The Monitor from McAllen, Texas • 19

Wednesday, April 21, 1999 THE MONITOR, McAllen, Texas 3C fag Nairn: Jon David A. Guerra School: Hidalgo High School Agi8 Parents: Juan and Yolanda Guerra Hobbies and extracurricular activities: Illustrating, author and editor of stories, yearbook, NHS. What kinds of facilities, educational or recreational, does your city need? Our city needs more recreational facilities which will provide jobs for the adults living here think the Valley is a good place to raise a family? Hidalgo is a more traditional city. It is a wonderful place to raise a family It has good schools and a good city government. After earning a degree.

I would like to share with Hidalgo a part of what it has given me. What pressures do teen-agers of today face and how can you overcome them? Teen-agers are always faced with decisions of right and wrong and they have to deal with peer pressure. Parents play an important role in teaching values that will help teen-agers. What have you contributed to your community? What effect has it had? Hidalgo's BorderFest. Special Olympics and McAllen Jaycees.

(The Jaycees) with their leadership projects have helped me in becoming a more responsible person and leader. In 10 years, can you imagine yourself living and working in the Valley? Do you Valley State CITY GOVERNMENT VETERANS HELP Veterans in Hidalgo County can i receive information regarding loans for land, housing and home improvements with twice-a-month visits by Robert Muse, a loan officer from the Corpus Christi field Office of the Texas Veterans Land Board at 100 E. Cano, Edinburg. Muse will be available every two weeks from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays and from 8 a.m.-noon Thursday beginning April 21 and 22 and continuing May 5 and May 19 and 20; June 2 and and June 16 and 17.

Veterans seeking information or wanting to apply for low-interest loans should visit with Muse on these days or call him at his Corpus 1 Christi office at (512) 887-6358 or call Mari Pulido, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 287-1974 CHEERLEADING CLINIC McAllen Memorial High will hold a one-day cheerleading clinic from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday in the gym. Registration is $15. The Universal Cheerleaders Association will provide instruction on cheers, partner stunts and dance routines.

A concession stand will be open for snacks, lunch and souvenirs. For more information or pre- registration, call Pete Ramirez at 632-. 5201. CHILDREN IDs i A KidCare Photo ID event will be hosted by the PostNet-Postal Business Services and McAllen Jaycees, from 10 a.m.-l p.m., Saturday at 4009 N. 23rd and Nolana in front of WalMart.

Parents can obtain free photographs and current vital statistics of their children to keep in their KidCard ID booklet. The program is designed to raise awareness of child safety and provide parents with an effective tool to aid law enforcement authorities in the search for a missing child. There will be giveaways and Colors the Clown will entertain the youngsters from 11 a.m.-l p.m. For more information, call Annette Chavez at 687-5224. VACCINATION CUNIC Lend A Paw Humane Society and the city of Hidalgo will hold a half-price vaccination clinic for dogs and cats from p.m.

Saturday at 211 E. Esperanza St, behind the Hidalgo police station. The cost for dogs will be $5 for rabies, $6 for parvo, $6 for distemper six-way combination and $2 registration per animal. The cost for cats will be $5 for rabies, $5 for feline distemper and $2 for registration per animal. Coupons for lowcost neutering will be available.

Residents from all Valley cities are welcome. For more information, call 440-SPAY. RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES The National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Chapter 1441 of McAllen, will hold a meeting at 12:30 p.m. Monday at Peso Bill's Restaurant, 3020 N. 10th McAllen.

Come at 11:30 a.m. and have lunch with us. All federal employees and retired federal employees are welcome. For more information, call 631-1045 or 682-7890. TOASTMASTERS McAllen Toastmasters meets every second and fourth Tuesday at 6:30 a.m.

in the cafeteria of the Neuhaus Tower, 200 S. 10th third floor of the Chase Bank Tower. Meetings last for V-h hours and give members the opportunity to learn and practice techniques of effective public speaking. Refreshments are available. Guests are welcome.

