Wednesday, November 6, 2024

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗩𝗢𝗚𝗧 𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗡𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗜𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟵

 submitted by Rene Torres

History by roadside…
Did you know?
That the following was published in the 1929 Mopac advertising booklet… Bird Island, in the Laguna Madre, a strip of water between the Valley mainland and Padre Island, is a government bird-controlled sanctuary.
Here millions of sea gulls and other birds live in a carefree, undisturbed life.
Photo shows Bill Vogt, world champion fisherman, when he visited “Bird Island” after a successful tarpon fishing outing off Point Isabel.


𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗡 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗝𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗢 𝗕𝗔𝗥 & 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟

 



𝗧𝗥𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘

 


In a walk around Cagayan de Oro, Philippines in 2018, I ran into three school teachers playing tennis. 

During our brief conversation, one of the teachers had a question:  "How is it that your country elected someone like Donald Trump as President?  How did that happen?"

I had no good answers then and I've no better explanation in 2024 except that Trump must represent the kind of country America has become or wants to be. 

Obviously, we live in a country that no longer values morals, tolerates business fraud, rewards lying and promotes racism.

It's so obvious now that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were not the upstanding citizens, diligent workers Springfield leaders said they were, but simply dog and cat eaters who sullied and disgraced that community.

And yes, the millions of Mexican Nationals working in factories, agriculture and construction need deportation ASAP.  America doesn't need them or their work skills.

Finally, I understand our next President's point:  Our soldiers are indeed "losers" and "suckers."

A firm hand should also be shown to anyone who's dared to disagree or intends to disagree with our "beloved leader."  The traitors should be brought before a military tribunal and/or face a firing squad.

The women of America need to simply "get over it" and realize they're in desperate need of the "protection" of Herr Trump.  He and his minions know better with respect to their reproductive rights.

Thankfully, our country will no longer waste resources on the climate "hoax" and clear thinkers like bear carcass-tossing RFK, Jr. will take charge of our health needs, while White Supremacist Stephen Miller will reinforce the Trump concept that "there's good people on both sides."

Yes, under Biden-Harris, our economy recovered from the pandemic better than any country in the world with record job growth, but prices are higher and we need a leader who will add tariffs to our purchases.

Finally, at age 76, it's dawned on me that I didn't know our country at all.

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗬 𝗬𝗭𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥/𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

 

Tax Collector/Assessor Elect Eddie Garcia

Sitting at a table at the Aja Toro Bar & Grill on W. Price Road,
 we were looking at Cameron County election results as they were being released when political savant Jerry Danache stated:  "It looks like Eddie Garcia, in the race for tax collector/assessor, actually beat Tony Yzaguirre twice.

Danache continued:  "Garcia beat Yzaguirre in the Democratic primary back in March, then watched incumbent Yzaguirre throw his total support behind the Republican opposition, Jesus "Rami" Martinez, even chauffeuring him around town, introducing him to all his political friends. So, in affect, Garcia beat Yzaguirre twice."

Tony Yzaguirre

While some have described Yzaguirre as simply a sore, embittered loser, others have indentified another possible motivation for 36 year incumbent Yzaguirre crossing political lines to support a Republican.

Back in 2016, Yzaguirre was indicted on 23 counts including bribery, abuse of official capacity, official oppression and engaging in organized criminal activity.  

While Yzaguirre was acquitted on multiple counts and other charges were simply thrown out, the idea that Eddie Garcia has promised a complete audit of the department once sworn in, means that any new material evidence could result in additional charges for Yzaguirre.  That prospect makes Yzaguirre's fervent support of "Rami" understandable and explainable.

Monday, November 4, 2024

𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥/𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗬


 

𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧!

 


From the editor: Regardless of the voting totals, Donald Trump will claim victory, possibly even election night, despite some carefully-ordered, planned hiccups to the process his sychophants have set up in various states.

By now, we should all know enough to not believe any of the excrement coming out of the pernicious liar's mouth or the propaganda from Fox News, Newsmax, QAnon, and yes, now, sometimes even CNN.

Should the Trump team succeed in creating enough confusion, expect the House of Representatives, currently led by Pharisaical Bible thumper Mike Johnson, along with the corrupted Supreme Court, to do his bidding.

If you're part of the 47% duped, tricked and fooled by this clever con artist, TV comedian, please carefully analyze Trump's promises of dictatorship on Day One and his open threats to punish those who've opposed him as such abuses of power have no place in a democracy. 

Should Trump incite a violent insurrection as he so obviously did January 6, 2021, law enforcement has likely been long preparing for this eventuality. 

Our country won't get much sleep election night.


𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗗'𝗦 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟯 𝗕𝗢𝗬𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗬 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗧-𝗔-𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡

 submitted by Rene Torres



Sunday, November 3, 2024

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗭 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗦

From the editor:  The story below, along with the photos, was submitted by Rene Torres, a close friend and former teammate of Mr.  Richard Cortez, who passed away this past week.

1969 Pan American College Broncs(Mr. Cortez is No.6 on the front row.)

Richard Cortez: He died a PSJA legend

By Rene Torres

Richard was born a “Natural Athlete,” his physical attributes placed him in a situation where he was consistently head and shoulders above the rest. 

His transformation from playing on the
sandlots of PSJA to playing in competitive sports was flooded with brushes of success.
Evidence of his achievements comes from the words of his former Hall of Fame coach, Charlie
Williams, when he said the following: "There has not been an athlete to match Richard’s
achievements in the last ten years that I have coached at PSJA."

Richard was selected to the first team All-District in football, basketball and baseball. At the time, no other boy had reached such a pinnacle, which is quite an honor.

When he played his last football game, he participated in 39 consecutive games in three years, which made him the most experienced high school football player in the Rio Grande Valley.

After Leaving the high school ranks…

Richard was selected to the 1964 baseball RGV
All-Millennium honorable-mention team.

He earned a baseball scholarship to Pan American College. I was fortunate to be his teammate where I witnessed his extraordinary talent as an outfielder. He was blessed with speed, finesse and could hit with the best.


His affair with baseball continued when he became a member, along with his brother, Queenie, of the 1967 Edinburg Salazar Grocers. A semi-pro team that won the prestigious National Baseball Congress (NBC) Texas Championship.

He again broke ranks from the rest, as he was selected to the NBC all-tournament team.

Richard went on to secure the batting trophy the following year as a member of the Mercedes
Lions. 

Cortez played one year of professional baseball in the AA Mexican League.

During the 1972-73 season, he served as head baseball coach with the Brownsville Eagles.
Leading the team to a District Championship. Cortez went on to coach at PSJA as a varsity
baseball and football coach before joining the U.S. Customs Service in 1974 where he retired
from in 2004.

Ricardo was not big in stature, but he made it up with his heart, which was immeasurable. He
will never be forgotten, especially by me, and by those who knew him.

He was one of a kind! They don’t make them like they used to.

Note: The RGV Sports Hall of Fame should take a pause and review Richard’s resume. In
my eyes, and in the opinion of many others, he should be considered as a prime
candidate to be inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of fame

𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗞 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦

by The Week

Political cartoon

(Image credit: Clay Jones / Copyright 2024 Claytoonz)

Political cartoon

(Image credit: Steve Breen / Copyright 2024 Creators Syndicate)

𝗦𝗬𝗠𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗖'𝗦 "𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗔"

photos courtesy of Jerry Danache 






𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗬!

submitted by Mary Helen Flores