𝐀 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 "𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀" 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃~𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐉𝐔𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒

By Rene Torres

No soldier was too young to become a “Villista”—as was the case for a 12-year-old Mexican boy name Juan Perales. While other kids of his age were playing the games of the day—Juan was swept out of his childhood to face the waste and destruction of a revolution.

Juan’s story began in Brownsville on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1915. A pioneer resident of the city, while discussing the history of the area with his friends, told the story of Juan Perales.

While an arm of Pancho Villa’s army was zeroing in on Matamoros, pounding at its door—among his followers, was Juan Perales. Juan was not leading the charge with a melody, but with a loaded rifle.

He had become a “Villista” four months prior to the Easter Holidays.

As dead bodies were being removed from the battle site, among them was a very young and tired soldier.

On Easter Sunday morning, Juan was one of the lucky ones taken on a stretcher with only a leg wound received near Matamoros.

The wounded boy was carried to the Besteiro Hospital in Brownsville. The young fighter, a native of Cerrito, San Luis, Potosi, started weeping aloud as his wounds were being dressed.

At this point, nurse Hortence Nixon promised Juan a bunny rabbit if he stopped crying.

With tears of a child— he went through the painful ordeal like an old war warrior.

After all the bandages were in place, the nurse brought him a candy bunny rabbit with a basket full of Easter eggs. Juan, although mute in emotion, took his gift with much appreciation.

The gifts of candy were sent to the Besteiro Hospital, which was temporarily set-up across where the City Central Fire Station is today by the nuns of the Incarnate Word Academy.

The “Rabbit Soldier”, as he was known, was very popular with the hospital staff. While his wounds were healing, for an unknown reason Juan refused to eat and lost the will to live.

His parents nor Pancho Villa were by his side when days after Easter Sunday, the kid soldier took a turn for the worse and died. He demonstrated he could survive from a bullet wound— but what killed him was a deeper wound, depression.

As nurses gathered his belongings—among them was a marble found in one of his pockets, perhaps something he cherished as he went through his fighting days.

Juan’s biggest battle was fought while in a hospital bed. But there, without firing a shot, the hearts of all that came to know him celebrated his death. He was only a child facing boyhood when he died. Juan was given a hero’s funeral.

According to Pierre Corneille, a French dramatist, “Every moment of life is a step towards death.” In Juan’s case, his life journey from the “Womb to the Tomb,” sadly ended prematurely.

Que Viva Juan Perales!

NOTE: The photo is not Juan, but another kid Villista who fought for freedom

𝐀 𝐃𝐎𝐆 𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋: 𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐓~𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐆 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

 By Rene Torres

The call was made to the Brownsville Police Station early Monday morning in 1940—the voice on the other side of the phone identified herself as Mrs. W.F. McDonald reporting that in her presence was a little boy with a gun and a vicious dog.

Not knowing what to expect, Brownsville police Officer Clyde Owens, jumps into his squad car and made his way to the scene— Grant Street, in the Victoria Heights neighborhood.

The little boy and the dog in question, was Monko and his Pup the Mutt. The pair had wandered beyond their familiar neighborhood —lost, but inseparable.

The pup behaved like a well trained bodyguard and the boy, who carried a toy six-shooter, which looked like the real thing—made it difficult for anyone to

approach them…

As cars whistled by on 17 th Street, Mrs. McDonald ran to help them, but the boy’s bodyguard jumped at her protecting his owner. But being the smart mutt his was, after realizing she was trying to help, however, he calmed down, but stayed close.

“Where do you live?” Mrs. McDonald asked. He pointed North, then West, then East, then South—obviously, the boy and bodyguard were lost. She decided then to take them home and call the police… “A little boy, about four years old looks like he’s been lost and has his dog with him,” explained Mrs. McDonald.

Minutes after the call was made, Clyde Owens drove out to the scene of the crime and puts the boy and his faithful mutt in the squad car and made their way to police headquarters.

Using the 5th Amendment, neither would respond to questioning from the police.

