𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗡𝗕𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗥

My overt cowardice made me wait until halftime to check the Mavs-Clippers score for round 1 of the NBA playoffs.  

The Mavs were sufficiently ahead, emboldening me to venture out to the nearest sports bar, DK's, who didn't have the game on, so I switched to Parry's, ordering only beer, no pizza or whatever.

The game got a little rough with low-IQ thug, Russell Westbrook trying to rip Luka Doncic's arm off, only to get ejected.

Dallas has the power of Doncic, the finesse of Kyrie Irving, a duo impossible to defend.  

In tonight's game, putting Dallas ahead in the series, 2-1, Dallas looked unbeatable, but the Denver Nuggets and MVP Nikola Jokic await in round 2 and who can stop Jokic?

Dallas has four centers, all but one are bean poles, too frail to defend Jokic. . . . So, it's up to Gafford to body him up and maybe the thin Lively to block his shots.

Anyway. . . .what a great game with no one but me watching at Parry's.

Brownsville is a Dallas Cowboys town with the few NBA fans watching only the Spurs.  

Tonight, I proudly wore my Mavs t-shirt, discounted at Sunrise Mall, watching the Mavs-Clippers game at Parry's.  

While Brownsville may be a soccer/football/chess town, as a citizen of the world, I'm an NBA/Mavs fan.  

𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗢 𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗙𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗦

 

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗙𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗢 𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗦

 

By Rene Torres

One of the most recognized cafes in Brownsville for many years sat on the edge of the Market Square business district. 

More than anywhere else, the Texas Café gave you the pulse of the locals when you walked through its doors. 

In 1912, it was known as the Texas Lunch, but later changed its name to the Texas Café.

It was a 24 hour restaurant that attracted a diverse clientele—from those that had too much to drink after they tumbled out of the surrounding cantinas, to the businessmen on their way to work and/or to the families that frequented after Sunday mass.

The interior was filled with the buzz of the crowd with a swirl of energy generated by the excitement of downtown Brownsville. You were attended to like an old friend, for few, if any, were strangers to the old café.

But beyond its great menu, you found yourself with a feast for your eyes—as its walls were adorned with several framed murals, the work of a local artist, Antonio Cisneros. 

The following is his story:

In 1946, Clarence LaRoche, Herald staff writer, wrote, “Antonio Cisneros of Brownsville is a successful man. He hasn’t any great accumulation of capital or money; he isn’t a big property owner; he has not any personal power over industry, finance, or corps of workers.  But definitely, he is a success. Cisneros, you see, is an artist. He has found happiness in his work—happiness and enjoyment and pleasure—priceless belongings, that materialistic wealth cannot purchase.”

His beginnings, in Matamoros in the early 1900s, were that of carpenter and house painter.

His interest in art started when he began making simple decorations— which led to creating oil paintings on canvas.

When he lived in Matamoros he couldn’t find the sizes of brushes he needed so he made them himself.

“I made those brushes from cat hair, my drawing pens for ink sketches I made from quills. Later I moved to Brownsville, there, I found more and better materials.”

Since those early days, Cisneros painted thousands of signs, executed hundreds of paintings and sketched reams of drawings all over South Texas and Mexico. 

But his name and his work here are most remembered for the paintings that hung at the Texas Café.

The historic paintings of the Washington Park Grammar School, the State Capitol, images from the Rio Grande of an old pipero loading water, the old post office building and Market Square, became an integral part of Brownsville’s history.

Yes, the café was famous for its grilled biscuits, but it was also an art venue—a gallery that featured the work of one artist. 

The Café filled your appetite as well as your imagination of old time Brownsville—a unique cultural destination.

But unfortunately, the paintings, because of their location, were exposed to the evil elements of life—the daily doses of cooking grease, nicotine and those occasional splashes of beer and wine over the years altered the face of the original work. But regardless of the daily abuse, they navigated through the times and still remain with us today.

The paintings gained wide fame in the area. Like most of the observers here, Cisneros considered the images of the old post office and the Grammar school as his favorites.

The paintings were completed between 1929 and 1930 and were retouched in 1946, when the new Texas Café opened its doors. Speaking then, “In addition to the Texas Café paintings,” he explained.

“I’m especially proud of the ones I’ve done for the Chamber of Commerce in McAllen and Corpus Christi.”

