richard cortez

MCALLEN, Texas - Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force is likely to recommend the establishment of a rapid transit authority, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez has confirmed.

The subject came up at a summit the task force hosted jointly with Futuro RGV at South Texas College’s Pecan Campus last Friday. The summit was titled, “CEOs Unite: Let’s Get Uncomfortable.”

Interviewed later, Cortez told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service: 

“One of the barriers and obstacles that we have is moving people from areas, from where they live to where they work. And, as you know, a lot of households only have one vehicle. So, when the husband works and the wife works and what do you do when you only have one vehicle or the husband is gone and the wife needs to go shopping or go to the doctor or whatever is,” Cortez said.

“Transportation is very important. In larger communities such as Austin, Houston, San Antonio, they have a transit authority, that's basically a taxing body to provide for transportation. I think that we're at the size already in Hidalgo County that we need to start looking into that and see if that fits our needs. And everything takes a long time. So we better start looking at it now and start to prepare for it.”

Cortez said he is also concerned about the traffic count in his county.

“We have a lot of people out there on the roads. If we can reduce some of those cars from being on the roads because they have another form of transportation that helps us there also.”

Asked if a rapid transit authority could be part of the final recommendations of the task force, Cortez said:

“Absolutely. No, we're already looking into it. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council already has done some work. We just took it off the shelf and started looking at it again.”


Editor’s Note: Here is an audio recording of the Guardian’s interview with Judge Cortez, as well as the analysis of Thomas Ray Garcia, one of the lead coordinators of the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force. 

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

MCALLEN, Texas - Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez has committed an additional $60,000 in American Rescue Funds to help HOPE Family Health Clinic build a larger network of mental health professionals.

A press release from Cortez’s office says the health professionals will collaborate in, guide, and practice trauma therapy in order to “strengthen the skills of mental health professionals in Hidalgo County in order to address the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic for individuals.”

Roxanne Ramirez, executive director of HOPE Family Health Center, hosted a press conference to announced the news. Judge Cortez was slated to attend but could not make it. Ramirez thanked Cortez and Hidalgo County for providing funding for the training.

The health professionals are learning a mental wellness technique known as EMDR therapy, Ramirez explained. The aim is to help non-profits better serve their clients in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So far, 50 mental health specialists affiliated with area school districts have completed their EMDR therapy certification and are already serving students on local campuses,” the press release stated. “Another 50 mental health professionals affiliated with local non-profits are registered to take advantage of this additional opportunity.”

Ramirez said: “We received tremendous feedback from the first group of professionals who learned this technique and we are excited to offer this training to more mental health professionals."

The press release from Cortez’s office said Hispanics were particularly hard hit by the pandemic, accounting for nearly one in four of the initial job losses. 

The press release said the latest training session represents a marriage of two Hidalgo County initiatives: the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force and the Hidalgo County Mental Health Coalition. 

“Both groups seek to assist low income residents, which make up as much as 40 percent of the population. The idea is to provide additional mental health services to those identified as suffering from recent trauma associated with the pandemic,” the release said.

“We remain concerned about the mental wellness of all residents who lived through the trauma of the pandemic,” said Judge Cortez.


Here is an audio interview with Ramirez, conducted by KRGV-TV and the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

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

EDINBURG, Texas - The four counties of the Rio Grande Valley have come together to apply for what could be the biggest federal grant ever awarded to the region - $85 million.

Brief details of the $200 million Recompete Pilot Program were referenced by Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez during a press conference held by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance on Monday, Oct. 9. 

And in a later interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Cortez said the Valley entities that have come together to apply for the Recompete grant are hoping to secure $85 million. He said the entity taking the lead on the grant application is UT-Rio Grande Valley and specifically its associate vice president for workforce and economic development, Ron Garza.

The Guardian learned about the Valley’s application for the Recompete grant after reporter had asked Cornyn if he could help Cortez with one of the top issues identified by the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force - improving public transportation in the Valley’s colonias. The task force is addressing the high level of poverty in the county. 

