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A.D. Ibarra
-NW Corner of Loop 480 & El Indio Hwy.
The Main Street Committee met on Thursday and they approved two new beautification projects in our downtown area.
One they are especially appreciative of is an investor who is as of yet unnamed who has taken the initiative of purchasing three buildings in the downtown area, one of which has been approved for a facade grant.
The other, Main Realty, was also approved for what is termed as a paint only grant.
The paint which will be utilized to renovate the building must be approved by the Trust for Historic Preservation which Mr. De Luna has already chosen. These are colors which have been identified as having been used historically. The colors were also approved by the Eagle Pass Main Street Design Committee.
"We are looking at these projects right now, but we forecast 30-33 projects this coming year," said Joe Cruz, Main Street Director, "We are happy that investors are reinvesting in our downtown. We have many more to come."
Another project was tabled, but is expected to be approved as soon as the business owner meets one last recommendation."
A.D. Ibarra
-Maverick County
A high-speed chase which took law enforcement officers all over Seco Mines ended up in the Del Rio Blvd., Third Street and Ave. C area with a charcoal grey Dodge Durango halfway between a local residence and a local business establishment.
According to Chief Deputy Rick Fuentes, the persecution began in Quemado where Border Patrol units reported a suspicious vehicle traveling southbound on 277 when the driver of the truck began to flee from officials. As many as a dozen law enforcement units were in chase throughout the Dr. Gates and Barrera Street area.
Witnesses reported seeing the pickup truck speeding northbound on Barrera Street with officers behind at excessively high rates of speed causing the truck to fly into the air over the street on the intersection of Barrera and Becos Street before heading east on Dr. Gates then ending up back on Barrera where the driver took the ramp on the Veterans Loop overpass where an officer on motorcycle blocking the road caused the driver to jump the curb and make a beeline to the railroad tracks where witnesses saw the vehicle cross the tracks at least twice.
According to Chief Fuentes, the truck used the access road adjacent to the railroad tracks until arriving to the Kilowatt Street area where he got back on Del Rio Blvd. It was here when law enforcement units were able to catch up to the vehicle attempting to take a left turn on Third when it impacted a law enforcement unit causing it to ram into the fence of a nearby residence.
The driver of the pickup was taken into custody after receiving first aid for injuries sustained and was transported to the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center for further evaluation.
When officers conducted a secondary search of the vehicle it revealed two large duffel bags containing what officers believe to be narcotics.
According to Sergeant Orlando Escareño of the Eagle Pass Police Department, an accident occurred when a passerby was trying to get a view of the crime scene when he rammed into an EPPD unit.
Escareño reminds motorists to be careful and to be prepared to stop at the scene of an accident or crime scene, to be aware of officers, units, ambulances and wreckers in the area and if you can, avoid the scene completely and find an alternate route to take.
The EPPD is in charge of both accidents while the Maverick County Sheriff's Department is investigating the drug case.
A.D. Ibarra
-Austin, Tx.
State Representative Alfonso Nevarez, was verbally attacked on Wednesday in his office at the State Capitol by a group of gun activists who were lobbying for gun control legislation in front of family, friends and staff members prior to his swearing-in on the first day of the 84th Legislative session.
According to witnesses, members of a Tarrant County gun carrying advocates entered Nevarez' office looking for support for HB 195 which is a "Constitutional Carry" bill.
When the state representative informed them that , "the way the legislation is written, I (Nevarez) would not vote for it," the group became in Nevarez' terms 'unhinged' and began verbally attacking the legislator calling him a "tyrant to the constitution" which can be heard when one views the incident recorded by the coordinator of the group.
The situation alarmed those in attendance impacting the offices' environment and bled into the hallway where other Eagle Passans were threatened by the group on the way out.
When Nevarez asked the group to leave his office, the man's voice can be heard saying, "You need to leave my state."
An amendment sponsored by Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer to add safety measures to the House of Representatives, giving members the right to choose whether they have to accommodate individuals or groups that are acting in a threatening or belligerent manner, will be voted on in this legislative session.
