGAINST MAYOR
Special to El Rrun-Rrun
Is there a secret slate between Laguna Vista mayoral candidate Darla Jones and Position 2 candidate Nataly Ruiz joining to use social media to portray incumbent mayor Mike Carter in a negative light raising concerns about the accuracy of their allegations?
It will be important to see how her public appearances evolve, especially amid concerns about negative campaigning and anonymous online attacks directed at the mayor, who is seeking reelection while emphasizing transparency in his campaign.
Last Saturday, she held a public meeting where only a few people attended to hear concerns about other elected officials and to listen to her plans if elected. Today, they will hold a met-and-greet.
Facebook posts appear to show that Ruiz may be running as part of a slate alongside candidate Jones, who is using a similar approach in promoting her campaign and political promises. She recently invited the public to her first meet-and-greet today as part of her campaign efforts.
What stands out is the use of what seems to be an older photo, raising concerns about the accuracy of her campaign messaging and potentially creating a misleading impression. A few years have passed since some of those pictures were taken.
Despite the volume of criticism and ongoing commentary directed at current leadership, there has not yet been a clearly outlined plan presented for the future of Laguna Vista. So far, the focus has remained on complaints rather than specific solutions or a defined vision for the town.
Is there a secret slate between Laguna Vista mayoral candidate Darla Jones and Position 2 candidate Nataly Ruiz joining to use social media to portray incumbent mayor Mike Carter in a negative light raising concerns about the accuracy of their allegations?
It will be important to see how her public appearances evolve, especially amid concerns about negative campaigning and anonymous online attacks directed at the mayor, who is seeking reelection while emphasizing transparency in his campaign.
Ruiz has been very “active” on social media, frequently posting political content and appearing to receive input or support from anonymous “residents.” However, when she invites supporters to meet-and-greet events, the response has been notably low.
Facebook posts appear to show that Ruiz may be running as part of a slate alongside candidate Jones, who is using a similar approach in promoting her campaign and political promises. She recently invited the public to her first meet-and-greet today as part of her campaign efforts.
What stands out is the use of what seems to be an older photo, raising concerns about the accuracy of her campaign messaging and potentially creating a misleading impression. A few years have passed since some of those pictures were taken.
Despite the volume of criticism and ongoing commentary directed at current leadership, there has not yet been a clearly outlined plan presented for the future of Laguna Vista. So far, the focus has remained on complaints rather than specific solutions or a defined vision for the town.
WHO AMONG THE ELITE 8 IS GOING TO THE BIG DANCE?
Saturday, March 28
South Region: No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 3 Illinois | 6:09 p.m. ET
West Region: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 1 Arizona 8:49 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 29
Midwest Region: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 6 Tennessee 2:15 p.m. ET
East Region: No. 1 Duke vs No. 2 UConn 5:05 p.m. ET
WOMEN ARE THE OTHER HALF OF THE SKY; THE HALF THAT GAVE BIRTH TO THE OTHER HALF...
National Women's Law Center
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act on February 12, 2026, 13 days after it was introduced by Representative Chip Roy.
The bill is very similar to the SAVE Act and would create unfair and unnecessary barriers to voting, especially for married women. Further, the bill now mandates that every state send private voter information to the Department of Homeland Security.
The bill continues to require documents that can be difficult and expensive to obtain to register to vote, such as birth certificates and passports, as well as imposes a restrictive photo ID requirement at the polls.
The SAVE Act (H.R. 22) is a dangerous and anti-democratic bill that would make it significantly harder for millions of U.S. citizens to vote. The bill was first introduced in response to the repeatedly debunked claims that people who were not U.S. citizens voted in the 2024 elections. Now the House of Representatives is expected to vote on it again soon, putting millions of people’s rights at risk, especially married women and trans people.
Under the SAVE Act, anyone who has changed their name after birth will face increased barriers to voting. That’s because this bill requires voters who don’t have a passport to present a birth certificate that matches the name on their REAL ID or driver’s license. This is particularly relevant for married women who legally change their last name after marriage.
The SAVE Act (H.R. 22) is a dangerous and anti-democratic bill that would make it significantly harder for millions of U.S. citizens to vote. The bill was first introduced in response to the repeatedly debunked claims that people who were not U.S. citizens voted in the 2024 elections. Now the House of Representatives is expected to vote on it again soon, putting millions of people’s rights at risk, especially married women and trans people.
Under the SAVE Act, anyone who has changed their name after birth will face increased barriers to voting. That’s because this bill requires voters who don’t have a passport to present a birth certificate that matches the name on their REAL ID or driver’s license. This is particularly relevant for married women who legally change their last name after marriage.
