http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/
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YOLI BEGUM AND SUPPORTERS DO CHARRO DAYS
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<span style="font-weight: normal; ">By</span><b> Juan Montoya</b><div style="font-weight: normal; ">When elections campaigning and Charro Days meld in the same month as they do this year, expect the candidates to be out there pressing the flesh and meeting the parade goers on Elizabeth Street.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">This year it's no different with candidates from congressional hopefuls </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YNr4kIpAMmz5NOFtIhiHOY1Cfj6jR4akb_QIdmMiPEIIRmyVvqnlJI46LaH1BYP-FWuX-6wqfzNiURhvFXzSWaxoQ7RYBiKPkte9y7qTnZGdrsrb_tra4i8jGucuQlYImhgO7yLQo3Y/s400/begumstand.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712450180725156818" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /><div style="font-weight: normal; ">to justice of the peace and constables to be jumping into the crowds.</div><div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Even before the children parade got going today, Justice of the Peace 2-2 can</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">didate Yolanda Begum and her supporters were out putting her food stand in place in front of her headquarters located smack in front of the Charro Days office.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">By the time the 2 p.m. parade time got under way, the stand was up and running as other candidates crowded around and put up their own campaign signs near the corner. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">During the International Parade on Saturday, there will be countless politicians of all stripes and persuasions riding on floats and convertibles decked out in their Charro Days best.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">They will all pass by the Charro Days office (and <span style="font-size: 100%; "> Yoli's stand and headquarters) where she and her supporters will stand in review of the passing parade.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">"We're going to be meeting people all weekend," Begum said. "On Friday we'll be here after 6 p.m. weather permitting and on Saturday we'll be here at 2 p.m. for the final parade. Drop by and say hi."</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-7724498215954092605?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/yoli-begum-and-supporters-do-charro.html
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BISD FORENSIC AUDIT: A CULTURE OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION
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<span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6lw4gOEnGiEYzQ4N2E0MzctNTM4NS00ODM3LWI5NmUtZjM5MmY4MTY2NTg0/edit"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 305px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8cNRAZI30NL9ONkVe2m3OP4qg6dczuioPhq9IA3gs6thW5eQ5M7aUQW95DOOwYaENf93UlcINIPtYfgqT7jgzW-6zL3MBOtCGiU1aXZBan1S9p4NBArxWEAWP5rCobDQ90we8Nn0yUI/s400/forensic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712401281260428770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-size:100%;">By <b>Juan Montoya</b></span><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></p><span><span>It now has become apparent that the small glimpses that the Brownsville Independent School District and the local daily have allowed the residents of the district to get of the forensic audit of operations during the last three years that found “systemic corruption at practically every level†was just the tip of the iceberg.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6lw4gOEnGiEYzQ4N2E0MzctNTM4NS00ODM3LWI5NmUtZjM5MmY4MTY2NTg0/edit">In the report released by the BISD</a>, (click on the blue letters or the graphic to the right to see it) </span></span>the Dallas firm of <span style=" ;font-size:100%;">Defenbaugh and Associates </span><span style=" ;font-size:100%;"> performed the $250,000 audit of the 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years and the administration of former Superintendent Brett Springston.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Besides finding “fraud, abuse, and waste†in multiple areas and tacit approval in the maintenance and transportation departments of time and attendance and overtime abuse, it also named individuals who contributed to the pilferage of BISD funds.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Phase I under Financials and Budget included investigation into the fund-balance depletion, ghost employees and no-show jobs, overtime scheme, capital equipment, adding non-eligible dependents on core benfits (medical, dental, vision) BISD purchase order and blank PO review, misuse, waste, or theft of state and/or federal funds, and expenses incurred by board members.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Phase II of the forensic audit covered bonds construction and an analysis of $136 million qualified construction bonds and the Phase III of the audit covered the E-Rate program.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">The 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years covered by the audit were during the administration of former Superintendent Brett Springston. Springston resigned to become the superintendent of the Bartlett independent School District in Central Texas, a district with one high school and one elementary school.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Carl Montoya later was named superintendent by a unanimous vote of the BISD Board of Trustees.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">In the first part of the report the auditors found that "fraud and waste was identified in multiple areas of the administration from the former Superintendent not upholding his fiduciary responsibilities; to the (2) two largest departments, maintenance and transportation, administrators, assistant administrators and supervisors/foremen giving tacit approval to time and attendance (T&A) abuse (maintenance) and giving tacit approval to overtime (OT) fraud (transportation.)</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Fraud and waste of federal and Texas state funds were found to be occurring in maintenance and transportation department along with placing BISD at risk of fines and other legal actions by the Texas Education Agency, the City of Brownsville and the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulations. Fixed Assets Department was identified as broken with a complete overhaul recommended.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">"Forensic audit found an air of entitlement amongst the rank and file employees inasmuch as fraud abuse and waste was the given and not the exception. Forensic audit found many department administrators had lost their sense of fiduciary responsibility and many interviewed made the statement "this is the way we've done it for years" or "it has been brought to their attention before and no one has done anything about it. Forensic audit found BISD to have no financial risk strategy. An outside law enforcement official who was presented with many of the identified fraud complaints said it best: "There is a tacit approval throughout BISD management. Where is the criminal intent when the supervisor approves the criminal act?...</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Forensic audit staff found that during the audit period, especially (Internal Audit Dept. Lead Auditor) Ms. Pizano-Flores and (Purchasing Dept. Administrator) Ms. Rosario Pena have encountered either threats or bullying from external forces to compromise their personal and professional integrity but both stood tall and refused the undue influence."</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Here, for our <i>Rrun-Rrun </i>readers is a complete version of the executive summary report. You decide whether a thorough house cleaning is overdue at the district.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></p></div></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-7809425767306301340?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/bisd-forensic-audit-culture-of-fraud_23.html
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KENNEY NAMES BLUES ROSTER AT COBBLEHEADS
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1irjU-4gc16ZRgYRPZxoLbK8E12swMK9MK1Lvr0c5b_6GE6bv6gbA10XK6KV3AoEpPuhSEJZGZu5fjHJXOvvlPf4bfhXDAmdREZQntKYiad83hws1lrEZ4997BLjZieULyhtc531D-8/s1600/cobbleheads.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1irjU-4gc16ZRgYRPZxoLbK8E12swMK9MK1Lvr0c5b_6GE6bv6gbA10XK6KV3AoEpPuhSEJZGZu5fjHJXOvvlPf4bfhXDAmdREZQntKYiad83hws1lrEZ4997BLjZieULyhtc531D-8/s400/cobbleheads.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712404482005413298" /></a><br />By <b>Joe Kenney</b><br /><div>"Brownsville's Little Austin" â€" Cobbleheads will be hosting some of Brownsville's favorite sons during the Charro Days festivities.</div><div>On Thursday, Feb. 23 â€" Albert Bestiero and los Bluzanos will rock the joint.</div><div>On Friday Feb. 24th â€" The Brew comes home to play for their P's.</div><div>On Saturday Feb. 25th â€" The Connectors with Los Bluzanos and special guests ( This will be an all out jam you won't want to miss. Virtually everyone who's anyone in the blues scene locally and in Austin will be here).</div><div>On Sunday Feb 26th â€" Los Bluzanos "Blues on the Deck" at 3:30 p.m. after the parades, Sombreo fest, Mr Amigo celebrations come to WOWSville. Always a Brownsville reunion at Cobbleheads.</div><div>Thanks, Joe</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-617738991171585410?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/kenney-names-blues-roster-at.html
RSS URL: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
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