Cornyn appeared to misunderstand the question and started to talk about immigration. The reporter pointed out that the question was not about immigration but rather infrastructure. So, Cornyn asked Cortez to answer it.

“The Senator has said the government cannot do everything and we have to look at ourselves to do things. One of the things we're going to do here in Hidalgo County, Cameron County, Willacy County and Starr County is invest in ourselves,” Cortez said.

Cortez said the Prosperity Task Force’s studies have shown that part of the problem in getting the people of Hidalgo County trained to have a good education is lack of transportation. 

“We're not going to solve the problem here today,” Cortez said. “But, I can tell you that this Senator, right next to me here, is always willing to sit down with us and help us. 

“He was he was approached earlier today about the Recompete grant that's coming up with the Department of Commerce. So please take a look at that and help us with that because we made an application for that grant. That would go a long way in helping us with the problem (public transportation in the Valley’s colonias) that you just mentioned.”

Cornyn responded:  “We're happy to help, Judge.”

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


Editor's Note: The audio recording below features Sen. Cornyn and Judge Cortez discussing the possibility of public transportation in Valley colonias; an interview with Cortez about the Recomplete Pilot Program; and an interview with Cortez at an affordable housing project groundbreaking ceremony with Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham where he confirms that public transportation in colonias is a top priority for the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force.

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 - Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham visited south McAllen this week to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new multifamily housing complex.

Buckingham said the General Land Office was awarding $5 million to build Jackson Road Apartments, a 36-unit affordable rental community. She said all 36 units are guaranteed for low- to moderate-income (LMI) residents. 

The funding is coming from a federal government program to help with disaster recovery.

Among the dignitaries at the event were state Sen. Juan Hinojosa, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Hidalgo County Commissioner Everardo Villarreal, McAllen City Commissioner Omar Quintanilla, and McAllen Chamber of Commerce Chairman and former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling.

“Anytime we can find affordable housing for our people, that's not only a good thing, that's a great thing,” said Judge Cortez.

“We are excited today to be here to break ground on this wonderful $5 million project that is going to help over 36 families, all low- to moderate-income, find a place to start and grow and gain that prosperity, judge,” Buckingham,” said.

Also present was Bill Fisher, representing the co-developers, Rise Residential and Sphinx Development. 

Fisher said a one-bedroom apartment to rent in McAllen can cost at least $1,000 a month. He said the affordable housing available at Jackson Road Apartments will cost $300 a month.


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

MCALLEN, Texas - The vice president for strategy and new initiatives at the Wilson Center says border communities need to be better organized in order to have more of a say in Washington, DC.

Duncan Wood, who also serves as a senior advisor to the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, spoke recently at an event hosted by the CEO Club and held at the McAllen Country Club. 

After his speech Wood took questions from the audience. One came from Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez. He asked Wood what, from an economic development standpoint, is the Rio Grande Valley not doing that it could be. Wood responded that the companies he talks to often say they have a problem recruiting talent.

Wood said the companies tell him: “We have a problem in recruiting the right skill-set. We don't necessarily want the finished product because we can train workers ourselves. We can work with local communities, but we need to have a engineering-literate or business-literate or more energy-literate workforce that we can work with, that we can educate. And then we need to have partner institutions locally, with whom we have always been willing to invest in.”

Wood said more studies are needed on what skill-sets are lacking in the Valley. South Texas College President Ricardo Solis was in the audience. He told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service later that STC was carrying out all the recommendations Wood was making.

“I believe it's so important that we begin to actually do proper surveys of what the needs are in local communities, so that we know where the shortages are,” Wood said. 

“Because, right now, I think there's a lot of speculation that goes on. But we need to talk to businesses on this side of the border, talk to businesses on the other side. Because, as we all know, they go hand-in-hand. You can't really do one without the other. 

“So let's actually take the time and invest the resources to actually understand what the needs are in a forward-looking strategic manner. That's where I think we can actually make real progress, if we actually have the data on what skills are needed.”

Wood then turned to an issue he said he faces often in Washington. He said too many people in Congress see the border as a problem and not an opportunity. “We need to change the mindset on that,” he said.

