Carlos Marin's Su Clinica Familiar Quietly Registering Voters~What's the Catch?

Although I've known exactly what not to do since childhood, no one has ever gifted me a horse. My mental oath to not examine the teeth of any horse gifted to me remains untested.

Until now.

Operatives of Carlos Marin's Su Clinica Familiar have been observed quietly registering voters at both the Central and Southmost branches of the Brownsville Public Library.  No eyebrows would be raised were the politically-connected clinic offering free HIV tests or flu shots to the elderly, but voter registration? 

We're told that deputization to register voters involves a 45 minute course offered by Election Administrator Chris Davis.  

Voter registration lists are to be turned in to the Election Administrator, not used in a partisan way.

No one in Brownsville works the political system better than Carlos Marin.  He literally controls 4A "economic development" funds, vetted by the Brownsville Economic Development Council and issued by the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, while his Su Clinica Familiar employee, Rose Gowen, controls the 4B "quality of life" funds emanating from the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation.

So, what's up Carlos?  Let me see those teeth.

Brownsville"s Second Class Citizens at a Bus Stop In the Rain

While Brownsville Yawns at Mandated Curbside Recycling, The City Actually Leads the Country in Real Recycling

Rose Timmer Delivering Curbside
Recycling Powerpoint
at City Commission

The well-meaning Rose Timmer's angst, disappointment, even discouragement, when no citizens showed up for the Curbside Recycling Workshop, is unnecessary.

Likely, no city in the United States matches Brownsville in terms of actual recycling, all based on the profit motive with no assist from city government, no bins, blockwalkers or educational campaigns needed.  

First, a definition of recycling:

1. To extract useful materials from garbage or waste.

2. To use again, esp to reprocess

3. To recondition and/or adapt to new use or function

USS Forrestal Being Tugged
to Port of Brownsville

The above definitions certainly fit the scrapping, salvaging being done on the USS Forrestal and two other aircraft carriers to come the USS Saratoga and USS Constellation, recycling by any measure.  

Wired 100 lb Pacas of Used Clothing

Brownsville is also a world hub for used, recycled clothing, which, after sorting, is sent all over the world. Just a few years ago, it was explained to me that Americans donate far more used clothing than can actually be put on the shelves of the Goodwill, Salvation Army and other charities.  They simply do not have the retail space to display more than a fraction of those donations, so the bulk of those donations ends up in hubs like Brownsville where it is distributed to clients all over the world.  The clothing displayed in downtown Brownsville ropa usadas for retail sale is but a miniscule portion.  The bulk is sent to Africa, Central and South America, etc.  

A third aspect of this business has all but been shut down by the drug cartels demand for protection money in Mexico.  In the past hundreds of resellers flocked to Brownsville, especially on Monday mornings to sift through 100lb "pacas" for items they could sell in their shops in Matamoros, Tampico, Veracruz and beyond. With the drug cartels demanding a piece of the action and the Mexican government too weak or corrupt to protect their hardworking citizens, this particular aspect of clothing recycling has dried up.

Lawani Souleiman

The handling of this clothing is based on movement and varies from establishment.  Lawani Souleiman, who has operated a ropa segunda for many years across from the Brownsville Historical Association on Washington Street, starts new merchandise at around $3.00 per pound, with a reduction in price each day.  After one week, the merchandise is shifted to the other side of his store where it remains for yet another week with prices approaching $1.00 per pound.  Other stores in downtown simply shift older merchandise to a "monton," a large mound of assorted clothing piled to the ceiling.  Still, Souleiman's primary business is shipping recycled clothing around the world.

Well-Known Brownsville Recycler on Triciclo

Day and night, through the city's alleys, men on triciclos de carga search for cardboard, aluminum, anything of value.  In no other city have I seem men carefully empty every trash can at a car wash, sort out the recyclables, carefully sweep up and replace other trash back into the receptacle. 

