EL RRUN RRUN
http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/
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H. MATAMOROS: TWO CENTURIES OF HISTORY
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Yw2tDKeUq1I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-4315315087353035690?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/h-matamoros-two-centuries-of-history.html
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YES, IT'S TRUE: CATY 'BLUNT AND OUTSPOKEN'
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/51818316?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="420" height="315" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1307556206065181334?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/yes-its-true-caty-blunt-and-outspoken.html
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ONE HAND WASHES THE OTHER; TREVINO REPLACES RODRIGUEZ
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By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong><br />Some may have been surprised, but others may have said that it was predictable that the legal counsel plum of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board was handed over to the law firm of former City of Brownsville mayor Eddie Treviño, of the Treviño and Boden Law Firm.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-9I_Tts7wWfZhxgSLOx7QWb4B7NwGoGMXqoqal8TSt4Hcjc-LqSrqpGjOpLfKaeOWfYkJcuVLku0UFSQiUNBBdcHgOXK-bPXW0OXfFmYBFpCeGBMhQIFFPpJip5_TC97_k5Vsz1u_RU/s1600/eddie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-9I_Tts7wWfZhxgSLOx7QWb4B7NwGoGMXqoqal8TSt4Hcjc-LqSrqpGjOpLfKaeOWfYkJcuVLku0UFSQiUNBBdcHgOXK-bPXW0OXfFmYBFpCeGBMhQIFFPpJip5_TC97_k5Vsz1u_RU/s1600/eddie.jpg" /></a>For several years, the <em>papita</em> gig was in the hands of another Eddie, this one Rodriguez, of Colvin, Chaney, Saenz & Rodriguez. We have not learned the details of the switch, but it appears to be poetic justice after the coup d'etat that Treviño pulled off when he appointed Emmanuel Vasquez to succeed Cris Valadez on the PUB board. The PUB board had just announced they would be replacing Rodriguez as legal counsel when Treviño rushed to have Vasquez sworn in and ruled that the board's vote to replace the law firm was not done legally since the term of Valadez had expired. <br />(In the picture above, Treviño is flanked by Vasquez, with mustache, and local attorney Ruben Herrera).<br />A court ruled in Treviño's favor and Vasquez was in, and Pee-Wee remained as counsel.<br />Now, with Treviño taking over the job, the clock has gone full circle.<br />With Dr. Dr. David S. Morales as Chairman, Enrique G. Nájera, Vice-Chairman, Oscar D. Garcia, Secretary/Treasurer, Arturo R. FarÃas and Vasquez as members, and Mayor Tony Martinez as Ex-Officio member, the board still has one vacancie left open when Raymond Hinojosa's term expired in July and was not reappointed by the city commission.<br />About the only item that even remotely addresses the issue of a legal counsel was in the Oct. 10 meeting for "Consideration and Approval of a Loca1 Board Counsel~J. Bruciak."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-3852737285306301533?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/one-hand-washes-other-trevino-replaces.html
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CHUCK OUT AT DA'S OFFICE; PLACED ON LEAVE WITHOUT $
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By<b> Juan Montoya</b><div>Well, the other shoe has finally dropped.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T6dIxbmJhew2feeZO3CkpSXUJTF2HxBXIg9Db3ciXrjuzFQ2bmAASWxaQiYnUdkT8xq_5kI2gtJcEHz65sBDUw6-VROnOENxh2YzsCwCkLoVapLg6cNl0u5R2NbrU4ZQr-aWI5YRUxw/s1600/ChuckMattinglyFilePhoto.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/AVvXsEg0T6dIxbmJhew2feeZO3CkpSXUJTF2HxBXIg9Db3ciXrjuzFQ2bmAASWxaQiYnUdkT8xq_5kI2gtJcEHz65sBDUw6-VROnOENxh2YzsCwCkLoVapLg6cNl0u5R2NbrU4ZQr-aWI5YRUxw/s320/ChuckMattinglyFilePhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a>After months of grumbling from those who had to work around him, the The Cameron County District Attorney's Office has placed Chuck Mattingly, its its top prosecutor, on leave just weeks before an election where he is seeking the post.</div><div>Cameron County District Attorney's Office spokesman Jason Moody confirmed that Mattingly, a Republican, was placed on leave from his job at the DA's office. Mattingly is still an employee with the office but is classified as being "on leave."</div><div>Mattingly is facing Democrat Luis Saenz in the election.</div><div>Rumors have run rampant throughout the campaign of Mattingly's absence from his position after he was sent to San Benito because of his "disruptive" behavior with his underlings. Some even claimed that Chuck would grow irate if the DA's staff would not support him politically.</div><div>Staff members also grumbled about his extended absence from the office after he broke his leg. His being placed on leave without pay now frees him to campaign without pretense of holding down his $106,000 salary.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-20152170832919177?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/chuck-out-at-das-office-placed-on-leave.html
