COURT DOCUMENTS DETAIL OTIS POWERS' PAST PERFORMANCE AS BISD TRUSTEE

Otis Powers 

Otis Powers, Jr., currently a candidate for BISD Trustee, Position 2, is a known quantity with already a decade of service on the board.

Like several other former board members, the affable Powers has an itch to "serve" again.

If you believe the old adage that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, some court documents from 2010 are instructive as to what Brownsville students and taxpayers if Herman Otis Powers, Jr. is, once again, elected to serve on the BISD board.

With the respect to the Antonio Juarez lawsuit vs. BISD, Rolando Aguilar, Joe Colunga, Ruben Cortez, Miguel Saldana, Superintendent Hector Cortez and his successors a Memorandum for Summary Judgement was filed June 23, 2010.

That document contains several references to former BISD Trustee Otis Powers, Jr.  Notice this comment about the fraudulent practice of "backdating" contracts.

Here's another reference in the memorandum referring to testimony by Anthony Juarez claiming that Otis Powers, Jr. had asked him to file a "false grievance" against then superintendent Hector Gonzalez.

This next comment simply deals with an attempt to declare Juarez testimony about his conversation with Powers as hearsay.  The court rules otherwise.

In this next segment, the court finds that "corroborating evidence exists to preliminarily establish that Powers was involved in the alleged conspiracy with the defendants to oust Superintendent Gonzalez and to recruit Juarez's assistance in that effort."

From the editor:  We will let the reader "use discernment" in determining if this past performance is what is needed now at BISD.

CARLOS CASCOS BRINGS THE SPAZMATICS TO TOWN FOR FUNDRAISER

Carlos Cascos Sidestage

Back then, we didn't know better, being an unenlightened generation that referred to others as "spastics" or "retards."  

But the Spazmatics, a nerdy, musical parody New Wave 80's group, featured entertainment at last night's Carlos Cascos fundraiser at the Ambassador Event Hall, make light of their own involuntary muscle movements, exaggerated stage presence, incorporating wind machines, pocket protectors, taped glasses and a whiplash brace into their well-rehearsed act. 

After a few warm-up tunes, the dance floor in front of the stage was flooded, including blogger Bobby Wightman-Cervantes bustin' moves.

Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott represented the governor in proclaiming their support for Cascos in his bid for county judge. 

In brief remarks to the crowd, Carlos Cascos suggested that there were likely more Democrats and independents in the audience than Republicans.  As he's done so many times, he urged people to "vote for the person, not the party."

"We're much stronger when we unite as a region, not simply a county," Cascos stated. 

BROWNSVILLE OBSERVER TAKES OUT THE TRASH!

There'll come a time when all of us must leave here

Then nothing sister Mary can do

Will keep me here with you

As nothing in this life that I've been trying

Could equal or surpass the art of dying

Do you believe me?

There'll come a time when all your hopes are fading

When things that seemed so very plain

Become an awful pain

Searching for the truth among the lying

And answered when you've learned the art of dying

"The Art of Dying"

George Harrison  c.1970

Nena Barton

During our 50 years together, Nena and I had many serious discussions about life, death, funerals and burial.

Our personal decisions about how or if our lives would be acknowledged, recognized and the disposal of our bodies evolved over time.

Nena hated funerals!

In 1964 she got a furlough from the U.S. Army to Brownsville to attend  the funeral of Geronimo Pena, her grandfather, the man who had raised her.

When a heated argument developed prior to the funeral among her aunts over the attendance of two children produced outside of marriage, one daughter from Matamoros, another from California, Nena decided to skip the funeral altogether, borrowed a car and drove to Boca Chica Beach, spending the day staring at the surf.

"I don't ever want a funeral!" she told herself.

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3:19

Somewhere around 1980, Nena read me the above scripture, informing me that she wanted neither a funeral or burial.  I quickly agreed with no funeral, but it took me about six months to come to terms with cremation.

Nena also signed up for organ donation on her drivers license.  I did not.

Years later, Nena read or heard about the possibility of donating her body to science, asking me to look into it.  Eventually, somewhere during her four strokes she was signed up with no guarantee of being accepted.  

