You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July, 2008.
• by Juan Sanchez
In a letter to the Committee Against Taking our Students (CATS), dated July 7, 2008, UCISD Superintendent Wendell Brown acknowledged receipt of documentation from the organization asking the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for detachment of Batesville School from the UCISD. According to the letter, (see “downloads” at LaVozUvalde.com), Brown states that the district is reviewing the request. The letter also states that the pursuance of detachment by CATS is “contraire to the direction of the UCISD.”
Mauro Avila, manager of local acts Akeldama, Llorona and rap duo E.O.D, came across a poster of a California-based national metal act, State of Insomnia (SOI, touring the U.S with one of the stops being Corpus Christi.
Avila, after several years of supporting national acts (record label-owned) along with independent musicians in the ever-growing, popular heavy metal/rock music in Uvalde, Austin, San Antonio, saw it as an opportunity to bring the band to Uvalde.
He contacted the men of SOI in order to negotiate a brief stopover in Uvalde on its way to the coast gig. To Avila’s pleasure, the band agreed to appear.
He then negotiated with two other local bands to appear on the bill, with SOI giving their enthusiastic approval. Read the rest of this entry »
Hispanics have an innate affinity for patterning. Mathematics, which is centered around patterning, should be a subject area that Hispanics are leaders in, yet they are not. Why?
When race is the definition of a group, both the variable of culture (environment) and the variable of genetic makeup must be explored.
If you look at even the poorest of schools in which everyone is economically disadvantaged, Caucasians rank higher in testing than Hispanics or African Americans.
There is a scientific data that explains why. Caucasians as a group are left brain dominant. Hispanics and African Americans are right brain dominant. Because our educational systems and testing assessments are designed by left brain dominant educators in a left brain dominant format, it is only logical that we get the results we do. There is no underlying sinister objective in the design, it is the way the educational system has be structured for decades.
The solution is to train teachers and students in brain or mental efficiency. Teaching all individuals of all races, genders, ages to develop the brain so that it can easily switch from one hemisphere to the other is the answer.
After 12 years of research, four case studies were taken to the National Conference for Teaching Hispanic Students. These four students of Hispanic heritage topped out the math scores in the nation. One young Hispanic student completed 5-1/2 years of mathematics in 12 months! They tested in the top percentages on a national norm-referenced test.
Suggestion: Quit keeping score. Empower students to become self-directed, responsible and aware of self-efficacy. Inform all students on how to develop mental efficiency. Reward effort.
It is an approach called No Excuses-No Limitations. It works for any student of any race, creed or gender who has the desire to learn.
Jeanine McGregor
To whom it may concern:
An article in La Voz recently advocated city council districts in place of at-large elections. The line of the story was that districts would force election of city councilmen from the west side and bring attention to the west side. This may be true, I’m not arguing against it.
The reasoning given is that almost all of the city council persons elected in the last 30 years lived on the east side of Uvalde so the west side was ignored for curbs, etc. And the focus was on getting the city to build utilities and curbed streets.
I want to suggest that this isn’t the answer. The city has been paving streets on the south and west side of town. Most, if not all, of the capital improvements like utilities and curb construction have been on the south and west side of town. This is work the City of Uvalde has paid for.
If one looks at who has paid for various developments in Uvalde over the last 30 or even 50 years, I believe it will be found that most of the developments on the east side of town were paid by private funds. The City had a hand in review and authorization of the projects, but the projects were not funded by the city. Almost everything constructed around Wal-Mart was private funds.
Look at the subdivisions built in Uvalde since 1990.They were mostly on the east side of Uvalde and have curb and gutter. They were paid for by private funds.
If the goal is better streets and services on the west side of town, some way has to be found to promote private development. I think all of Uvalde would like to see that.
Ken Dirksen
Uvalde
• by Juan Sanchez
As a follow-up to the previous TAKS information publish in La Voz (July 5), further analyses of the UCISD TAKS results are provided in this article.
The Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report provides other information beyond the minimum passing rates of students on state mandated tests, such as dropout rates.
Hi and welcome!
I hope all of you are enjoying your summer. The rains gave us a brief respite from the heat, even if the clouds didn’t stick around too long. Still, the early part of the day is still reasonably “cool”, for lack of a better word. Read the rest of this entry »
Rain is usually a bad thing when it comes to fireworks, but this year, area showers came just in time to take the edge off the worries of possible fires caused by stray sparks. According to vendors, sales are brisk and although there are no aerial fireworks (bottle rockets, flyers, etc.) available due to the burn ban, there are still plenty of other favorites left and still have a great time.
(Staff photo by Louie Neira)
• by Louie Neira
In this issue of La Voz, we feature Uvalde native Margarito “Maggie” Chacon.
Chacon was born March 1, 1934 to Roman and Librada Chacon of Uvalde.
He began his education at West Garden School, then after completing his elementary education, he went to West Main School and later graduated from Uvalde High School in 1953. Read the rest of this entry »
• by Juan Sanchez
In looking back over ex-mayor George Garza’s statement provided to the Uvalde Leader-News on Sunday June 29, 2008; that I was wrong, that he had not “fired” Phil Hughes, and that Hughes had resigned, I began to do a bit of research into the matter. Read the rest of this entry »
Pop-a-Top tops Uvalde BBQ
July 18, 2008 in Commentaries | Tags: Uvalde restaurants | Leave a comment
In the latest installment of La Voz’s “Under the Glass” restaurant reviews, our mystery critic visits Pop-a-Top Sports Bar & Grill.
As always, the opinions of our critic is merely that; an opinion. La Voz invites readers to discover for themselves the fun and experience of dining in a new location. Read the rest of this entry »