Early morning fire at Dirty Al's-with video

An early morning fire at Dirty Al’s restaurant caused damage to the kitchen and roof area of the building. A small group of employees had arrived and were working inside the building, but it was a county park employee who saw the smoke rising from the vents on the roof.

The county park employee then alerted the men inside and called the fire department.

When firemen arrived at the scene, they donned their protective equipment and put out the fire within a short period of time. No one was injured in the fire.

No estimates of damage are available at this time as the fire is still under investigation.

The fence is coming, levee or not

Cameron County is considering scrapping its levee enhancement project after learning on Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security is sticking by its plans to build the border fence, whether or not there are plans to build a levee.

“They are going to build the wall. That is what we were told today,” County Judge Carlos H. Cascos said during Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting in which the DHS’s border fence was discussed during public comment.

The county had planned to spend $5 million to enhance its levee system, which in turn would serve as an alternative to the border fence.

Community: CCRMA scoping meeting file

1st Annual Bronc Athletic Invitational Tournament (BAIT)

Registration begins Friday, May 2 at 5 p.m. and the Captain’s Meeting begins at 6:30.

Dinner for anglers is at Louie’s Back Yard from 5-9 p.m. Early registration fee is $100 per angler.

All late comers can register on May 2, and a late fee of $125 per angler will apply. The fishing is May 3. For on-line registration, visit www.fishacrosstexas.com For sponsorship opportunities contact (956) 381-2221 or 292-7468.

Hundreds of dollars in prizes will be given away. All participants will qualify to win door prizes. Most of the proceeds will go toward supporting scholarships. Registration fee includes a Captain’s Dinner with beverages, anglers’ tournament bag and auction.

Anglers who want more excitement can enter a big fish pot competition for a small fee.

Surveyors assess property in advance of fence construction

Federal surveyors conducted one of their final environmental assessments along the proposed path of the border fence on Tuesday afternoon. This time, surveyors assessed the property of one of the fence’s most vocal opponents.

Eloisa Tamez, a professor at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, was sued in January over access to her land in El Calaboz, about 12 miles west of Brownsville. Tamez responded by filing a countersuit, alleging that the federal government failed to follow relevant laws in condemning her land.

The subsequent legal tug-of-war lasted more than two months. In early April, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ordered Tamez to allow surveyors onto her land - an action she took begrudgingly on Tuesday, unlocking the gate that runs between her land and the Rio Grande’s northern levee.

“I asked what their objective was, what they were planning to do...and what the next step will be,” Tamez said.

Missy Young, a surveyor from e²M, an environmental and engineering company based in Englewood, Colo., took photos of plants and structures that lie close to the levee.

“If there are any endangered species here, (the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife) needs to be aware,” Young said. She was accompanied by two real estate specialists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In the coming weeks an additional land survey will take place on Tamez’s land, which will help determine the fence’s path and the price she will be paid for a swath of her land.

The surveyors began assessing land along the border in February, but they were delayed by more than 50 lawsuits against property owners who didn’t immediately grant access to federal officials.

During the course of her lawsuit, Tamez’s case became a rallying point for anti-fence activists, several of whom were present during Tuesday’s environmental assessment.

“I’m here to show my solidarity,” said Kamala Platt, a professor at the University of Texas Pan American, who expressed her concerns about the fence’s environmental impact. “In this particular area, animals migrate from hemisphere to hemisphere...this is a big step into a crevice.”

Valley takes part in Earth Day celebrations

It seems every time Carolina De La Garza turns on the TV, she sees news reports of wildfires in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, or news of snowstorms and other extreme weather in the north.

“It’s already happening because of global warming. It’s happening, it’s real,” said De La Garza, a 19-year-old senior at the University of Texas-Pan American.

That’s why UTPA’s Environmental Awareness Club — of which De La Garza is a member and treasurer — has planned an event today in honor of Earth Day to educate the public about global warming, recycling and a host of other issues.

The event, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the UTPA chapel lawn, is planned to include speeches, food, face painting, a display of hybrid cars and other activities.

Speakers are expected to talk about a wide variety of issues, from the how the border wall would impact the Valley’s environment to how important it is for the public to recycle and conserve energy, De La Garza said.

“If we get to educate (the public), then people might start to take the initiative. If we get to educate them we have a chance to fight this,” said De La Garza.

Congress first marked April 22 as Earth Day in 1970.

Thanks to recent awareness campaigns in recent years, everyone from school groups to corporations is doing what they can to go green.

The environment’s health has even taken a prominent place in the U.S. presidential race.
All three presidential hopefuls — U.S. Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama — have proposed plans to deal with global warming.

The recent interest in caring for the environment is heartening to Dr. John Gerling, a McAllen orthodontist who has been giving lectures on climate change for about five years.

“I’m seeing a lot of people’s attitudes shift. More people are starting to think about (buying) a car with better mileage,” he said.