Just to be safe, we kept an untouchable PayPal account for her cremation and mine.

When Nena died April 9, I fulfilled her wishes, made clear to me over thirty years earlier.  I scattered her ashes along the surf of her beloved Boca Chica Beach as per her request.

As I told District Attorney Luis Saenz a few days after Nena's death:  "She gave me a script and I followed it."

Saenz responded:  "You'd better!"

Duardo Paz-Martinez

Nena and I have received withering criticism about our life decisions from a dried up piece of human excrement, blogging from McAllen about Brownsville people and topics.

After hinting that I'd made "hunnerds" of dollars selling Nena's body to science, Duardo changed his tune, finding out that's against federal law.

He closed his story with a comment reminding us of hundreds of anonymous, lewd comments received by this blog, all directed at Nena, after we shut down Duardo's old Google blog because of his personal attacks against my family.

Notice this last bit of juvenile braggadocio by Duardo:

[EDITOR’S NOTE:…We would have charmed Nena Barton to the point that we’re pretty sure she would have been our great pal. Husband Jim comes from another culture.

What an ignorant, lewd statement by this racist piece of McAllen shit!  Nena, beyond loyal during our half century together, would not be charmed, amused or beguiled by this classless, clueless, pitiful piece of human garbage!

  

BROWNSVILLE OBSERVER MIX & MATCH~POLICE SUBSTATION, LIVESTREAMING, DUARDO'S ANTI-BROWNSVILLE RHETORIC

One of the functions of the new Brownsville Police Department downtown substation will be to monitor the 40 video cameras strategically placed on light poles at a cost of $480,000.

Since "perception is reality," perhaps Brownsvillians will feel more comfortable with the extra sets of eyes provided, especially if a BPD officer is actually monitoring in the substation 24/7, although in my years of going downtown, I've not seen one violent incident, just the homeless asleep in business doorways and ladies or transvestites of the evening on street corners.

When Channel 5's Daisy Martinez interviewed Laura Foncerrada, the co-owner of El Hueso de Fraile, a downtown coffee shop/bistro, Mrs. Foncerrada agreed that video monitoring would increase business downtown, so the city may be on the right track.

Livestreaming Political Talk Show on Sunday(Roman Perez, Jim Barton, Christian Juarez, Erasmo Castro)

For the past two Sundays, we've joined Erasmo Castro, Roman Perez and others at 4:00 PM for a livestreamed talk show featured on Castro's Facebook page.  

Two weeks ago we broadcast from Angelita's Casa de Cafe on Boca Chica Blvd.  Last week we we were hosted by the law office of Angela Nix on E. Madison Street.  This coming Sunday's venue will be Gio's Villa Italian Restaurant on Central Blvd.

The panel has opined about the Eddie Trevino vs. Carlos Cascos county judge race, the turbulence at the city commission and, of course, the BISD school board extravaganza.

Yesterday, Erasmo sent this note:

The blogger from dusty, boring McAllen gave us this tearful summation of his fruitless effort to attract readership in historic, intoxicating Brownsville.  Calling himself The Republic, Duardo, while publicly wailing, vowed to "keep on keepin' on."

The boy's condescending words:

We have come to a certain celestial point where we seem to have created a new collection of city residents living and breathing only to hate The Republic. It is an expected development, what with so many birdbrains in town, yet it seems to us that that it is that low-flying provincialism that keeps Brownsville down. Our feeling is that if we have that much power over some city residents, well, we’ll keep wielding it, keep hammering home our message and keep feeling good about it.

My grandson Jack, 8, was dying to write a line here, so I will let him(I got up to let Jack do the typing and did not edit his words, even though he used Brownsville twice in a single sentence.):  

Duardo isn't liked at Brownsville because he talks down to everyone here at Brownsville to look "cool."

That's true, Jack.  No one likes a pompous know-it-all pontificating about their city, especially one with no real interaction or knowledge.

Duardo's anti-Brownsville diatribe continues: 

This city is the proverbial Texas punching bag, a community with no cache elsewhere in the state, no art of any import nor culture of any great measure to attract the better-educated or the well-heeled, for any reason. Tourism here?Dream on.

