How old is the oldest person in Brownsville? That question remains unanswered at the present time but it could be answered  when the City of Brownsville recognizes local residents who are at least 90 years of age.  The event is scheduled to unfold at high noon on Thursday, May 20,  at the Brownsville Events Center, 1 Events Center Blvd.

   At present there are 75 persons  over 90 years of age who have sent their RSVP to attend the luncheon. Included in this number are  six who are 100 or older. It looks as if the oldest Brownsville resident is 105-year-old Bernabe Hernandez, but he is unable to attend, so the next oldest, Cecilia Sanchez, 104, may be crowned the oldest person in our city. They are truly our most treasured resource.

   Thursday’s event will be the 10^th time the city has observed National Older Americans Month by recognizing the city’s oldest residents.

   Each year’s luncheon has always included residents who have reached  100 years of age. 

   In years past, the “oldest”  award has gone to persons aged 107, 106, 105 and many others slightly younger.

For the 11^th consecutive year, the City of Brownsville has been recognized as a “Tree City USA”, 2009, by the Arbor Day Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.  Since receiving the first award in 1998 Brownsville remains the only city in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to receive a Tree City USA designation. Brownsville is recognized as the most heavily forested cities in South Texas.  Brownsville has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community; the city has a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.  “We commend Brownsville’s elected officials, volunteers and its citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest,” said John Rosenow, chief  executive and founder of the  Arbor Day Foundation.  “Trees provide numerous environmental, economical and health benefits to millions of people each day, and we applaud communities that make planting and caring for trees a top priority.”

City Manager Charlie Cabler notes that plants provide for a cleaner environment because of the oxygen they give off. “It’s no coincidence that we have some of the cleanest air in Texas,” he says. “our urban forest canopy helps  provide the air we breathe and also helps to keep it clean.”

                For more information call City Forester Roy Reyes at 550-8345.

    Long-time city employee and Human Resources Director Lidia Gonzales has been named Texas Municipal Human Resources Management Professional of the Year by the Texas Municipal Human Resources Association (TMHRA).  Gonzales, a 32-year employee with the City of Brownsville,  received the award at the TMHRA  annual conference in Dallas on May 6th.  As Human Resources Director for the city, Gonzales is the arbiter  for employee relations, responsible for in-house employee training and the administrator of the employee handbook that governs the city workplace.  

   City Manager Charlie Cabler says he is extremely  proud of Gonzales, adding that she has certainly earned this recognition. “She is a friend to the employees,” says Cabler, “and is always fair and willing to lend a helping hand.”

   Brownsville Urban System (BUS) Director Norma H. Zamora has been named Outstanding General manager by the Texas Transit Association (TTA).  Zamora was chosen from a pool of general managers of public transit systems from throughout Texas. She was nominated by the TTA Awards Committee, which is made up of general managers from peer group transit agencies and other TTA members.  Zamora has more than 17  years of transit management and operating experience and has spent her entire career with systems in Texas, including the Corpus Christi Regional Transit Authority and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).  Zamora came to Brownsville in 1998 and since that time has enjoyed great success in obtaining grants and implementing improvements to the Valley’s largest urban transportation system, including the planning and design of the Brownsville Multimodal  Terminal (BMT) which is currently under construction. This facility will be a major hub for local, regional, national and international bus service.  

   “We are very proud of what Norma has done for  our bus system,” said City Manager Charlie Cabler. “We are pleased to see that her hard work and dedication is being recognized throughout Texas.”

   There’s nothing like a cool, crisp morning and a breath of fresh air, right?  Well, if you live in Brownsville you are breathing some of the cleanest air in the United States. That’s according to the American Lung Association, which ranks the Brownsville area No. 2 in having the least ozone air pollution.  Raymondville comes in at No. 3.