At Corpus, the painting that hung at the Chamber of Commerce is a scene of the famed King Ranch. 

The remarkable picture of Monterrey that he painted for McAllen was credited with helping better relations between that city and Monterrey.

“Another painting I’m proud of," he said. “is a painting I made of the old wharves at Point Isabel in 1919. I have received many congratulations on it.” 

Aside from his own success, Mr. Cisneros was proud of the fact that both of his sons, Tony and Tito became well known commercial artists in Austin.

Where are they now? After years in storage, the Texas Café paintings suffered much neglect, but still survived throughout the decades.

It took another talented local artist, Pablo Noreiga-Urbina, nine months to remove a multitude of foreign objects to restore the paintings to their original form. 

To view before and after photos of his restoration work, go to: www.fineart-restoration.com.

Today, the Grammar School, the State Capitol Building and the Old Post office paintings are on display on the second floor of the City Hall on Elizabeth Street. While another of Cisneros’ paintings of Market Square— greets you as you enter the Brownsville Events Center.

Antonio Cisneros that did not become a world famous artist, but his work in South Texas and Mexico, especially in this area, was as pure as the soul and dialect of what Brownsville was.

Photo: Antonio Cisneros, Brownsville artist and commercial painter, is shown touching up one of his famous paintings ca. 1946

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗘𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗬 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗦𝗨𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡

Carlos Cascos holding up his own sign

In this impoverished town, it's been a long held practice for politicians to pay someone a small pittance to stand, like an inanimate signpost, holding a campaign sign outside polling places.

Today, a candidate I won't name sent me a photo of an elderly man next to his/her campaign sign with the inscription "out at the library today."

Instantly, that scene seemed very wrong to me and I responded:  "Thanks.  I've always respected candidates who stand themselves by their signs, not merely paying someone minimum wage to do it for them."

The candidate answered back:  "I have a meeting and then I'm gonna head back by 5:30 so yes I'm still going in between back-and-forth."

It's understandable that supporters or relatives of the candidate might want to participate in that way, but it just seems wrong to me to place some random, unaware, needy person out in the Brownsville sun for hours holding a politician's campaign sign.

(Please note the photo above of Carlos Cascos, a politician noted for holding his own campaign signs.)

𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗚𝗚𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗢 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧

 

Ana Maria Escobar.

Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office

{Borderland Beat, 4/25/2024} Three Cartel Del Noreste cocaine smugglers were arrested after authorities set up surveillance at a local Walmart, an arrest affidavit states.

Rebeca Guzman-Rios, Ana Maria Escobar and Francisco Herrera-Moresco were arrested on the charges of possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspire to possess with intent to distribute the cocaine.

On April 17, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that Guzman-Rios was coordinating a purchase, sale of approximately 22 pounds of cocaine in Laredo.

Agents set up surveillance. During surveillance, authorities observed Escobar pick up Guzman-Rios in a white Cadillac sport utility vehicle at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge.

Special agents then observed Escobar and Guzman-Rios travel to a local Walmart, where Herrera-Moresco arrived separately in a maroon Yukon. Special agents observed Herrera-Moresco transfer a bag from the Yukon to the Cadillac, states the arrest affidavit.

Escobar then got into the driver seat and Herrera-Moresco into the front passenger seat of the Cadillac before departing Walmart. Shortly after, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper tried to pull over the Cadillac for a traffic violation.

Escobar refused to stop and tossed a bag containing 10 bundles of cocaine out the window as she continued to evade. The Cadillac stopped a few blocks later. Escobar and Herrera-Moresco were arrested after a foot pursuit.

Meanwhile, Guzman-Rios was apprehended at the Walmart. All were taken to the DEA Laredo District Office. In a post-arrest interview, Escobar and Herrera-Moresco acknowledged coordinating the drug transaction with Guzman-Rios.

Escobar and Herrera-Moresco also acknowledge their participation in evading authorities and tossing the cocaine out the vehicle. 

Guzman admitted her participation in coordinating the drug transaction with Escobar and Herrera-Moresco.

“All three arrestees acknowledged that the drug transaction conducted was on behalf of Cartel Del Noreste (CDN),” states the affidavit.

Authorities said the 10 bundles of cocaine seized weighed 26.45 pounds. The contraband had an estimated street value of $360,000.

