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| At last Friday’s Valentine groundbreaking ceremony were (left to right) Albert Miller, Rylan Edgmon, Victor Enciso, Twister Smith, Bob Schwab, Mayor Chuy Calderon, Councilmen Danny Garcia and Serjio Rangel; Mike Green (Photo and caption courtesy of Mayor Chuy Calderon) |
- Town of Valentine takes its first steps in improving the quality of life for its citizens. On Saturday, February 27th, Valentine officials, led by Mayor Chuy Calderon gathered along with the public to celebrate the ground breaking ceremony of the new $2.5 million water collection and treatment system. Back in November, the Town of Valentine was awarded a grant of $2.5 million by the Texas Water Development Board through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
In addition to the Valentine officials, other dignitaries included Doug Cook, Superintendent of the Valentine ISD, Freddy Granado, Jeff Davis County Justice of the Peace, Larry Porras, Valentine School Board member, and County Commissioner and Water Superintendent, Albert Miller. Victor Enciso from Frank X. Spencer & Associates, along with Mike Green and Bob Schwab, grant administrators, and Twister Smith and Rylan Edgmon of Smithco Construction were present as well.
With these funds, Valentine proposes to install a first-time wastewater collection and treatment system to serve the city’s residents. The system will replace te on-site sewage facilities, cess pools and open pits currently used for disposal of sewage.
The Texas Water Development Board is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with the regional planning and preparing the State Water plan for the development of the state’s water resources. TWDB administers cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agriculture water conservation projects.
The water collection and treatment system is one of several projects initiated by Town of Valentine elected officials, which is attempting to address the needs of its citizens.
City sets "big clean-up" event for April 10th
Van Horn’s Annual Community Cleanup and 1st Annual Tire Amnesty Event will be Saturday, April 10. This event offers clubs and non-profit organizations as well as individuals an opportunity to make a difference for our community while working to earn some much needed cleanup appreciation money.
This year’s event will offer opportunities for local groups and a top individual to earn and win cash prizes.
The first opportunity is the yearly bulk waste collection event where the community is given an opportunity to get rid of those old refrigerators, limb piles, discarded furniture and other bulk debris. In this event, local organizations and individuals are given the opportunity to compete against each other to see who can eliminate the most bulk waste by weight.
Roll-off garbage containers will be set up next to the truck scales, across the street from G&M Video, where the waste will be weighed and then discarded. The group that turns in the most bulk waste will receive $500 prize money with second place receiving $300 and third place receiving $100. Also, the individual that collects the most bulk waste, apart from the organizations, will receive $250.
The bulk collection event will begin with a group check-in at 8:30 am at the scales and the collection will last until 1:00 pm, at which time the contest portion of the event will end. The roll-off containers will remain in place all weekend for anyone else who has bulk disposal needs.
Illegally dumped scrap tires will be accepted from individuals, clubs and organizations, and will be counted toward bulk weight totals.
The second opportunity for local clubs to earn cash will come in the city-wide trash cleanup that will begin on April 10th and run through the end of May. In this event, local clubs and organizations will receive assigned cleanup areas along major streets in town. Once the club cleans up their area and provides verification of the cleanup effort, then the city will reward them with a check for $200 as a small thank you. To participate in this portion of the cleanup effort, contact Grace Marta for trash bags and safety vests.
Clubs and organizations will receive their letters of assignment mid-March and have until the end of May deadline to do their assigned cleanup area in order to receive their thank you money. Groups may do their cleanup on the day of April 10th cleanup event, but are encouraged to make the arrangements that best fit their organization’s meeting schedule and allow their members, who might be a part of two different groups, to coordinate their cleanup effort.
If you have items that need to be hauled away, please call Grace and we’ll ask one of our volunteers to come by your home the day of the cleanup to pick it up.
For more information, call cleanup event coordinator Grace Marta at 283-2735, or City Hall at 283-2050.
Girl Scouts look for interest from volunteers
A call to interested volunteers: The Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest-Van Horn Troop periodically works on activities that help the Scouts earn patches. These activities follow the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which engages the girls to Discover, Connect and Take Action.
The Daisy Scouts earn petals for learning the parts of the Girl Scout law. They will each build a window box and then plant and help flowers grow in their boxes.
The Brownies earn Try-It patches. Three upcoming patches are: Creative Composing, Dancercize, and Earth and Sky.
The Juniors earn badges. Three upcoming badges are: Car Care, Ceramics and Clay, and Pet Care.
If you have a skill in any of these areas and are interested in sharing your knowledge, please contact the Girl Scouts for more information. Sharron Rust, 432-283-2760, Grace Marta, 432-284-0204, or Amy Morales, 432-283-2152
The Girl Scouts meet each Monday at the Boys and Girls Club. The Daisy and Brownie Scouts meet at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the Juniors from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Currently there is not a leader for Cadette Scouts, grades 6-8. Girls in this age group can register as individual members known as Juliettes in Girl Scouts until there is a volunteer leader.