“You know, I always find myself in this weird situation in Washington as an Englishman from Kent, who lived in Mexico and Canada, talking about the US-Mexico border and being the one in the room when, there's maybe a representative from Michigan who says that the border is a disaster. And then I say, have you gone down and seen what the opportunities are?”

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.

WESLACO, TEXAS - Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement is one of 25 organizations nationwide and the only one in Texas to be awarded a U.S. Department of Labor’s $3 Million Nursing Expansion Grant.

The grant will be used to develop professional pathways to nursing.

On July 27, a check presentation ceremony was held by VIDA at the Knapp Medical Conference Center in Weslaco. In addition to VIDA leaders the event was attended by stakeholders and partners involved in the initiative. 

“This event served as a platform to highlight the positive impact we have collectively made in our community through our collaboration and shared vision of providing our Rio Grande Valley with a highly skilled and highly educated workforce,” VIDA President and CEO Felida Villarreal told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

The audio story below features the analysis and observations of Villarreal, Ana Garcia, the South Texas district director for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, state Sens. Juan Hinojosa and Morgan LaMantia, Julian Alvarez, a senior vice president for Lone Star National Bank, and Edward Serna, executive director of the Texas Workforce Commission. 

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 - Telecommunications giant Spectrum recently awarded a Digital Education Grant worth $10,000 to Leap for STEM. They also donated 30 new laptops. 

Leap for STEM is a small nonprofit based in south McAllen that teaches digital literacy.

Among those to attend a news conference to announce the grant were Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, City of McAllen Assistant City Manager Michelle Rivera, and Tania Ortega, senior manager of regional communications for Spectrum in Texas.

Here are their views on the work of Leap for STEM, the Spectrum investment, and the importance of tackling the digital divide in the Rio Grande Valley. 

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

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

EDINBURG, Texas - Research shows that when a community has policies and investments to help those in poverty, it not only helps those in need, but it also helps government and ultimately the taxpayer.

So said Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez at a recent Prosperity Task Force meeting, held at Hidalgo County Commissioners Court. Cortez set up the task force to tackle his county’s high rate of poverty. 

“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics… our poverty rate is 29 percent. We think they're wrong. We think that amount is really too low,” Cortez told members of the the task force, in his opening remarks.

Cortez proceeded to give evidence that suggests the bureau’s numbers are low.

“We rely on evidence not subjective belief to tell us that we're more likely right than wrong. What is that evidence? Thirty three percent of our people are receiving public assistance. Forty six percent of the people that are working in Hidalgo County are earning low wages, below poverty. Only 32 percent of the people that live in Hidalgo County have access to health insurance,” Cortez said.

Cortez continued to rattle off the statistics.

“Another alarming statistic is that according to reports by Co-Step, 8.89 percent of boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 19 are classified as disconnected. Meaning that they're neither working or going to school. So what is the next natural progression of that group of people? They're going to have babies, okay. So, the cycle of poverty continues.”

Cortez said 37 percent of children in Hidalgo County are food insecure. “That number was 2020. In 2018, it was 27 percent. It is pretty alarming when you go from 27 to 37 in two years.”

Cortez said if one speaks with school superintendents they will tell you that 75 to 80 percent of school children qualify for free meals or reduced meals. “So that is also an indication that that 29 percent is really, possibly, too low.”

Cortez painted a grim picture: “So many of our people are unable to afford really basic necessities, which results in homelessness, hunger, they have health issues, and sometimes unfortunately, even revert to crime.”

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

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

MISSION, Texas - A news conference was held Aug. 5, 2021, at Anzalduas Park in south Mission to announce a new temporary shelter for asylum seekers that have Covid-19.

The new shelter is in Anzalduas Park, next to the Rio Grande. 

Among the speakers were Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Bishop of Brownsville Daniel Flores, McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez, and Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner Everado Villarreal.

Here is the raw audio from the event. It includes a Q&A with reporters.

