10. December 2008 by Tony Magana.

The recent action by the City of McAllen to limit the development of bars which serve alcohol only and which cater to large groups of very young drinkers is extremely important for several reasons.  Many studies of urban development and renewal have shown that the concentration of facilities that serve only alcohol and cater to the very young results in depreciation of property values, loss of business to surrounding entities by patrons, and increased costs to city governments in police patrols. These are very unstable businesses that tend to last just a few months but leave significant negative economic residue when situated in neighborhoods.

The Heart of the City project to renew downtown McAllen was visionary in establishing the South 17th Street Entertainment District. Facilities that serve alcohol only to mostly young people should be located in this area as has been suggested by City.  The lighting and layout is more appropriate for later hours and operation. The City can plan for increased police patrol in this area rather than haphazardly planning them all over the city if similar facilities were allowed everywhere. There is a new parking garage which can be utilized for day shoppers  and night time entertainment seekers.  In addition there is more ready available taxi and bus service downtown to facilitate those that should not be driving. The frequent turn-over of these facilities is better tolerated when they are in a special district than in neighborhoods.

Bars that serve alcohol only should be mixed with restaurants, night time shopping, and venues for entertainment which are all best done in downtown McAllen in the new entertainment district. The history of good government planning and zoning in McAllen is one of the reasons our great city has shined in comparison with the mess that is found in other Valley towns. There are already too many of these facilities in North McAllen on Tenth Street and Nolana.  This will be a win-win situation for the facility owners, the patrons, and the citizens of McAllen.

Tony Magaña grew up in McAllen Texas, attended Texas A&M University, served as an officer in Army Reserve, and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. The co-founder of Contempo Magazine has participated in Valley business for over 20 years.He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

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25. October 2008 by Laura Elizabeth Morales.

In the weeks before election day I’ve had the opportunity to interact with many Republicans and Democrats across the valley, those who are up for re-election, those who volunteer their weekends to their candidates and those who are willing to sacrifice a lot for the good of the community.

This is Jesse Contreras:

Candidate for Judge Jesse Contreras has resorted to lying and smearing his opponent, incumbent Judge Danny Rios.

Jesse Contreras, who has been arrested twice for DWI, has lied on the record:

During an interview with The Monitor this week, Contreras took issue with an automated phone bank employed by the Rios campaign that placed pre-recorded calls to numbers across Hidalgo County.

In the message, the Democrat said, Rios’ campaign accuses Contreras’ father of being a child molester.

“I didn’t even know my father,” Contreras said. “(Those claims) are a possibility for a future defamation lawsuit.”

No one in the Mercedes area contacted by The Monitor reported receiving the negative calls, and Contreras’ claims could not be independently verified.

Rios flatly denies his opponent’s claim about the message. The Rios campaign is using automated calls, the Republican acknowledged, but the message only replays an audio version of TV ads questioning Contreras’ criminal history and judicial conduct.

Smears and lies aren’t anything new to this Democrat challenger but this one takes the cake.

I sat with Danny Rios and chatted about his vision for the 449th Court.  He explained his philosophy, background, beliefs and offered words of wisdom to a young conservative aspiring a career in politics.  He took the time to explain to me how the automated call system works.  In fact, this isn’t the first time I’ve been introduced to an automated call system, though it’s still something pretty new to the Rio Grande Valley

Let’s present the facts:

1. Jesse Contreras is willing to lie and slander his opponent for his own personal political gain

2. Jesse Contreras has been arrested twice for DWI

I don’t know about you, but my choice for Judge of the 449th District Court was easy: Danny Rios.

More from the piece in the Monitor:

A scheduled debate between the candidates Thursday at a McAllen Citizens League luncheon could have offered a chance to clear the air and refocus the campaign on issues surrounding the court - such as its future focusing on juvenile justice.

Contreras has said he would like the court’s scope broadened to include cases with adult defendants. Rios maintains the county needs a court focused specifically on young offenders.

But Contreras backed out of the debate this week, citing his busy campaign schedule.

League leaders said during the luncheon, however, that the candidate explained his withdrawal to them by saying that McAllen doesn’t support him and that he would rather focus his efforts elsewhere.

Jesse, as a judge you’ll have to face a variety of tasks–including multiple cases and in your case maybe your own DWI trial, but not giving citizens a chance to hear you out is just poor judgment.

I’ll conclude with one last quote from Contreras:

“I’m not perfect. I understand,” he said. “But I’ve worked my butt off to be an example to my brothers and the community.

I’m not sure what example he’s trying to set, but smearing a sitting judge with disgusting lies in an attempt for political gain and being arrested TWICE for DWI doesn’t set a good example, especially to the juveniles who would be tried in the 449th Juvenile District Court.

I voted for Danny Rios, an honest man with a great family, a good vision and proven leadership.  I urge you to join me in supporting Judge Danny Rios for the 449th District Court.

This post originally written for Memoirs From a Young Conservative




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18. September 2008 by Tony Magana.

The Rio Grande Valley was forever changed for the better because a young man named Eligio De La Garza decided to enter into public service after a successful military and private law practice.  He was the first Mexican American in the Texas Legislature and the first Mexican American to represent the Rio Grande Valley. The model he set for congressional representatives in becoming a national leader on agriculture and civil rights is still the standard.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Kika and Lucille as well their extended family as we pray for speedy recovery from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

From the Magana Family

Kika and Lucille De La Garza attending the National Hispanic Professional Organization Dinner in their honor in McAllen earlier this year are seen below.

photo by RM

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