Some guys are slow learners. 

REPUBLICAN COUNTY CHAIR GRAHAM RESPONDS TO OUR MCCAIN ARTICLE

From the editor:  The comment below is from Cameron County Republican Chair Morgan Cisneros Graham, in response to my article stating that neither she nor her Democrat counterpart, Jared Hockema, had made a public comment on the death of Senator John McCain.

Her first sentence refers to the death of McCain, not the "passing" of Carlos Cascos.

Mrs. Graham explains that she did utilize Cascos' words about McCain's death on various Republican pages, but refrained from a personal comment because things were "being said perfectly by so many."

Mrs. Graham's response:

"I shared Carlos Cascos’ words on my own wall, as well as every page I administer, with regards to his passing as they were to the point.

Senator McCain is the punctuation at the end of a statement about the decorum and commitment we should not just expect, but demand, of our leaders. Even in death this man who gave so much is still being either commended by many across the spectrum, or loudly detested by those who are rarely measured in their approach and sentiments regarding the complex and sometimes even daunting challenges we face as a people making our way in a world full of people.

And in the wake of his passing and the cacophony of people on social media with statements about making statements, the simplicity of his words struck me as the most appropriate.

When things are being said perfectly by so many, I try not to miss a good opportunity to quietly listen."

NATIONAL, LOCAL POLITICOS OFFER MIXED REACTION TO SENATOR MCCAIN'S LIFE

Senator John McCain

If John McCain was not a hero, what is a hero?  What leader, of either party, would willfully miss an opportunity to recognize the example of courage and public service McCain's life presents?

Our two senators from Texas had no difficulty recognizing it.

“He was larger than life,” Senator Ted Cruz said.

“Although he and I sometimes disagreed, I was privileged to serve with him and proud to call him a friend.”

Senator John Cornyn  spoke similarly:  

“Today the nation lost a proud veteran, seasoned lawmaker, and beloved father.  A true maverick and highly-effective statesman, John McCain’s career spanned the globe and was the envy of many. The firmness of his character, and unyielding love for this country, were unmatched.”

Rep. Filemon Vela

District 34 Representative Filemon Vela seemingly missed a wonderful opportunity to  identify with and recognize dignity, bipartisanship, not to mention courage and defense of our country, by not making a public statement.  Perhaps, he's stifled by party affiliation.

It's been well chronicled that President Donald Trump rejected a statement crafted by his staff, begrudgingly putting out a tersely worded comment that offered condolences to the McCain family, but said nothing about McCain himself:

“My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain.  Our hearts and prayers are with you!”

Our juvenile, self-centered, unpresidential President, eventually after public pressure by the American Legion, did issue a more appropriate statement.

Carlos Cascos

Our county's favorite Republican, former Secretary of State and current candidate for county judge, Carlos Cascos, issued a Facebook statement similar to the president's, but mentioning McCain:

"Thoughts & prayers to his family...Godspeed Senator McCain..."

No public statement could be located by either of the two Cameron County chairs, Jared Hockema and Morgan Cisneros Graham.

This was a teaching moment for our kids and grandkids, but not all can see it.

SURPRISE!! SURPRISE!! EDDIE OF MCALLEN ENDORSES EDDIE OF BROWNSVILLE FOR COUNTY JUDGE!

Eddie (Miss Clairol) Paz-Martinez

Current Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino can breath easy.

He's just received an endorsement from the narrow shoulders of Eduardo Paz-Martinez, a McAllen blogger, unknown in his dusty hometown, but as well-received in Brownsville as a bite from a Zika-infected mosquito.  

Most locals simply swat Eduardo away, before he can get in a bite or one of his legendary Facebook interviews, ending with the substantive question; "What is the last book you read?"

I can answer that, Eddie.  I just finished Who's Who in Brownsville, Texas? You weren't listed.  Checking the McAllen book, you weren't in that one either.

Anyway, Eddie P-M, who claims to have been employed by the Boston Globe for more than a minute, writes this Pulitzer-worthy line in support of Trevino:  "We believe Trevino would fain be the man for the whole county."

Shit, Eddie!  Are you sure you wrote for the Boston Globe, not El Globo Supermarket??