To read rest of story, click on link: https://nwlc.org/how-the-save-act-could-disenfranchise-millions-of-married-women-and-trans-voters/
CAMERON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: WE DO HOUSE CALLS
(Ed's Note: And you thought that county lawmen had no sense of humor. Apparently, the sign on the door where the deputies conducted a drug raid was placed to discourage potential customers from knocking on the doors for their daily dose. This address is located in the Cameron Park colonia, which is technically outside the City of Brownsville limits. You saw it here first.)
Friday, March 27, 2026
GO AHEAD AND HATE YOUR NEIGHBOR, GO AHEAD AND CHEAT A FRIEND. DO IT IN THE NAME OF HEAVEN...ONE BONE SPUR SOLDIER RUNS AWAY
Special to El Rrun-Rrun
Fourteen soldiers gone.
Hundreds wounded.
Thousands of civilians erased, including children who never saw tomorrow. Schools reduced to rubble, hospitals silenced, and tens of thousands forced to flee lives they once called normal. Behind every statistic is a face, a family, a future that no longer exists.
And yet, while the world watches cities burn and economies strain under the weight of war—oil prices rising, instability spreading, and billions being spent —some questions remain untouched, unanswered.
Power shifts, alliances harden, and narratives move on. But accountability?
That seems to stand still.
It forces an uncomfortable realization: in a world where war moves fast and consequences move slow, what truly matters—and who is ever held responsible?
It forces an uncomfortable realization: in a world where war moves fast and consequences move slow, what truly matters—and who is ever held responsible?
FRIDAY'S NOT SO FUNNY FUNNIES: $140,000 "GHOST" GIG FOR RUBEN O'BELL
Ruben O'Bell and GBEDC (GBIC) Board chairman Ben Peña
O'Bell's Better Side
By Juan Montoya
The stonewalling by Gilbert Salinas, CEO of the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation (formerly GBIC) and board chair Ben Peña continues over the apparent irregular hiring of Ruben O'Bell at a princely starting salary of $140,000 salary as a "Senior Director of Government Affairs" last February.
The first request for information into O'Bell's hiring was sent to the city and the GBIC.
It read:
Request #PR-2026-127
"Dear Sir., Ms. Please consider this a formal information request. I am inquiring into the recent hiring of Ruben O'Bell for a position in the GBIC. I would like to know:
1. The hiring date for for Ruben OBell
2. Salary amount
3. Job description
4. How long was the position posted, where, and how many other applicants were considered?
6. Who does Ruben OBell answer to or his supervisor?
7. What budget account does his salary come from?"
In response, we received a one-page letter that answered just a few things such as salary and hiring date, basically a non-response. We were more specific the second time and sent the request below and copied City Manager Alan Gard, Salinas, and GBEDC records keeper and VP Jerry Briones.
Request #PR-2026-240Subject: Public Information Request – Records Related to Employment of Ruben O’Bell (GBIC/GB EDC) Request PR-2026-127 Dear Public Information Officer, Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552).
I respectfully request copies of specific public records related to the hiring, employment, duties, and compensation of Ruben O’Bell at the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC). This request is limited to records created or maintained between January 1, 2025 and the present date. This request includes records maintained in electronic or physical form, including communications stored on personal devices, personal email accounts, or messaging platforms if those records relate to official business conducted on behalf of GBIC (GB EDC)or the City of Brownsville.
This request is to be reasonably specific. If any portion of this request is believed to be unclear, please contact me so that I may promptly clarify it rather than delaying the request. Please confirm receipt of this request.
SECTION I – EMPLOYMENT AND HIRING RECORDS Please provide copies of the following documents related to the hiring and employment of Ruben O’Bell: 1. The official job description associated with the position held by Ruben O’Bell. 2. The executed offer letter referenced in the Personnel Action Notice. 3. Any employment agreement, memorandum of employment terms, or contract governing the position. 4. The Personnel Action Notice and all supporting documents associated with the hiring. 5. Any documents approving or authorizing the creation of the position. 6. Documents identifying the individual or individuals responsible for approving the hiring decision. 7. Any documents identifying GBIC policies or procedures governing the hiring of staff.
SECTION II – RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESS Please provide: 8. Documentation showing whether the position was publicly posted, including where and when the position was posted. 9. Copies of any job postings or recruitment announcements associated with the position. 10. Any applications, resumes, or candidate materials submitted for the position, with personal identifying information redacted if required by law. 11. Records identifying the number of applicants or candidates considered for the position. 12. Any evaluation materials, interview notes, or scoring sheets used during the hiring process. 
SECTION III – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Please provide: 13. Any organizational chart identifying Ruben O’Bell’s position within GBIC. 14. Documents identifying the supervisor or reporting structure associated with the position. 15. Any documents describing the duties, responsibilities, or scope of work assigned to the role.