In an interview by Fox Austin, Nevarez said, "I'm a big boy in the sense that that kind of stuff...it's water off a duck's back, but I think I felt...my guests, certainly my family and children were somewhat uneasy about what was going on."
This kind of reaction, especially dealing with a volatile and polarizing issue such as gun control, brought out the true nature of its advocates showing the true colors and confrontational personalities of its proponents.
One can only imagine what would have happened if this man were to have been armed, however, new measures to install panic buttons in the capitol will be looked into in hopes of avoiding these kinds of situations.
A.D. Ibarra
-Asherton, Tx
A four vehicle accident which left a tractor trailer in flames occurred on Thursday morning approximately two miles outside of Asherton.
A press release by Raul Leal of the Texas Department of Transportation stated that the highway would be closed effective immediately between FM 190 and FM 1557 due to a collision accident involving four vehicles (1 tanker tractor trailer, 2 pickup trucks and one van). Five fatalities had been reported as of press time.
According to Trooper Maria Loredo, the four vehicle crash occurred when a pickup truck turning left at Vaquero Energy Services was hit from behind by the tanker tractor trailer. In an attempt to veer from hitting the truck, the driver of the tractor trailer lost control of his vehicle. All four vehicles were traveling north on Highway 83. The tractor rolled over, skid 20 feet, but was still on the roadway when it was struck by another pickup and a van who were both unable to stop before impacting the 18-wheeler causing the tractor to burst into flames. The three vehicles were engulfed in flames, killing the five passengers in the van instantly.
Killed were the driver of the van, 68 year-old Juan Francisco Medellin, Sergio Javier De Yoro, 50, Carlos Rubio, 30, Eduardo Piña, 22 and Justin Lara, 21, all of Laredo. The five men worked for a company called Pilot Thomas Logistics.
The driver of the second pickup truck, David Rodriguez, 35, was airlifted to a San Antonio Hospital with sever burns on 80% of his body.
Del Rio, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents working in the Del Rio Sector seized more than 1,300 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $1 million in five different incidents, in recent weeks.
On Dec. 19 at approximately 6 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass Station, conducting linewatch operations, respond- ed to a report of suspicious activity in the Normandy area. As agents neared the area they encountered six abandon double bundle feed sacks. The feed sacks contained 539 pounds of marijuana, valued at an estimated $431,760. The marijuana was turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration. On Jan. 8 at approximately 2 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass South Station con- ducting linewatch operations in an area known for narcotic smuggling, discovered two bundles which were abandoned under some brush. The two bundles containing 48 pounds
of marijuana, worth an estimated $38,632 were turned over to DEA.
On Jan. 9 at approximately 3 p.m., agents from the Comstock Station, conducting roving patrol operations, observed a suspicious Ford pickup truck traveling on Highway 90. Agents attempted to perform an immigration inspection on the passengers of the vehicle using their emergency equipment. The vehicle failed to yield to the emergency equipment and drove south through a fence line east on Highway 90. Agents observed two passengers run out of the
vehicle. While securing the vehicle, agents observed sever- al bundles inside and a further search revealed several bundles inside a toolbox in the bed of the vehicle. Agents performed a search of the area for the two subjects but the result was negative. The agents seized the bundles containing 451 pounds of marijuana, valued at an estimated $360,960. The narcotics were turned over to the DEA.
On Jan. 13 at approximately 2 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass South Station, con-
ducting linewatch operations, encountered two Mexican nationals hiding in the brush alongside two green duffel bags containing 115 pounds of marijuana, valued at an estimated $92,368. DEA agents took custody of the two subjects and the marijuana.
On Jan. 13 at approximately 7 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass Station, conducting linewatch operations, encountered several individuals carry- ing backpack-style duffel bags. The subjects abandoned the duffel bags and absconded. After a search of the immediate
area agents encountered one Mexican national hiding in the brush. The duffel bags contained 70 bricks, totaling 160 pounds of marijuana, valued at an estimated $128,240. DEA agents took custody of the subject and the marijuana.