   Brownsville also ranks No. 8 among cities having the least amount of short-term particle pollution.  In its annual report, the lung association also ranks the cities with the dirtiest air with Los Angeles topping  the list, joined by Bakersfield, Houston, Phoenix and Charlotte, North Carolina.  These rankings are based date for 2006, ’07 and ’08 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  According to the lung association, clean air provides a healthy environment while dirt y air can spawn a litany of health problems relating to various respiratory ailments, including coughing, shortness of breath and other  more long-term conditions.

   City Manager Charlie Cabler says he is very pleased with the findings of the American Lung Association. “We are fortunate,” he said, “to live in an area with clean air which  no doubt provides us with a healthier life style and a longer life.”

   By virtue of eight winning efforts, the Brownsville Fire Department picked up the “Grand Champion” award at the Rio Grande Valley Firemen and Fire Marshal’s Association district poster contest. The posters were judged by staff members from the Museum of South Texas and local winners will go on to a state poster contest.  

   Entries were placed in six divisions from Kindergarten Pre-K, 1^st &  2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th, 5^th and 6^th, 7^th and 8^th, and High School, 9-12. Of 18 possible prizes, Brownsville students captured eight. There were 37 different South Texas fire departments entered in the competition.

                There were three winners in each of the six divisions.

    Winners are:

                Kindergarten/Pre-K: Cindy Castillo Pineda, Pre-K, Cromack Elementary, 2^nd place and Alejandra Mendez, Kinder, Cromack Elementary, 3^rd  place.

                Intermediate, 3^rd & 4^th grades: Diana Cavazos, Garden  Park Elementary, 1^st place.

                Junior High, 7^th & 8^th grades; Natasha Sauceda, 7^th grade, Perkins Middle School, 1^st place, Montserrat Gomez,7^th grade,  Lucio Middle School, 2^nd Place and Alonda Alcala, Oliveira Middle School, 3^rd place.

                High School, 9^th – 12^th grades: Elizabeth Casanova, 10^th grade, Lopez High School, 1^st place, Rafa Otero, 12h grade Livingway  Christian High School, 3^rd  place.

                Brownsville Fire Chief Lenny Perez says he’s very proud of the work of local students and he is particularly proud of so many winners among the local competitors.

            BROWNSVILLE—It’s being billed as a “basketball showdown” and it will pit various city officials against a group of Dallas Cowboys in a fund-raising game dedicated to raising money for Brownsville Crime Stoppers.

            Cowboy great Tony Hill will lead a group of current cowboys as they take on a team consisting of Brownsville City Commissioner Charlie Atkinson, Brownsville City Manager Charlie Cabler, Police Chief Carlos Garcia, Texas State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, School Board member Rick Zayas and hospital CEO David Handley.

            It all takes place Friday, April 9 at the Homer Hanna High School Gymnasium, 2615 Price Road, Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and tipoff is 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.

            All proceeds of this benefit basketball contest go to Brownsville Crime Stoppers which is sponsored by the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce.

Saturday, March 13 at 9 a.m., the fourth in a continuing series of events in the city’s wellness/Biggest Loser Challenge  will be held at Cabler Park, 4500 Burnet Road,  in east Brownsville.  Join the City Manager in a walk around the park and an aerobics workout.  This event, like a all events in the 12-week  “Biggest Loser” challenge is completely open to the public and is free of charge.

Modeled after the successful NBC television show of the same name, the local version offers cash prizes for the biggest losers. Winners will be announced at the final weigh-in on May 15th at the Brownsville Sports Park.

Special guest at the first weigh-in scheduled for Saturday, March 20th, will be John Cahill, the winner of the 2009 “Biggest Loser” contest. Cahill won by losing 239 of his 430 pound body weight, trimming down to 191 pounds. Cahill lost more than 55 per cent of his total body weight.

An anti-graffiti mural project will unfold this week, beginning on March 10 with the judging of entries in  an art contest which asks entrants to create paintings representative of their personal community impressions, or life around them as they see it.