SECTION IV – BUDGET AND SALARY AUTHORIZATION Please provide: 16. The GBIC fiscal year 2025–2026 budget and any amendments related to staffing. 17. Documentation identifying the budget account or line item funding the salary of Ruben O’Bell. 18. Any documents authorizing or approving the salary level associated with the position. 19. Any records reflecting changes to staffing budgets related to the creation of this position.
SECTION V – FINANCIAL AND EXPENSE RECORDS Please provide: 20. Records showing payments, reimbursements, or benefits provided to Ruben O’Bell. 21. Any travel expense reports, reimbursement requests, or expense documentation associated with the position. 22. A complete accounts payable or vendor payment report for GBIC from January 1, 2025 to present.
SECTION VI – GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES Please provide: 23. Any documents describing the responsibilities of the position related to government affairs, legislative relations, or lobbying activities. 24. Any communications with members of the Texas Legislature or legislative staff referencing the position. 25. Any grant applications, legislative funding requests, or appropriations requests prepared by or involving Ruben O’Bell.
SECTION VII – COMMUNICATIONS Please provide: 26. All email communications, including attachments, between GBIC leadership and Ruben O’Bell referencing employment, hiring, legislative matters, or consulting services between January 1, 2025 and the present. 27. Communications between GBIC leadership and officials of the City of Brownsville referencing the position. 28. Any communications referencing the creation, funding, duties, or purpose of the position.
Why is the GBEDC, the city manager, CEO Salinas, and board chair Ben Peña stonewalling this information request? If everything related to his hiring was on the up-and-up, why not release it so that the public can rest assured that there was no favoritism or hanky-panky going on? That and given the fact that we already have our elected representatives in Austin to lobby for us, isn't this just a "ghost" job created for O'Bell by his bods Salinas and Peña create specially for him with the public's money?
Given this non-response, we are now turning to State of Texas Attorney General, and also to our elected representatives for relief and for the adherence of the GBEDC and the City of Brownsville to the state's Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552).
Thursday, March 26, 2026
THE WORDS OF A 4-STAR HERO TO A DRAFT-DODGING MALINGERER
McRaven’s comments stood out not just for how direct they were, but for who they came from: a highly respected military leader warning about leadership, unity, and America’s standing in the world.
WHEN RACISM REARS ITS UGLY HEAD IN "NICE" PEOPLE...
By Juan Montoya
When Andres transferred to the University of Indiana from Texas Southmost College, his father – working as the head gardener at the Crooked Tree Good Sam trailer park for snowbirds in Brownsville off FM 802– could not help him with money, only with his goodbye and his blessing.The only way that Andres was able to attend the Midwest school was because his family had worked in the fields there picking tomatoes and cucumbers every summer for as long as he could remember. They would return to Brownsville in October and enroll in the migrant school that started in October and let out in April, just in time for the families to start their annual northward trek.
It had been the same when he had volunteered for the military. He had a brush with the law after he and his neighbor got nailed knocking over vending machines and he had to start working at a local used clothing warehouse making bales of ropa usada. When he tired of it, he enrolled for GED classes and passed. Then he enlisted and was gone for four years. His father had seen him off at the Trailways station and gave him a hug. That's was all he had to give him.
But now, after two years in Indiana paid by the G.I Bill and in-state tuition for his migrant status, he came home for Christmas and was looking forward to graduating with his Masters in business the next May. He had called his parents, who still lived in the home they had bought with the earnings from their field work, to tell them that he would be home in two days. The road in front of his home was a dirt road still coated with caliche, just across a small concrete irrigation canal from his father's workplace.
The morning after he arrived from Indiana, his mother said his father wanted to see him. She said he was across the street at work. Andres walked out and saw his father, wearing rubber boots since he and the crew were using water from a small resaca to water the plants around the trailers, waving at him. There was a portly white man standing by his father looking Andres over.
As a kid, Andres used to see his father, muddy and wet, come in after a nightlong riego session in the cotton fields as a blue northern struck the hinterlands in Olmito. The steam from the coffee his mother gave him framed his face as he fought off the chill.
"Que paso, Dad?," he asked. his father.
"Nada, quiero que conoscas a Mr. Katzenbaum, mi patron."
Katzenbaum, pleasant and bland, spoke to him and said: "So you're Andres, Jose's son?"
"Yes sir," Andres said, extending his hand.
"And you're going to get a Masters. from Bloomington?," the man asked. "I'm from Indiana, too."
"Well, a pleasure to meet another Hoosier," replied Andres.
Then Katzenbaum turned slightly away from his father and asked Andres in a lower voice: "You're going to graduate from Indiana University? And you claim him?," he asked, nodding slightly to his father, whose boots and pant legs were coated with mud.