For more information, call Raquel Garcia, at 971-4262. CLASS REUNION Volunteers are needed from the McAllen Class of 1980 to plan the 20-year reunion. Those interested in helping may contact one of tne following people for information: Marisa Perez Scott at 682-8878, Denise Pena Davis at 682-1194, Providence Boneta at 668-3057 and John Terry at 454-0233. Weslaco's fast growth spurs additional post in City Hall ByALLEN ESSEX The Monitor Networks Continued from page 1C vision studio continues on the McAllen Texas State Bank's seventh floor. "Telemundo will celebrate two cultures the Mexican and American," said Ron Oliveira, the station's chief operating officer and' one of the ow ners of Sunbelt Multi Media of Rio Grande City.

"I'm looking forward to redSfining the way Spanish programming is viewed in the world. "We're in a unique place because we pan enjoy both cultures." Negotiations continue with cable company Time. Warner Communications as to where Telemundo will be on cable. "We hope to be on the air in June. We are constructing a 1 900-foot tower with a powerful transmitter and it will be digital- ready to prepare for the high definition television of the new-era," Oliveira said: Oliveira said the Valley is the eighth largest Hispanic market in -the nation, and Telemundo will provide unique, programming that" will be a great resource for information and entertainment.

right Piow, I think, is situated in a way that it's ready to experience some big growth jn the next couple of years." McAllen's commitment to invest in water, and sewer utilities, drainage and streets paid off by bringing in business and industry, he said. He sees Weslaco heading in the same direction, and believes there is a demand for another city with a Central location. A 42-year old native of New York City, Seguin came to the Valley in 1978 and went to work as finance director for the city of McAllen. He left in 1996 to spend two months in Hidalgo County, government before taking a job at Southern Union Gas Co. Seguin said he is still getting oriented, but expects City Manager Frank Castellarios soon will be assigning hi'rn to numerous projects.

WESLACO Rapid growth in Weslaco has compelled City Hall to add an assistant city manager to its lineup of officials. Guillermo Seguin started his, duties this week after an 18-year stint in McAllen city government and jobs with Hidalgo County and Southern Union Gas Co. The enormous potential for growth in Weslaco, demonstrated by what has already taken place in the largest Mid-Valley city, inspires him; Seguin said. "Weslaco right now kind of reminds me a little bit of where McAllen was 20-22 years ago," he said. "The potential of the community, looking at all the businesses that are starting to come in and the retail industry that's coming in.

Weslaco PAGEANT FINALIST Brittany Renee Salinas has been chosen as a state finalist in the Miss Texas American Sweetheart Pageant to be held May 9 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. The pageant is for girls ages 7 through 9. It is open to girls with goals and dreams based Fields Elementary School in McAllen, has won election as a District I director for the fexas Classroom Teachers Association. She was elected to a two-year term at TCTA's annual convention recently held in Austin. She begins her term June 1.

District the area Canchola will represent, consists of seven counties in the South Texas area: Webb, Jim Hogg, Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron. As' one of the three District I directors, Canchola will join Bertha Y. Garza of Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, and Dolores Ramirez of San Benito. The Valley is also home to Thomas Yznaga of La JOya, one of the two directors-at-large who serve on the board. As a TCTA board member, Canchola will represent her district, set policy for the statewide association, and assist leaders of TCTA local chapters in her seven-county area.

TCTA is a nonprofit, nonunion association that was founded in 1927. individuals who use services should have a major role in determining what services are provided and how they are delivered, said Robert Webb, executive director of the Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities. Trevifio is the father of art 8-year-old boy whose developmental disability is autism. He was dismayed to find out that although autism is the third most common developmental disorder, it received less than, 5 percent of the funding of any other childhood disease and very little medical research Is being done to discover the cause, treatment andor cure for autism. As part of the training program, Trevifio will assist parents of other children with disabilities.