Gawd damn it, Eddie!!  Paul Simon wrote this about you years ago:

Can you imagine us years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange to be seventy

WORLDWIDE CONCERN FOR MENTAL STATE OF SPACEX FOUNDER ELON MUSK

SpaceX, Tesla Founder
Elon Musk

My son, Diego Lee Rot, more of a mentor in recent months as I move into dementia, asked if I'd been keeping up with the mental state of SpaceX founder, Elon Musk.

"The guy seems to be in a weird place," Diego told me.

After announcing some dramatic changes to Tesla Motors, Musk tweeted about his mental state:

"The reality is great highs, terrible lows and unrelenting stress. Don't think people want to hear about the last two."

In an interview, Musk described himself as "bipolar."

“Maybe not medically tho. Dunno. Bad feelings correlate to bad events, so maybe real problem is getting carried away in what I sign up for,” which he later described as a “ticket to hell.”

Perhaps, Elon is simply overworked as some have speculated.

Brownsville, Cameron County, as we all know, is linked to Mr. Musk, with that partially completed SpaceX industrial launch facility adjacent to our pristine Boca Chica Beach.

CAMERON COUNTY'S TWO PARTY CHAIRS SUBMIT THEIR PARTY'S VISION FOR OUR AREA GOING FORWARD

Jim Barton, Editor of the Brownsville Observer

From the editor:  Cameron County has two young, articulate county chairs for the respective major political parties, Democrat and Republican.

Recently, we asked both Jared Hockema, the Democratic Chair and Morgan Cisneros Graham, the Republican Chair, to submit their respective visions for the county, incorporating how their respective party can benefit our area going forward.

As promised, we submit both reports below without any commentary from the Brownsville Observer:

DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR JARED HOCKEMA SHARES PARTY'S VISION FOR CAMERON COUNTY

Jared Hockema, Cameron County Democratic Chair

For 2018, the theme of the Texas Democratic Party is “building together.” As Democrats, we recognize the importance of the individual, and the power of working together. That philosophy is reflected in our platform, in the way we work and in good things that are in store under Democratic leadership.

The cornerstone of our platform is equal opportunity, and access to education is key. As Democrats, we support expanding higher educational opportunities, including making college more affordable and improving access to vocational education. Under Republicans, in-state tuition has almost quadrupled in the last 15 years. Democrats want to reverse this trend, slowing the growth of tuition and providing programs that assist with its cost.

Meanwhile the cost of housing has increased faster than growth in wages, making it harder and harder for families to make ends meet. Democrats here in Cameron County have worked to expand the availability of affordable housing, address quality of life problems and promote sound development that protects homeowner’s investments. Because of their efforts, thousands of homeowners have benefited from road, drainage and utility improvements, while others have been able to move into a decent home or apartment for the first-time. Democrats are fighting efforts by Republicans in Washington and Austin to dismantle these programs.

Republicans in Austin have spurned the opportunities presented by healthcare reform to make healthcare more accessible, denying medical care to many of the most vulnerable in our society, while pushing increased costs onto our local providers and consumers. This short-sighted policy hurts patients, hospitals and doctors.

The efforts of Democratic leaders here in Cameron County during the past two decades show us that there is a different path. The success of the gatekeeper system, which improved healthcare and reduced costs for the county’s indigent population demonstrates that investments in healthcare make good economic sense. Likewise, more than 18,000 Cameron County residents have been able to obtain quality, affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, many for the first time.

History shows us that the promise of freedom is only fully realized when there is fairness for all. Our platform of building together recognizes the importance of treating every person fairly. Under Republicans, wages in Texas have remained stagnant, while the cost of everything from housing to basic necessities has risen. Democrats are leading with proposals to treat our workers fairly by adjusting the minimum wage, and to give workers a fair shot a higher earnings by expanding job training and workforce development. At the same time, we’re fighting to stop the unfair treatment of workers because of their race, gender or disability.

Democrats recognize the importance of the environment in generating good jobs and treating our community with fairness. Democratic leadership in Cameron County has restored the Bahia Grande and successfully turned back efforts to build oil wells and landfills in environmentally sensitive-areas. Today, Democrats are leading the charge against efforts to develop Liquefied Natural Gas facilities adjacent to a wildlife refuge.

