The new owners of Trevino's Furniture, the store that once belonged to Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino's family and still bears the name, remains open and doing business under the county's "essential" business exception from the shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders..
Why?
According to the county judge's office, the fact that there is a finance loan company operating inside in a corner of the premises qualifies it as a "financial" institution and, therefore, exempt from the orders.
Really?
It seems like there is always a caveat when it comes to rules that apply to everyone else. But when it comes too near to favored people kin the community, rules seem to magically bend. We guess that if it's essential for someone to get a usurious high-interest personal loan, they might just be tempted to plunk a hefty down payment on an overpriced velvet sofa on the way out, no?
If loan-shark interest loans and overpriced furniture are "essential" services exempt from the stay at home rules, we shouldn't be surprised that designer coffee and bicycle parts would be considered "essential," too, should we?
That's exactly what is happening over at 7th and Park, owned by Graham Sevier-Schultz, the business buddy of Mayor Trey Mendez and who claims that the business is "Dedicated to the advancement of people through coffee and bikes."
Now, the coffee-bike shop doesn't have enough parking space but was granted a permit without a "variance" that almost is never
In fact, the business patrons who frequented the place before the stay at home and shelter in place rules went into effect customarily used the Linear Park parking across the street.
That's right, a public park's parking was placed at the disposal of the shop's owners.Now that public parks are closed, they effectively operate without enough parking.
Order, pull up, and we will bring your order to you," the business posted on its facebook page. But pull up where? Ot 7th Street?, or on the sidewalk off E. Taylor Street here some cars usually park when they could visit the coffee shop?
But what about Starbucks, you say?
They're open at their drive-thru. Well, yes. They actually do have a drive through that doesn't consist of a public street and a sidewalk, and the city made them provide their own parking spaces. They pay their employees and aren't subsidized to exist.
And how did the 7th and Park folks get facemasks for everyone when one can't find one at local stores? Could it be that they are acquired by the owner's wife, who is a pediatrician?
Even before 7th and park was in business, it was taken under the wing of, and chosen to be the recipient of, city commissioner Rose Gowen's the Bike and Hike Committee's largess and named as a "Bicycle Friendly" business, featured in city-subsidized advertisement at the Mall's Cinemark Theater, and served as a semi-official campaign headquarters for Rose and later, Mayor Trey Mendez.
Gowen, you will recall, is also a medical doctor, a gynecologist, in other words, a colega to "Dolly" Lucio Sevier, the owner's wife.
Is that why the favoritism and deference"
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging people to stay home. Brownsville is under Shelter in Place and Stay at Home orders. The Brownsville Police Dept. and the Cameron County Sheriff deputies are stopping people who should not be outside except for essential services. Ironically, 7th and Park is right down the street is the Brownsville Police Dept. main station on Jackson Street. Will anyone get a citation for violating the orders?
But of course, it is obviously "essential" that you have a Mexican Mocha - hot or iced from $4.50 - $4.75, a Chai Latte for $4.25 - $4.50, a French Press for $4.50, etc. And, if you just so happen to see the bike parts catalogue when you're perusing the coffee offerings order it to pick up once you're at it it, like getting a sofa rom Trevino's while you're doing business at the finance company inside the furniture store. Call it the icing on the latte.
Just when there is a shortage of masks and the government is asking people and corporations to donate it to the first st responders, the business is bragging he has a surplus of masks to sell coffee when people are in desperate need of PPE.
This is almost as bad as Harry McNair being appointed to the Brownsville Historical Association to preserve history and then turning around and getting the city commissioners - Gowen's vote included - to approve the change of historical El Fronton Street to the McNair Family Drive.
What's more, like Gowen, McNair gets a 100 percent tax exemption from property taxes from the city not only his home - like Gowen - but also for three warehouses owned y the family on Fronton. The neighbors pay their share of city taxes and they revel in the glory.
The Gowens, Lucios, McNairs, oh, yeah, we get it.
It's such a warm and fuzzy feeling when you can be generous with the public's money and then also bend the rules that apply to everyone else to help your friends and political supporters, isn't it?
