EL RRUN RRUN
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WHEN TOMASITA SHOWS UP WITH TAMALES, IT MUST BE ELECTION TIME
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By<strong> Juan Montoya</strong><br />If he was anything, the elderly resident of the high rise operated by the Brownsville Housing Authority it was jovially frank.<br />One of perhaps 30 seniors who were induced by politiqueras in the hire of the Erin Gracia Hernandez campaign to vote by mail in the July 31 JP 2-2 runoff race, he recalls laughingly that when politiquera Tomasita Chavez shows up with a half-dozen tamales in front of his door, it must be time to vote.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmSkHt02sWudx7EK3E-RXz6AXctauCWBCEjBI5Syf-Qdpv7e7ysqskwpcpeRxpL4uLhWevBjx_Sqe9m9JaFNxKwoHl45kuIBIhgSnTElB3fv0diVZ_AwPMwv5_RNOddKSAPRP_ty6I-U/s1600/tamales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmSkHt02sWudx7EK3E-RXz6AXctauCWBCEjBI5Syf-Qdpv7e7ysqskwpcpeRxpL4uLhWevBjx_Sqe9m9JaFNxKwoHl45kuIBIhgSnTElB3fv0diVZ_AwPMwv5_RNOddKSAPRP_ty6I-U/s1600/tamales.jpg" /></a>Voting, in the definition that has come to be known to residents of the 14-story retirement edifice, consists of signing their name on the ballot inside the green envelope that arrives at their mail box at the high rise, signing the envelope, and then handing it over to Chavez, who gives them the six tamales.<br />It's not exactly a biblical pottage of lentils, but they serve the same purpose, apparently.<br />"What would you call that?" he asks, laughing at the interviewer. "Is it selling the vote? Of course, it is."<br />Whether it's the promise of a half-dozen tamales, a plate of barbecued chicken, or an occasional gift of Mexican sweet bread, the cadre of the Hernandez political machine have refined voter fraud to an exquisite art. The relationships established with these elderly over the course of a few decades allow them the entry each election season. To the voters, who must meet economically disadvantaged qualification parameters to be able to live there, a half-dozen tamales, a plate of chicken and two or three pieces of pastry are a welcome addition to their daily diet.<br />Then, the salesmanship of the politiqueras takes over.<br />"They say why do you bother to go out into the hot sun and vote in person when you can just do it by mail?" said the man. "Then they say that they will do it for you so you won't have to bother. 'Just sign the envelope and we'll take care of it.'"<br />Extensive interviews of many of the elderly who voted in the runoff election indicates to members of the Citizens Against Voter Abuse (CAVA) the existence an extensive network of political operatives who work in conjunction to harvest votes for the highest bidder. In the case of the July 31st election, the pre-marked ballots that these operatives were handing out included Erin Hernandez, Carlos Masso, Abel Gomez, and even Denise Blanchard, in the race for the Democratic Party nomination for the new Congressional District 34.<br />Hernandez's victory over Yolanda Begum for JP 2-2 triggered a lawsuit that was dismissed by a visiting judge on a time technicality without any deliberation over the massive voter fraud alleged by Begum's attorneys. Apparently, the judge heeded the testimony of Cameron County's Election Administrator Roger Ortiz who said that he would not have enough time to print the November general election ballots if Hernandez was to lose and she appealed the decision.<br />Almost lost in the shuffle was the lawsuit filed by Pete Avila, the Pct. 2 Constable defeated by challenger Abel Gomez. Avila filed a lawsuit mirroring Begum's that has yet to be heard. Representing Avila is local attorney Juan Jose Martinez. Gomez contracted the services of legal eagle Ernesto Gamez.<br />Still, it is doubtful to many that Avila's lawsuit will have a different outcome than Begum's, though it's hard to determine what Martinez's argument will be.<br />Regardless of the outcome in that litigation, the voters who cast their ballots with Tomasita will never know, or perhaps care.<br /><em>"Quien sabe por quien votamos</em>," said the jovial man. "If we got tamales and she took the vote, what's that called? Is it selling your vote? What would you call it?<br /><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1550973234422521642?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/09/when-tomasita-shows-up-with-tamales-it.html
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A MILE A DAY KEEPS THE LONJA AWAY...AND, SLEEP, TOO
