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UT Health Rgv Begins Administering Covid-19 Vaccines To Children Ages 5-11 always making sure she had her mask, and then sometimes she would come home without her mask,” Rodriguez said. “Her brother is a student at UTRGV, and he encouraged her to get the vaccine. He signed her up. It was important for all of us to get vaccinated.” For Jacqueline Castillo and her family, the wait is over. “I am very happy. We have been waiting for a while and my son, Ociel, was the only one who had not received the vaccine. We are still going to be
Lady Falcons Soar High Until The End
Page 4
A Writer by Selene Olguin
Page 5
UTRGV Awarded $2.8M Grant
Page 7
5 Reasons a Man Should Still Carry Cash
Eight-year-old Ociel Castillo receives his first dose of the pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Friday at a UT Health RGV pop-up vaccine site in Brownsville. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike) By Letty Fernandez The CDC on Nov. 2 Escalona said. approved vaccinations for Being on the front RIO GRANDE the 5-11 age group. Next lines and working in VALLEY, TX – NOV. 5, week, UT Health RGV the hospitals, Escalona 2021 – Nine-year-old RJ has scheduled clinics in said, she saw firsthand Valdez and his mother, Edinburg and Harlingen. how COVID-19 affected Jennifer, were among the Children who get the first children. first to arrive at 9:30 a.m. dose will need a second “We had plenty of kids to get his first dose of the dose of the vaccine three with COVID-19 in the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine weeks after their first shot. hospitals and some that at the UT Health RGV Dr. Cristel Escalona, a had to be transferred when pop-up vaccine site in pediatrician and chief of they became very ill. I Brownsville. pediatrics for the UTRGV am really hoping much of UT Health RGV began School of Medicine, said the community considers offering the pediatric she is extremely excited vaccinating their children Pfizer COVID-19 and happy that these as an extra layer of vaccines on Friday for youngsters are finally protection,” Escalona children ages 5 through 11 getting the chance to get said. at UTRGV’s Casa Bella the vaccine. Maria Rodriguez, from Apartments. “We all know and Brownsville, said she “It was pretty cool,” RJ understand if we get this feels a sense of relief said. “I am happy to get population vaccinated, now that her 10-yearthe vaccine so I can see we have a real chance old daughter, Jocelyn, my friends because right of bringing down the received the pediatric now I only see them on numbers and bringing vaccine. my iPad. It’s very hard. down the amount of “I was very worried I am feeling very happy damage that COVID-19 every day when she now.” does to our communities,” would go to school,
careful, but he has the vaccination now and he will be protected.” UT Health RGV also is giving first-, secondand third-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to children and adults 12 years of age and older. Those 12 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to get the vaccine. To make an appointment to have your child vaccinated against COVID-19, log onto uthealth.org/vaccine or call 1-833-UTRGVMD.
Nine-year-old RJ Valdez was excited to finally get his first dose of the pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Friday morning at a UT Health RGV pop-up vaccine site in Brownsville. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)
Counterfeit Currency Found Being Used At A Local Gas Station
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Police are warning merchants area residents of movie prop money that is being passed along as actual currency. Recently the fake movie prop money was used at Harvey's LP Gas Co to purchase goods. CULL GenericJoel 5x2 eng_Layout 1 10/30/12 Escalante told11:27 AM Los Fresnos News that they didn’t find out until
they took it to the bank. Escalante says he seems to remember something like this happening several years ago, and wants to warn other businesses to be sure to check the money… He explains, "That might be one of the reasons Page 1 of store don't take a lot $100s or $50" ® Harvey’s LP Gas
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Co received both a hundred-dollar bill and a twenty-dollar bill. They can’t say who or when exactly it was received, but just to be aware. Some tips in spotting fake currency Movie prop money, though it looks authentic from afar, normally has wording that identifies it as fake currency. For example, print on movie prop money
usually reads: “For Motion Picture Use Only” along the top, front-face of the bill. The word, “Copy” is normally printed on both sides of the bill. “This Note Is Not Legal Tender” or “For Motion Picture Use Only” is normally printed on at least one side of the bill. Often times the president’s name is omitted or changed.
Serial numbers are often the same on all movie prop money. Although it's not illegal to possess movie prop money. It can easily be purchased online. But passing movie prop money as real currency or any illegal currency could be classified as a felony offense or a federal crime depending on its use.
