By Juan Montoya
Crowder was a silver-spoon kid from a rich suburb in Dallas. I had just graduated from J school at the U of Michigan and our newshound instinct told us something was amiss over in Mata. We took it upon ourselves – even though it was after working hours – and without checking with our editor Bill Salter, to drive over and see what was shaking.
It turned out to be one of the biggest stories – if not the biggest – of the year.
Students had burned down city hall and stormed the CERESO (state jail) where one of their fellow students had been beaten to death by a cop. The city was under martial law for days. Crowder and I came back to the paper and had Ron Schade develop his pictures while I wrote the story and had it ready when the news staff came to work the following morning. By then, AP and UPI had swarmed to Brownsville and we guided them through Matamoros so they could write their stories.
What took us hours to type on an IBM Selectric took AP's Ken Herman and UPI's Mack Sisk minutes on a manual typewriter. We looked on in wonder – and awe and respect – as they filed their stories from the Herald newsroom. Quick and without any typos on a manual. Priceless.
Our coverage – the first by any American newspaper or wire services – won us the 1978 first place award for spot reporting for newspaper under 25,000 circulation in the State of Texas for the now-defunct United Press International wire service.
Salter, who was not above tooting his own horn, gave us a free hand in our writing and photo coverage. We took the hint and went for the gold. The result? Brownsville Herald readers got a first-hand account of what was happening next door, something we will probably never see again, given "the troubles" now in northern Tamaulipas.
Crowder ended up being an editor at the El Paso Times and I went to graduate school at the U of Wisconsin after a stint at the Corpus Christi Caller and – after grad school – the San Antonio Light. Salter ended up divorcing Becky and becoming editor of the Panama City, Fla. Freedom Newspaper.
When the Brownsville Herald was a real newspaper...
27 comments:
Top awards were from The Associated Press.
You know that Montoya.
of course you do.
Some of us still recognize real journalism. Kudos to you and your colleagues.
The awards these days are different. More along the lines of "everyone gets a participation trophy."
How long - and when - were you at the Light, Montoya
tell all.
The valley newspapers were real newspapers when they were operated by Freedom. Once they were sold to Tribune and AIM they became nothing more than a propaganda arm of the left wing Democratic party.
The herald now is 1 fluff story and pro biden story after another. Laura B Martinez writes on the level of an 8th grader. Chanel 5 is no better. There are ZERO real reporters in the RGV. The people here are too stupid to understand or care. Mexican corruption is excepted as normal.
Nostalgia Tour.
(small town variety anyway)
Was that the time when Dr. Antonio Cavazos Garza was "presidente municipal"? I was a sophomore at Hanna High School and remember the incident because it came out in "24 HORAS" and my parents talked about it at the dinner table. Yes, I remember when the Herald published in the afternoon, when Sunday not only had good funnies, but also had engagements, weddings and Quinceanera pictures (El Bravo still does that). Another story that was published for days was when LA TIENDA AMIGO collapsed and people from Matamoros and from here died and Brownsville actually came out in GMA live (Nacho Garza was mayor) In the small park across from the immigration building there is still a plaque with the names of the people that died. It was not that long ago and yet it was a lifetime ago. Yes, the Herald was once a good newspaper; the same as Brownsville was once the jewel of the RGV until greed took over.
Great work. Very proud of you Juan. It is an honor to be your friend.
Y el menso de Eduardo Paz MartÃnez… not even honorable mention. Jajajajana
Yep...it was a real newspaper when it was operated by WHITE people...
Crowder was never an editor at the El Paso Times.
fact.
Unemployed killer Kyle Rittenhouse asked Donald Trump for a loan...and was turned down!
(Republicans are evil and anti-Americans.)
So, what did you do with your college degrees, Montoya?
Oh, start a blog.
ha ha ha
Go Blue class of 1975! Yolanda Urbina LSA, did we ever meet? Great commentary, but then again, you went to Michiga!
I remember the Matamoros protests and the coverage by the Herald (meaning you guys). I also remember almost no coverage of anything else regarding Matamoros. It was (and in some ways still is) as though news stopped at the border.
8:33 AM...Listen MORON...Kyle is already a multi-millionaire from interviews. The book and movie that is coming will make him even richer. Go Kyle go!
November 27, 2021 at 4:16 PM
Hillbillys have no newspaper they roll them up to use for other purposes like cleaning their asses besides can't read or write mamones get a job 4th generation huevones
November 28, 2021 at 7:31 AM
and racist to the core republican newpaper had to be white driven... no wonder
Anonymous Anonymous said...
So, what did you do with your college degrees, Montoya?
Oh, start a blog.
ha ha ha
November 28, 2021 at 12:41 PM
I want to start a blog, but I only know two people.
Montoya is read by so many people: smart people, professional people, regular folks, grandmothers, girls, boys, politicians, educators, secretaries, employees that work, etc.
Montoya's Blog: It is a great accomplishment.
November 30, 2021 at 2:44 PM
I agree great blog
Brownsville hearld sucks!! isn't it's stock owned by an ex mayor of Brownsville and his thievery friends to control the information about whats is really happening in Brownsville.The Brownsville herald is pure propaganda to protect and promote themselves while in office.just look how they controlled the info on Tenaska and PUB.
The brownsville herald was run by jr high schoolers a big secret, their office used to be at Stell Jr Hi at one time. Now they have a toilet for an office on that xxx building by the express and service rd and is still run by jr hi students any questions.....
So, what happened to your writing facts? Now you write lies according to who pays you cash. Not real journalism. In Mexico it's called,"Amarrillismo".
November 30, 2021 at 7:59 AM
LAMBISCON Y MAMON!
December 2, 2021 at 5:07 PM
In the usa its called kickbacks. A kickback is a form of negotiated bribery in which a commission is paid to the bribe-taker in exchange for services rendered. Generally speaking, the remuneration (money, goods, or services handed over) is negotiated ahead of time. The kickback varies from other kinds of bribes in that there is implied collusion between agents of the two parties, rather than one party extorting the bribe from the other. The purpose of the kickback is usually to encourage the other party to cooperate in the scheme.
The most common form of kickback involves a vendor submitting a fraudulent or inflated invoice (often for goods or services which were not needed, of inferior quality, or both), with an employee of the victim company assisting in securing payment. For his or her assistance in securing payment, the individual receives some sort of payment (cash, goods, services) or favor (the hiring of a relative, employment, etc.)
Kickbacks are one of the most common forms of government corruption. In some cases, the kickback takes the form of a "cut of the action," and can be so well known as to be common knowledge—and even become part of a nation's culture.
This is how the usa is run and operated, by crooks and thieves and the vast majority are whites (gringos). IDIOTA
wiki
kickbacks are illegal payments in exchange for some type of preferential treatment or improper service. They're considered a form of bribery, and both the payer and the receiver can be criminally charged. A gingo gimmic first started in the united states exclusively.
You the man, JMON! Don't pay attention to the MFs with negative comments....they probably didn't even get out of Middle School...these people despise anyone smarter than they are.....and it doesn't take much. Puros flunkies. One does what's best for himself with his education, not what others expect him to do.
BTW, go Michigan! Big Ten Champs!
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