 Even clothing, finally discarded by the ropa segundas, is perused by these scavangers for something useful, valuable.  Yes, Brownsville, not only recycles, but does so in stages.

Mr. Gonzalez, Proudly Posing next to his Triciclo de Carga
in the Alley Between Washington and Adams Streets

Self-employed entrepreneurs with pickup trucks service all of the dumpsters in the city before they are officially emptied by Allied Waste or some professional waste management firm, relieving the dumpsters of both American and Chinese cardboard, thrill at the site of a broken shopping cart or plastic milk crate.  None of their work is remotely connected with a City Commission's green initiative but simply survival based.

Frequently, these prospectors have an agreement with a store employee for dumpster "rights" or at least a heads up call when cardboard or other recyclables are present.  

We haven't touched on the illegal pilfering of copper from construction sites or AC units, the lifting of manhole covers, etc.  Scrap yards do ask questions, but only the legally required ones.  Not long ago, I watched a man and a woman pushing an H.E.B. shopping cart down E. 14th, headed for the salvage yard.  Another shopping cart was turned upside down on top of the cart being pushed.  Other metals stuck out of the carts, all headed to the scrap yard to be sold for a tiny fraction of H.E.B.'s replacement cost for one cart.

There is yet more to Brownsville's recycling picture.  Dozens of small stores downtown as well as vendors at the Hwy 77 Flea Market sell small appliances like coffee makers, juicers, ice crushers, radiant heaters, etc. The boxes have been carefully retaped.  These are return items or sometimes items with product recalls. They are purchased in so-called pallet sales from vendors from up north with the reseller bidding on the pallet.  It's just another form of recycling in the city.

So, Rose, when you look at the big picture, apart from mandated curbside recycling, Brownsville is doing a damn fine job reusing discarded items.  It's our politicians who throw millions of tax dollars down the rat hole.  Maybe these politicos need to be recycled.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bookends

"Old Friends"
by Paul Simon

Can you imagine us years from today,
sharing a parkbench quietly 
How terribly strange to be seventy 
Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
 silently sharing the same fears

Rose Timmer~What if Brownsville Residents Just Don't Want Curbside Recycling?

Rose Timmer, Executive Director of
Healthy Communities of Brownsville

A 50's dad with limited parenting skills put out heated up canned spinach for dinner for his kids.  This was not fresh leaf spinach, attractively arranged in a salad, but the soggy, stringy, overcooked, canned variety all kids hate with a purple passion.  

After several minutes of staring at the glob on the plate, trying to down a spoonful, but gagging in the process, the kid protesting the loudest was sent to bed without dinner.  Little did he know at the time, but "dinner" would be reserved as breakfast come morning.

Having given up that brief glimpse of my childhood, we can turn our attention to Rose Timmer, the Executive Director of Healthy Communities of Brownsville, a non-profit.  Timmer, who has been zealously trying to drum up interest, build a consensus, educate about and organize curbside recycling in the city, was deeply disappointed that no citizens showed up for the Curbside Recycling Workshop scheduled September 4 @ 7:00 PM at the Brownsville Police Department's Southmost Substation.  Below is Timmer's Facebook response:

Rose Timmer
19 hours ago near Brownsville, TX
Very, very, very disappointed. Ruth, art rodriguez, Santana Torres came to support curbside recycling but no community members showed up. Very sad— feeling sad.

Several citizens commented below, indicating schedule conflicts and other reasons that prevented their attendance.