Rodriguez tells his Mobile Office hours
U.S. Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (TX-23) announces the following Office Hours for communities in West Texas NEXT WEEK. Constituents are welcome to attend and meet with a member of the Congressman’s staff to get assistance with any issues they may have, including how to work with federal agencies.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Mobile Office Hours in Alpine, Brewster County
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Alpine City Hall
100 N. 13th Street in Alpine
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Mobile Office Hours in Presidio, Presidio County
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
City of Presidio Library
1200 East O’Reilly Street in Presidio
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Mobile Office Hours in Clint, El Paso County
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Clint Senior Center
200 N. San Elizario in Clint
Friday, March 12, 2010
Mobile Office Hours in Van Horn, Culberson County
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Culberson County Courthouse, 300 La Caverna in Van Horn
New law affects 18 to 24 year old driver license applicants
2010, driver license applicants between the ages of 18 and 24 must complete an approved driver education course and a driving skills test to become a licensed driver in Texas. Applicants must submit a certificate proving that they successfully completed a driver education course approved by the Texas Education Agency.
Senate Bill 1317, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature in 2009, created this requirement and authorized the development of a six-hour adult driver education course to meet the needs of this group of drivers.
Applicants who present proof of successful completion of the approved course will not be required to submit to the written highway signs and traffic laws test required under section 521.161 of the Texas Transportation Code, but must still pass the driving skills examination.
A driving safety course or drug and alcohol driving awareness program are not acceptable as driver education courses for this requirement. A list of approved courses can be found here: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/drive/activede.html.
This change in the law does not affect applicants ages 15 to 17, who are still required to complete a driver education course to be licensed.
DPS opens to current Texas law enforcement officers
For the first time in its 75-year-history, the Department of Public Safety will hold an advanced 8-week school for current Texas and eligible out-of-state law enforcement officers who are interested in becoming Highway Patrol Troopers.
The first advanced recruit school will begin May 16, 2010, in Austin. The application deadline is March 31, 2010.
“This is an excellent opportunity for current law enforcement officers who want to be Highway Patrol Troopers,” said Steven C. McCraw, director of the DPS.
Qualified applicants will have an opportunity to select their duty station before starting the advanced course.
Texas peace officers must have an active state peace officer license and pass the physical readiness test. Out-of-state peace officers must have passed the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education licensing examination and provide proof of successful completion of a state approved basic police officer training academy. All applicants must meet other eligibility requirements, including being a U.S. citizen and be at least 21 years of age. Candidates must also pass a background investigation and submit to a polygraph examination and psychological examination.
After gaining experience, troopers can compete for a variety of assignments including criminal investigative agents involved in organized criminal investigations, intelligence and counter terrorism, protective services; and Texas Rangers.
While attending the advance school, officers will earn $2,982.25 per month. Upon graduation, they will receive $3,258.08 per month, and that salary increases to $3,935.08 per month after one year with DPS. Troopers, who speak Spanish, have college degrees and higher law enforcement certifications beyond basic are eligible for additional incentive pay.
Additional information is accessible on the DPS Web site, www.joindps.com, and application packets can be picked up at any DPS office. Potential applicants can call a toll-free number, 1-866-TXTROOP (898-7667), that rings directly into the recruiting office at DPS Headquarters in Austin. DPS is an equal opportunity employer.
Obituary
Sandra Valdez, Age 42, passed away on February 27, 2010 in Odessa, TX. She was born in Van Horn on April 2, 1967 and was a 1986 graduate of Van Horn High School. She was a fun person to be around and will be greatly missed.
Sandra is survived by her parents, Rogue Valdez and Gloria Valdez of Van Horn; two sisters, Mitzi Jean Valdez of Las Vegas, NV and Arlene V. Rodriguez and husband Rafael of Van Horn, TX; two brothers, Rudy Valdez and wife Selena Estrada Valdez of Van Horn, and Victor Roman Valdez of Arizona; thirteen nieces and fifteen nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Hubert Valdez.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, March 4, at the Highway 54 Church of Christ at 10:00 am. Burial followed at Van Horn Cemetery. Pallbearers were Jaime Santa Cruz, Caesar Santa Cruz, Isaiah Rodriguez, Jacob Nieto, Leroy Martinez and Joe Gutierrez. Services were entrusted to Carrillo Funeral Home.
Birthdays
March 4th - Aaron Carrillo.
March 5th - Butch Harris, Ramona McDonald (In Memory), Chasitty Carrillo, Stefanie Molinar, Skylar Gregory, Wally Melendez, Julio Reyna, Jr.
March 7th - Jose Rivera, Jazmin Alvarado, Armando Gonzalez.
March 8th - Juana Melendez, Kayden Rey, Nicholas Conley, Micayella Urias.
March 9th - Michelle Molinar, Christopher Melendez.
March 10th - Tanya Harper, Slick Flores, Ethan Hinojos, Caleb Hinojos, Socorro Guerrero, Haleigh Pena, Soledad Gonzalez.
Anniversaries
March 4th - Mr. and Mrs. John Rodriguez.
March 5th - Mr. and Mrs. Clint Gregory.
March 6th - Mr. and Mrs. Lolo Urias, Mr. and Mrs. Don Collins.
