Rangers open criminal investigation into Roma employee
The Texas Rangers have opened a criminal investigation into a former and unidentified city of Roma employee involved with the municipality’s finances, according to a news release. “Possible discrepancies began to emerge regarding bank deposits, and the City’s procedures were improved to prevent further discrepancies,” the release stated. After an internal audit, the city contacted the Texas Rangers, who took over the investigation. “The City of Roma will continue to take steps in safeguarding all public funds, and will continue to modernize its policies and procedures to ensure public trust,” the release stated. Due to an ongoing criminal investigation, the city said it would not offer any further comment and deferred any questions to the Texas Rangers.
myrgv.comGreek officer back in court over teen's shooting death
A police officer accused of fatally shooting a Roma teenager during a car chase over an alleged unpaid gas station bill has appeared in court in northern Greece to provide further testimony after the charges against him were elevated to manslaughter with possible intent
washingtonpost.comStarr County jury sentences man to life for 2020 murder in Roma
A jury in Starr County has sentenced a man to life in prison after convicting him of murdering a man in Roma more than two years ago. In a news release, the Starr County District Attorney’s Office said the jury convicted Romeo Alberto Ibanez-Barrera last Thursday and handed him the life sentence on Friday. The jury assessed an additional decade in prison on a tampering with evidence charge and slapped him with a $20,000 fine. Vasquez is also charged with murder and online Starr County dockets indicate he is scheduled for a hearing later this week. In the news release, the Starr County District Attorney’s Office said the trial lasted multiple weeks and said the jury heard from 27 witnesses and that jurors saw more than 1,000 exhibits.
myrgv.comMan smuggling 2 Mexican women crashes into Roma home
A man crashed into a home near Roma on Tuesday and was arrested after Border Patrol initiated a vehicle pursuit after he picked up two women who had crossed the Rio Grande. Edgar Ivan Chavarria, who was born in 2003, is charged with smuggling of persons illegally present in the U.S. According to the criminal complaint, a Border Patrol agent camera operator observed a raft crossing the river near Roma and notified agents nearby that two subjects boarded a white, single cab Ford F-150 driving north away from the river. “An agent responded and observed the Ford F-150 driving north towards his direction and make a sudden right turn towards a residential area,” the complaint said. He added that he was there for 30 minutes before he left in the Ford truck, of which he claimed belonged to a friend, with two women he had just met.
myrgv.comRoma punches playoff ticket with win over PSJA Southwest
PHARR — The Roma Gladiators are playoff bound for the first time since 2015 and for just the third time since 1990 when the program began competing in varsity football. Roma rolled to a 39-7 victory over PSJA Southwest on Thursday at PSJA Stadium to clinch the postseason berth. Last year, we were close and that was the goal throughout the offseason,” Roma head coach Frank Villanueva said. He said he was proud to finally check the playoff goal off their list. Roma is slated to close the regular season against Mission Veterans (4-4, 1-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Gladiator Arena in Roma.
myrgv.comRoma ISD buys ballistic police shields
The Roma school board recently approved the purchase of 10 ballistic shields for the district’s police department, enough to equip each officer at every one of its campuses. The shields are expected to be delivered by December, the district announced in a release Tuesday. “Honestly we hope we never have to use these shields, but the community can be assured that we are prepared and ready if the need ever arises,” Roma ISD Police Chief Benjamin Gonzalez wrote. “We are passionate about protecting the students in our community and vow to do whatever we can to keep them safe. In August, the McAllen Independent School District briefed its board on plans to apply for a grant that would fund 62 bullet-resistant shields for its police department.
myrgv.comCPAC Hungary continues the mainstreaming of bigotry in the GOP
CPAC is defending the appearance of Hungarian talk-show host Zsolt Bayer at its conference in Hungary, where he appeared on the same stage as Donald Trump. It's a culmination of the GOP looking the other way on such things.
washingtonpost.comRoma ISD’s lone finalist for superintendent comes from Zapata County
Roma school district trustees named Carlos Gonzalez as the lone finalist for superintendent Wednesday evening. Gonzalez is the current superintendent for Zapata County ISD and has served in that capacity for five years, a release said. Before that he worked at Roma ISD as the career and technical education director and an assistant athletic director, and in a variety of capacities as assistant principal, facilitator, teacher and coach. “So he had a really, really good resume,” Roma ISD Board President Ricardo Perez said Thursday. “It’s important that he’s had that experience at his current location, at his current district, so he’s aware of what it takes to deal with the pandemic as it impacts a school district,” he said.