It took a bit for Andres to fathom what the man had told him. But when he did, bile rose in his gut and he said firmly.
"Yes, of course I do. He is my father. Good day, sir."
Andres walked away and as he jumped over the concrete ditch, he glanced backward and saw that
his father, proud of him and his education, was smiling at Katzenbaum, totally unaware of the insult the other man had heaped upon his humble station.
his father, proud of him and his education, was smiling at Katzenbaum, totally unaware of the insult the other man had heaped upon his humble station.
HOW WE WEAPONIZED RELIGION AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS
The Song of Hiawatha
XXII. Hiawatha's Departure
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
"Then the Black-Robe chief, the Prophet,
Told his message to the people,
Told the purport of his mission,
Told them of the Virgin Mary,
And her blessed Son, the Saviour,
How in distant lands and ages
He had lived on earth as we do;
How he fasted, prayed, and labored;
How the Jews, the tribe accursed,
Mocked him, scourged him, crucified him;
How he rose from where they laid him,
Walked again with his disciples,
And ascended into heaven."
(After the priests had gone to sleep, Hiawatha left his village on his canoe and departed west.)
"The Puritans at first had high hopes of saving the souls in North America and at first thought in terms of Indian acculturation. Their position was, of course, ethnocentric. They believed the Indians would readily give up their way of life and gladly accept the God and the civilization that was being offered to them.
"A rapid disillusionment set in as the Indians came to be viewed as a stumbling block to civilization, and in New England they were viewed with particular hatred as agents of the devil. In general the Indians by the latter years of the 17th Century were despised because they had tried to remain Indian and had shown little desire to become Christian gentlemen.
"In shaping an Indian policy the Americans of the Revolutionary generation had their first experience of discovering what the creation of an American empire for liberty meant to other peoples. A great new nation was to rise on the North American continent.
"What was to be the place of the Indians within this nation? From the time of the Revolution it was apparent that the attitude of the actual empire builders, and ultimately the attitudes of the empire builders, not the leaders of the Revolutionary generation, were to prevail."
"Race and Manifest Destiny: The Origins of Racial Anglo-Saxonism": Reginald Horsman, Harvard University Press, 1981
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
SO MUCH FOR NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS AND "CONFIDENTIALITY"
(Did GBEDC CEO Gilbert Salinas just screw it up revealing confidential information before other Valley EDC competitors? "Por la boca muere el pez" is a popular saying which is used to refer to people who won't shut up and speak more than they should. For a fish to open their mouth is to die (open the mouth to bite a bait).
By Steve Taylor and Daniela Capistran
Rio Grande Guardian
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - For the first time ever, Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation is asking its counterparts across the Rio Grande Valley to send them their workers so they can meet demand.
Gilberto Salinas, president of GBEDC, asked for help when speaking to a room full of economic development leaders from across the region. The event was hosted by Hidalgo County and held at UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Center for Innovation & Commercialization in Weslaco.
“I only have one action item. Just to open up those lines of communication,” Salinas said to his fellow economic development leaders.
Gilberto Salinas, president of GBEDC, asked for help when speaking to a room full of economic development leaders from across the region. The event was hosted by Hidalgo County and held at UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Center for Innovation & Commercialization in Weslaco.
“I only have one action item. Just to open up those lines of communication,” Salinas said to his fellow economic development leaders.
(In contrast, McAllen's EDC has just announced that after almost two years of behind-the-scenes negotiations, a French automotive technology company is investing $225 million in McAllen to establish an advanced manufacturing facility that’s expected to create hundreds of high-paying jobs at the city’s industrial park.
According to Elizabeth Suarez, president and chief executive officer for the McAllen Economic Development Corp. and McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the EDC had been working on securing this development for McAllen since November 2024, all without saying a word.) https://myrgv.com/alerts-mcm/2026/03/24/transformative-french-auto-company-building-major-manufacturing-center-in-mcallen/
According to Elizabeth Suarez, president and chief executive officer for the McAllen Economic Development Corp. and McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the EDC had been working on securing this development for McAllen since November 2024, all without saying a word.) https://myrgv.com/alerts-mcm/2026/03/24/transformative-french-auto-company-building-major-manufacturing-center-in-mcallen/
Salinas said suppliers to big manufacturing companies typically need to be located within a two-hour radius.
‘That's what a lot of companies are looking for, just-in-time delivery. So, that puts the Upper Valley in a great position, and they're already doing a lot of business with companies (in the Brownsville area),” Salinas said.
“Yes, we do have companies out of Austin, San Antonio, but I want many of our local companies in the Valley doing business with these large corporations that are coming in to the Valley.”
Salinas said that for the longest time he used to think of local as anything south of Rancho Viejo.