Six-Gun Monko and Pup the Mutt were being held “incommunicado” at the Brownsville Police Station.

No matter how much the cops questioned him, he just wouldn’t talk. And forget about approaching him, every time somebody did, his bodyguard would growled, reared up threateningly, and scared the intruder away.

This was a difficult case to solve—as police continued throughout the morning with no results as to who he was and where he lived.

After hours of interrogation—the smartest of detectives could only determine that the boy was well dressed in a knee length, light blue playsuit and wearing guaraches and looked to be about 4 years old. His trusty pet dog was decided to be, a combination of a lot good breeds.

The “third-degree” questioning of the boy went something like this: “What’s your name?” “Um,m-mh-h-h”

“What your mama’s name?” “ “Mama”

“What does your mama call you?” “Monko,”

“What’s your dog’s name?” “Pup”

Pup moved close to protect Monko every time someone tried to question the boy.

The “Bodyguard” sticks to his job regardless of the circumstances.

It is not known whether the case was solved—but one thing for sure, the dog was the boy’s best friend, walking in tandem regardless of the situation.

Somebody wrote once “A dog can express more with his tail in seconds than his owner can express with his tongue in hours.”

𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄?

    

Crisscrossing the town today in my new job driving Uber and Lyft, it occurred to me that an old person can easily become obsolete, not just pas·sé, but actually unuseful, a word just one notch kinder than "useless."

As a very smart little boy in the 50's things came too easily and I found I could mostly just coast, a modus operandi also nurtured by an inherited religious belief system that mostly just waited on the Almighty to make everything perfect and just.

Of course, consumers were programmed to believe most things eventually become obsolete. The 50's brought us planned obsolescence, intentionally making things that would become obsolete so folks would gravitate toward and purchase the newest and latest.

The '56 Chevy was a perfectly good car with straightforward lines, but lacked the fins and the chrome of the '57, the tail lights of the '58 and finally the gaude of the monstros '59.  The postwar world of that era believed in creating demand by fostering dissatisfaction, something called "planned obsolescense," the basis of which is making something obsolete or simply made not to last.

I remember looking quizzically at the home of Ed Beckley, a Boeing engineer, who lived behind our church in Renton, Washington, with a 40's car in his carport he maintained perfectly, never "upgrading," bucking the country's economic system.  Beckley simply chose not to play the game.

Today, it came to me that old age can become unplanned obsolescence unless one puts forth a little effort to adjust.  Maybe grandpa can't write code like his grandsons, but what's his excuse for not becoming adept with the iphone or laptop, not simply being too mentally lazy to try?

𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓 "𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒" 𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐂𝐎'𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐒

In what could be a prank or some misguided political exercise, a group of "young Americans" were observed posting six signs on Mexico's Bagdad Beach east of Matamoros after crossing the Rio Grande by boat.  The Mexican Navy (SEMAR) , not appreciating the "invasion" of American civilians, removed the signs.

"American authorities can't come to Mexico and invade, right?" asked Mexican Congresswoman Elvia Eguia Castillo.

Eguia stated that the incident demonstrated the need for increased surveillance on both sides of the border so that "this doesn't happen again."

𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗩𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗟𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗘 "𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗨𝗧𝗬"

 

Hugo Dante Salinas Jr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~𝗡𝗢𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗜 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗭 𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗭, 𝗧𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗘𝗞𝗪𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗢 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡!

 

𝗠𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣 𝗔𝗦 𝗔 𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗢𝗬 𝗦𝗔𝗨𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗬𝗪𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗘

   

The charter bus I'd taken from Tacoma encountered a traffic jam a mile from Los Angeles and the driver let me off near the HOLLYWOOD sign to walk the last mile into town.  I remember being intrigued by the black rubber that covered the first highway clover leaf I'd ever seen. 

As unsophisticated as you find me now, in the summer of '63 I was a complete rube, so naive I'd let a hotel desk clerk bait me into a wrestling match. The clerk put me in a sleeper hold and I'd woken up to smelling salts and intense laughter in the lobby of a rundown hotel on Figueroa Street.