First, second and third place winners will be announced Friday, March 12, 8:30 a.m. at Cummings Middle School. Winners will receive cash prizes, certificates and T-Shirts. 

Then, on Saturday, March 13, beginning at 8:30 a.m., the contest winners will meet at 401 E. Jefferson to begin painting the anti-graffiti mural. City Commissioner Edward C. Camarillo says he’s expecting 20-30 students to take part in the creation of the mural.

 Camarillo notes the project is sponsored by  Keep Brownsville Beautiful and adds that the mural location on E. Jefferson is a small business that has been repeatedly “tagged” and the idea behind the mural project is to cover up the unsightly graffiti.

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2010

BROWNSVILLE GOLF CENTER

1800 W. SAN MARCELO BLVD.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

 

DOOR PRIZES AND MANY MORE!!!

FORMAT:  Florida Scramble / 3 per team with one digit and minimum 40 team handicap

PRIZES: First Place   $900.00  Second Place   $600.00  Third Place   $450.00  Fourth Place     $300.00

Trophies will be Awarded to the 1^st Place Winners

ENTRY FEE:   $50.00 Per Player:  Includes Green Fees, ½ Golf Cart 

Breakfast Tacos, Bar-B-Q Plate and Refreshments

SHOTGUN START AT 8:30 AM

** LIMITED TO 36 TEAMS ( REGISTERED AND PAID) **

Complete Registration Form and Fax to (956) 548-7058 by April 14th

 Hole in one Prizes Sponsored by:  SEAHORSE TRANSPORT, INC.

 

Number              Yardage                Prizes

 

       11                           165                      $15,000.00 Cash

        7                           204                      Bonus-Choice of Callaway BB 460 or X-20 Irons

       15                           183                      Bonus-Choice From Premium Electronics Package

       13                           147                      Bonus-Choice of Airline Tickets or Cruise Package for 2

         2                           122                      Bonus-Choice of Men’s or Ladies’ Seiko  Watch

         5                           122                      $500.00 Men's Diamond Ring

Proceeds to Benefit the Brownsville Police Explorers Post # 8 and Youth / Community Programs

Make Check Payable and Mail To: Brownsville- Police- Benefit Golf Tournament, 600 E. Jackson Street, Brownsville,Tx. 78520

For Information call : Chief Carlos L. Garcia (956) 548-7050 or Officer Ray J. Arellano Jr. (956) 548-7048

The Brownsville Police Department is proud to announce registration for the 19^TH session of the Citizen’s Police Academy

 APRIL 1^st, 2010 thru JUNE 3^RD, 2010

 

CLASS SESSIONS INCLUDE

* police firearms training *criminal prosecution

 * juvenile law and procedures * self-defense

* police ride-along * other areas of police instruction & familiarization

 

FREE        FREE          FREE

 

THURSDAY EVENINGS FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 10:00 P.M.

Ten consecutive weeks

 

Application Deadline:

MARCH 30^th, 2010

 

Applications are available at the Brownsville Police Department’s information booth and at the Westside Community Network Center and the Southmost Community Network Center  **  Must be 18 years of age or older to apply  **

 

BROWNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

600 EAST JACKSON STREET, BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS, 78520

(956) 548-7000

 

Westside Community Network Center

1763 U.S. Highway 281, Brownsville, Texas, 78520

(956) 548-7011

 

Southmost Community Network Center

2900 Southmost Rd., Brownsville, Texas, 78521

(956) 548-7045

  

For more information contact:  Lt. Oscar Maldonado, Office of Community Affairs,

(956) 548-7044 (Southmost Community Network Center)

In 2009 Oklahoma land surveyor Danny Cahill was nearing his 40^th birthday and wanted to spend a long life with his wife and two children. There was just one problem, however, Cahill weighed 430 pounds and the prospect of a long life seemed dim.

