LOCAL EVENTS DURING ANOTHER EARTH ORBIT OF THE SUN

Last Selfie of 2017

This blog spewed out 433 offerings during planet Earth's current orbit of the sun, the 365.25 days we affectionately refer to as 2017.

The editor of the Brownsville Observer could even be more prolific annually, if he could survive on Neptune, as that solar orbit takes 164.8 Earth years.(One little tidbit picked up homeschooling a 7 year old)

Most of our articles dealt with something untoward, unfair, illegal or humorous in local government or politics, although occasionally we dealt with the latest fib from our Tweeter-in-Chief.

Former Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo, Former City Manager
Charlie Cabler

When City Manager Charlie Cabler abruptly resigned after 35 years with the City of Brownsville, it was a big story, although that entire story has not yet been told.

Before Cabler dropped his city key ring on the desk, Carlos Elizondo stepped down as Fire Chief and City Attorney Mark Sossi was fired.

All three seemingly had some involvement in an unlicensed ambulance operation siphoning off revenue from the city.

Cabler did not stay for a victory lap, "going away" party or to assist an orderly transition for his successor.  His pre-Halloween departure was, as if spooked by a ghost, Texas Ranger or F.B.I. agent.

Even faster than Cabler's exit was Mayor Tony Martinez' insistence that the City of Brownsville cut the check, some $220,000, for Cabler's severance or, most likely, silence.(If anyone had personal knowledge of the mayor's illegal shenanigans, it was Cabler.)

We covered the rise and fall of Cesar de Leon, as if a Shakespearean tragedy with an internal flaw bringing down the hero, reserving our compassion for his dual nation parents who had so carefully nurtured him for success.

Cesar's racial epithets, caught on the 4-1/2 hour tape, likely by Carlos Elizondo, were aimed at female lawyers of color, who ate his legal lunch locally, in their work for the D.A.'s office.  

Ironically, De Leon was accusing the black women of racism, hinting they viewed local "taco-eaters" as "wife-beaters," fit only for prison.

Last month, Cesar de Leon, gave a high school book report style comment at the park department's town hall meeting on future re-positioning of the Confederate rock.  His words, including a mention of racism and tolerance, rang hollow, without moral authority.

The once golden boy will hang on to his position, but without any expectations of accomplishment.  The non-racist part of the rant, captured on Elizondo's tape machine, revealed an arrogant, greedy young man with a sense of entitlement, resembling most of the politicos already in office.

The year also brought some measure of justice to the Irene Garza family, with the conviction of former Catholic priest John Feit for her murder in McAllen 57 years ago.

When local Bishop Daniel Flores offered a public apology for the pain caused by the church's handling of Feit and the incident, a non-practicing Catholic called.

"The bishop shouldn't have done that," the caller claimed.

"The church wasn't responsible for the murder or the coverup."

I vehemently disagreed, explaining how the local church officials knew Feit had assaulted another young woman a few weeks before, knew he committed this murder, but, simply transferred him to a monastery up north.

Former Hidalgo County District Attorney,
Rene Guerra

Perhaps, the brunt of criticism and blame should be leveled at despicable former Hidalgo County District Attorney Rene Guerra, who blocked the prosecution of Feit for over three decades, telling the Irene Garza family there would be an indictment "when pigs fly."

Guerra finally gave in to pressure from the public and the family of Irene Garza to seek justice in the case, but he had a devilish, "fuck-you!" ace up his sleeve. A grand jury was called in 2004 and convened for 15 days. Waiting to testify were Father Joseph O'Brien, former monk Dale Tacheny, Texas Ranger Rudy Jaramillo and others. But the only witness called by the reluctant District Attorney was a lady who testified for the defense in Feit's earlier trial years ago.

Guerra's dirty work was undone this year with Feit's conviction.