HARLINGEN, TX- The Port of Harlingen reported a 29% increase in total tonnage for fiscal year 20-21 with 3,013,124 tons of cargo shipped in and out of the Port. Located 25 miles inland of the Gulf Intracoastal Water Way, The Port of Harlingen has accelerated its viability as a competitive hub for transportation in the region. Since 2017, The Port of Harlingen has experienced a 112% growth in the volume of cargo moving through the port. Making the largest impact to growth this fiscal year are the distribution of petroleum products going to Mexico and within the region and an increase in agricultural fertilizer. “Fuel constitutes a major portion of our total
tonnage and has made a significant impact on the Port’s growth,” Port Director Walker Smith said. “However, that growth is also making headway to allow us to diversify our capabilities of what we can bring into the area.” Federal support and funding for infrastructure weighs heavily on how much tonnage a Port moves annually, Smith said. “The more goods a port has moving through it, the more likely we are to get assistance to improve infrastructure and grow,” he said. “This means increasing our economic impact and not only improving our own capacity, but the entire regions. Having the ability to efficiently and affordably
move goods in and out is a huge benefit when industries are looking for a new location to do business.” Along with refined petroleum products, The Port of Harlingen also transports aggregates; liquid fertilizer; dry fertilizer; agricultural products including grains, cotton, cottonseed and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGs); and raw sugar. In February, the Port of Harlingen will celebrate 70 years in operation and 96 years since its creation as the Arroyo Colorado Navigation District of Cameron and Willacy Counties (ACND). Growing from one dock and warehouse, to a more
Port Sets Another Record Year In Shipping Tonnage
than 2,000-acre footprint connecting the area to thousands of miles of inland waterways including the Mississippi River, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. “For almost 70 years, we have worked to improve shipping capabilities to our region providing benefits to ensure our local, regional and state’s economical sustainability,” Board of Commission Chair Alan Johnson said. “There are many generations of members of our community we need to thank for having the foresight to see what having a water port would mean for Harlingen and its surrounding area.”
Ask Our Dentists by DR. ADAM LALONDE
Q: Why should it be necessary to replace fillings that have been in place for a long time?
“Your Community Newspaper”
ANSWERED by DR.ADAM LALONDE:
Over the years, fillings may deteriorate. Also, it is not uncommon for new decay to occur around the edges of old fillings that have probably served well for many years. In either case, this condition must be corrected in order to preserve the tooth. Most of the time, this can be done by removing the old filling and Dr. Adam Lalonde replacing it with new filling material. However, in order to do that, it is necessary to further enlarge the cavity. Sometimes this requires removing enough tooth structure that it becomes vulnerable to cracking or breaking when chewing. The solution in this scenario is to “cap” the tooth with a crown. In this procedure, the dentist shapes the tooth to receive the cap and takes an impression of the tooth and adjacent areas. The crown is fashioned from the impression to fit precisely over the treated tooth. A crown may be made of gold or tooth colored porcelain or synthetic material. A crown not only preserves the endangered tooth, but also can enhance its original appearance. Visiting your dentist every six months for routine check-ups will help avoid any potential issues with old fillings before they begin.
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To Whom It May Concern Pursuant to the provisions of Article V of the Texas Abatement Act. V.C.S. 447-9a, Sec. 5.05, We hereby notify you that we took custody of the Following described motor vehicles: DECLARING MOTOR VEHICLES ABANDON VEHICLE: 1979 U VIN: TGR3380511311 The registered owner of the lienholder has the right to claim the motor vehicle within ten (10) days from the date of this publication by payment of all towing, notification, preservation and storage charges, and a release for the impounding law enforcement agency. Unclaimed vehicles will be turned over to the Police Department to be declared abandoned, and sold at Public Auction to satisfy the charges against the said vehicle. By: RAMIRO SANCHEZ ALL VALLEY WIDE TOWING LLC Phone: 956-233-4840
TexSCAN Week of Nov. 14-20, 2021
MEDICAL
Farm Retirement Auction - Bruceville, TX, Saturday Nov 20th, 10 a.m. Live and Online Bidding. Coleman & Patterson Auctioneers, 888-300-0005 or CAPauctions.com, TX Lic13489.
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EVENTS Texas Renaissance Festival – Oct. 9 to Nov. 28, Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Friday. 47th annual festival. Kids get in free on Sundays. Discounted tickets available at TexRenFest.com.
FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-291-9169 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com.