Democrats support efforts to strengthen families and communities. Democrats support quality public education, including providing adequate funding to schools and teachers. Republicans in Austin have pillaged our Teacher’s Retirement System, and stripped state funding from public schools, robbing our students of resources and inflating the tax bill for local taxpayers. These monies taken from public education have been used by Republicans to finance tax cuts for large businesses that make more than one million dollars a year or which own large commercial properties.

Similar harm is threatened by Republicans to Social Security. Democrats are fighting to preserve benefits that working people have earned, and to ensure that the security of the elderly and the vulnerable is not sacrificed to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Transportation is another area of vital importance to our county. Democrats have fought to bring increased transportation funding to our area, and to jumpstart transportation projects, such as the East Loop, that have suffered under Republican neglect. In contrast, with the consolidation under Democratic leadership of the road and bridge system, the county paved more road miles each successive year. Now, Democrats are working hard to improve drainage in our county and to continue expansions of our road system.

It’s no secret that Texas and Cameron County have suffered during the past two decades of Republican rule from Austin. We’ve been treated as the back door to the United States, rather than the front door, and have been burdened with misguided policies such as the border wall. Our problems were compounded during the period that our county was led by a Republican, who jacked up property taxes by 14.7% and pushed unpopular projects such as a toll road through West Brownsville.

As Democrats, we’re proud to have had a part in many of America’s greatest moments, and to have shared in our country’s achievements. Social Security, Medicare and the Voting Rights Act are just a few. We’re also proud of our ability as a nation, and as a party, to know when we’re on the wrong track, and make corrections.

Republicans have lead our nation and state down the wrong path. Basic rights are at risk, and our American values are under attack. Our national and economic security is threatened. Democrats are ready to fix those mistakes and get things back on track. 

In doing so, we’ll be guided by the cherished values of this country, the principles of our party and the example of achievement set by those who came before us.

Rarely have the stakes been higher. In order to be successful, to reverse these dangerous trends and to get good things done for the people of the United States, Texas and Cameron County, we need to elect people of like mind, who share our values and commitment to positive change. I hope you’ll join us in this effort on November 6th.

REPUBLICAN COUNTY CHAIR MORGAN GRAHAM SHARES HER PARTY'S VISION FOR CAMERON COUNTY

Republican County Chair Morgan Cisneros Graham

I’ve said on many occasions, starting about 7 years before I ever became involved in the Cameron County Republican Party in 2014 that we as members of this community have been prevailed upon to be an owned voter block. National or even state party platforms do not determine the direction our county and city leadership will take, how a sheriff or constable upholds and enforced the law, how the district attorney prosecutes, and by and large how judges within our boundaries will interpret it.

Having received implied threats anonymously from those supporting the Democrat county judge candidate who is Cascos’ opponent, I can say fear is used liberally (pun intended) to coerce people into silence. After this I’m expecting to receive more of the same, but I don’t care. The hit dog always howls, after all.


***I was asked how I believe our party’s platform and policies will benefit Cameron County. I will tell you this: anybody who says their party’s platform and policies will benefit this county are either lying to you, or are unaware as to how government works OR just hasn’t been paying attention to what is going on locally, statewide, and at the federal level beyond soundbites. Parties at higher levels like every other entity lose the vision of the people because they have run into the narcotic that corrupts all: power. It’s the policies and platforms and character of the people that we in Cameron can offer to you to elect that matter.***

I have served not only locally but on several state level committees for the Republican Party and I can tell you that while Texas is a whole ‘nother country, each of our counties and districts are incredibly different and diverse and it is impossible for every one to think, believe, and agree on hundreds of platform items uniformly. I’ve met pro-life Democrats, pro-2nd Amendment Democrats, pro-DACA Republicans (I’ve been one) and many more unicorns party people want to tell us don’t exist.