20 comments:
That coffee shop is owned by Graham Sevier-Schultz, who was appointed to the GBIC by Ben Neece. He also is part of Mayor Tres Leches and his Dodici Pizza. Now you know.
Fuera!
Rank has its privileges
For so long it looked like Trump was abusing amphetamines. He was saying crazy things, with more energy. But now the inevitable after-effects of abusing speed have overtaken him. Paranoia, extreme irritability, seeing conspiracies everywhere, inability to focus, to grasp the facts, and to accept the facts.
Trump is stumbling around like a boxer who is out on his feet.
When gringos and cocos mingle that's what you get bending of all rules at the expense of the poor taxpayers. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP?
Even in the middle of a world wide crisis and DEATH looking at you! They don't care its a game to them.
Death is all around and all they thing about is how to get away with murder???
The untested drug being pushed by Trump:
Sanofi’s largest shareholders include Fisher Asset Management, the investment company run by Ken Fisher, a major donor to Republicans, including Trump. A spokesman for Fisher declined to comment.
Another investor in both Sanofi and Mylan, another pharmaceutical firm, is Invesco, the fund previously run by Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary. Mr. Ross said in a statement Monday that he “was not aware that Invesco has any investments in companies producing” the drug, “nor do I have any involvement in the decision to explore this as a treatment.”
As of last year, Trump reported that his three family trusts each had investments in a Dodge & Cox mutual fund, whose largest holding was in Sanofi.
MAMONES.
Thank goodness for coffee and bikes.
The coffee-bike shop is okay with me.
We should exercise and this business promotes exercise.
Thank goodness for Dr. Gowen and her fight for some type of improvement to the general health of the City of Brownsville.
April 7, 2020 at 1:43 PM
She and you pendejo do it out of YOUR POCKETS not the city's taxpayers pocket pinche pendejo...
He's the ONLY one riding around on a stupid bike wearing a clown suit and little feet and little hands idiot joto...
This post is not worthy of a comment, but here you go.
Everyone has a vice. For some, is quality $4 coffee. Move on to something more important. The shop does have it's own parking, limited, but does have parking. Enough said.
It's Trump's fault! Everything is Trump's fault!
Let's not elect or reelect anyone for public office that has "Historical Designation " on their personal homes. These so called leaders should be setting the example for their constituents and be paying their fair share of taxes. I personally save money throughout the year to pay my property taxes yet most of these people are rich people that continue to milk the system. How can they look in their face in the morning? Bunch of greedy people.
That wannabe hipster 6th street coffee & bike shop is cringe. Them people there all about looking the part with their bike trails, I swear I've never seen people riding up there on that park to that shop. To the person @1:43 I hope its sarcasm. Really?
@April 7, 2020 at 8:11 PM
Sure, when wrong doings are exposed and brought up to the public all of a sudden its not "WORTHY" of course it is, pendejo, its call checks and balances and might fall short or not of kick backs, political favors you name it.
Trey Mendez is panning out to be "same as the old", part of the same network of compadres that has run Brownsville into the ground over the past 50 years. Trey Mendez has built up a network of cronies that look out for each other and ONLY each other. His response to the current crisis is completely irresponsible. Little or no information is given to the populace and safety measures are not being instituted to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Mendez's attitude is truly sickening. He is nothing more than a short little man with selfish motivations who seeks to gain from his political office. Does "Napoleon" ring a bell?
Historical Designation should only be granted for public buildings such as museums and not for personal homes. The only reason is given to personal homes is so that the property owner don't have to pay a penny on property taxes. In fact, current elected officials should consider removing this designation for personal homes now, that is if they really want to do something worthwhile for the community. Get with program.
Puros pinches mamones always looking to bypass rules and regulations and that's not looking at other areas like legalities, taxation, health inspections etc etc puros pinches mamones
Again, don't elect or reelect anyone who has this bullshit historical designation on their personal homes. Leaders suppose to lead by example. Shame on us voters if we continue to elect these kind of abusers for public office.
Her maiden name is Lucio in case anyone is wondering.
@ April 9, 2020 at 8:44 PM
Of course gringos and cocos what else?
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