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4 • November 17, 2021 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
Lady Falcons Soar High Until The End (956) 797-9920 • email: riosportsmagazine@gmail.com
Bi-District Champs, the Lady Falcons volleyball team defeats Edinburg High. Ending their season with a 24-15 overall record and district record of 11-3. Photo via ‘Los Fresnos CISD Athletics’ Twitter
By Ruben Rodriguez Los Fresnos News The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons of 32-6A opened up the 2021 Texas 6A Playoffs with a win over the Edinburg Lady Bobcats of 31-6A in four sets. A very back and forth battle came to an end as the Lady Falcons prevailed in set one 25 to 22. Set two however proved to be a very different outcome as
Edinburg had a very improved performance compared to the first set. The Lady Bobcats would hand the Lady Falcons a loss of 25 to 18 to tie the set record one to one. In set three, the Lady Falcons began to regain the tempo and after a dominant performance, emerged victorious 25 to 15. The Lady Falcons now were in prime position with a chance to capture Bi-
District Gold. However, Edinburg had a different idea in mind. Set four showed shades of set one as another back and forth battle between the Lady Bobcats and the Lady Falcons came down to the wire. Then after great playmaking, the Lady Falcons captured the win 25 to 22, and punched their ticket to the area round. Now we fast forward to Friday to the Area
Round where the Lady Falcons are set to take on District 30-6A representative, the Laredo United Lady Longhorns. The Lady Longhorns, who are undefeated district champions, are coming off a win against San Antonio Stevens in the Bi-District round. The First set tested both teams as a very close battle came down to a three point difference as the Lady
Longhorns captured set one 25-22. Laredo United would then continue to show the powerhouse dominance they’ve shown all season and capture set two 25 to 14. Set three would show The Lady Longhorns punching their ticket to the regional quarterfinal after capturing the third set 25 to 17. The Lady Falcons end their season with a 24-15 overall record
and a district record of 11-3. The Lady Falcons also finished as the number three seed in District 32-6A.
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November 17, 2021 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS • 5
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The Next Chapter Poem
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A Writer
A writer must have imagination flowing throughout his or her creation. With imagination, anything goes: like pigs that fly and a goat that mows. Yet the words you chose and the words you use make it happy, sad, mad, or true. But no matter what you do, you will always be you! Poem by Selene Olguin 12 years old.
This story continues next week. The Next Chapter is a column featuring a serialized continuing short story from a local author. You can submit your own original story for publication at our Facebook Page.
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LAST WEEK’S SUDOKU ANSWERS
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THEME: THANKSGIVING ACROSS 1. “If all ____ fails...” 5. *Male Thanksgiving bird 8. Yoko’s last name 11. Indian restaurant bread 12. Carhop’s carrier 13. *”Kiss the Cook” garment
15. Homer’s “The Odyssey”, e.g. 16. *Grandpa or Grandma, often 17. Moolah or dough 18. *Pilgrim’s colony 20. Allah’s cleric 21. Arranges into categories 22. Chance’s genre 23. *”Plains, Trains and Automobiles” star 26. Woven containers
30. Kimono sash 31. Aristotle’s school 34. Part of ideal 35. Hurricane feature, pl. 37. Comedian Schumer 38. Teen worry 39. Side of a ruler 40. Left over 42. *When will the guests be here?, acr. 43. Rejuvenate 45. Expression of
agreement (2 words) 47. *What Turkey Trot participants did 48. Outdoor entertainment area 50. Messy substances 52. *It makes Thanksgiving wishes come true? 55. Half of diameter, pl. 56. Flu symptom 57. Accompanies relief 59. Leaves out 60. More than a talker? 61. Isaac’s firstborn 62. Skin cyst 63. “____ my party, and I’ll cry if I want too...” 64. Confederate or Union, e.g.
DOWN 1. Compass dir. 2. Arctic native 3. Go yachting 4. Become enclosed in a cyst 5. Freshwater fish 6. Hop-drying kilns 7. *Pumpkin pie at the first Thanksgiving, e.g. 8. Sea World’s performer 9. “Cheers” regular 10. Top seed 12. Like a rosebush 13. Spy name 14. *Kind of squash 19. Toils 22. Truck brand motto: “Guts. Glory. ____” 23. Lawn trimmer 24. Toe the line 25. Designs on lemur’s tail 26. Purchases 27. #39 Across, pl. 28. T in Ferrari TR 29. Thai restaurant chicken staple 32. Elder’s support 33. Flightless bird 36. *Thanksgiving football game host city since 1934 38. Impromptu 40. Big coffee holder 41. Choice word 44. Desert mirage 46. Makes less tight 48. Lace loop 49. “Angela’s _____,” memoir 50. *Raiders vs. Cowboys, e.g. 51. Scandinavian war god 52. Dry riverbed 53. Not final or absolute 54. Exclamation of surprise, archaic 55. Propel your boat! 58. Color wheel feature
6 • November 17, 2021 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
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UTRGV Awarded $2.8M Grant
November 17, 2021 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS • 7
Study For Obesity-Reducing Curriculum In Elementary Schools
students’ overall fitness results over time. Students and parents involved with the pilot studies tended to be on the healthier side regarding fitness, food consumption and lifestyle, he said. By gathering data from about 2,000 children, the study can monitor the curriculum’s impact on a larger scale. The data then be compared to pilot program data to validate effectiveness. “If we have positive results, we’re hoping to create legislation to help schools incorporate this curriculum statewide,” Romero said.