Brenda Joyas I was hoping to get kids out of drs fast enough to go, but I'm still here..
19 hours ago · Like · 1


Judy Vargas-Wooten Rose, i'm so sorry I wasn't able to come tonight & tomorrow is Bob's & my 55th anniversary. I am sorry I was unable to attend. I know that is very dissapointing for you & the other people.
19 hours ago · Like · 1

Denise Granado Chavez I'm sorry this seems to happen a lot with various community initiative...same people at all the events. Wish I could help on ideas to get more community members interested.
18 hours ago · Like · 1

Ruben O'Bell ....I believe children are our future....
18 hours ago · Like · 1

Lisa Mitchell-Bennett Sorry I wasn't there because I definitely support it! I am out of town though!
18 hours ago · Like · 1

Mary Helen Flores I understand that feeling and I am so sorry I wasn't able to attend. Please know that your efforts are appreciated by so many, including me. Don't give up.
18 hours ago · Like · 1

Sal Garza Wish I was there but I just finished my day right now. You do such a great job Rose. People notice your awesome work and dedication that you have. These things happen but just keeping doing the right thing. Just keep it going. We are blessed as a community to have you lead in this task and helping Brownsville be a healthier community. As a citizen I say thank you
18 hours ago · Like · 1


Frances Barrera Do on-line meetings or chats. After a long day at work, people just don't want to go sit in a meeting. If it's to float ideas, use this forum. If it is something that needs to be face to face, tell us what it's for or about or how important it is. And early enough to make plans. Set up a list serve and e-mail everyone when you need to get a good response.
17 hours ago · Like · 1

Pam Ramirez I wanted to be there too...but boot camp is at seven. I support your efforts wholeheartedly!!
17 hours ago · Like · 1

Terren Barton Aww I'm sorry aunt rose. . If I had a private jet I would have come and help! . Don't give up! Love ya
17 hours ago · Like

It's not that Mrs. Timmer hasn't tried.  She described a 2009 attempt to implement curbside recycling in Brownsville as "a failure," and went back to the drawing board.   "We didn't follow up or educate properly," she said.

In January 2013, volunteers were invited to training sessions, involved in "role-play," taught how to approach citizens and given the objectives and rationale for the program.

During October and November of 2013, teams of block-walkers went into four distinct areas of the city to offer the service to 1,200 pre-selected homes. Door hangers, letters to the homeowner and other materials were provided in English and Spanish. According to Ms. Timmer, 447 of the 1,200 homeowners approached agreed to participate.

During the initial trial run, January 6, 2014, the program has a participation rate, Timmer said, of 13%. That means that 58 homes in the four areas actually pushed their recycle bins to the curb. Compared to the 1,200 homeowners offered the program, the participation rate is actually 5%.

Timmer stated that the City of Brownsville spent $17,000 on 1300 recycle bins of which 8 were stolen in the first week. Homeowners can get a replacement bin by filing a police report, then calling the city to request another bin, giving the number of the police report.

Following behind the Allied Waste truck picking up the contents of the recycle bins, Timmer was able to follow up on the program. Noting that one homeowner with whom she had personally talked had not put her bin curbside, she knocked on her door. The lady still had her bin, but felt that, with just three cans in it, it was not ready to take curbside. Timmer assured her that the program was weekly, regardless of the contents, and the bin was brought curbside.

In another situation, a man had an extraordinary amount of aluminum cans towering over his bin. Timmer was concerned that the cans might be stolen by someone wanting to exchange them for money. 

"They actually were not stolen, but, that would have been OK," Timmer stated to the commission. "As long as they're going to recycle them, that's OK."

So, the question is, with only 5% actual participation so far and 0% attending the workshop, is the goal to test this project's feasibility, practicality and acceptance by the citizens of Brownsville or will it be implemented come hell or high water because some in the city desire it so?

Larry Smith, Republican Candidate for Congress~Protecting Our Border 2014

Joe Rivera~"I Wanna Be Yer County Judge!"

To the Voters of Cameron County:

When Brother Gilbert called me last fall, he said: "Joe, I need a favor. We're a little backwards in our races in the county, you know with Sylvia running for judge. Ain't no girl gonna beat Cascos, even a pushy one like Sylvia," Gilbert said.

So, I agreed to run for judge and let Sylvia have my old clerk job. Like I told her, it's an easy gig. Your assistants do all the work.