I can, however, say with conviction that I believe the brightest hope our community has is in alternatives we offer to a place that has been told to accept corruption, indictments, back door deals, bribery of judges, theft, nepotism, and all manners of things that have resulted in people getting rich off of being elected while the people of our community bear the burden of their decisions, their deals, and promises to those who profit off of us, get poorer. Any area where there is not a viable two party system falls prey to this type of problem. All one needs to do is run in the right primary and depend on the people to not vote for the individual, but to vote for the party.

This is like continually buying an inferior product at the store because you like the packaging. And though I have been criticized by my peers and colleagues from other parts of the state that are so entirely red, a Twilight Zone version of Cameron where people closet themselves for fear of being caught being a Democrat and their businesses suffering, I have seen first hand how a community and good government become lowest priorities when those in power never have to fear actual competition. A few people, in the case of the local Democrat Party, determine which way our elections will go that involve the very people who directly impact so many vital aspects of our lives. The education of our children, our roads, our ability to afford to keep our homes while paying ever rising property taxes alongside the reality of leadership that hasn’t focused on growth and economic development, our viability as a community of opportunities...has all been in the hands of one party. What has it done for us all these long years and who can honestly believe doing the same thing will make anything different?

The fact I’ve had an incredible number of people say they’re afraid to support openly our Republican candidate for County Judge, Carlos Cascos, because their jobs and businesses will suffer from retaliation by powerful Democrats is very disturbing. And these are humble folks, who have worked and continue to work their fingers to the bone - and many are fortunate to employ people locally. It sounds like a political Mafia doesn’t it?.

Don’t get me wrong: there are good Democrats in office. There are also those who secretly let me know that anywhere else they would be a Republican like me, but that when in Rome one must do what one has to do to get elected. Then there is the fact that the majority of Democrats in Cameron do not subscribe to many parts of the state and national Democrat platform. So let’s abandon this idea party platforms and ideas are the factors that should determine how we vote because what we see is obviously not what we get. My counterpart will say that his party is for the poor. How many poor Democrats do you see in office, or even worse: richer because of being in office? Half of the top 10 richest members of Congress.....are Democrats.

It is safe to say that this constant play to “own” people’s votes and be entitled to them, the votes of the poor, minorities, women, the LGBTQ community, and whomever else Democrats have decided they can speak for, is the mantra we see in Cameron County that they have found successful: “Sell the Democrat brand, own the people, don’t let them look too closely. Vote palanca!” They slap faces on signs, add a few words in Spanish, send some politiqueras out and bus a bunch of elderly folks from nursing homes who often times are barely aware of where they are or what it is they are being asked to do to polling places. If you doubt it: ask a poll worker.

I could point out that education and economic opportunity including jobs were the highest polling answers regarding priorities for 2018 in Cameron County. I could mention that as a party we time and again say that the priority should be the education or children, the right of parents and taxpayers to demand the highest quality education that their tax money can buy. I could also mention our stances on economic freedom, not punishing businesses for the success earned with their sweat, blood, and tears; not taxing people so much to fund pet projects until they can’t afford to stay in their own homes, and keeping government out of the way of individual pursuit of happiness are the things I constantly hear fellow citizen demand. I could also remind our readers that their dissatisfaction with city, county, and ISD members will not go away if they continue to vote palanca. It is a Gordian knot of people scratching backs and making deals that you can’t easily discern the bad from the good.

We have a candidate for State Board of Education, Tad Hasse, who is running against Ruben Cortez, an individual with only a GED who has a say in the education quality our children receive not just in Cameron but throughout the state. he has profited well off of being in the office - but has education in our county and his home part of the state improved? Are teachers and students suffering any less? We have a top-heavy school district where the politics are so seedy and vicious that it would send seasoned politicos in Washington crying and hiding under their beds at night. Hasse sincerely cares and I believe can offer pragmatic solutions.