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BARBOSA'S SUNDAY AD "BUTCH"ERED THE FACTS
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By <b>Juan Montoya</b><br />The Butch Barbosa campaign has shown by the placing of their political advertisement Sunday that they are not going to let a few facts get in the way of a good story.<br />As if airing dirty laundry, the Barbosa camp pulled out a list of alleged wrongdoings by incumbent Caty Presas-Garcia that â€" if true â€" would guarantee her stoning in an Arab country. But of course, a fib is much juicier than the truth.<br />For example, the Barbosa ad claims that the BISD has a $504 million budget. That is incorrect sand out of date. This year, it reached $509 million. The ;last $504 million budget was passed two years ago.<br />Presas-Garcia is not in the process of declaring bankruptcy. That, in fact, happened years ago. But of course, by stating that she "has declared" leads the reader to believe that the bankruptcy ins ongoing .The proceedings are over<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7j3dZZ4qOGNxkNVJaVZj4Imp-9GziCN4Mvk3w0O6jIQBZUInNF2OsDgVrgM8gITJdfqJ-xXuxJgTH5O72Jz1KrwSXDuYjcHDJbFIyyg7EQ1NU2Yph9S2xu_0uPZIGh1UpK5j7q2ZWp8/s1600/toy-19th-century-butchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7j3dZZ4qOGNxkNVJaVZj4Imp-9GziCN4Mvk3w0O6jIQBZUInNF2OsDgVrgM8gITJdfqJ-xXuxJgTH5O72Jz1KrwSXDuYjcHDJbFIyyg7EQ1NU2Yph9S2xu_0uPZIGh1UpK5j7q2ZWp8/s400/toy-19th-century-butchers.jpg" width="400" /></a>And no, $80 million is not required by BISD policy to be in the fund balance. Policy requires that there be enough there to operate for 75 days. Those who have actually followed BISD proceedings know that the figure used in discussing this $1 million a day to operate the district, and thus say the fund minimum should be at least $75 million.<br />Part of the reason the fund is below the minimum level is reduced funding from the sate of Texas. To work within the budget caused by those reductions, the district chose a middle path. that path included some drawing down from the fund balance savings and voluntary retirement/resignations from employees.<br />What was utilized from the fund balance prevented any layoffs of personnel. Yes the fund balance is lower, but no employee families have been thrown into crisis and the community has not been financially impacted by layoffs. If anything, Presas-Garcia and the board majority should be praised for a good use of savings.<br />When Barbosa also points out that two years ago the district was Recognized status, insinuating that academic performance has dropped. That, at the very minimum is misleading and at worst, dishonest. When presented out of context, it is also inflammatory.<br />Students take a different state test than they did two years ago. At that time the state was giving students credit for some incorrect answers on the tests (since discontinued) thus inflating scores. Test scores are always lower when a new test is first introduced. He could have pointed out that 56 percent of all districts in Texas did not meet AYP this year and 80 percent of the districts in the state, including BISD, have signed a petition asking the state for a more fair system.<br /> The explanation for the lower scores includes actions from both the state and federal governments in financial and academic areas and cannot be attributed entirely to local administration as is suggested in this ad.<br />But let's forgive that and ascribe it to ignorance of the facts. But the next part of the ad is plain inflammatory. The ad says 28 of 54 schools failed to meet minimum standards. There are many categories for each campus that must ALL be passed to meet standards. It is a disservice to these schools to call them failing when they have not met one of many bureaucratic categories. Is this how our students will be regarded if Barbosa gets to be a trustee?