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Local News |
Published: May 23, 2013
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Published: May 23, 2013
CCAISD trustees on Monday renamed Paul Uranga as president of the school board. Mr. Uranga, along with two other incumbents – Angie Gonzales and Romy Ramirez – recently won re-election to the board.
Before the board took up more substantive issues, presentations were given by Melinda Baeza of the Boys and Girls Club, Joy Scott representing the Robotics Team and Marcia Crowley representing the Calculator Team.
Under Open Forum, Mario Balcazar addressed the board regarding his request for “open gym” at the Delaware campus on Wednesday nights. He said he had previously had success with the program, and he asked board members to reconsider his request for an adults-only type of activity on Wednesday nights.
Later in the meeting, trustees went into closed session twice to discuss Level III hearings regarding a termination complaint by Edna Clark and a parent complaint by Michael Garibay and Alexandria Urias. Following both closed sessions, trustees voted to deny both complaints.
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Published: May 23, 2013
May 17, 2013 was a great day for the Baker family and the Shelley family. After four years of very hard work on the part of both parents and teens, Earl and Sylvia Baker and Howard Shelley were proud to celebrate their sons’ graduation from high school.
Both young men gave a speech on Friday night to a full house at the Methodist Church. Ty Baker spoke about the path way to success, declaring that “True success depends upon a good attitude, a positive self-image, well-chosen friends, the will to change when necessary and a dream worth chasing.”
Rick Shelley gave a moving speech about what he believed manhood was all about: “Being a man is not about your size, or about pleasing your friends. It’s not about having your first smoke or taking your first drink. It’s about your character. You are a man if you work like one, take responsibility like one, say “no” like one, have the courage to do the right thing like one and respect others the way you want respect.”
He received a standing ovation.
The evening also included entertainment by the other students, presentation of academic and character awards and a reception at which some of their projects, essays and art work were displayed.
After winning Champion in calf-roping in Region II this year, Ty Baker will go on to Ranger College in Ranger, Texas, courtesy of a full ride scholarship.
He will study agricultural business and rodeo for the college team. Rick Shelley graduated from The Texas Auctioneer’s Academy last year. He will go on to get his certification in welding this next year and continue his education in electrical troubleshooting on farm sprinklers.
We are so proud of these graduates. There is no doubt that they will go on to be upstanding and productive citizens who will benefit any community they choose to infiltrate.
ACHEVH (Association of Christian Home Educators of Van Horn) is a support group and cooperative supporting the home educating families in the Van Horn and surrounding communities.
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| Community News |
Published: May 23, 2013
 Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well-greased 12 cup Bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate. If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.
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Published: May 23, 2013
Last Thursday, the House passed SB 123, which strengthens TEA’s oversight of school districts by providing the commissioner of education with the authority to issue subpoenas and the ability to more easily investigate suspicious data reporting by districts.
“Texas has been working toward increased accountability and transparency in education,” said state Sen. José Rodríguez. “Given the events in El Paso, it is important that we apply due diligence and oversight to actions taken both locally and at the state level.”
One of the tools the state uses to review local operations is the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Through PEIMS, schools report student data such as enrollment history, disciplinary history, graduation status and LEP status, as well as personnel data.
Current law allows the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner to initiate an investigation for a variety of reasons, but allegations of inaccurate data reported through PEIMS are not included.
| Editorial |
Published: May 23, 2013
In the last few months, a new church, the Van Horn Community Church, has opened in Van Horn. Located at 1603 East Broadway in the old Van Horn Funeral Home, the church has taken an old disused building and has turned it into a working church complete with a sanctuary, children’s rooms, and even a fellowship hall.
Local volunteers, along with the team from Badillo Construction, and led by Pastor Rodney Tilley, together labored to see that a church that catered to the diverse population of Van Horn be established. It was from this idea that the church got its name: “The Van Horn Community Church.” The church’s desire is to cater to the community and to those traveling through with spiritual instruction and nourishment. We want everyone to know that the church is open to all people of all ages.