“That was my definition of local. Everything south of Rancho Viejo was Brownsville. Everything we recruited was for Brownsville. But now that I've come back (to the Valley from Central Texas), and now we’re working on just a different caliber of projects, both in scope, size and magnitude…
“It is Economic Development 101, listen to your client, right? What does the prospect want? And one of the things that we caught ourselves hearing when we listened to them was: their definition of local was everything from Brownsville to McAllen, and then the shoulders, which are the areas outside of Brownsville and McAllen. And obviously I would cringe. We kept hearing it over and over again… if that doesn't say that we have to now be regional, I don't know what does.”
The demand for more workers is growing exponentially due to big projects coming in, in and around Brownsville, Salinas said. After discussing the growth of SpaceX and liquefied natural gas export terminals at the Port of Brownsville, Salinas said there is more on the way.
In his power-point presentation, Salinas showed two slides marked “confidential.” The slides contained details of more than a dozen new projects GBEDC is working on. And, by the way, the fact that the slides were marked “confidential” did not stop other economic development leaders from taking photos of the slides.
The names of the new companies GBEDC is working with were not listed on the slides. But the number of new jobs was. And so was the capital investment. It was easily more than ten thousand new bobs and billions of dollars in investment.
GBEDC asked the RGG Business Journal not to post the two slides because they were marked confidential.
To read rest of story, click on link: https://riograndeguardian.com/stories/salinas-asks-valley-edcs-to-help-bring-workers-to-brownsville,60643
DESPITE HIS "CHEATING" MAIL-IN VOTE, TRUMP'S CANDIDATE LOSES
Various Sources
President Trump, who has long railed against mail-in voting — including on Monday, when he called it “mail-in-cheating” — used the method himself in a Florida special election on Tuesday. Records show that he mailed his ballot at least one other time in 2020.
Trump, who wants to restrict the method, voted by mail this month in Florida's special elections, public records show. Records from the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections indicate the president voted by mail in Tuesday's special election for Florida's 87th district statehouse seat.
Emily Gregory’s victory in Palm Beach brought the Democratic surge to President Trump’s backyard, while a union leader leads in a race for a state senate seat vacated by Florida’s lieutenant governor.
The county elections website says the president requested the ballot on Saturday, March 14, it was received the following day, and his vote was submitted and counted. The president was at his Palm Beach estate that weekend, when early voting in person was available.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
SALINAS, GBEDC (GBIC) STILL STONEWALLING ON O'BELL'S $140,000 GIG
By Juan Montoya
The stonewalling by Gilbert Salinas, CEO of the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation (formerly GBIC) continues over the apparent irregular hiring of Ruben O'Bell at a princely starting salary of $140,000 salary as a "Senior Director of Government Affairs" last February.
The first request for information into O'Bell's hiring was sent to the city and the GBIC.
It read:
Request #PR-2026-127
"Dear Sir., Ms. Please consider this a formal information request. I am inquiring into the recent hiring of Ruben O'Bell for a position in the GBIC. I would like to know:
1. The hiring date for for Ruben OBell
2. Salary amount
3. Job description
4. How long was the position posted, where, and how many other applicants were considered?
6. Who does Ruben OBell answer to or his supervisor?
7. What budget account does his salary come from?"
In response, we received a one-page letter that answered just a few things such as salary and hiring date, basically a non-response. We were more specific the second time and sent the request below and copied City Manager Alan Gard, Salinas, and GBEDC records keeper and VP Jerry Briones.
Request #PR-2026-240Subject: Public Information Request – Records Related to Employment of Ruben O’Bell (GBIC/GB EDC) Request PR-2026-127 Dear Public Information Officer, Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552).
I respectfully request copies of specific public records related to the hiring, employment, duties, and compensation of Ruben O’Bell at the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC). This request is limited to records created or maintained between January 1, 2025 and the present date. This request includes records maintained in electronic or physical form, including communications stored on personal devices, personal email accounts, or messaging platforms if those records relate to official business conducted on behalf of GBIC (GB EDC)or the City of Brownsville.
This request is to be reasonably specific. If any portion of this request is believed to be unclear, please contact me so that I may promptly clarify it rather than delaying the request. Please confirm receipt of this request.
SECTION I – EMPLOYMENT AND HIRING RECORDS Please provide copies of the following documents related to the hiring and employment of Ruben O’Bell: 1. The official job description associated with the position held by Ruben O’Bell. 2. The executed offer letter referenced in the Personnel Action Notice. 3. Any employment agreement, memorandum of employment terms, or contract governing the position. 4. The Personnel Action Notice and all supporting documents associated with the hiring. 5. Any documents approving or authorizing the creation of the position. 6. Documents identifying the individual or individuals responsible for approving the hiring decision. 7. Any documents identifying GBIC policies or procedures governing the hiring of staff.