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

EDINBURG, Texas - Hidalgo County and McAllen leaders recently held a news conference to announce that thousands of maquiladora workers from Reynosa would cross into the U.S. to be given a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being administered within the Hidalgo International Bridge compound. Maquila workers are bused across the bridge and receive the vaccine from nurses whilst staying on the bus. The bus then returns to Reynosa. 

Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez kicked off the news conference. He was joined by Eduardo Olivarez, Hidalgo County’s chief administrative officer for Health & Human Services, McAllen City Commissioner Pepe Cabeza de Vaca, Keith Patridge, president of McAllen Economic Development Corporation, and Steve Ahlenius, president of McAllen Chamber of Commerce. 

The other featured speakers were Foylán Yesces Cedillo, Mexico’s consul in McAllen, and Humberto Martinez, president of Index Reynosa, the maquiladora trade association. 

Cortez said the program is called the Essential Economic Trade Initiative.

“It involves vaccinating maquiladora workers in Reynosa with unused COVID-19 vaccines before they expire. Our initial goal is to vaccinate up to 3,000 workers but our hope is we will vaccinate more as we receive more unused vaccines from across the state when they become available,” Cortez said.

“I want to make it clear that no U.S. citizens will be denied any vaccine or anyone who wants one from our area hospitals, private pharmacies, UTRGV, or even our Hidalgo County clinics. This program uses left over vaccines that are soon to expire to vaccinate maquila workers before the vaccines are destroyed.”

Cortez noted that similar programs have been started in San Diego, California, and the Texas border cities of El Paso and Brownsville.

“We think this as a good thing. We view this as a smart, economic move aimed at restoring to normal one of our region’s biggest economic engines, which is the maquiladora industry,” Cortez said.

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

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

EDINBURG, Texas - Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez called Bishop of Brownsville Daniel Flores for spiritual guidance before announcing a new shelter at home order. 

The new order also includes a curfew, essential travel limitations and a requirement for everyone to use facial coverings while outdoors. Cortez acknowledges the order is not enforceable.

“Who would ever have thought back on March 21, when we had the first incident of someone testing positive, that we would be caught in this pandemic with these tragic numbers of people infected and fatalities. And the impact it would have on our businesses and people,” Cortez said during a Facebook live event.

Cortez said the situation has gotten so bad that the county is using refrigerated trucks as morgues. He said he was alarmed to learn that flea markets like the one in Alamo is still operating with visitors not adhering to social distancing guidelines.

“This is a monster,” Cortez said of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I have spent most of this weekend calling other county judges, calling the State of Texas emergency management team. I even called the bishop for spiritual help. I am looking around for every possible source of a solution as to how do we solve this problem.”

Cortez said that after discussing the situation with leaders in the medical community he has come to realize there is no easy fix. “There isn’t just one thing to do. It is going to take a combination of things,” he said. 

Acknowledging that his new shelter-in-place order lacks enforcement capability, Cortez said he does not think he needs it. He said he trusts that Hidalgo County residents will “do the right thing.”

Editor's Note: The attached podcast features Judge Cortez, state Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen, Texas, Dr. Ivan Melendez, Hidalgo County's health authority, and Dr. Victor Gonzalez of the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society. 

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

EDINBURG, TEXAS - Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez and Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez recently appeared on a Facebook LIVE to discuss COVID-19 issues.

Cortez spoke about a recent surge in coronavirus cases in his county and new curfews he was putting in place in response. 

Melendez participated in a Q&A with Hidalgo County’s public affairs director, Carlos Sanchez, with a focus on the impact the COVID-19 is having on area hospitals. 

Melendez, who does all of his clinical work in local hospitals, was asked about an increase in the number of tests coming back as positive for the coronavirus in Hidalgo County.

In Hidalgo County that rate is currently six percent and rising. This, he said, is cause for alarm.

“What worries me, at six percent is the rapidity, the quickness at which those numbers have increased. I do all of my clinical work in the hospitals. I am seeing the controlled chaos. I am seeing the impact that this accelerated rate is causing in the hospitals. I am seeing the staffing issues,” Melendez said.

Melendez cited the situation at one local hospital, which he did not mention by name.