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Dr. Zasha Romero, associate professor in the UTRGV Department of Health and Human Performance. (Courtesy Photo) By Karen G. Villarreal UTRGV RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – NOV. 8, 2021 – UTRGV researchers have been awarded $2.8 million over four years by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, for a study aimed at reducing childhood obesity in preschool children. Principal Investigator Dr. Roberto Treviño, director for the Social and Health Research Center in San Antonio, will work with four professors/ researchers from UTRGV to help educate local school districts about physical activity and nutrition. The researchers will implement the Bienestar coordinated school curriculum and study its impact through the “South Texas Early Prevention Studies/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education” (STEPS/SNAP-ED) project. Dr. Zasha Romero, associate professor in the UTRGV Department of Health and Human Performance, is a coprincipal investigator on the project, along with: Dr. Lin Wang, associate professor, Health and Human Performance. Dr. Michael Machiorlatti, assistant professor, Population Health and Statistics. And Dr. Lisa Salinas,
clinical assistant professor, Health and Biomedical Sciences. ENDING UNHEALTHY CYCLES The project specifically is aimed at reaching young children from low-income families, in an attempt to address the national and local increase in early-onset childhood diabetes. “We have children as young as second grade in our elementary schools with full-blown diabetes,” Romero said. “They don’t even know they’re affected by things that could be handled, to a certain extent, by a healthier lifestyle.” Romero said that, with the right education, children can break out of an unhealthy spiral. “They can break that cycle of ailments that has plagued families for generations,” he said. TEAM EFFORT The Bienestar (wellbeing) curriculum satisfies Senate Bill 19, which requires schools to educate a coordinated health program approved by the Texas Education Agency. Through the study, the comprehensive Bienestar health curriculum will be implemented at 27 schools from the PharrSan Juan-Alamo and La Joya school districts. The program is bilingual and takes an
all-around approach that involves some 250 personnel, including administrators, teachers, and health educators from Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. Teachers incorporate the Bienestar lesson plans on healthier lifestyles, and physical education coaches receive more than100 point-by-point calisthenics, strength, or cardiovascular activities for the children. Parental liaisons will receive lessons to teach parents involved in the project. And kitchen staff will be trained on food preparation and ways to talk to the children about health-conscious choices. Romero said the proposed curriculum reaches young audiences from all directions, while making efforts to make it entertaining. “They’re getting the information all day, but in a fun way – by singing, doing activities and playing – so they don’t even realize they’re getting lessons,” Romero said. RESEARCH DESIGNED FOR ITS IMPACT The school partners will report what they implemented to the researchers, Romero said. Data collectors will use the FitnessGram, a nationally recognized fitness test, to see if the efforts are reflected in the
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8 • November 17, 2021 • LOS FRESNOS NEWS
The Art of Manliness Monthly Segment
5 Reasons a Man Should Still Carry Cash Brett and Kate McKay AOM
Cash is no longer king. According to a U.S. Bank survey conducted last year, half of people only carry cash half the time, and among those who do carry cash, nearly 50% carry $20 or less. In another survey done just this year, only 41% of Americans said they regularly carry cash, a number that drops to 34% if you only include Millennials. 16% of respondents had no cash on them at the time they were polled. The decline of cash is easily traceable. In a world where you can pay and tip your pizza delivery guy and “cabbie” (in the form of an Uber driver) online or from an app, where restaurant and store purchases are easily taken care of by credit or debit card, and peerto-peer transfer apps like Venmo can be used to split a dinner bill or pay back a friend, many people just don’t see much reason to continue to carry around paper money. But, there are in fact
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several good reasons to still keep an ample supply of greenbacks in your wallet, including: 1. To handle/ take advantage of emergencies/ opportunities that require cash. Even in this digital world, you’d be surprised (and very frustrated if you don’t have any cash) by the number of things that still require concrete cabbage. Roadside stands, super hole-inthe-wall restaurants, and food trucks sometimes only take cash, you need cash as a back-up if you lose your credit or debit card, and other unexpected needs arise all the time. Here are just a few of the things I needed cash for in the last year: Paying to park in an ad-hoc lot created for a festival Buying fishing bait sold from someone’s house in the middle of nowhere Paying for a campsite at a state park after hours Tipping a valet Paying for a dinner when my debit chip card didn’t work It’s always good to carry cash both for