After nearly 40 years in this business, I have my haters. Some say I make deals, but that's what politicians do. We didn't get rockets here by not making deals.

Some say I make my employees sell raffle tickets to my pachangas. That's a lie! If one of my workers doesn't want to sell tickets, they can just buy them and keep their job.

As for the fancy portrait, that was Aurora's idea and she got a doctor to pay for them, so what's the fuss about?

This race against Cascos will come down to demographics. I will get almost all of the hispanic women's vote, while Cascos may get the votes of a few jealous husbands, plus the old white ladies and tea party nuts.

Cascos has hurt the county. A lot of my friends and relatives that work for the county haven't got a raise in years. After my election, I will give everyone the raise they deserve.

For those of you who are new voters, I serve Bud Light and Miller Lite at my pachangas. The chicken is grilled at 450 degrees. Anyone wearing a Joe Rivera sticker can eat and drink.

Your next county judge,

Joe

Former Mayor Pat Ahumada Speaks Out on Pet Ownership, United Brownsville, Carlos Marin, La Casa del Nylon

Here is a link to the Brownsville Herald article detailing Port Isabel's new regulations with regard to pet ownership: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/valley/article_8de9dc28-3310-11e4-baf9-001a4bcf6878.html

Jim,

Please afford me the courtesy, by posting today's Herald article regarding Port Isabel's effort to control the over-population of pets by passing ordinances to chip and sterilize pets, along with the following post.

Brownsville has many natural assets that other cites wish they had, but we do not capitalize on these assets as we should. In spite of ourselves, Brownsville grows and many good things happen. I love and care about our city, which is why I was very engaged in trying to build a better city. It was not easy, because when you are steadfast and firm by making the city the agenda, you make enemies for free and for life. But, I knew that I was trying to do what was right and not for a select few. I brought transparency, by introducing the televising of our city meetings, hoping citizens would become better informed.

By bringing transparency and making Brownsville the agenda, it gave me the courage to ask the tough questions. In many instances, this led to exposing the little secrets that benefited only a few. I recall, when a few rebel rousers sounded the Recall alarm and forced the commission to compromise to allow a bond issue referendum that was being blocked and the location of a proposed event center that was heavily debated in the early 1990's. This gave us a library, the street reconstruction program that was sorely needed, and so much more in capital improvements and united our community. This led to many good things, but it took courage to force transparency and it also led to political suicide decisions when developers and others like Imagine Brownsville were confronted with the tough questions. I distinctly recall, when I respectfully inquired from Mr. Fred Rusteberg, while he was on the commission chambers podium, if Imagine Brownsville was for profit or not? While others were going along and would not dare ask, I did knowing they were for profit and found it hard to swallow. You could hear a pin drop, when Mr. Rusterberg admitted and could not believe, I was asking the question. IBC was one of my biggest clients as an appraiser, so you can imagine the decision I was making to be costly to me and my family. I lost a client, but I had no choice, as the commission was eagerly going along with paying $850,000 of taxpayers money to create a defacto government, which I warned against. I lost a client and lost the fight to protect taxpayers, because Atkinson and the others agreed with me privately, but did not have the courage to stand up. However, it did expose Carlos Marin for what he was, which was a missionary for money. Pretending to do good, under the guise of helping our city.

For years, I have been pushing for pet ordinances, with some ordinances already drafted and ready to introduce before I left office, but they never got to the commission. The reason was the lack of support from the public and the anti-Ahumada effort by Troiani, Longoria, Atkinson, Camarillo, and Gowen, which I attribute to envy. They never had anything or very little to introduce, so they opposed everything that was good for Brownsville and were lauded by some. I recall the commission not supporting the Border Wall opposition, even though they said they did. The commission allowed the U.S. Government to take our land along Hope Park without a fight, which killed the proposed downtown $225 million development investment by Florida investors. Killed it! But, like Rick Longoria said, I do not care if it is good for Brownsville, I will vote against anything Pat Ahumada supports and to date, he introduces nothing or very little and he is still on the commission.