SECTION II – RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESS Please provide: 8. Documentation showing whether the position was publicly posted, including where and when the position was posted. 9. Copies of any job postings or recruitment announcements associated with the position. 10. Any applications, resumes, or candidate materials submitted for the position, with personal identifying information redacted if required by law. 11. Records identifying the number of applicants or candidates considered for the position. 12. Any evaluation materials, interview notes, or scoring sheets used during the hiring process.
SECTION III – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Please provide: 13. Any organizational chart identifying Ruben O’Bell’s position within GBIC. 14. Documents identifying the supervisor or reporting structure associated with the position. 15. Any documents describing the duties, responsibilities, or scope of work assigned to the role.
SECTION IV – BUDGET AND SALARY AUTHORIZATION Please provide: 16. The GBIC fiscal year 2025–2026 budget and any amendments related to staffing. 17. Documentation identifying the budget account or line item funding the salary of Ruben O’Bell. 18. Any documents authorizing or approving the salary level associated with the position. 19. Any records reflecting changes to staffing budgets related to the creation of this position.
SECTION V – FINANCIAL AND EXPENSE RECORDS Please provide: 20. Records showing payments, reimbursements, or benefits provided to Ruben O’Bell. 21. Any travel expense reports, reimbursement requests, or expense documentation associated with the position. 22. A complete accounts payable or vendor payment report for GBIC from January 1, 2025 to present.
SECTION VI – GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES Please provide: 23. Any documents describing the responsibilities of the position related to government affairs, legislative relations, or lobbying activities. 24. Any communications with members of the Texas Legislature or legislative staff referencing the position. 25. Any grant applications, legislative funding requests, or appropriations requests prepared by or involving Ruben O’Bell.
SECTION VII – COMMUNICATIONS Please provide: 26. All email communications, including attachments, between GBIC leadership and Ruben O’Bell referencing employment, hiring, legislative matters, or consulting services between January 1, 2025 and the present. 27. Communications between GBIC leadership and officials of the City of Brownsville referencing the position. 28. Any communications referencing the creation, funding, duties, or purpose of the position.
SECTION VIII – CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND ETHICS DISCLOSURES Please provide: 29. Any conflict-of-interest disclosures filed by Ruben O’Bell. 30. Any outside employment approvals or disclosures associated with the position. 31. Any conflict-of-interest disclosures involving GBIC leadership related to this position.
SECTION IX – BOARD OVERSIGHT Please provide: 32. Any GBIC board agendas, minutes, or executive session references discussing the creation, funding, or duties of the position. 33. Any board communications referencing the hiring of Ruben O’Bell.
CLARIFICATION If responsive records exist but are withheld, please identify the specific exception under Chapter 552 and indicate whether a request for an Attorney General ruling has been submitted. If responsive records do not exist, please confirm that no responsive records exist. Thank you for your attention to this request. -- Juan Montoya
And what did we get? Would you believe the 2026 GBEDC budget and the same one-page letter we got before?
Why is the GBEDC, the city manager, and CEO Salinas stonewalling this information request? If everything related to his hiring was on the up-and-up, why not release it so that the public can rest assured that there was no favoritism or hanky-panky going on? That and given the fact that we already have our elected representatives in Austin to lobby for us, isn't this just a "ghost" job created for O'Bell by his bod Salinas?
Given this non-response, we are now turning to State of Texas Attorney General, and also to our elected representatives for relief and for the adherence of the GBEDC and the City of Brownsville to the state's Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552).
We tried.
BROWNSVILLE COMMISSION SPENDING MILLIONS TO ENSHRINE SLAVERS
Special to El Rrun-Rrun
This effort marks an important step in preserving and restoring a rare part of Brownsville’s history for future generations." Mayor John Cowen, and also descendant of William Neale, the first mayor of Brownsville.
The City of Brownsville Commission authorized a $404,256 contract with Dodson House Moving LLC to move the decaying historic structure, with work expected to take six to eight weeks. The full restoration will raise the cost to almost $1 million.
The Neale House will be moved to Linear Park, next to the restored Laureles Ranch House of Charles Stillman, the so-called founder of Brownsville and a slave holder. The 1850 census shows he owned a female slave who was living in slave quarters at the back of the Stillman House.
The Neale House is widely believed to date back to the late 1830s, potentially making it the oldest surviving house in Brownsville, even predating the city’s founding.
It served as the home of William Neale, the first mayor of Brownsville and a well-known slave hunter who would be paid by slavers to go into Mexico to retrieve their runaway slaves who yearned for freedom acriss the Rio Grande.