𝗝𝗨𝗔𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗢 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗬𝗔 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪~𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗘 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗘(𝗝𝗢𝗦𝗛𝗨𝗔 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧)

 Please click on link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFnVwxhEnAc

𝗔 𝗙𝗘𝗪 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗨𝗠

The Cameron County Appraisal Board Candidates Forum was held in the same room as the TSC/BISD thing a couple nights earlier and, despite not knowing some of the candidates, I did jot down some notes.

The Question of the Night Award was won by: 

"If you're involved in real estate, mortgage or development, why is it not a conflict to serve on the appraisal board?"

Ricardo de la Garza's response was that folks in the industry were "good people," not exactly reassuring, but, oh well.

"Please, don't elect people who know nothing," he added.

The question may have been aimed at a slate of Bill Hudson, Minerva Simpson and Norlene C. Chamberlain.

Mortgage Loan Officer Simpson oozed with compassion as she characterized herself as someone who would "extend a thirty year mortgage to a 95 year old," also referencing her humble beginnings by saying that her birth was assisted by a midwife.

"I don't discriminate," she told the forum audience.

Her slate partner, Bill Hudson, an odd combination of arrogance and goofiness, decried a "culture of bullying" at the appraisal district, calling out the "cherry picking" of comparitive properties," also implying inflexibility.

"If you have an issue with your appraisal, you need to pack your bags," Hudson said.

During the forum which was aired on the internet, I received a message from voter advocate Mary Helen Flores, wondering about two men dressed in identical uniforms.  

Sure enough, Ruben Martinez and Ricardo "Ricky" de la Garza were wearing identical white shirts with red and blue embroidered writing, "twins," we could call them, although nothing was said about them being a slate or even a duo.

On my way home I noticed that their campaign signs are also very similar using the same colors.  No joke.

Erasmo Castro with microphone

Erasmo Castro, running against Bill Hudson for Place 1, stressed compassion and his record of "fighting for the people" as he made eye contact with the entire audience during his speech. (I had a brief vision of dealing with either Castro or Hudson about an appraisal, making a mental note of my preference.)

Ruben Martinez, one of the "twins," did say that high property values were beginning to squeeze people out."

Ruben Martinez addressing the forum

Martinez also made an odd statement for a discussion about property appraisal, saying "we don't always need to hit a home run."

Was he saying the system merely needed tweaking, not a total remodel?

Philip Cowen, candidate for Place 3, may have answered my question when he called for "restructuring the board," but also saying he was "anti-slate."

Perhaps giving us a bit more information than needed, Cowen told his that his family had been here "190 years, since 1822."  (Wouldn't that be 202 years?)

Cowen also described his recent baptism, along with his wife, in the Jordan River, "where Christ was baptized." (I guess it would be picky to say Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, becoming the "Christ" afterward, but I'm a backsliding agnostic, so what do I know?)

Fernando Lazo made some good points, calling for an emphasis on "data and analytics," but then lost me when he admonished to "approach every situation with enthusiasm."  

Maybe, that's because he's the breadwinner for a family of 7.  

𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗔 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗭𝗔'𝗦 𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗦 𝗔𝗦 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟-𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗦𝗖 𝗕𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗦

From the editor:  I apologize for missing this in my inbox yesterday, the start of early voting, but it's proof that Adela Garza is trying to orchestrate the defeat of two incumbents on the TSC Board of Trustees; Eva Alejandro, her friend of forty years and J.J. De Leon, her co-trustee for the last six years.

Adela is hell-bent on replacing these two experienced trustees, with numerous accomplishments to their credit, with two newbies she can control and manipulate.

It's a desperate move for power and control by someone who doesn't actually give a shit about Texas Southmost College, only her personal recognition and control.

Does Adela's disgraceful conduct remind you of anyone?  If you're old enough, you may indeed recall Julieta V. Garcia, the despot who once controlled operations at the former UT-Brownsville, now UT-RGV.  

Adela has morphed into Juliet over time.

Adela Garza~Julieta V. Garcia

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 "𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗢 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦" 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝟮, 𝟭𝟵𝟯𝟵 𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗨𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗗

submitted by Rene Torres 

𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧, 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗬! 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗥𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗠𝗬 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗦, 𝗔𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥!!