The church adopted the slogan; “Where New Life in Christ Begins,” for it is with that purpose or goal that the church was organized. According to Pastor Tilley, the church wants to bring new life in Christ to a world that is searching for meaning and significance. He stated that Jesus-Christ is seeking to bring people to a life of forgiveness, peace, and a love for God and man, and God does that through individuals and through the community at large.
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Published: May 23, 2013
The state’s leading provider of curriculum, CSCOPE, has decided to discontinue offering lesson plans as part of its curriculum package. Senate Education Chairman Dan Patrick made the announcement at a news conference on May 20.
CSCOPE, according to Patrick, would refocus on the “original business plan of providing a management tool for teachers to stay on schedule” with regard to the required state curriculum. This decision follows months of controversy and debate over a handful of CSCOPE lessons and will affect nearly 80-percent of Texas districts, including CCAISD.
Of the 1,600 lessons available to teachers within CSCOPE, the controversy centered on a handful of Social Studies lessons that were interpreted by some as anti-American. In reviewing those lessons, I would agree those were poor choices and should be thrown out.
However, overall, the lessons were solid and provided valuable examples and resources to teachers. Worst, this decision was made by lawmakers far removed from the classroom.
The danger is what State Board of Education member Thomas Ratliff called “a slippery slope to Internet filters, censorship, and other limitations on teachers in the classroom.”
He continues, “Is Senator Patrick suggesting that a teacher can’t use an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal in his/her classroom unless the SBOE and Texas Legislature approve every article? Where does this stop?
The rural areas of Texas don’t want or need somebody from Austin telling us what’s best for our classrooms in our local schools. We need flexibility and transparency to do what’s best for our local communities.”
How does the CSCOPE decision affect CCAISD? Along with the majority of other rural Texas districts, CCAISD uses CSCOPE as a curriculum management tool. Larger districts typically have their own departments dedicated to curriculum alignment, but small districts generally cannot afford such a cost.
Therefore, CCAISD will continue to use CSCOPE as its curriculum management tool. The discontinuance of lesson plans will not impact the quality of your child’s education.
The largest impact will be on teachers who will now have one less resource available to them in planning their lessons. CSCOPE lessons modeled an active learning environment and gave useful examples that were especially helpful to beginning teachers.
Moving forward, please continue to support your teachers, students, staff, administration, and school board. Acting together, nothing will stop up from achieving our vision of being the “District of Choice.”
Yours truly,
Marc A. Puig, Superintendent
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Published: May 23, 2013
Washington, D.C., is a city of memorials - impressive testaments to the men and women who have sacrificed for and shaped our country. Most of these monuments are complete. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is unique - it is the only memorial in Washington, D.C. that will never be finished.
Unlike memorials created to honor other brave Americans who lost their lives serving their country, new names of fallen officers killed in the line of duty are added to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial each year. During National Police Week, the colleagues, friends and families of these fallen officers visit the memorial to pay their respect to those who have fallen in the line of duty.
When it was dedicated in 1991, the names of more than 12,000 fallen officers were engraved on the walls of the memorial. Today, the names of nearly 20,000 are inscribed. During this year’s ceremony, the names of 143 fallen officers were added.
A fellow West Texan, Deputy Sheriff Josh Mitchell from Reagan County, was on that list. Deputy Mitchell was shot and killed on August 1, 2012, in Big Lake, Texas, while answering a call. He was 25 years old. He is survived by his wife Jill, his parents, and his siblings. An entire community, indeed, an entire region, continues to mourn his loss.
| Obituaries |
Published: May 23, 2013
 Elias Gonzales Navarette, 60, was called to our Lord on Saturday, May 18, 2013.
A Rosary was recited on Tuesday, May 21 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Funeral mass was celebrated on May 22 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Father Saul Pacheco officiating. Burial followed the mass in the Van Horn Cemetery under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home of Fort Stockton. Pallbearers serving: Carlos Tarango, Dice Navarette, Damien Tarango, Joe Gutierrez, Ismael Segura, Sr.
