Longtime Mission CISD agriculture teacher Jose “Joe” Correa, Jr. passed away Tuesday, March 5, at Adalante Assisted Living in San Antonio.

Visitation will be held at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission from 2 to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. The funeral mass will be Saturday, March 9, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Mission. Burial will follow at El Toro Cemetery in San Perlita.

Correa’s lasting imprint of “service over self” was recently recognized when the district’s agriculture farm was renamed in his honor last month. A sign created by students in the welding program now stands at the entrance of the newly-designated “Jose ‘Joe’ Correa, Jr. Agriculture Science Lab.”

Read more: Former agriculture teacher Joe Correa passes away

MISSION—Mission Boys and Girls Club is forming a special baseball and softball league for children with disabilities.

The 2013 Pony Champions League Baseball and Softball is now open for applications from participants, ages 3 to 18. The league divisions include T-Ball and a Coach Pitch Division, based on skill level.

Read more: Mission begins adaptive baseball for special needs children

MISSION – Sharyland ISD Athletic Director Richard Thompson was named Region VII Athletic Administrator of the Year at the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association state conference this week in San Angelo.

Members of THSADA Region VII, which comprises all Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi athletic administrators, chose Thompson for the award.

Thompson has spent his entire coaching career at Sharyland High School, starting as a varsity assistant football coach in 1980. Before becoming an assistant athletic director, Thompson served as the head boys track coach, head boys cross country coach and head girls cross country coach. Thompson has been the athletic director for 13 years, taking the position in 2000.

Read more: Richard Thompson named AD of the Year

MISSION—A select group of individuals from Mission joined together for Mission Day at the Capital in Austin on Feb. 19. The group’s mission was to share with legislators issues important to the area, including education, transportation and city elections.

This year, members from the city council, the chamber of commerce, business community, economic development corporation, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone board and AGUA Special Utility District were in attendance in Austin.

Mission Chamber of Commerce CEO Matt Ruszczak said the trip was a great success.

Read more: Mission Day in Austin: Mission delegation lobbies legislators

Remember to “Spring Forward” and set your clocks ahead one hour this weekend so you don’t arrive at church an hour late.

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10 – officially at 2 a.m. But you don’t have to wait until then to set your clocks; just set them ahead an hour before you go to bed Saturday night. You may lose an hour’s sleep, but at least you’ll make it to church on time.

Daylight Saving Time begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November – this year ending on Nov. 3.

In a highly competitive STAR (South Texas Agricultural Roundup) Show, Sharyland FFA and Sharyland 4-H again brought home more trophies for grand champion and reserve grand champion than any other FFA or 4-H group. But it was Edinburg Vela FFA that captured both Supreme Bull and Supreme Heifer.

Read more: STAR Livestock Show Winners

MCALLEN—United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced on Feb. 21 the owner of a now defunct McAllen area durable medical equipment (DME) business, his wife and another former employee have been convicted for their roles in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through fraudulent billings.

As part of his plea, RGV DME Owner Marcello Herrera, 40, admitted he sent more than $11.1 million in false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Herrera and his wife Carla Cantu Herrera, 32, along with their former employee Ramon De La Garza, 52, all of Mission, entered a plea of guilty to conspiring to defraud Medicare and Texas Medicaid.

Read more: Mission trio convicted of health care fraud

MISSION—The Mission School Board recently approved construction of new paved parking lots at the Mission High School Girls Softball Field, Tom Landry Stadium and Leo Najo Baseball Park.

In August, the district purchased property to the east of the MHS girl’s softball complex to be used for parking space. Executive Director of Maintenance/Facilities/Construction Rick Rivera said the proposed parking lots would include areas just south of the Tom Landry Stadium visitor’s stands, the Leo Najo Baseball Park parking lot, and would address the levee area on the far south side.

Read more: Tom Landry Stadium to get new parking lot