My point is that Brownsville has everything, except leadership that allows this gem to fulfil its' potential. The plastic bag ordinance was blocked by Commissioner Camarillo for almost two years, until he was forced to allow it to come to a vote. Our lack of leadership allows other cities to take the lead, when it is Brownsville that should be leading. Today's Herald article highlights Port Isabel's efforts to chip, spay and neuter, by passing ordinances that Brownsville has already drafted, but will not bring to the commission for a hearing and vote. It is like we wish our own failure. Unfortunately thousands of pets are euthanized annually because we will not enact the chip, spay and neuter ordinances that should be enacted asap.

We suffer from a lack of will to lead and we grovel for a drink and a steak dinner to justify looking the other way, while millions are squandered. We are indifferent to the city's needs or best interest. Recently we are witnessing this with the extravagant over-kill price paid for the Nylon Building when this mayor ramrodded the purchase and it sits empty. We are indifferent to the projected cost of $1.7 million dollars per megawatt for an electrical plant we do not need. Where is the transparency, I pushed hard for citizens to be informed. The nepotism laws are circumvented through indirect compadrismo or good old boy system that allows the higher ups to create or set aside positions for the chosen few who cannot survive in the real world.

Brownsville PAWS has had countless meetings to push for pet ordinances, but the city ignores our pleas. The elections are coming up and I hope we make these ordinances an issue. We need elected officials who genuinely support making Brownsville a better pet community, because it says a lot about us. If we are indifferent about the plight of our pets that are abandoned who become road kill needlessly or end up at the shelter to be killed, then how can we expect our elected leaders to protect our best interest in making decisions that impact our lives. If they are indifferent to the thousands of pets killed annually and think Cyclobia has more of a priority than saving lives and controling the pet population, then we deserve what we have. I guarantee, we would spend less on the pet ordinances than we do on Cyclobia and it will be less costly than purchasing the Nylon Building, because it is only ordinances that educates and holds pet owners accountable, which ultimately reduces the cost of operation at the shelter. Think about it...Where is your priority?

Thanks,

Pat Ahumada

Pete Gets His Wish~A $130,000 Study on How to Generate More Sales Tax

Deputy City Manager Pete Gonzalez convinced the City Commission months ago that Brownsville needed help learning how to generate more sales tax revenue. That is the purpose of Agenda item 15 considered and approved at last night's City Commission meeting:

15. Consideration and ACTION to award a contract for Branding and Marketing Services for the City of Brownsville. (Pete Gonzalez-Deputy City Manager)

Gonzalez explained that bids from 5 firms were evaluated with 3 qualifying for interviews by the evaluation team.  It would have been interesting to see what The Tequila Group had in mind, but they did not make the cut.  Breeden McCumber, Hahn Communications and the Atkins Group were interviewed with Hahn Communications of Austin winning the bid.  We are including, at the bottom of this article, the evaluation scorecard, filled out anonymously by 7 evaluators.  Notice how Member #7 tried to swing the contract to the Atkins Group by giving all the other teams scores from the low 20's and 30's while giving Atkins a 95.  Perhaps Member #7 should be excluded from future evaluations.

The contract is for $139,980 with $25,000 coming from the Brownsville Economic Development Council, another $25,000 from the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation and the remainder from the general fund.  It's all money from the taxpayers, spent to learn how to generate more tax dollars.  Pete saved us $10,000 by getting Hahn to lower their fee.  Thanks Pete.

The folly of all of this is that generating more revenue is pointless when the Mayor and City Commission are so foolhardy in the use of monies already generated. 
Without the Mayor's foolish $3,500,000 spending spree on speculative real estate, his illegal dipping into the Texas AOP Refund check for unneeded office space and other expenditures, no tax increase or increased sales tax revenue is needed.