Cahill decided to enter the “Biggest Loser” contest which was going into its 8^th season. For Cahill that was a life-altering decision.  During  2009 Cahill lost 239 pounds, or 55.58 per cent of his total body weight. He slimmed down to 191 pounds and won the challenge and the $250,000 prize that went with it.

Cahill will be a special guest at the first weigh-in of the Brownsville “Biggest Loser” challenge, scheduled  March 20, 9 a.m. at the Linear Park, just across from the new Federal Courthouse on East 6^th Street. City Commissioner Rose Gowen, MD, is hosting the event with co-host Su Clinica Familiar.

Brownsville’s version of “Biggest Loser” will run for 12 weeks; beginning in February  and winding up on May 15 with the final weigh-in and challenge finale at the Brownsville Sports Park. At the weigh-in and  sign-up on February 12-13,  over 400 people volunteered to take the “biggest loser” challenge. Each of Brownsville’s seven city commissioners will  host  a Saturday event during the course of the challenge.

Co-sponsoring the event are the City of Brownsville, City of Brownsville Department of Health and the University of Texas Public Health Science Center School of Health.

   Mayor Pro-Tem Edward C. Camarillo is inviting city residents to join him for a walk/bike ride at 9 a.m., Saturday March 6, at Monte Bella Bike Trail Park located on Alton Gloor at U.S. 281.  Children and young people are particularly encouraged to attend and take part, says Camarillo, who views the event as an opportunity to get some good exercise and lose a few pounds in the process.  “It’s imperative that we as city leaders,” says Camarillo, “do our part to educate the community on maintaining a healthier life style. Let’s get moving.”  This event is one of 10 events remaining in the city’s “Biggest Loser” program.

            Mayor Pro-Tem Edward C. Camarillo is inviting city residents to join him for a walk/bike ride at 9 a.m., Saturday March 6, at Monte Bella Bike Trail Park located on Alton Gloor at U.S. 281.  Children and young people are particularly encouraged to attend and take part, says Camarillo, who views the event as an opportunity to get some good exercise and lose a few pounds in the process.  “It’s imperative that we as city leaders,” says Camarillo, “do our part to educate the community on maintaining a healthier life style. Let’s get moving.”  This event is one of 10 events remaining in the city’s “Biggest Loser” program.

ADVISORY

THE WALK YOUR  PET  WITH THE MAYOR EVENT SCHEDULED FOR  9 A.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, AT THE STILLMAN DOG PARK HAS BEEN CANCELLED ON ACCOUNT OF THE WEATHER.

ADDITIONAL  ADVISORIES WILL ANNOUNCE ANY RE-SCHEDULING OF THIS EVENT. PLEASE WATCH CHANNEL 12 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

   BROWNSVILLE—City Commissioner Edward C. Camarillo is inviting the public and media representatives to a news conference on Saturday, February 20, 11:30 a.m. at the City Commission chamber in City Hall, 1001 E. Elizabeth Street.

   Camarillo says the news conference is aimed at informing the public about the nature of the ONE Brownsville campaign, its goals and its mission. Special guest will be Roscoe Mapps of Washington, D.C., ONE Headquarters, who is the ONE campaign regional director. City, county and state officials are also expected to be present.

   Camarillo says he, among other things, will give credit to all current and continuous ONE Brownsville supporters. There is, says Camarillo, a standing invitation for any and all members of the general public to join ONE Brownsville to work for a better community.

   Anyone wishing to attend the February 20 news conference is asked to inform either Paulina Sosa at psosa077@hotmail.com  or Camarillo at edcc@cob.us.

BROWNSVILLE’S BIGGEST LOSER EVENT ADDRESSES

Aerobics classes are offered as follows:

MONDAY-FRIDAY, 5-6 P.M. at

San Felipe Catholic Church

2218 Carlos Avene—982-2007

TUESDAY-FRIDAY, 8:30-9:30 A.M. at

Good Shepherd Catholic Church

2645 Tulipan St.—542-5142

WEDNESDAYS, 6- P.M.