He will volunteer his time to prepare parents to better advocate for their own children. A new Partners in Policymaking class begins in August in Austin: For more information, call Laura Buckner at (888) 817-1586. TEACHER ELECTED Carolina Canchola, a teacher at Salinas of McAllen. Brittany was sponsored by her mom and dad, Bug Off Pest Control, Le Gourmet Coffee Shop, Galvan Construction, Tiger Mart, Our Secret Consignment, Archer and White, Luis Delgado M.D., and Lee's Pharmacy. LEADERSHIP Raul Trevifio a McAllen advocate, recently graduated from a statewide Partners in Policymaking Program held in Austin.

Trevifio and 36 other Texans completed an innovative leadership-training program for adults with disabilities and parents of children with developmental disabilities. Participants attended eight two-day training sessions from August through April. The training included current issues affecting people with disabilities, best practices, and the policymaking and legislative processes at the local, state and federal levels. Its overall goal is to' have a partnership between people needing services and those in a position to make policy law. "We strongly believe that Levi's Continued from page 1C state and federal job training funds for workers to augment their own severance package.

"In that plan, "if we see any gaps, we can find someone to give the services locally," said Ramiro Cavazos, Levi Strauss spokesman the Rio Grande Valley! Levi Strauss employee benefits package includes up to three weeks' severance pay per year of serv ice, extended medical coverage, early retirement options for employees at least 50 years old with 15 years in the company, and up to $6,000 per employee, for training, education and business start-up costs. Retraining requirements could be extensive, city officials said. They cited an initial survey of the factory that found about 40 percent of workers do not speak English. City officials said that after retraining workers, they must try to replace the factory 's jobs, which paid an average $9.50 per hour. on inner beauty, SALINAS as well as poise, presentationand an ail-American spirit for, family, fun and friends.

Emphasis is placed on the importance of gaining self- confidence, learning new skills, learning good attitudes about competition, and setting and achieving personal goals. Brittany's activities include tap, ballet, and jazz dance at Melba's School of Dance and choir. She erjjoys shopping, listening to music and collecting Beanie Babies. She is the daughter of Greg and McAllen International (Spring Fiesta Presents at the McAllen Civic Center Convention Center Saturday, April 24, 1999 NJ 12:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m. -y vo FREE ADMISSION Performers For This Years Event David McCullough Guitarist Rio Grande Valley Jazz Jason Brooks Conover The Soul Express Bongo Bob and the Bob A Loos Eddie de la Garza Quartet Rene Sandoval and South Texas Jazz Quartet SPECIAL EVENING EVENT FEATURING OTHER EVENTS McAllen Marischi Festival Music Competition with over 30 schools Dig Dand Uance 1 with the sounds of From Laredo to Corpus Chnsti Auditorium a.m.

5:00 p.m. ADMISSION FREE aMk i mniimiw mmmmmmmmmmmm it Noche De Gala" i.oo p.m. 9:00 p.m. Del Prodo Orchestra 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Advance Tickets Available $1 0.00 Single $15.00 Couple (Donations to benefit' local charities.) Noche de Gala Tickets $5.00 at the Door WITH FREE DAY ACTIVITIES INCLUDING. Hygeia Dairy President Doug Purl has driven a. lot of dairy routes in his day, but soon be taking a new route-on foot. He'll be walking in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica on Sunday, April 25 in McAllen Municipal Park. As Walk Chairman, Doug invites-everyone to join him.

You'll raise funds for children and March do yourself some good, too. So call 1 ''''pr And Kelp the March of Dimes defeat birth defects. Furl Games and Activities for the Young Child Over 40 Booths will be set up in the Civic Center Patio Area 12:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. FREE OF CHARGE! SMoU ari to McMw Put Ubrwy.

UnlvwKy of Tu Pan Amifcan. CMd Cm Management lmm, Tenae DMM Pn-Oto Reguteaxy Senkee. 1mm CommMt Conga. McMw 18.0.. McAlm CMnttr el Comiwo, MeANB JtrCM Hid fcjlt ng..