𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬~𝗡𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗦, 𝗡𝗢 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗠 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘!

𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔, 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬

L to R: former State Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.,  Precinct 1 Commissioner Sofia Benavides, Tax Assessor Tony Yzaguirre, County Judge Eddie Trevino and County Clerk Sylvia Garza-Perez

While the strongly-entrenched politicians pictured above celebrated the opening of a new Southmost Tax Office, we're reminded of the ease with which these folks often spend other people's money, that is, the taxpayers' hard-earned dollars.

A local blogger-for-hire, likely paid by the current tax assessor, Tony Yzaguirre, has questioned Tax Assessor candidate Eddie Garcia's concerns about $2,800,000 in tax dollars being used for the new building.

Now, we did venture down Southmost Road today at 3:45 PM to get our own look at the newly-constructed tax office and there's no denying the beauty of the structure, featuring stone block, bricks, a steel roof and beautiful landscaping.

Yet, as beautiful as the nearly $3M facility is, not one additional penny of taxes has been collected as a result of its construction.

Actually, modern technology has made it possible to pay taxes online, rendering the old brick-and-mortar solutions obsolete and unnecessarily costly.

Once inside the building, we found at least four city employees along with one customer paying taxes. So, add the wages, benefits of these employees to the initial cost of the building, along with maintenance and utilities for as long as the building stands.

A friendly lady greeted us at the booth with a city administrator behind her, while a security guard stood just inside the door.  Next to a single customer paying taxes was another employee cleaning the glass shield at an empty payment booth.

Before the runoff election between 36 year incumbent Tony Yzaguirre and Eddie Garcia takes place May 28, with early voting May 20-24, Garcia is hopeful Yzaguirre will be willing to sit down with him in some sort of format; discussion, roundtable or debate, to give the voters a look at their different approaches to running the office.

Garcia has made it clear that, should he be elected, no current employees need fear for their jobs in the tax assessor/collector office, including several members of the Yzaguirre family. 

Garcia simply wants to set a tone that emphasizes customer service while running the department efficiently and economically.

𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗥 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗡 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬'𝗦 𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗖 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗗𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦

Mayor John Cowen

John Cowen, Jr. set an extremely high bar for future mayors of Brownville's "State of the City" events by giving every city commissioner, the city manager and administrators a share in the credit for the city's economic growth the past year.

Cowen's approach to governing is light years away from "the mayor is the quarterback and the commissioners are his blocking lineman."

No one is demeaned.  All get credit.  I mean, who the ha.des wouldn't want to work in a Cowen administration?

While previous mayors have focused on a plastic bag ban that didn't work, a banning of public comment at city meetings, or creating business funding the mayor could tap into once leaving office, Cowen has simply created a well-oiled harmonious city machine where credit for accomplishments is shared.

That's an environment where everyone willingly works their asses off.

With the 800 seat TSC Performing Arts Center near capacity, Cowen's clear presentation of the city's business growth solidified his position with hundreds of actual voters, almost assuring a second term if he wants it. (I know many of these folk and yes, they're voters.)

While I've chided Cowen in years past for timidity, let me reverse field and say he's not a self-promotor, but someone who, not only leads by example, but shares leadership and credit.  

So, state of the city?  The city is in good hands.

𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 "𝗔 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧" 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧'𝗦 "𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬" 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗡 𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗭

 

𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗬 𝗖𝗨𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗥'𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗠𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗟 𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗟

by Andrew Solender, AXIOS

 Solender, AXIOS

Rep. Henry Cuellar. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) is getting a quiet reprieve from colleagues in both parties after being indicted over the weekend.

Why it matters: It's a marked contrast to the treatment of the two other lawmakers who have been indicted in the 118th Congress – Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.).

• Menendez has similarly faced bribery charges, including that he took payment in the form of gold bars, and more than half his Democratic Senate colleagues have urged him to resign.
• The scandal-ridden Santos was expelled in a bipartisan House vote after two federal indictments and a damning Ethics Committee report.

What's happening: Cuellar was indicted by the Justice Department on Friday and accused of taking nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani government-controlled oil company and a Mexican bank.

• The South Texas congressman is accused of pushing legislation and pressuring executive branch officials to benefit Azerbaijan and the bank.
• Cuellar has proclaimed his innocence and said he plans to seek re-election in November.

State of play: The National Republican Congressional Committee has challenged Democrats to call for Cuellar's resignation  as they did with Santos.

• So far, just one Democrat, retiring Rep. Dean Phillips  (D-Minn.), has heeded that call.

What they're saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement on Friday that Cuellar "is entitled to his day in court and the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process."

• House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) told Axios on Monday that Cuellar is "going to get due process of law" and praised him for doing "the right thing" by stepping down from his subcommittee chairmanship.
• A senior House Democrat predicted few Democrats will call for Cuellar's resignation: "Dean Phillips is probably not the person to lean on for these things."
• But the lawmaker acknowledged "it's a problem" and said the appearance of hypocrisy with Santos is "concerning" to some Democrats.

Yes, but: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), asked if Cuellar should resign, said: "I haven't seen any details."

• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Axios: "I don't know much about that."

What we're hearing: "There's the ordinary [process]: allegation, criminal process, ethics review, outcome. And then there's the extraordinary – George Santos," said one House Republican.

• A House Democrat told Axios that Cuellar's stuff "isn't as entertaining and bizarre ... Santos was a bizarre series of weird fabrications plus the FEC violations. Made for good soap opera."

Zoom in: Republicans are hamstrung by their allegiance to former President Donald Trump, who is facing four criminal indictments and has leapt to Cuellar's defense.

• "We have a former president going through indictments now, nothing's been proven," said Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), telling Axios that Trump's case has "certainly" influenced how Republicans approach indictments.
• "Same thing with Congressman Cuellar, he deserves his day in court before anyone starts making accusations or speculation – before people start jumping on the bandwagon," he said.

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙇𝙄𝘾𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝘽𝙍𝙊𝙒𝙉𝙎𝙑𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙀𝘾𝙊𝘼𝘾𝙃

submitted by Rene Torres 

𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗨𝗕𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗚𝗨𝗠 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣

Homer Lee Hanna, Jr., Jo Ann Hanna, Capitol Theater Manager J.C. McNeil

By Rene Torres

In 1946, almost one hundred youngsters took the stage at Brownsville’s Capitol Theater with their favorite chewing gum, greeted by 500 to 600 noisy kids who were there to witness the bubble gum blowing contest.

Judges divided the kids into small groups and each contestant was given 30 seconds to blow their biggest bubble, repeating the effort in a series of eliminations to select the final winners.

After all the blowing was done and the hot air exhausted, it was a Brownsville brother and sister combination that stood out above the rest, as Jo Ann Hanna, eleven, and Homer Lee Hanna Jr., eight, were declared the “Chicle” champions.

When Homer was contacted over the phone some years ago, he declared, “I blew a 14-inch bubble and my sister Jo Ann blew a comparable one to win the title.” 

In 1946, the United States was still feeling the effects of rationing and gum, just like many other items, was scarce.

The Hannas were well aware of the scarcity of gum and revealed their methods:

 “We saved the used gum in the refrigerator for the next day and even added to it because during the war years we didn’t throw anything away.”

Winning at the Capitol Theater propelled them to compete for the Valley crown. 

The idea of a Rio Grande Valley king and queen of bubble gum blowers came from the king of bubble gum himself, Andrew Paris, who sponsored the valley event and provided the winning trophy, a gold watch.

The Brownsville winners had a week to practice as they now would face stiff competition from Estefana Balli and Billy Metcalf, both 11-year-old winners from the upper Valley. 

But, as the chase for the coveted gold watch grew near, it was announced that the double bubble ace, Homer, would not compete for the Valley crown, not for lack of gum, but because of having contracted the dreadful measles.

Jo Ann did go on to participate in McAllen and described it as a contest of endurance. 

“We blew bubbles for two hours and we could only use Andrew Paris’ brand of gum,” said Jo Ann.

But after it was all said and done, little Jo Ann—the darling of the “Chicle,” was awarded the crown and gold watch based on consistency to sustain a bubble and her ability to blow the perfect double bubble.

As they say: "Long live the Queen.”

The kids of the pigtail era continued to blow bubbles into the rock 'n roll period and beyond, but, now, many of them are grandparents, who are perhaps teaching their grandkids the lost art of blowing bubbles. 

The Paris Gum Factory, McAllen

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗚𝗩 𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗦!

 

𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗧 𝟮 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘

 "My lack of education hasn't hurt me none.  I can read the writing on the wall."  Paul Simon

District 2 City Commissioner Linda C. Macias

An effervescent young city commissioner, on her first anniversary of service to the City of Brownsville, met me at Ronnie Saenz' Spanky's on Palm Boulevard, while her young daughter was taking an hour's dance lessons across the street at the Palm Village Shopping Center, now undergoing renovation.

District 2 City Commissioner Linda C. Macias reverted to her skills as a professional counselor to be a good listener as I ranted about the 60's, reggae, the Delta blues, the Bible and the border.

Soon our session was up and she had to pick up her daughter.  I'd used up our one hour interview time and then some without getting into the needs of District 2. What a journalist I am!

It didn't help that Ronnie Saenz had the walls of Spanky's covered with Beatles and Elvis memorabilia if that's any excuse for not asking appropriate questions.

Anyway, Macias sent a list to my email of what she and the commission have been doing the last year, but I'll read that later, as all I actually needed to hear was that it was all based on citizen requests while she was blockwalking during her first campaign for office.

Representative democracy is what it's all about even if fewer than 10% in our city care enough to vote.  

Oh, Macias says a bond issue is coming to revitalize, widen and make safer the driving on Coffeeport Road, one of our towns significant arteries.

Macias has already pushed for some good work on Dana Avenue, long a clogged mess.  This young  lady is doing some good things.

𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢𝗚 𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥~𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗗𝗔𝗞𝗢𝗧𝗔 𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗞𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜 𝗡𝗢𝗘𝗠

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem with her idol