From the old wooden window of my room, I peered down on a man pulling out a knife and street women making their approaches.  Knocking on the door of a Chinese restaurant near Hollywood and Vine, a waiter told me to go around to the back, then offered me white rice and soy sauce, telling me to keep the plate. (I left the plate and a dime at the back door.)

It's embarrassing to admit it now, but when I took my first bath in my hotel room and saw a bunch of skin I'd left in the clawfoot bathtub, I was certain I suffered from the "heartbreak of psoriasis," a malady we were warned about in early 60's TV commercials and I thought might be something like VD I'd contracted from the sin of masturbation.  A day later I relaxed remembering I'd sat on a bench covered in spilled turpentine while house painting to get the money for my trip. 

𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗦 𝗨𝗦𝗕𝗣 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗢𝗡-𝗨.𝗦. 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡𝗦

                               

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon require all non-U.S. citizens entering or leaving the country to provide photographs and fingerprints, a move that experts say will likely cause significant delays at the nation’s borders. TheB biometric data collection program, set to launch on December 26, will apply to travelers at airports, seaports, and land crossings along both the U.S./Mexico and U.S./Canada borders. It will include visa holders, lawful permanent residents, seasonal workers, and even children.

The new system is designed to strengthen national security and combat passport fraud and visa overstays, but researchers and immigration advocates warn that it could create longer wait times and logistical challenges for millions of commuters who cross the border daily.  The addition of photo and fingerprint checks could further slow already congested crossings, particularly in vehicle lanes, but also airports and cruise ships.

Outbound inspection areas, originally set up to prevent the illegal flow of weapons and cash into Mexico, will now also collect biometric data, potentially increasing traffic congestion for those heading south. 

The rule, published this week in the Federal Register, allows the Department of Homeland Security to collect biometric information at all official departure points, including airports and land border crossings. According to DHS, the collected photos could remain in government databases for up to 75 years.

Some travelers have already experienced early versions of the system. A Canadian psychologist said he was photographed by uniformed officers as he boarded a plane from Cleveland to Toronto earlier this month. “I was aghast. I felt ambushed,” he said, describing the incident as intrusive and unexplained.