“There are 50-plus COVID patients in-house. Twenty-three of them require hemodialysis. That hemodialysis on people with COVID, they have to be done at bedside. Well, of course, we also have a lot of people in our part of the country that go to the emergency departments to get emergency dialysis. Because that is their only source. They are not able to have a routine dialysis at a dialysis center.

“So, imagine if you are having 23 bedside dialysis and you still have to take care of another 40 or 50 people a week that need to have dialysis in the emergency department. That is an example that I would like the public to know how (about, how) even a doubling in our percent rate begins to tax significantly the resources that are available.”

Melendez said that, as of now, the resources at local hospitals are not being taxed to the point of saturation. 

“Now if we were doubling, if we are at six percent today and we were 12 percent in two weeks and we were at 24 percent in another two weeks, that would be a catastrophic event for us.”

Melendez said there are plans to deal with such an eventuality.

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

WESLACO, Texas - Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., says he fears the international bridges will be closed to Mexican visa holders for another month, if not longer.

Treviño held a news conference at the Cameron County Courthouse last Wednesday where he discussed the issue in depth. He said that in his capacity as chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, he had written to acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Mark Morgan, urging him to re-open the bridges.

President Trump has restricted border crossings for the past six weeks to trade and commerce. Ordinary visa holders cannot cross to go shopping, sightseeing or visit their families. Border communities say their economy has been hurt by the decision. Supporters of the restriction say the measure has reduced the chance of COVID-19 spreading. The current restrictions are in place until June 22. 

Treviño would not say who had told him the border crossing restrictions will be extended. 

The day after the news conference in Brownsville, all the four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley met for a news conference at the offices of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council in Weslaco. The four are Treviño, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, and Willacy County Judge Aurelio Guerra. The news conference was called to discuss a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the Valley. However, the issue of whether to re-open the bridges came up.

Veteran broadcaster Ron Whitlock of Ron Whitlock Reports asked all four county judges a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. Do they support the re-opening of the bridges.

This podcast contains their answers.

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

WESLACO, Texas - It is rare for the four county judges of the Rio Grande Valley to get together in public. But they did so at a news conference last Wednesday to discuss the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

The four county judges are Richard Cortez of Hidalgo, Eddie Treviño, Jr., of Cameron, Eloy Vera of Starr, and Aurelio Guerra of Willacy. They met at the offices of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council in Weslaco.

Rio Grande Guardian reporter Steve Taylor asked the judges what plans they have to reduce the increase in the coronavirus, other than tell local residents to social distance, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently.

This podcast features the response of the county judges to that question. 

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

MCALLEN, RGV - The Rio Grande Valley Partnership hosted a transportation forum at the Double Tree Suites in McAllen on Friday, Nov. 15, 2109.

The event came about after U.S. Sen. John Cornyn promised Valley leaders that he would bring Texas Transportation Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., to the region to address flooding issues on I-2. 

Cornyn had visited the Valley last month to learn about the Valley’s drainage challenges. At a roundtable discussion in Weslaco, Cornyn learned that when the Valley experiences heavy storms, I-2 gets so badly flooded that it cannot be accessed in parts of the Mid Valley. Valley leaders told Cornyn that this makes a mockery of I-2 being one of the region’s evacuation routes.

True to his word, Cornyn brought Bugg to the Valley. In response, Bugg said the Texas Department of Transportation would own up to its responsibilities “100 percent.”

The transportation forum was significant because the six main speakers also brought up issues such as a second causeway for South Padre Island, the merger of the the Valley’s three metropolitan planning organizations, the impact on the region’s highways should the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement be ratified by Congress, and the potential of liquefied natural gas export terminals at the Port of Brownsville. 

The six main speakers were Cornyn, Bugg, RGV MPO Chairman Ambrosio Hernandez, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., and TXDOT Pharr District Engineer Pete Alvarez. The emcee was RGVP President Sergio Contreras.

The above podcast features the remarks of all six speakers. Click on the link to learn about the additional highway infrastructure investment coming to the Valley as a result of the creation of the RGV MPO. 

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