handling things when they go wrong, and to be able to make sure things go right. 2. To pay and tip service providers more generously. Sure, even small-time restaurant owners, service providers (including barbers), and store proprietors typically provide a traditional credit card machine or offer Square Payment. But, it costs them to do so: anywhere from .2%2.9% of the purchase price, plus a fee of $.10$.30 per transaction. (Because merchants have to pay these fees both on the transaction of the purchase itself, and on the gratuity you leave, some don’t provide the kind of receipt that offers a line to write in a tip, not because they don’t expect one, but in the hopes that customers will pay that portion in cash.) So every time you pay/ tip with a card, you eat into a merchant’s profit margin a bit, which can already be low for smalltime operations. Credit card transaction fees can really add up over time. Mom-and-pop merchants and service providers thus tend to very grateful
when you pay and tip them in cash. Waiters are as well, both for the same reason — some restaurant owners deduct the transaction fees incurred from the gratuities charged on customers’ cards from a server’s tips — and for a couple additional reasons as well. The first is that when servers are tipped in cash, they can declare less of this money as income for the purpose of taxation, whereas the record of a credit card tip is set in stone. (Whether or not this is ethical, it is certainly common practice in restaurants.) Secondly, cash tips can be taken home by a waiter that very night, and be put to use just as soon, whereas credit card tips are often added in later to a server’s bimonthly paycheck. All in all, cash is a more generous way to pay and tip. Keep in mind though that if you don’t have enough cash on hand, it’s certainly better to tip adequately with your card than to leave a smaller amount or nothing in cash. At least in America, a gentleman always tips.
3. To tip employees/ service providers who aren’t directly involved in customer transactions. Cash may be a better way to tip, but for the most part, employees and service providers who take credit cards in a way that allows for digital tipping — like Uber drivers and baristas — make out fine. But there’s a set of workers who have seen their tips diminish as cash has disappeared: those who aren’t directly involved in a customer transaction. Folks like doormen, hotel concierges, airport shuttle drivers, parking valets, etc. You don’t conduct an actual payment transaction with them, and thus don’t get a paper or app-created bill where you can add a tip. Carrying cash is helpful for tipping these folks, and, as you may have noticed that many of them work in the travel industry, always be sure to stick some cash in your wallet before you embark on a trip! 4. To discipline your spending habits. Numerous studies have found that people spend more when they pay with a credit card versus cash. The tangibility of cash makes the transaction, and its accompanying “pain,” feel more real, while the abstractness of plastic makes the reality of the purchase more distant; you handle and count cash before turning it over, whereas with digital payments, money just mysteriously disappears with the tap of the screen or the click of the mouse. The greater “friction” of cash slows down your spending. So if you’re trying to live on a tight budget, consider making all your purchases with cash. In the early years of our marriage, when we were barely getting by and yet serious about paying down our debt, Kate and I used the “envelope system” of budgeting. We created envelopes for different categories of our budget — groceries, entertainment, eating out, etc. — and then allocated a certain
amount of funds, in cash, to each envelope. That’s how much we had to spend in each of those categories each month. Period. It was an easy way make sure we stayed on budget, and because of its simple concreteness, it worked. 5. To protect your privacy. Credit card spending creates lots of data, and this (non)paper trail can be viewed and used by the government and corporate financial institutions. You need not be a tin-hatted conspiracy theorist or a criminal operative to not want third parties tracking all your purchases and surveilling your spending habits. As Conor Friedersdorf writes in The Atlantic, while some politicians, economists, and “technocracy-friendly journalists” have called for and praised the desirability of a future society that goes completely cashless (and 61% of Americans think this is an eventual inevitability), “Cash should remain, always and everywhere, because it allows, private, peer-to-peer transactions. In doing so, it decentralizes power in society (as well as adding a layer of resilience to the financial system—a diversification between the physical and virtual). Having stuff in society that elites can’t completely control is a good thing. Keeping a large swath of the economy away from Big Finance and Big Data is a good thing. Finally, people like cash; we shouldn’t let the elites take it away.” Anonymous and untraceable, cash not only enables one to operate outside the digital financial system, creating a check on centralized power and a bulwark for personal privacy and freedom . . . but it also, at the very least, allows you to purchase a gift for your wife without it appearing as a transaction on your shared bank account! Incognito mode, brought to you by cash. Long live the green stuff.
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