jim darling

EDINBURG, Texas - Former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling says placing razor wire and buoys on the Rio Grande gives Mexico a good excuse not to repay its water debt to the United States.

Darling is recognized as an expert on water issues and is a member of Region M Water Planning Group, a state appointed board. He is concerned about the long-term viability of the Rio Grande Valley’s growth trajectory should the region not come up with a plan to access more water.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has had razor wire and buoys placed in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass to deter migrants from crossing the river. The U.S. Justice Department argued in federal court that Abbott did not have the authority to do this and a federal judge ordered the barriers be removed from the river. Abbott took the case to an appeals court and won. The case may end up going to the US Supreme Court.

In an in-depth interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Darling responded to a question about a recent news story which quoted a U.S. State Department official as saying in federal court that Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to place buoys and razor wire in the middle of the Rio Grande could be used as an excuse by Mexico not to pay its water debt to the U.S.

“It doesn’t help, does it?” Darling responded. “It certainly doesn't help what we are trying to do. It gives them (Mexico) another excuse not to release (the water). You know, they (the buoys) float across into Mexico and the governor did get them moved back but they're going to float back into Mexico again. It’s the river and you are messing with the river. W’ve got aquatic weed flowing down and had all kinds of different things. You don't want to mess with that river.”

Later in the interview, Darling returned to the issue of Abbott placing buoys and razor wire in the Rio Grande. Darling said he had met recently with U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz and told her it is not as easy as telling Mexico to release the water.

“It is more complicated than it appears at first glance. Just saying, hey, Mexico turn over the water. You made a good point. If the publicity is bad in Mexico, and this guy (Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador) is a politician and he wants to release water from Mexico to the United States, he’s not going to do it (because of public opinion). The guy in Texas wouldn't do that. You’re giving them all the grief… a good relationship with Mexico is important at the state level, just as much as the federal level.”

According to a 1944 international water treaty, Mexico has to deliver an average of 350,000 acre feet of water per year to the U.S. over a five year cycle. “They haven't given anything in this cycle,” Darling said.

In his interview with the Guardian, Darling also spoke about water availability for the fast-growing Valley in the long term. The Guardian sought the interview because water was not covered as an issue in the recent economic summit hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership.

Here is an audio recording of the interview with Mayor Darling.

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service to read the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - The availability of water for Rio Grande Valley residents and farmers has always been a top issue for Jim Darling.

The former mayor of McAllen is president of the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority. He always gives updates on the water levels at Falcon and Amistad dams when he gives reports to McAllen Economic Development Corporation. 

So, when famed Mexico expert Duncan Wood spoke to the CEO Club at a breakfast event the McAllen Country Club recently, Darling used the Q&A portion of the event to return to one of his favorite subjects. 

“Mexico has not met its treaty obligations in the delivery of water for almost seven years. They did so last time by giving us all the water in Falcon. We are now almost three years behind again. We are approaching almost 25 percent (capacity) in the reservoirs. At 20 percent, agriculture doesn’t get any allocations. We were at 21 percent about two years ago. I understand Monterrey has even a worse problem than we do. What can be done?” Darling asked Wood, who serves as vice president for strategy and new initiatives at the Wilson Center.

Here, in audio format, is Darling’s question and Wood’s response. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos points out that if Zoho Corporation were to build its 90-acre campus in north of the city, it could benefit Edinburg CISD.

Many environmentalists said the campus should not be built on Green Jay Park in south McAllen because of its unique habitat. 

But if it were put in north McAllen instead, Mayor Villalobos warned, millions of dollars of property taxes would go to Edinburg’s school district, not McAllen’s.

“Well, if so goes to the north, guess what district is gonna get a benefit? North of Freddy Gonzales is not McAllen ISD. Your kids, your educators will not receive the benefit of millions and millions of tax dollars. If it goes north of Freddie Gonzalez, Edinburg Independent School District receives the benefit of what Zoho is trying to do here,” Villalobos said.

Villalobos made his comments in wrap-up remarks at the end of a vote by McAllen city commissioners to rezone Green Jay Park. They voted to turn the park from agricultural-open space to light industrial. This paves the way for Zoho to move onto the property.

Many voices were heard at the city commission meeting. Here are is the commentary of three of the supporters of rezoning, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, and South Texas College board trustee Dalinda Gonzalez-Alcantar.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - Four state lawmakers from the Rio Grande Valley were asked what is one specific area that needs to be addressed in the next legislative session. 

Reps. Terry Canales of Edinburg, Sergio Muñoz of Mission, R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra of McAllen, and Oscar Longoria of La Joya were asked the question by moderator Jim Darling, the former mayor of McAllen, at a McAllen Chamber of Commerce event. 

Held at the Radisson McAllen Airport Hotel, the event was titled “Legislative Update Luncheon." The master of ceremonies was Dr. Fred Farias, chairman of the McAllen Chamber’s government affairs council.

This podcast has the answers from the four Rio Grande Valley lawmakers.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - Four state lawmakers from the Rio Grande Valley were asked what was the most important negative piece of legislation passed last session for the region.