I do know one thing that I and many from BOTH parties will say and believe wholeheartedly....we have an excellent choice for county judge who has not ever failed us and has been uncorruptable throughout years in this Babylon of political incest: Carlos Cascos. He represented us well in Austin when the Governor appointed him after two terms of outstanding leadership and service as County Judge, and was as many have told me one of the best Secretaries of State that they have worked with in many years. He has never been involved with or implicated in shady dealings, which has led to some desperately hoping he loses. Unlike his opponent, he was not the one who was implicated by Abel Limas in open court as being one of those who bribed him for an ad litem appointment. Cascos, unlike his opponent, also didn’t make over a million dollars representing our public utilities board while our rates continued to rise. Cascos isn’t the candidate taking thousands upon thousands of dollars from developers, engineers, and other entities outside of this county who want to buy more pieces of our county’s heart and soul. Cascos is also NOT the candidate who took $15,000 from a PAC that wants to force a huge tax burden on Cameron that has been rejected time and again by a HUGE majority, including Democrats, of Hidalgo county by creating a hospital district that is intended to ensure that certain people are set for life and become yet another entity profiting off of us. And then there are the people who have to secretly support Cascos and not let people know because they like being able to feed their children and paying their bills.

No, unlike the candidate with the $500 dinner tickets, Cascos has been campaigning like he always has: on the merit of his own sweat and blood like the rest of us do every day to not only survive but thrive in a community with a very fixed deck and no option to leave the table.

But this November: it is we the people who get to deal the cards. Let’s not give the lawyer who has profited off the poorest of the poor in Cameron another four years to continue to do so.

Carlos Cascos was and is able to get for our county the ears of those in Austin to bend from my party, and I can assure you his opponent can not and will not. It is not theoretical or propaganda: it is a proven certainty. And it is also a certainty that the things we despise most in our community will continue to flourish if we continue to do the same thing over and over: letting those behind the curtains who have taken over the local Democratic Party own us, our property, our children’s futures and hope and dreams, our opportunities, and our livelihoods.


Thank you for your time and this opportunity to be heard.

Morgan Cisneros Graham
Chairman
Cameron County Republican Party

State Committeeman
Senatorial District 27
Republican Party of Texas
MorganGrahamGOP@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/MorganGrahamGOP

LUCILLE "LUCI" LONGORIA WITHDRAWS FROM BISD RACE

Lucille "Luci" Longoria

After agreeing to a "face-to-face" sit down meeting at a local Burger King(less traffic than other fast food restaurants), either Friday or Monday, after some dental work, Lucille "Luci" Longoria posted on our Facebook page that she has withdrawn from the race.

Roman Perez Hey Lucy, is it true you withdrew from the race? 😳

Lucille Longoria
 hi, yes I did..pretty busy with my son's wedding in Nov and other family priorities.

When we agreed to meet Mrs. Longoria for a visit about her campaign, she initially said "great!," but obviously, things have changed.

GOURMET CENTRAL BY CELIA GALINDO.. . 515 WEST 4TH STREET, BROWNSVILLE

Gourmet Central 

by Celia Galindo

La Escondida Private Dining Room
515 West 4th St. Brownsville Tx

956-543-5408

Catering Services

If you're in a hurry...call ahead of time... and Your food will be ready ....when you arrive...!

956-543-5408

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DO WE REALLY WANT A RECYCLED LUCI LONGORIA IN CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION OF OUR KIDS?

Recycled BISD Candidate,
 Lucille Longoria

At the last minute, Lucille "Luci" Longoria filed for BISD Trustee, Position 2.

The last thing Brownsville's precious children need is another term of "public service" by Lucille "Luci" Longoria, brought on board years ago to keep a rich Anglo insurance mogul from refunding millions of dollars of overcharges to BISD.

Yes, Longoria was schooled, mentored, back in the day, by convicted con artist Carlos Quintanilla, who, at one point of his control over his "girl," was heard to scream at Luci:  "Don't forget.  I made you, bitch!"

So, what insurance company are you representing this time Luci?

We took the liberty of checking out Luci's Facebook page to check her mindset to nurture, protect and educate Brownsville's school kids.

In recent years, Longoria has become a Bible-thumping Trumpite, lauding the Tweeter-in-Chief's policy of separating children from their parents at the border.

Luci also views the Democratic Party as a "terrorist organization."

In nearly consecutive posts on Facebook, Luci Longoria claims she does't "tear down women," then posts a picture comparing Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to a monkey.

According to Luci's Facebook page, there is one thing that hasn't changed since the Quintanilla days:

CORRECTING THE DISINFORMATION ABOUT THE "STUDY" PAID FOR BY THE GBIC

Tom Stellman, President/CEO
of TIP Strategies, Inc.