CBP has used facial recognition technology for nearly a decade to verify the identities of international passengers arriving in the United States, but this marks the first time it will be mandatory for all departing noncitizens as well. The agency says full implementation at land borders could take place as early as next year, with seaports and airports following within the next three to five years.

~~~~~~~~~~~𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔'𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗦

         

Sometimes, amongst all the intrigue, double-dealing and broken promises of our region's politicism, we encounter an unmistakable combination of honesty, skill and kindness.  My friends, Hugh Patterson and Jerry Danache exemplify exactly that.

We dined last night for 2-1/2 hours at Garcia's of Matamoros; sharing stories, personal anecdotes, along with laughter, a good bit of laughter.

Mr. Danache chronicled the wonderful cuisine in photos, as above.

"Old Friends" by Paul Simon

Old friends

Old friends

Sat on their park bench

Like bookends

A newspaper blown through the grass

Falls on the round toes

On the high shoes

Of the old friends

Old friends

Winter companions

The old men

Lost in their overcoats

Waiting for the sunset

The sounds of the city

Sifting through trees

Settle like dust

On the shoulders

Of the old friends

Can you imagine us

Years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange

To be seventy

Old friends

Memory brushes the same years

Silently sharing the same fear

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗔 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗨𝗗𝗘

                                    

Luis Rodolfo Larrazolo

A Brownsville educator has been placed on administrative leave after police say he was caught driving around naked earlier this month.

According to the Brownsville Police Department, officers arrested 44-year-old Luis Rodolfo Larrazolo on October 17 after a concerned citizen reported seeing a man driving naked through the city. Police said Larrazolo allegedly lowered his car window and exposed himself to the person who reported him. He was also accused of engaging in lewd behavior while driving.

Authorities said they identified Larrazolo using a photo and description of his vehicle provided by the witness. Officers later stopped his car and saw him putting on a shirt with his pants unzipped. Larrazolo was taken into custody for indecent exposure and booked into the Brownsville city jail. His bond was set at $2,500.

IDEA Frontier confirmed that Larrazolo was employed as an assistant principal at the charter school’s K–12 Frontier campus at a salary of $79,000 in 2023. The school issued a statement saying the staff member was arrested off campus and has been placed on administrative leave. 

IDEA Frontier said it is cooperating with law enforcement and taking appropriate action according to policy, emphasizing its commitment to the safety and well-being of students and staff. The school declined further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗢𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡(𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗛𝗔𝗠) 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗬

                 

Old: Carlos Cascos, Tad Hasse, Morgan Eakin, Dagoberto Barrera, Frank Morgan and Roman Perez.  New: Keith Allen, Karl Burkhalter, Mayra Flores, Debra Bell, Robert Sanchez

In my humble view, the loss of Carlos Cascos and the departure of Morgan Eakin (Graham) marked a clear “changing of the guard” within the Cameron County Republican Party, signaling both a symbolic and practical transition in leadership and tone.

Cascos, who passed away in June 2024, was a steady, moderating force within the Rio Grande Valley’s Republican circles. Throughout his career, Cascos emphasized the importance of professionalism, civility, and public service that placed constituents’ needs above partisan gain. 

At nearly the same time, Morgan Eakin (Graham)’s departure from her role as County Chair compounds this transition. Serving from 2015 to 2024, and as a member of the State Republican Executive Committee from 2016 to 2024, Eakin guided the local party for nearly a decade, overseeing candidate recruitment, community outreach, and organizational development. Her move to Austin also closed a significant chapter in the party’s history. 

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥/𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗘𝗫𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧

                                                       

Julio Ricardo Trujillo

Once again, the trusted walls of a classroom, a place meant for learning, guidance, and safety, have likely been polluted by the repulsive actions of someone who abused his position as teacher and coach to ruin the life of a student.

Former Brownsville ISD teacher and girls’ basketball coach Julio Ricardo Trujillo, 43, is charged with the repulsive crime of having an improper sexual relationship with a student at Rivera Early College High School.

On October 16, Trujillo’s attorney appeared on his behalf for a scheduled hearing. The prosecution and defense agreed to kick the can down the road, resetting the case to November 12 at 8:30 a.m. in the 197th District Court, another delay of justice. 

Trujillo faces three counts of improper relationship between educator and student, each a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He has, unsurprisingly, pleaded not guilty, despite surveillance footage, text messages, and the victim’s testimony. 

Investigators say the incidents began in April 2025, when Trujillo, then employed as a Criminal Justice teacher (oh, the irony!) and girls’ varsity basketball coach, asked a 19-year-old student to meet him in a classroom. Surveillance video allegedly shows Trujillo waiting by the door like a predator. Minutes later, the student walks in, and soon after, she’s seen leaving the classroom, adjusting her blouse.

Trujillo allegedly texted her afterward: “It finally happened, I loved it even if we had to rush lol.” 

The student later told authorities that Trujillo picked her up after Easter and took her to a park for more alleged sexual acts in his car.

He was arrested on May 15, 2025, following an investigation by the Cameron County DA’s Special Investigations Unit and Brownsville ISD Police. He was booked into jail on a $150,000 bond.

The Brownsville Independent School District  promptly terminated Trujillo’s employment, but the damage to the victim, the school, and the profession, is harder to erase. District officials have also confirmed that other employees from Rivera and Hanna Early College High Schools remain under investigation in related cases, suggesting a deeper rot festering where young people should feel safest.

District Attorney Luis V. Saenz didn’t mince words:

“As educators, we entrust teachers with the profound responsibility of guiding and protecting our students. When that trust is violated, we will act swiftly and decisively.”

Let’s hope so. Because every time a teacher like Trujillo crosses that sacred line, it doesn’t just stain one school, it poisons faith in the entire system.

Trujillo had been "certified" to teach since 2014.

---

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 "𝗬𝗘𝗦!" 𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 "𝗔" 𝗔𝗡𝗗 "𝗕"

 submitted by Jerry Danache