A.D. Ibarra
-Maverick County, KLEC
The Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Hotel & Casino was the site for the 2015 Texas Border Sheriffs Winter Conference which began Wednesday.
As many as forty to fifty sheriffs from as far south as Brownsville and as far north as California descended on our fair city to discuss common issues which law enforcement officials on the border must deal with on a daily basis.
Host Sheriff Tom Schmerber welcomed the law enforcement officials coming to Maverick County and the presentation of colors by the Maverick County Sheriff's Department Color Guard and opening prayer by Chaplain Pedro Hernandez was truly impressive. Chairman Sheriff Rick McIvor led the gathering in the pledge of allegiance.
Then the lawmen will delve into the issues at hand such as the Texas Border Patrol Bill and other issues the county sheriffs may have including the possibility of a pilgrimage to our nation's capital before opening the microphones to an open forum at the KLEC Hotel Conference Center.
Piedras Negras Mayor Fernando Purón Johnston addressed the gathering at the 2015 Texas Border Sheriffs Winter Meeting which is being held at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Hotel's Main Conference Center and delivered some alarming numbers and statistics of their concerted effort to battle the organized crime element which he said is a the blackest page in the history of their city, a page they are turning slowly but surely.
"The theme of what is law enforcement on our border is a very important one, we are allotting 80% of our total budget on the issue of security. It in itself is a very diverse issue, we must understand that. The synergy of both cities, imports and exports, the Rio Bravo, a river that divides us but in the same token, a river that unites us," stated Mayor Purón, " We have had to deal with severe and significant problems over the past four years in terms of the very serious issue of the drug trade and organized crime in our country and we are making monumental strides in this respect. We are turning the page, one of the darkest, blackest pages in the history of our city with respect to the issue of drug trafficking and the drug trade and we are doing so in a very deliberate manner working with the three levels of government in our country."
He added that his reason for accepting the invitation from Sheriff Schmerber was to insure these lawmen that the lines of communication are definitely open between the two municipalities which were most recently tested with the apprehension of Ignacio Ruiz, the man wanted for murder in Bexar County who along with the assistance of the US Marshals Service, local law enforcement agencies such as the Eagle Pass Police Department, the Maverick County Sheriff's Department and the Police Force of our sister city of Piedras Negras, Ruiz was apprehended after fatally shooting two people including Officer Jaime Antonio Sornia de Luna and wounding two women in a heavily populated shopping center.
"We have a very special working relationship with the law enforcement entities in both Eagle Pass and Maverick County. We need to coordinate our efforts as well as those of the State of Texas as we have a very close relationship commercially where we coordinate our services for the betterment of our border."
Adrián Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
Fernando Purón Johnston quien se dirigió amablemente y eficientemente a la importancia de la reunión de la Coalición de Alguaciles Fronterizos donde aceptó una invitación para informarles a los representantes de la ley de la gravedad de la situación actual que enfrentan ambas naciones en Texas, el comercio de drogas ilegales, la seguridad de las fronteras y la repatriación desenfrenada de los extranjeros indocumentados de los EE.UU. a México.
"Principalmente he querido darle a los sheriffs algunos detalles de lo que estamos haciendo por nuestra parte para hacer frente a estas cuestiones en relación de la seguridad. Obviamente, también estamos aquí para poner un puente de comunicación con estas autoridades con el fin de trabajar juntos, porque cuando las decisiones se toman a nivel estatal y nacional, hay veces en que no son tan acertadas y lo que queremos es que el gobierno tome en cuenta la opinión de los municipios y agencias a lo largo de la frontera cuando se toman decisiones", dijo el líder de nuestro vecino.
"El tema de la seguridad es muy específico por lo que se estan tomando muchos enfoques para abordar esta cuestión en Coahuila y México y sé que están haciendo algunas cosas muy eficaces en este lado de la frontera, pero siento que si comunicamos, y si nos coordinamos, podemos producir algunos resultados muy positivos en ambos lados de nuestras fronteras. también quería venir y expresar mi gratitud a los servicios que prestan para nosotros en este esfuerzo conjunto para asegurar nuestra frontera ".