Tax Increase "Needed" Because Mayor
Martinez Wasted $2,300,000 on
La Casa del Nylon

This City Commission has everything ass-backwards. Protect taxpayer assets so taxes don't have to be raised.

Menton Murray, Jr., The Judge Who Can't Decide the Hasse vs Morris "Resignation" Case

Judge Menton Murray, Jr.

It would be my luck to be caught behind Judge Menton Murray, Jr. in line at McDonald's with the judge staring at the Dollar Menu offerings.

"What do they put in a McDouble?" I can hear the judge asking.

"Hey, I heard you have a new burger with jalapenos! How much are those?  Is it too late to order from the breakfast menu?"

Judge Murray, using two different district court rooms for hearings, has still not decided if Frank Morris resigned as Cameron County Republican Chair.

The Initially Lawyerless Tad Hasse

The first Hasse vs. Morris hearing started with a Murray soliloquy about whether or not he had jurisdiction.  He almost wished outloud someone would tell him he didn't, but even Morris' $7,500 attorney, Paul L. Fort, Jr., acknowledged he did.  It ended with Murray requesting briefs from both sides.  It was pretty apparent Murray hadn't read either brief filed in the first hearing.

In the second Hasse vs. Morris hearing, Judge Murray got down to substance.  Yes, there had been not one, but two resignations by Morris May 14.  The first, sent at 12:36 PM, was thorough and permanent, calling for the "new chair" to pick up all the party documents "within 30 days."  Morris drew from his memory bank the words of the slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, saying he felt he "was free at last."

The Narcoleptic Frank Morris

11 hours later, at 11:59 PM, Morris, already tiring of this newfound freedom, submitted a second email to Party Secretary Ida Stacey and others, limiting his resignation to his then current term.

Judge Menton Murray, Jr. chewed on the evidence presented, comparing it to the Texas Election Code, finding that neither resignation met the standard as both were "unsigned."

Of course, electronic mail or e-mail, works somewhat differently from the written communication of the pencil and ink and the horse and buggy eras. As Wikipedia explains:   Today's email systems are based on a store-and-forward model. Email servers accept, forward, deliver, and store messages. Neither the users nor their computers are required to be online simultaneously; they need connect only briefly, typically to a mail server, for as long as it takes to send or receive messages. Historically, the term electronic mail was used generically for any electronic document transmission.

Millions of emails are acknowledged, accepted daily without an actual signature.

But, there is a way to actually "sign" an email. Outlook offered such a digital signature in 2007:  

Digitally sign all messages

1. On the Tools menu on the Outlook Mail view, click Trust Center to open the Trust Center dialog box, and at the far left of the dialog box, click E-mail Security.
2. Under Encrypted e-mail, select the Add digital signature to outgoing messages check box.
3. If available, you can select one of the following options:
• If you want recipients who don't have S/MIME security to be able to read the message, select the Send clear text signed message when sending signed messagescheck box. This check box is selected by default.
• To verify that your digital signature is being validated by recipients and to request confirmation that the message was received unaltered, as well as notification telling you who opened the message and when it was opened, select the Request S/MIME receipt for all S/MIME signed messages check box. When you send a message with an S/MIME return receipt request, this verification information is returned as a message sent to your Inbox.
4. To change additional settings, such as choosing a specific certificate to use, clickSettings.
5. Click OK twice.

We look forward to Judge Murray's next, and hopefully, final ruling.
  

Palm Lounge Still About 30 Days from Opening on Elizabeth Street

It had been over two months since we'd spoken to Edwin Hernandez, the new owner of the Palm Lounge at 737 E. Elizabeth Street.

"Jim, we're still about 30 days away from opening.  We have some special order coolers that should be delivered within the month," stated Hernandez.

Everything Hernandez and his crew have done is top notch, from a black-enameled pipe foot rest under the bar, hooks for ladies purses, a second story band stand and veneered wood partitions and trim in the rest rooms.  