Reps. Terry Canales of Edinburg, Sergio Muñoz of Mission, R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra of McAllen, and Oscar Longoria of La Joya were asked the question by moderator Jim Darling, the former mayor of McAllen, at a McAllen Chamber of Commerce event. 

Held at the Radisson McAllen Airport Hotel, the event was titled “Legislative Update Luncheon." The master of ceremonies was Dr. Fred Farias, chairman of the McAllen Chamber’s government affairs council.

This podcast has the answers from the four Rio Grande Valley lawmakers. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - Four state lawmakers from the Rio Grande Valley were asked what was the most important positive piece of legislation passed last session for the region.

Reps. Terry Canales of Edinburg, Sergio Muñoz of Mission, R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra of McAllen, and Oscar Longoria of La Joya were asked the question by moderator Jim Darling, the former mayor of McAllen, at a McAllen Chamber of Commerce event. 

Held at the Radisson McAllen Airport Hotel, the event was titled “Legislative Update Luncheon." The master of ceremonies was Dr. Fred Farias, chairman of the McAllen Chamber’s government affairs council.

This podcast has the answers from the four Rio Grande Valley lawmakers. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - Four state lawmakers from the Rio Grande Valley were asked what has changed the most in the Legislature over the past ten years. 

Reps. Terry Canales of Edinburg, Sergio Muñoz of Mission, R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra of McAllen, and Oscar Longoria of La Joya were asked the question by moderator Jim Darling, the former mayor of McAllen, at a McAllen Chamber of Commerce event. 

Held at the Radisson McAllen Airport Hotel, the event was titled “Legislative Update Luncheon." The master of ceremonies was Dr. Fred Farias, chairman of the McAllen Chamber’s government affairs council.

This podcast has the answers from the four Rio Grande Valley lawmakers. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez says Anzalduas International Bridge will be “game changer” for the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas - once it can take trucks carrying cargo.

At the moment, Anzalduas can take empty trucks going southbound into Mexico. That should change soon, Rodriguez said, during a webinar hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. The webinar showcased McAllen as a place worthy of commercial investment.

“Our bridges are our way of life for South Texas. We are very proud to own two international bridges. We have a team of cities that have partnered for many, many years, on Hidalgo Bridge and Anzalduas Bridge,” Rodriguez said.

“Anzalduas is really the future for us. It is a big part of the future of this region.”

Rodriguez pointed out that Anzalduas Bridge has been open for about ten years. 

“We have only been able to have vehicular traffic go through it. And, in the last few years we have had empty trucks going southbound into Mexico. We are currently designing the cargo facilities,” Rodriguez said, proudly.

“I will use something the mayor uses all the time: is just going to be a game changer.”

Many of the listeners on the webinar were potential investors and real estate developers. Rodriguez explained why Anzalduas is going to make a big difference.

“When we open up Anzalduas for cargo it is going to really, really, develop our region and our state. In McAllen, we realize that the bridges are much more than another revenue (stream). Anzalduas Bridge impacts the State of Texas and the United States,” Rodriguez said.

By way of example, Rodriguez highlighted the parts that go into making automobiles. He said many of these parts cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

“A lot of folks outside of our region do not realize that parts coming from Mexico, northbound, are going as far as Michigan, in order to put cars together, with parts made back here, across the border. So, Anzalduas is definitely going to be a game changer.”

Rodriguez said a plan to develop Anzalduas so it can take fully loaded trucks is 90 percent complete. He said the plan will incorporate the Donations Acceptance Program, which allows municipalities to work with the federal government to fund infrastructure projects at international ports of entry.  

“It will be submitted through the DAP program, our partners with CBP, GSA and all the others that will use the facilities have been part of that design from the beginning. We did not want to guess what they needed. They have been around the table with us, designing this port of entry and we are very excited that we will be turning dirt on that in 2021.”

CBP stands for Customs and Border Protection. GSA stands for General Services Administration.

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

With a cricket game in Weslaco between an Indian team and a Pakistani team as the backdrop, Rio Grande Guardian editor Steve Taylor reviews the week’s news in the Rio Grande Valley.

Among the topics discussed are McAllen Economic Development Corporation’s recent trip to China, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling’s disappointment with state lawmakers over a new annexation law, flood mitigation in the Rio Grande Valley, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's Valley visit, funding concerns for the U.S. Section of the International Boundary & Water Commission, the future for Project VIDA in Brownsville, and infrastructure funding for land ports of entry.

The cricket game, by the way, was the opening fixture in the 5th Annual Cricket Tournament hosted by the India Association of the Rio Grande Valley. It was held at the Harlon Block Sports Complex in Weslaco. Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez was there for the start of the game, the score announcer was Sucheta Reddy, and the Pakistan team won by five runs. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

On Sunday, June 9, 2019, Auxiliary Bishop Mario A. Avilès blessed a new location for McAllen's Humanitarian Respite Center. The center, just across the street from the downtown bus station, has been acquired by the City of McAllen. It will host asylum seekers dropped off by Border Patrol. The asylum seekers will be provided free food and clothing and a place to stay overnight, before they head out to other parts of the country. Among the speakers at the event were Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, and state Sen. Juan Hinojosa. All three were asked to respond to the claims of some McAllen residents that the City of McAllen's involvement showed McAllen is a Sanctuary City.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.