It was also the house where his son, William Peter Neale, was found sleeping in bed in the right bedroom and shot dead in September 28, 1859 when local rancher Juan Nepomuceno Cortina and 75 followers took over the city to hunt down his enemies who he accused of killing Mexicans with impunity. He had been protected by white authorities and by his father's position. The elder Neale was mayor when Cortina took over the town.
It served as the home of William Neale, the first mayor of Brownsville and a well-known slave hunter who would be paid by slavers to go into Mexico to retrieve their runaway slaves who yearned for freedom acriss the Rio Grande.
It was also the house where his son, William Peter Neale, was found sleeping in bed in the right bedroom and shot dead in September 28, 1859 when local rancher Juan Nepomuceno Cortina and 75 followers took over the city to hunt down his enemies who he accused of killing Mexicans with impunity. He had been protected by white authorities and by his father's position. The elder Neale was mayor when Cortina took over the town.
Despite visible deterioration, preservation specialists told commissioners that some of the home’s original material remains intact, including elements like wide plank flooring, early wood construction, and other components.
The building has endured a long and difficult history, surviving multiple hurricanes, relocations, and decades of wear as an Brownsville Art League museum and a canteen for the American Legion.
The relocation is expected to be a complex process, requiring specialized expertise to safely transport and stabilize the fragile structure. The moving process could take between six to eight weeks. Once moved, the home is anticipated to undergo restoration as part of broader efforts to preserve it.
City leaders and preservationists alike expressed support for the project, calling it an important step in protecting a rare piece of the community’s heritage for future generations.
And we thought we had eradicated the city's penchant for the slavers' "heritage" when we did away with the Jeff Davis rock monument at Washington Park only to spend millions of public funds to enshrine these champions of slavery and rapine and display these vestiges of slavery on Linear Park in what can correctly be called local whites' Planation Row.
JOSE ANGEL: KILLING THE ICONS KILLS THE CULTURE
By José Angel Gutierrez
Founder, Raza Unida
There has been a tornado of debris falling from the print, electronic, and social media on how
much like Jeffery Epstein, our farmworker leader and hero Cesar Estrada Chavez was. There are
lurid stories everywhere now about his sexual exploits with pre-teen girls and even full grown
one like Dolores Huerta. In her own post she admits to have two kids by him.
There has been a tornado of debris falling from the print, electronic, and social media on how
much like Jeffery Epstein, our farmworker leader and hero Cesar Estrada Chavez was. There are
lurid stories everywhere now about his sexual exploits with pre-teen girls and even full grown
one like Dolores Huerta. In her own post she admits to have two kids by him.
Now, at near 96, she repents. She wants to come clean about how guilty she feels, how powerless she was to stop the abuse or was it the pleasure; how much in awe she was of this macho man, and so on.
I got to thinking and discussing this subject with my wife.
I got to thinking and discussing this subject with my wife.
Are promiscuity and misogyny male traits we are groomed with to become the embodiment of the ugly macho stereotype? Why do our mothers encourage us to be real men out in public and our sisters to stay home? Why is it considered part of the upbringing for boys to act on their hormones and girls to stay virgins?
When and where did this double standard begin?
When and where did this double standard begin?
I suspect much is from the Bible. It is full of lurid, sexual, abusive stories and many of them feature older men and very young women.
Wasn’t virgin Mary, while married to an older Joseph, impregnated by some ghost, not her husband, and gave birth to Jesus Christ? Why would Pope Gregory I in 590 AD refer to Mary Magdalene, as the constant traveling companion of full grown Jesus Christi, as a “repentant prostitute?”
Wasn’t virgin Mary, while married to an older Joseph, impregnated by some ghost, not her husband, and gave birth to Jesus Christ? Why would Pope Gregory I in 590 AD refer to Mary Magdalene, as the constant traveling companion of full grown Jesus Christi, as a “repentant prostitute?”
I am just asking.
Our history is full of similar stories, for example, the notorious Francisco “Pancho” Villa allegedly had a woman in every town.
Our history is full of similar stories, for example, the notorious Francisco “Pancho” Villa allegedly had a woman in every town.
Again, allegedly our iconic U.S. Representative, the first one, Henry B. Gonzalez for years had a mistress who became his Chief of Staff, Gail Beagle.
Reies Lopez Tijerina, one of our Four Horsemen of the Chicano Movement, according to Lorena Oropeza, for years sexually abused his oldest daughter, Rosa.
There are accounts that Mahatma Ghandi slept with young girls to stay warm. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was similarly accused of many sexual escapades by the FBI while married to Coretta.
Reies Lopez Tijerina, one of our Four Horsemen of the Chicano Movement, according to Lorena Oropeza, for years sexually abused his oldest daughter, Rosa.