 

Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center

As I head over to the Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center for my 12:30PM swim, I noticed Jerry McHale's again posted one of my tiny stories without crediting the author.  That makes five times in the last few months he's neglected to properly credit the posting.(Typically, Jerry credits appropriately)

I'd have mentioned something last night at El Hueso de Fraile, but I thought he was over that shit. . . 

Oh well. . . . .but, while I'm complaining, Jerry frequently includes one photo or none, also undermining the report's impact as the Brownsville Observer follows the code that "Every Picture Tells A Story," to be sung in Rod Stewart's raspy voice.

Reposting my feeble articles without the picture accompaniments is like a wrinkly old man standing naked in front of a full length mirror.

Rod Stewart at 79

Were I a practicing Christian like Jerry, I would not even mention this as it violates the Biblical admonition offered by Saint Paul in his first letter to the congregation in Corinth, Greece, chapter 13, verse 5, NIV, here he defines love, a text former President Trump likely reads daily:

"It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

Someday, I may learn to follow that counsel. . . . or not.

𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬'𝗦 𝗘𝗟 𝗛𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗢 𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗘

Emilio Crixell and Border Soul

El Hueso de Fraile, 827 E. Elizabeth Street, the only downtown venue carrying on the spirit of Ben Neece's Crescent Moon, was the fitting place to hold "Benito's Party," a musical remembrance of Neece.

Both El Hueso and the old Crescent Moon resembled some of the smaller venues along Beale Street in Memphis, where the music was just as good as anywhere else in the world.

One of Brownsville's living treasures, the Foncerrada family, Adrian, Sr., Laura and their three sons, promote the various strains of Latin American music at their venue; Brazilian, Argentinian, Cuban and Mexican, something they did out of a station wagon during the 90's.

"You don't have to be Black to sing the blues," a line from Joan Baez' "Miracles" was running through my mind as Emilio Crixell and Border Soul ran through a snappy 50 minute blues set.

Blogfather Jerry McHale listened patiently as I dropped names of old bluesmen I'd witnessed during my annual pilgrimages to "Memphis in May" in the late 80's, early 90's, while Stan Raines nursed a club soda at the same table.

McHale eventually broke away to talk real estate with developer Dennis Sanchez as Border Soul kept playing.

Three of Neece's sons and their significant others were focused on a montage of pictures of their dad and family on a large wall screen. 

When I told Bryan Neece that his dad had performed our wedding ceremony on a deck overlooking the resaca at Laura Miniel's home, he asked me to send pictures.

𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗢'𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗨𝗣𝗘𝗗, 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣

Patricio Ahumada

The man we used to know as Pat Ahumada, now, at age 71, prefers to be addressed as "Patricio," and we'll honor that request now that we all know we're talking about Brownsville's notorious shrimper/mayor/dog groomer.

Mr. Ahumada, Patricio, offered up a meme prayer on his Facebook page recently on behalf of former President Donald Trump.  While God might have preferred Ahumada write an original, sincere prayer in his own words, He may accept the meme prayer now, just as he did the prayer wheel in ancient times or the fingering of beads of the Rosary.

Ahumada is not alone in Brownsville as an Hispanic ignoring Trump's racial epithets directed toward Mexicans as he walked down the escalator in 2015 to declare for the presidency or his embracing of white supremacists as "very fine people" in 2017 in Charlottesville.

Of course, Ahumada has a history of being easily influenced by con artists, having fallen for the spiel of RICO convict Carlos Quintanilla in 2011 promoting the bogus airline, Fly Frontera.

Many still remember Ahumada raising his voice to citizens not fooled by that con artist: "We're going to lose an airline!"

Now, Ahumada, petitions the Almighty on behalf of another con artist, a racist to his very core, someone who has duped, tricked and fooled so many Americans, including Hispanics:

Trump has kissed the flag, held up a Bible and many in Brownsville somehow view him as a patriotic, religious man, not even seeing clearly the daily evidence of his con.

Despite his convictions of both rape and fraud, with 88 pending felony indictments, many Hispanics in Brownsville and across the country, including Ahumada, just can't see the obvious forest for the trees.

𝗕𝗘𝗡 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗖𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝟳𝗣𝗠 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗔𝗧 𝗘𝗟 𝗛𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗢 𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗘, 𝟴𝟯𝟳 𝗘 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