But the Valley still has miles to go in conserving energy. SUVs, which use up much gas, still dominate Valley roads.

“We love our Texas Cadillacs,” Gerling said.

Planting trees, recycling and conserving energy all help, but the community’s help catching people who illegally dump trash would really benefit the Valley’s environment, said David Ramirez, acting director of regions 15 and 16 of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

People may think discarding one tire or bottle might not cause harm. But in reality they can block water flow in drainage ditches and cause flooding, Ramirez said.

Stagnant water and trash can also attract mosquitoes and rodents, which introduce diseases to humans, he said.

The commission is asking the public to report when they see people illegally dumping trash and other debris in hopes of curbing the practice. Agents can’t be everywhere at once, so the commission relies on the public’s help, Ramirez said.

“They really become our eyes and ears. If they file a complaint we will investigate,” he said.
People can call (888) 777-3186 or visit http://www.tceq.state.tx.us to file a complaint. They can file anonymously and check on the progress of the complaint online at http://www5.tceq.state.tx.us/oce/waci, Ramirez said.

Survey: Morale low for Texas teachers weighing new jobs

More than one in four Texas teachers moonlight at a second job to make ends meet, and 44 percent are seriously thinking of finding another career, according to a survey by the Texas State Teachers Association.

Low morale also appears to be play a bigger role than small paychecks for teachers who are considering quitting, according to the survey released Friday and conducted by researchers at Sam Houston State University.

Asked why they are considering leaving the profession, 42 percent of teachers cited poor working conditions, double the percentage of those who cited low salaries.

“This year’s report is especially disturbing because it show an increasing need for teachers as an aging teacher corps moves closer to retirement,” Donna New Haschke, president of the teacher’s union, said in Saturday’s editions of The Dallas Morning News.

The survey conducted in February included 177 teachers who responded to 700 questionnaires mailed by researchers.

The average annual salary of teachers surveyed was $47,545. Having an extra job brought in another $8,288, according to the survey.

Of the 28 percent of teachers who reported having second jobs, the survey found that just over half have another school-related position like private tutoring. About 25 percent have service jobs and 14 percent work in sales.

Bronc Athletic Invitational Tournament (BAIT)

Mark your calendar for Friday, May 2, when registration begins at 5 p.m. with a Captain’s Meeting, beginning at 6:30 at Louie’s Backyard.

Early registration fee is $100 per angler. All late comers can register on May 2, and a fee of $125 per angler will apply.

Fishing will begin on Saturday morning, May 3.

Hundreds of dollars in prizes will be given away. All participants will qualify to win door prizes. A majority of the proceeds will go toward supporting scholarships at UTPA.

Registration fee includes a Captain’s Dinner with fajitas & beverages, anglers’ tournament bag.

For on-line registration, visit www.fishacrosstexas.com

Illegal fishing in U.S. waters, Coast Guard involved in chase

A U.S. Coast Guard boat chased a Mexican boat illegally fishing in U.S. waters back to Mexican waters early Sunday afternoon, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.

A Coast Guard patrol jet observed a flotilla of three launches, each about 23 to 25 feet in length. Two were practically stradling the border and the third was 500 yards inside U.S. territory, about seven miles offshore, the spokesman said.

The U.S. observes a 12-mile territorial jurisdiction.

The patrol aircraft contacted the South Padre Island Coast Guard station shortly before noon. The Coast Guard responded with a 33-foot special purpose boat.

Once the Mexican launch spotted the Coast Guard vessel, it headed back to Mexican waters at a high rate of speed, the spokesman said. U.S. Coast Guard vessels are not allowed to enter Mexican waters.

There was no verbal communication between the Coast Guard vessel and the launch.
It was not certain how long the Mexican vessel had been in U.S. waters or whether the other two launches had crossed into U.S. jurisdiction.

The launches were using long-line fishing techniques.

When asked if the launch crew knew they were fishing in U.S. waters, Coast Guard Petty Officer David Cantu said. “They knew enough to run back to Mexico.”

If fishing boats from other countries are 500 yards or more inside U.S. territorial waters, the Coast Guard is allowed to seize their catches and boats. Otherwise, they are warned.

In addition, the SPI Coast Guard station responded to a call for assistance from a recreational boat that was taking on water close to the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge at 11:23 p.m. Saturday.

The Coast Guard towed the boat to Sea Ranch Marina on the Island while pumping water from it.

There were three passengers aboard the boat and no injuries were reported.

Human leg found on South Padre beach

A human leg, with a shoe attached, was found on a South Padre Island beach on Sunday.

The lower portion of a leg was found between county beach accesses #5 and #6 by fishermen and was reported to officials.

It appears to have been out in the Gulf of Mexico for quite some time as barnicles have attached to the shoe.

Officials are asking the public for any information on missing persons. There is no indication from where in the gulf the leg originated.