"We want everyone in the city to be feel welcomed here," stated Hernandez.

"We will be making the same classic hamburgers the Palm Lounge has always been noted for," he stated.

Stainless Steel Plate Behind Bar with Holes for Beer Taps

Edwin Hernandez

Band Balcony

Rio South Texas Economic Council~Another Scam Mimicking United Brownsville

Eduardo Campirano, Board Member of
Rio South Texas-Economic Council

Under nearly every rock in impoverished south Texas is a non-profit creating a niche for themselves to beg for the tax dollars of the poorest region in the United States.  

We first heard about the Rio South Texas Economic Council at the February 12, 2014 meeting of the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation when Rachel Flores, then BCIC Director,  mentioned the payment of $17,500 in "dues" to the organization.
  
Ms. Flores explained, in a brief conversation after the meeting, that this regional group was trying to enhance the RGV's image, lest the image of border violence affect commerce and tourism.  Flores was excited that Eduardo Campirano, CEO of the Port of Brownsville was a board member of Rio South Texas.  Flores stated that, for once, Brownsville would have more representation than the Upper Valley.  Incidentally, the Port of Brownsville kicks in $17,500 to Rio South Texas.

Rio South Texas has carefully copied the model set by United Brownsville, an unelected, unaccountable board that collects at least $200,000 in "dues" from 8 local entities, then rewards officials from those entities with the status of membership on the "coordinating board."  

Debbie Portillo, named Tri-Chair of United
Brownsville, also Co-Chair of Marketing/
Public Relations for Rio South Texas

While United Brownsville has no official role of governance, it horns itself into city issues as if mirroring the City Commission. Its meeting agendas discuss the Resaca Restoration Project, Curbside Recycling and even the application for All-America City, duplicating decisions already made in actual city government.  Young City Commissioners like John Villarreal and Estela Chavez-Vasquez were named to the board immediately after their election in 2011. Now, young Debbie Portillo has that honor, named Tri-Chair of United Brownsville.

Rio South Texas, copying United Brownsville's modus operandi named young Portillo a "co-chair" after the City of Brownsville kicked in their $17,500 "dues."

So, what does Rio South Texas do for the money? Essentially, it runs a very amateurish website reporting good things about the Rio Grande Valley.  Here is the mission statement:  The Rio South Texas Economic Council (RSTEC) welcomes the opportunity to introduce you to the The Real South Texas. We have a dedicated staff ready to introduce you to the dozens of commuinities(sic) that make up the Rio South Texas Economic Council. In addition to community orientation, we can help conduct labor interviews, utility and permitting representative meetings, site and industrial park visits and introductions to colleges, technical schools and employment services.

When I clicked on a link to the section What's New, I received this warning:  ACCESS DENIED: You are not authorized to access this page.

Under Regional Profile, the site makes this claim:  Rio South Texas is growing at a phenomenal pace. Job growth has outpaced that of the state, and by 2012, the projected employment growth rate in the McAllen-Mission-Edinburg MSA is estimated at about 38.5 percent, compared with the state's mere 25 percent rate.  (What about Brownsville guys?  We pay dues too!)

The site has a section entitled Available Properties. 133 business properties are listed as available in the Rio Grande Valley, none in Brownsville.  You may recall young Ms. Portillo introduced an agenda item at a recent City Commission meeting to list some of the city's properties on this site.  That didn't happen.

Raudel Garza, former Executive
Director of Rio South Texas

While the site states that media inquiries should be referred to Raudel Garza, Mr. Garza announces his resignation as Executive Director in a blog dated August 10, 2014, entitled "Going to Grandmo's (sic) House."  

Once again, Brownsville taxpayers get very little in return for their hard earned tax dollars.

Interestingly, demonstrating that not everyone is as gullible as Brownsville's City Commission and boards, the San Benito Economic Development Council declined to fund Rio South Texas at their August 21, 2014 meeting.

New Office Opens at Su Clinica Manipular