Purón también invita a las agencias policiales locales a participar en sus reuniones estructurales y organizativas con sus altos funcionarios en aplicación de la ley.
Cuando cambiamos el tema de los 23,000 extranjeros repatriados, dijo que la población de Eagle Pass es 27,000. Imagínese esto muchas personas que se convierten en un problema de delincuencia que viene rápidamente en tu ciudad a la vez.
"Muchas de estas personas que no tienen nada que perder caer en las manos del crimen organizado y luego nos hacen daño, pero tenemos que seguir insistiendo que estos números continúan disminuyendo como lo hicieron en el año 2014 a 7,400, que de por sí es un soplo de aire fresco".
Press Release
-EPISD
January is designated School Board Recognition Month in Texas, and Eagle Pass ISD is joining other districts across the state to gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contributions that elected Board of Trustees make to their communities.
Superintendent Gilberto Gonzalez said that even though the District is making a special effort in January to show appreciation to Board members, their work takes a year-round commitment.
“As elected officials, they are the voice of our community, serving first and foremost in the best interest of children of Eagle Pass." he said. "Board members are remarkable people who voluntarily tackle the job of governing school districts. Their ultimate goal is always focused on the future success of every student enrolled in our district."
"Our board members provide vision and leadership in their roles as advocates, and they will continue to stand up for public education, our children, and our public schools," Gonzalez added. “They serve as a crucial link between the community and classroom. We applaud their efforts.”
Our seven elected individuals represent the interests of all Eagle Pass: our students, staff, parents, business owners, taxpayers and senior citizens. They fully understand their role as leaders and policy makers.
Serving on the Eagle Pass Independent School District: President Ignacio J. Saucedo, Vice- President Glenna Purcell, Secretary Lupita Fuentes, Trustee Hilda Martinez, Trustee Rudy Bowles, Trustee Humberto Torrabla, and Trustee Dr. Hector Alvarez.
Adrián Ibarra
-Condado de Maverick
Coordinador de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Maverick Polo Vielma le informó al News Gram del hecho de que él está trabajando con la empresa Everbridge para desarrollar un sistema de notificación masiva por el cual ambos involucrados en la coordinación de esfuerzos en caso de una emergencia como líderes de la comunidad y los administradores municipales y de condados y socorristas más los ciudadanos en general en nuestra comunidad pueden ser notificados de la información de emergencia.
Esto permitirá a los jugadores clave en los esfuerzos de rescate para ser notificados de las condiciones climáticas severas o la disponibilidad de refugios en el área inmediata de un desastre natural tales condiciones una inundación, incendio o mal tiempo.
"El sistema puede ser dividido en cuadrantes, áreas y recintos o si es necesario", dijo Vielma, él es ahora el Secretario de Distrito en el Condado de Maverick, "Los ciudadanos y / o actores clave en los esfuerzos de rescate o evacuación puede ser notificado de varias maneras y me tiene un sistema de pesos y contrapesos que asesora en el momento en que la persona lee el mensaje. Con la llegada de la telefonía celular avanzada, esto se puede lograr aún más rápido ".
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
The Eagle Pass News Gram was fortunate enough to meet with Piedras Negras Mayor Fernando Purón Johnston who graciously and efficiently addressed the importance of the Border Sheriffs Coalition meeting he accepted an invitation to, informing Texas lawmen of the seriousness of the present situation that faces both nations, the illegal drug trade, the security of or borders and the rampant repatriation of undocumented aliens from the US into Mexico.
"Mainly I wanted to give the sheriffs some details of what we are doing on our part to address these issues in relation to security. Obviously, we are also here to lay a bridge of communication with these authorities in order to work together, because when decisions are made at the state and national level, there are instances where they are not as successful and what we want is for government to take into account the advice of municipalities and agencies along the border when making decisions," said our neighbor's leader.