<br />And, then, of course, Barbosa could not pass the chance to bring up the Hector Gonzales-Antonio Juarez lawsuit settlement. Why did Caty vote for the Gonzales settlement? the ad asks. Would Barbosa have voted not to pout an end to the costly litigation brought on by the action of the previous bard majority after the insurers and the district had gone through $.2.3 million even before a single word of testimony had been heard in court.<br />With no end in sight, she opted to put an end to the excessive litigation costs and the district paid $700,000 when it could have paid three or four times as much had the district lost in court as its lawyers said it would. Are we to understand that Butch would have continued to throw good money after bad to defend the illegal conduct of the defendant trustees (Rick Zayas, Ruben Cortez, Joe Colunga and Rolando Aguilar) even after two federal courts said enough evidence had been presented for a jury to deliberate whether they had conspired to violate the men's civil rights?<br />Oh, by the way, Danny's last name is Defenbaugh not "Defendbaugh."<br />"The public deserves truthful answers, " the ad says.<br />They might have added that the public also deserves more truthful questions than this advertisement asks. If anything, Barbosa's ad indicates that he doesn't know facts, had not been following BISD issues before deciding to run at the last minute, presents info out of context to mislead, and â€" perhaps this is most important â€" offers absolutely no solutions.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-5351024886369349199?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/barbosas-sunday-ad-butchered-facts.html
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EARLY VOTING ON, AND SOROLA IS STILL ON THE BALLOT
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By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong><br />The voters are turning out in droves this presidential election year and one can only hope that a large outpouring of democratic fervor will wash out the politiquero-tainted voting outcomes this year.<br />And even though Moses Sorola announced he had suspended his campaign for the Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector post, his name is still on the ballot on the Republican ballot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHwtvds5y6oZrsZV1vv2kYe0mgZfRVoztj7vwgEtoS064D7gURuwzPKrsvq54rlqBJqM9SDpFdAxU3pUTwO0rfeMU2HOsmwnagSZn7B9E_xK0mwF7hPIGZHvrpB0Jt4lYhL6H71uiGuc/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHwtvds5y6oZrsZV1vv2kYe0mgZfRVoztj7vwgEtoS064D7gURuwzPKrsvq54rlqBJqM9SDpFdAxU3pUTwO0rfeMU2HOsmwnagSZn7B9E_xK0mwF7hPIGZHvrpB0Jt4lYhL6H71uiGuc/s320/0.jpg" width="320" /></a>Sorola cited health concerns when he suspended his campaign, but there are some that suspect other motives were behind the announcement. Regardless, we caught up with him the other day when he was removing some of his signs and he said that even after he stopped campaigning, outpouring of support has continued.<br />"There's people calling me saying that they were going to vote for me," he said. "Some of them haven't even heard that I stopped campaigning."<br />Sorola has earned the wrath of previous City of Brownsville commissioners and mayors when he demanded that the elected officials stop taking benefits not specifically stated in the city charter. A lawsuit in Judge Janet Leal's court vindicated his stand and the benefits stopped. However, the city stopped short of asking the commissioners to return the funds they had illegally accepted.<br />Among some of those were some political heavyweights, including the former Mayor Eddie Treviño. After the Sorola lawsuit was decided, future mayors such as Pat Ahumada had the option of buying into the city's health insurance at cost. Later, he was also party to a lawsuit that tries to stop the issuance of Certificates of Obligation by the city without voter approval.<br />While his gadfly maneuvers have not endeared him to the politicians, it has clearly resounded in the electorate.<br />"Moses is my dog," said a voter standing in line at the City Central Library early voting site. "He may not be campaigning, but I can still vote for him, can't I?"<br />Will Sorola's truncated campaign grow new legs and possibly even beat incumbent Tony Yzaguirre? Only the voters can decide.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1232442333172231077?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/early-voting-on-and-sorola-is-still-on.html
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