There are accounts that Mahatma Ghandi slept with young girls to stay warm. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was similarly accused of many sexual escapades by the FBI while married to Coretta.
The 29 th US President, Warren G. Harding had a mistress in the White House, Nanna Popham Britton, and fathered her child Elizabeth.
President William “Bill” Clinton allegedly abused female interns at the White House, one in particular, Monica Lewisky, over whom he was impeached. Infidelity, it seems is found everywhere we examine relationships.
Yet, since this scandal about Chavez has surfaced, many cities are canceling the annual parades and other ceremonies they held in honor of his legacy: Austin, Houston, Lansing, San Jose, Denver, Milwaukee, to name a few and also some states: Arizona, California, Utah, Minnesota, Washington, and Colorado, at this writing.
Yet, since this scandal about Chavez has surfaced, many cities are canceling the annual parades and other ceremonies they held in honor of his legacy: Austin, Houston, Lansing, San Jose, Denver, Milwaukee, to name a few and also some states: Arizona, California, Utah, Minnesota, Washington, and Colorado, at this writing.
Dolores Huerta has canceled her appearance in the Corpus Christi, Texas parade as has Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughter, at the Lansing, Michigan event. Even the UFW headquarters and foundation are not going to celebrate March
31 st as a special day which was when Chavez was born in 1927.
President Trump and Texas Governor Abbott must be very happy with this turn of events. They have been promoting we return to the days of only Anglo-Centric events, mentions, heroes, and activities. They know, as my wife and I do, that killing our icons kills their legacy and our history and culture.
31 st as a special day which was when Chavez was born in 1927.
President Trump and Texas Governor Abbott must be very happy with this turn of events. They have been promoting we return to the days of only Anglo-Centric events, mentions, heroes, and activities. They know, as my wife and I do, that killing our icons kills their legacy and our history and culture.
White supremacy going forward!
Monday, March 23, 2026
BROWNTOWN'S CHAPTER OF MAMONES UNITED SIDES WITH ABBOTT
Left to right: Mamones United VP Tino Villarreal, Hot Wheels, Mamones United Secretary Linda Macias, and Mamones United President John Cowen.
The bunch of chaqueteros and Vendepatrias in the photo with Gov. Hot Wheels apparently are alright with his and the Texas Legislature's efforts to disenfranchise minorities (read Mexicanos and negritos) and women with voter suppression laws like the SAVE Act, placing sharpened-blade buoys on the Rio Grande to hurt migrants, deport your kin, and to censor school books or anything that will cast their actions or those of their racist ancestors in a bad light.
For once we have an intelligent, competent woman in Gina Hinojosa born and raised in Brownsville running as our Democratic nominee for governor and we get this? They would probably cheer for a Harlingen high school if they played against a Brownsville team. And they represent us and spend our money.
James Talarico and Gina have both spent their careers in the state legislature fighting for hard-working Texans and their families. They've seen what happens when the GOP gets power hungry and when big donors and special interests call the shots. But they've also seen the power behind communities that organize and demand better from their leaders – it’s why we are all in this fight.
If James and Tina win, we can take back Texas this fall. Polls are tight in both races, and the energy in the room on Friday made it clear that voters are ready for change.
But a strong ticket does not happen on its own. Each of us needs to build a campaign that can reach all 254 counties of Texas.
Over the coming months, their campaign will keep traveling across the state to listen, share a clear vision for Texas, and build the strong, statewide organization it takes to connect with voters in every community.
We can overcome the state chapters of Mamones United – even in Brownsville – and we will win.
No se dejen!
LAS GALLINAS COME HOME TO ROOST; SENTIRLO EN CARNE PROPIA
By Christian Maldonado
More than a year since Trump flipped the traditionally Democratic Rio Grande Valley, his deportation agenda is running headlong into the region’s workforce.
While the construction industry is the most directly affected, other parts of the Rio Grande Valley’s economy are also feeling the pinch from fewer workers and stalled projects.
Mario Guerrero, executive director of a builders association, described the immigration arrests and the worker shortage as the knockout “punch” that could end some livelihoods.
He also said he’s not alone in his “disappointment” with the president’s immigration enforcement. And he thinks that sentiment is setting an ominous tone for GOP prospects in the region, both in the midterms and beyond.
“I can guarantee you, the Valley will never be red again. At least not anytime soon.”
Sunday, March 22, 2026
TRUMP IS GLAD MUELLER DIED: NOW WE KNOW WHY
Trump boasts like a tough guy. Robert Mueller lived it.
That's part of why Trump said he was glad Mueller is dead. He was a reminder of everything Trump
wishes he could be, but is too cowardly to attempt.
Trump is the ultimate coward, as are every single one of his followers. And it eats them up inside.
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