Thousands gather for installation of Bishop Daniel Flores SAN JUAN — On the walls of his childhood home in Corpus Christi, Bishop Daniel E. Flores remembered the dining room wall lined with photographs of family members and a portrait of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Prominently in the middle of those images was a photo of St. Thérèse de Lisieux. “I was 14 before I realized she wasn’t a relative,” Flores said with a laugh in an interview with the Progress Times. Years after that realization, Flores began to contemplate his future, toying with the idea of becoming a lawyer or politician, like his father suggested, before realizing his call to the priesthood. “I was impressed by the example of the priests I’ve known,” he said. “To me they looked happy.” Full Story
BBQ benefit for Mission firefighter EDINBURG — The Edinburg Fire Station No. 4 is holding a benefit brisket BBQ for Mission firefighter Jaime “Bino” Zapata who was recently diagnosed with three brain tumors. Curfew enacted to keep students in class LA JOYA — Off the streets and in the classroom. That’s the message city and school officials are hoping to send to the communities making up the La Joya Independent School District. Full Story	Click here for our Calendars
	Traveling Texas along Conway Avenue Clarissa Medrano stood in the bed of her father’s truck when she heard the whaling sirens of the Mission Fire Department’s fire engine. “They’re coming,” she said of participants of the 2010 Parade of Oranges. The 9-year-old girl waited with her family along the parade route near 11th Street eagerly waiting the Texas Citrus Fiesta Royal Court, city officials and her cousin, performing with the Juarez-Lincoln High School band. Hours before parade participants even began lining up for the procession along Conway Avenue, dozens of residents began camping out on the street for the hours-long wait and community gathering with food and music. Full Story
Texas Citrus Fiesta names 74th Royal Court As local young women waited to be introduced at the Texas Citrus Fiesta’s Coronation of Queen Citrianna 73rd, they adjusted their hair, poofed and re-poofed their dresses in front of tiny admirers. The duchesses, which came from around Hidalgo and Starr counties, waved at family members and posed for photographs with friends and even the young girls who watched in awe. “They’re so pretty,” one girl said as she walked up the bleachers in the Mission Neuhaus Center last week. The court that held the reins at this year’s Texas Citrus Fiesta were honored at the event, but the community welcomed the new court for 2011, as well. Full Story	Proposed high school uniforms up for debate again in LJISD LA JOYA — Safety versus self-expression is what parents argued was the main issue with uniforms at the high school level during the first La Joya Independent School District Superintendent’s Parent Round Table meeting of 2010 held Jan. 26. Last year, parents failed to get the approval of 60 percent of parents, which is required by LJISD to amend an existing policy. For each high school, every parent had one vote per child to decide in favor or against the proposed school uniforms. This year, parents want to bring the issue back for a vote and are looking for ways to get all parents involved. At Palmview High School alone, the votes received last year represented only 54 percent of the parents, with nearly 76 percent of those in favor of uniforms, school district officials said. Full Story
Kick out bad habits in 2010: Get healthy By Mary Nichols Editor’s note: The following is the first of a four-part series on healthy lifestyles for 2010. MISSION — It’s a new year, which allows Valley residents an opportunity to avoid becoming an unhealthy statistic. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 28 percent of Texans were obese in 2008. The National Diabetes Association estimates over 24 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes in 2007. And those diagnosed with diabetes were 20 years or older, consisting of 10 percent Hispanics, seven percent non-Hispanic whites and 12 percent non-Hispanic blacks. Full Story	Fiesta float builders MISSION — The famous Texas Citrus Fiesta started 73 years ago to celebrate the bountiful harvest of citrus. Today, it’s an honored tradition that continues and recognizes the pride Mission has for its citrus products. Berta Filut, director of Texas Citrus Fiesta, said the festival is one of the oldest events in the state. It’s an event that is small town, but something everyone looks forward to. “The citrus industry is something to be proud of,” said Filut. “What is sad is most of our community doesn’t realize the type of product we have and it’s what others wish they had. We are very lucky.” Full Story
Valley doctors, nurses headed to Haiti MISSION — Physicians and nurses from across the Rio Grande Valley are making final arrangements to travel to Haiti to offer medical assistance following the massive earthquake that killed thousands and destroyed the area on Jan. 12. Locally, Dr. Steven Havener said he would be traveling with a ministry group on Tuesday. Mission Regional Medical Center officials said a number of local doctors offer their services in impoverished countries. On Wednesday afternoon, MRMC donated a total of $10,000 to help in the aid. MRMC CEO Javier Iruegas said $5,000 came from the hospital and the remaining $5,000 came from staff. Full Story	Read these stories and more in this week's *Progress Times* Citrus Fiesta 'Travels Texas' this weekend Peñitas opens library MCISD names temporary superintendent First homicide of 2010 in Mission MHM 'Membership Roundup' begins February 3 Loryn Estates approved without variance on ROW >> Progress Times can be found at these locations
Dramatic Drug Smuggler Chase by Mission PD - Part 1	Dramatic Drug Smuggler Chase by Mission PD - Part 2