Mr. Navarette was born on March 21, 1953 in El Paso, Texas to Manuel Navarette and Consuelo Gonzales Navarette. He will be greatly missed but will remain in our hearts forever.
Elias is preceded in death by his parents; Manuel and Consuelo Navarette.
Elias is survived by son, Elijah Navarette of Van Horn, brother, Rene Navarette and wife, Diana, of Van Horn, and seven grandchildren.
| Features |
Published: May 23, 2013
My grandmother recently made the transition from living alone to a nursing home. She will be 93 years old this month. My family credits her toy poodle, Mittzy, with helping her remain in her home as long as she did.
After my grandpa died, Mittzy became my grandma’s single responsibility, and more importantly her purpose. They went on walks, no meals were ever skipped—as evident by her slight obesity—and even when company was at the house to help feed or let Mittzy out, they weren’t allowed.
My grandma suffers from macular degeneration, a medical condition that results in a loss of central vision due to retinal damage, so it became difficult for her to do everyday things such as use the oven. My parents, aunts and uncles remain in my hometown, so she always had a lot of company; but no one had the time to commit to the day to day chores.
So my family hired a caretaker.
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Published: May 23, 2013
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry last week signed Senate Bill 1611, the Michael Morton Act, which will help prevent wrongful convictions in Texas.
“Texas is a law-and-order state, and with that tradition comes a responsibility to make our judicial process as transparent and open as possible,” Gov. Perry said. “Senate Bill 1611 helps serve that cause, making our system fairer and helping prevent wrongful convictions and penalties harsher than what is warranted by the facts.”
The Michael Morton Act will allow Texas’ criminal justice system to be more responsive to a case, even after it has been tried, by ensuring a more open discovery process. The bill’s open file policy allows for broader discovery, and removes barriers for accessing any evidence, except for items that would affect the security of a victim or witness.
“Discovery reform is simply vital to the reliability and quality of our justice system,” Sen. Ellis said. “The Michael Morton Act will help safeguard the innocent, convict only the guilty, and provide justice the people of Texas can have faith in.”
“The Michael Morton Act is an incredibly important step in creating a more just Texas criminal justice system,” Rep. Thompson said. “It will improve the reliability of criminal convictions and ensure that we have a quality justice system where all relevant evidence and facts are brought to light, and allow for more efficient resolutions to criminal proceedings.”
Senate Bill 1611 becomes law on Sept. 1, 2013.
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Published: May 23, 2013
 AUSTIN — With 10 days to go until the end of the 140-day 83rd regular session of the Texas Legislature, a committee of House and Senate negotiators on May 17 agreed on a proposed state budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.
Next step is for the 150-member House and the 31-member Senate to accept or reject the work of the negotiators in votes expected to take place May 20 or 21. Pressure is on to get the budget bill to Gov. Rick Perry as soon as possible, while lawmakers carrying hundreds of other bills hope to squeeze as many as possible through the process in the last few days of the session.
Members of both parties in both houses worked furiously to replace as much as possible of the $5.4 billion cut from public education in the 2011 legislative session as part of an across-the-board budget-reducing plan.
The comprise before the Legislature now would increase education funding by about $4 billion and take $2 billion out of the state’s Rainy Day Fund for water infrastructure improvements. Another $400 million from the Rainy Day Fund would be added to transportation funding already in the base budget bill.
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Published: May 23, 2013
 AUSTIN — Texas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment expanded by 33,100 jobs in April.
Texas added 326,100 jobs from April 2012 to April 2013. The state’s annual growth rate in April stood at 3.0 percent, and has been above 2.5 percent since the beginning of 2012. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in April at 6.4 percent. It remains well below the nation’s April unemployment rate of 7.5 percent.
“All major industries in Texas added jobs over the last 12 months and our civilian labor force is at an all-time high with more than 12.7 million workers,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Andres Alcantar.
“This is an encouraging period of growth for our state and we will work with our partners to keep Texas the top choice for business in the country.”
Over the month, eight of the 11 major industries in Texas saw positive growth. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 16,000 jobs in April. The state’s largest industry, it has grown by 58,400 jobs over the year.
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