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpBor4wFLfgcIrzcf6XKw6u7Td5X33AVkZfzNn9SnAE9IN_fxPIelRtp0EXqmzTand0DriZsOrU7UClNU01k-H9LD5z2XDRUNXOxyVaTYWaWJVhXV8D23eoMkIamU8YFvlVWmiLscSjk/s1600/Nana+Race1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpBor4wFLfgcIrzcf6XKw6u7Td5X33AVkZfzNn9SnAE9IN_fxPIelRtp0EXqmzTand0DriZsOrU7UClNU01k-H9LD5z2XDRUNXOxyVaTYWaWJVhXV8D23eoMkIamU8YFvlVWmiLscSjk/s400/Nana+Race1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>By<b> Juan Montoya</b><br />It's not often that I get up at the unearthly hour of 6 a.m.<br />Before the sun broke in the east and the cumulus clouds loomed over the Gulf like dark mushroom spires we were headed out to Amigoland to â€" of all things â€" watch my nine-year-old run a mile, her first attempt at anywhere near that distance.<br />Marisol was one of three girls from Hudson Elementary participating in the run. There were several hundred girls and women and about double that number of boys and men who took off toward the levee from the starting point at the end of Palm and Mexico Boulevards.<br />There is, I discovered, a healthy and numerous community of milers, marathoners and hobby runners in Brownsville. Of course, this was a sort of introductory run for Marisol and any advice her dad gave her was probably lost between the butterflies in her stomach and the commotion of running in the middle of the pack of 200 hundred or so other girls and women.<br />When I picked her up and her mother found that there was a late registration entry $15 fee, she was incredulous.<br />"What? She has to pay to go running?," she fumed. "I don't know about those schools. All they want is money."<br />Nonetheless, we overcame that hurdle and off we went, even without a cup of coffee to alleviate the jolt of the early rise. But Fall is coming, I am glad to report. With the temperature hovering in the low 70s, the slight easterly breeze made it feel like it was in the high 60s, and the air conditioning in the car was unnecessary.<br />The event â€" called the Palm Blvd. Mile â€" is on its 25th Anniversary and was hosted by the Brownsville Marathoners Running Club, a non-profit organization that has been promoting running in Brownsville since 1976, not the Brownsville schools. However, they do use the district schools to outreach to young running enthusiasts like Marisol.<br />According to their website, the main objective of the club is to promote and encourage physical fitness and to educate the public on its many benefits. Another objective is to engage and coordinate with other agencies to advocate physical fitness.<br />The Club holds four events throughout the year: The Palm Blvd Mile done in September since 1987, the Run for Your Heart-Turkey Trot held the weekend before Thanksgiving since 1982, the Charro Days Classic held in conjunction with the Sombrero Festival in February and is the oldest of the foot races in the Rio Grande Valley since 1979. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-d9GEqnRgxYtVM6j1DK2xtRd7lDnSfzG6fNHeBeat800ph4qSypc64yMEKB4Ak1nBOeInQAh8MdmBpCzBg4DUxgVTTHhq17zxBf129qHH51fwl4u3ZilQeEDoMCcpFzaxmGnAmZBCQ4/s1600/run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-d9GEqnRgxYtVM6j1DK2xtRd7lDnSfzG6fNHeBeat800ph4qSypc64yMEKB4Ak1nBOeInQAh8MdmBpCzBg4DUxgVTTHhq17zxBf129qHH51fwl4u3ZilQeEDoMCcpFzaxmGnAmZBCQ4/s320/run.jpg" width="320" /></a>The latest addition to the events is the Autism Awareness Fun Run held in April (the picture at left). Participation â€" especially among school-age children â€" has increased dramatically. To help curtail total expenses, the club seeks sponsors and has had a few takers, including the Heart Institute which we figure has a natural stake in people exercising for a healthy heart.<br />Additionally, monies accrued during the year are used to award $4,000 worth of scholarships to Brownsville graduating seniors who qualify for their accomplishments in track and cross-country during their four years in high school and are continuing a higher education. <br />The Brownsville Marathoners Running Club also assist with BISD cross-country annual activities by providing the finish line set up and refreshments to all runners.<br />Now, our young marathoner (miler, actually) drew number 725 and was awarded the medal for finishing the mile. It was thrilling for me to see her long hair waving behind her as she strove to end in a sprint on the home stretch, even if she did finish in 104th place in the pack.<br />"I beat the other two girls from Hudson," she said later after she caught her breath. "A mile is longer than I thought. Now that I know, I think I can probably do better next time."<br />Brownsville Marathoners, you got another bite.<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-4534640695770558585?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-mile-day-keeps-longa-awayand-sleep-too.html
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