Martinez' appointment marks cycle of 

Community service coming full circle

A.D. Ibarra

-Eagle Pass

Hilda Martinez, daughter of Francisco 'Cisco' Martinez has been symbolically called upon to serve her community much in the way her father served on the board in the late 80's.

This cycle came full circle on Thursday, August 8th when now EPISD Board Secretary Lupita Fuentes made the motion to recommend Hilda Martinez, a local businesswoman and licensed pharmacist, to fill the vacant spot recently left by Ana Santleben.

"I'm very excited and thankful for this opportunity to work for the students of Eagle Pass and hope to assist the teachers and staff of the EPISD," stated the EPISD's newest trustee, "I also hope to educate myself in the process and do the best of my ability to serve."

Board President Ignacio Saucedo added that they are "Excited in having someone with her intelligence.  She is well respected, brings energy to the position and a different view than that we're used to seeing on the board," stated the highest ranking board member, "We have high hopes that she will adjust quickly and do well for the community."

Brother Francisco, a local attorney and our Municipal Court Judge was also on hand to see his sister appointed and this reporter is sure he had his father in his thoughts much as I have mine every time I walk into the DSC Board Room.

Martinez comes in right at budget time and at the beginning of the school year just before registration, back-to-school time and as state test results await to be approved and accreditation statuses for our schools to be officially declared next month.

BANNING, Calif. —

A thousand firefighters battled a growing wildfire in the inland mountains of Southern California early Thursday, trying to save small communities where some home have been lost and an estimated 1,500 residents were forced to flee. Flames roiled along foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains in Banning Pass 90 miles east of Los Angeles. The fire moved eastward, pushed by a steady wind from the west, said Julie Hutchinson, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press LAKESIDE, Calif. (AP) —

Amber Alerts expanded to Oregon and Washington as authorities searched for a Southern California man suspected of abducting a 16-year-old girl and wanted in the death of the girl's mother and possibly her 8-year-old brother. Oregon state police said there was a possible sighting of James Lee DiMaggio's blue Nissan Versa in northeast California near Alturas on Wednesday, followed by another about 50 miles along the same highway near Lakeview, in south-central Oregon.