Brownsville’s Biggest Loser Women’s Fitness Class at

Dean Porter Park Pavilion

501 E. Ringgold St.—547-6850

THURSDAYS, 6-7 P.M.

Brownsville’s Biggest Loser Men’s Fitness Class at

Dean Porter Park

501 E. Ringgold St.—547-6850

3G YOGA STUDIO

(please call for reservations)

Class 12:30-1:30 p.m.

(BRING YOUR OWN YOGA MAT)

805 Media Luna Rd., Suite 500

546-YOGA

PARKS:

Stillman Dog Park

Off of 511 by Animal Shelter

Gonzalez Park

34 Tony Gonzalez Drive

Monte Bella Trails Park

West Alton Gloor

Linear Park

Between 6^th & 7^th Streets

Dean Porter Park

East Ringgold St.

Veterans Park

Central Blvd. (next to Library)

Brownsville Sports Park

Off Merryman Road

   For the 58^th time, Boy and Girl Scouts will take over city government  in Brownsville during Scout Government Day on February  12. A total of 61 scouts, representing some 20 area schools, will occupy virtually  every office and department in the city organization plus the Brownsville Public Utilities Board, BISD and the Palo Alto Battlefield Park.

   Lucas Hernandez, as mayor,  leads a slate of four St. Joseph Academy scouts on the  City Commission. He is joined by fellow St. Joseph classmates Elizabeth Chaney, Ricardo Llamas and Miguel Garcia as commissioners, and Aurora Villarreal and Elisa Galvan from Hanna High School.  Karla Martinez of Hanna will shadow City Manager Charlie Cabler with Rivera’s Aaron Cook as Assistant City Manager, Austin Laurence of Los Fresnos High  School as City Attorney and Magan Galvan of Porter High School as City Secretary.  On down the list, Julia Jaross of St. Joseph will serve as Superintendent of Schools, Kathryn Stone of Stillman Middle School will be acting General Manager of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board and Nathanial Garcia of Stell will be Park Ranger at Palo Alto.

   It all begins at 8 a.m. Friday when the scouts gather at City Hall, 1001 E. Elizabeth in downtown Brownsville. Following a round of presentations, job assignments begin at 9:45 and the Mayor and City Commission depart for a bus tour of selected sites in the city.  After late afternoon reports, scouts will walk to Wells Fargo Bank for a pizza party hosted by Girl  Scouts.

   City Commissioner Rose Gowen will host a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 10, at the site of the Linear Park, across Jackson Street from the Federal Courthouse in Brownsville. Commissioner Gowen will discuss the upcoming 12-week long “Biggest Loser” scheduled to begin February 13.

   Noting that Brownsville and South Texas have  the heaviest Hispanic population in the U.S.,  Commissioner Gowen, with the help of the Brownsville Heath Department and the UT School of Public Health, wants to help people lose weight and keep it off, while learning how to eat more sensibly. This weight loss program, then, not only involves the physical loss of weight, but knowledge on how to eat more healthy.

   There will be prize money for the biggest losers along with activities each weekend to compliment the challenge  while educating people how to safely lose weight and how to keep it off long term.

   Commissioner Gowen is inviting other governmental entities to participate by encouraging their employees to participate.

MR. AMIGO LUNCHEON

The City-sponsored Mr. Amigo Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, February 26, 2010 at 12:00 noon at the Brownsville Events Center.  A limited number of tickets for the luncheon are available at The Office of the City Secretary, located at City Plaza,  1034 E. Levee, First Floor, Brownsville, Tx.  Tickets are $25.00 each, paid in advance.  A table for eight (8) costs $200.00, paid in advance.

On the day of the luncheon, please present your ticket at the door/reception table at the Events Center.  No tickets will be available at the door.

Contact Information:  Betty Valdez, 548-6001,  Griselda Rosas, 548-6062;  Yoli Gomez, 548-6061.