Tom Stellman, President/CEO of Tip Strategies, Inc.,  according to his bio on the company website, is "the lead author in the TIP's Automotive Profile" and "has spoken extensively about automotive supplier attraction strategies."

Tracye McDaniel, CEO of
McDaniel Strategy Ecosystems

Mr. Stellman, along with TIP senior associate John Karras and Tracye McDaniel of McDaniel Strategy Ecosystems, were in Brownsville Thursday evening for their second presentation to the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.

Over the weekend, an anonymous person, having the ear of blogger Juan Montoya, attempted to discredit some of the facts of our August 16 story on the GBIC meeting at City Hall. 

Montoya simply reposted our article, inserting "counterpoints" from the unidentified contributor, most being factually incorrect, another partially correct, but not differing essentially from what we reported.

The most telling discrepancy by the secret source is that the two firms described above were not paid for their services.

I clearly asked Mr. Stellman of Tip Strategies, Inc. if his firm had been paid yet for their services.  Stellman clearly said "yes."

Next, I asked: "how much?"

"$120,000" was Stellman's response and I don't believe he was lying.  The City of Brownsville pays for services rendered.

Goofy Mike Hernandez III,
OP 10.33 Guru

A telling paragraph included in the "counterpoints" of Juan's repost gives us a clue as to the source of the disinformation:  

"A number of initiatives m in the IB plan were implemented by entities that participated in putting the plan together and that have been a crucial part of moving the community forward including the cross valley power line; Resaca restoration; upgrading the Robindale wastewater plant; creating the BiNED cluster-based economic development strategy that’s become the cornerstone of the OP10.33 economic framework (light manufacturing, heavy manufacturing, hospitality and tourism) and recently became a committee of the LRGVDC; and the $1.5 million "All In" educational/career development grant to United Way among others."

IMHO, automotive entrepreneur Mike Hernandez III is not capable of writing the above paragraph.  He was not even here for the BiNed Economic Summit held December 6, 2013 at the Gran Salon, covered gavel to gavel in this blog.  

Who might be compelled to rewrite history, essentially crediting United Brownsville with everything from resaca restoration to curbside recycling, all projects administered by the City of Brownsville and P.U.B., not the phony shadow government? 

Could that dispenser of disinformation be Carlos Marin, the CEO of Ambiotec, who pocketed the $900,000 for writing the Imagine Brownsville paperback?

Carlos Marin

Yet, if the BiNed "cluster-based strategy" was actually implemented, why was there such an extraordinary push in 2015 to give Jacobs Engineering $750,000 to "implement" the Greater Brownsville Infrastructure & Development Plan for which the taxpayers paid $454,592.08?

Montoya's covert contributor, whether using his own words or another's, claims the "the Jacobs $750k study was never funded by anyone."

Here are the facts, reported in this blog in 2015:

"Jacobs Engineering, the winning bidder and, according to Hilts, the only company to respond to the RFQ, Request for Quotation, was kind enough to offer the plan to be financed in three phases. The GBIC, Port of Brownsville and the Public Utilities Board chose to initially finance Phase I at a cost of $185,000. Hilts also introduced to the GBIC Board, Oscar Garcia, Jr., a well-known Carlos Marin puppet, as Jacobs Engineering choice as Project Engineer.

In his role as "Project Engineer," young Garcia has been busy trying to get the taxpayers to pay for Phase II of the implementation plan of the development and infrastructure plan for an additional $407,000. It has been tough sledding for Oscar. After being turned down by the BEDC, the persistent engineer appeared before the City Commission with his hand out for the $407,000. Still, no cigar!"

So, the truth is that only Phase 1 was funded, with an initial payment of $185,000 to Jacobs Engineering to "implement" the Port of Brownsville and industrial corridor plan, but never the entire $750,000.

The anonymous "counterpointer" also claims:  "GBIC only funded in a very minor way the imagine Brownsville plan."

How is that substantially different from what I wrote:  "Notice just a few of the cons financed in whole or in part by the GBIC in recent years?"