myrgv.comLa Joya Palmview tops Roma, claims outright District 30-5A championship
MISSION — The La Joya Palmview Lobos secured their first district title since 2017 by defeating the Roma Gladiators 4-1 in District 30-5A competition Friday at La Joya Palmview High School. They worked hard and they’re a great ball club, so I told our guys we can’t let (the district title) get away from our grasp,” Palmview head coach Manuel Garcia said. The Lobos can complete a perfect run through league play by defeating Roma in Game 2 of their home-and-home series, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Roma High School. But we accomplished one goal: win a district title,” Garcia said. “Now we’re going to go after a perfect district season and we’re not going to let up.”[email protected]
myrgv.comCowboys crush Gladiators in area round
MERCEDES — The Brownsville Porter Cowboys cruised by the Roma Gladiators 5-1 courtesy of a hat trick by Martin Gonzalez and a first-half brace from Alessandro Lara on Monday night at Tiger Stadium. With the inability of Roma to clear its lines effectively with long balls, Porter kept the Gladiators pinned in their own half for extensive amounts of the dominating first half. Porter nearly went up early after Lara played in Julian Gallegos, but the keeper went down well to keep Gallegos out. Lara grabbed his first goal during the 16th minute, curling in a free kick from 40 yards out that fooled the Roma keeper and snuck in at the far post. Porter can play in any condition and outplayed the Gladiators in the second half.
myrgv.comBack-to-back: Edcouch-Elsa girls claim second straight state title
Entering her final lift of the day — a third attempt on deadlift — Zapata trailed Garza by 25 total pounds. Mission Veterans sophomore Deseray Rodriguez completed her first season of competitive powerlifting by winning the state championship in the 148-pound weight class. Donna’s Valeria Gutierrez finished first in the 132-pound weight class with a 890 total — 375 squat, 195 bench, 320 deadlift. Edinburg IDEA also crowned two state champions during the Class 3A state meet Thursday. Mia Rincones took first in the 165-pound weight class with a 1,065 total — 415 squat, 265 bench, 385 deadlift.
myrgv.comBook aims to shine light on Romanian role in the Holocaust
Maksim Goldenshteyn’s book, “So They Remember,” tells the story of his Holocaust survivor grandparents who languished in Jewish death camps and ghettos in Transnistria during World War II — a chapter of the Holocaust which some say is largely forgotten
washingtonpost.comPolice arrest Roma man accused of beating wife, fleeing with baby
A Roma man who reportedly beat his wife with a baseball bat and fled with their baby Thursday night was captured and arrested Friday. Jonathan Ramos, 23, was captured in a joint effort between Starr County’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, the FBI, and Roma Police Friday, according to Roma Police Chief Iv Garza Jr.Police officers responded to a family violence call on Ebony Avenue in Roma about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The victim told officers her husband beat her with a baseball bat and then fled with their 11-month-old child who was only wearing a diaper. The woman asked for medical attention and was taken to a nearby hospital. Ramos was later arrested on one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
myrgv.comStarr County part of a ‘binational effort’ to attract business to the region
Leaders from both sides of the border along Starr County met Friday to strategize and focus efforts that, they hope, will lead to a prosperous region. “A binational, regional concept” is how Joel Villarreal, Rio Grande City mayor, described the goal of the regional roundtable discussion that drew mayors and chamber of commerce representatives from Starr County, Roma, Rio Grande City, Miguel Aleman, Camargo and Diaz Ordaz. A video put together by the Rio Grande City EDC and played during the meeting highlighted a highway route that went from Monterrey toward Roma and veering into the U.S. through Rio Grande City. We really want to focus on that,” Jaime Escobar Jr., the Roma mayor said. So, if it’s not in my city, it could be with my neighbor,” Villarreal, the Rio Grande City mayor said.
myrgv.comReinforced vehicles, ammunition, bulletproof vests seized in Tamaulipas
State police officers in Tamaulipas seized multiple weapons, ammunition and six reinforced trucks in the Mexican city of Miguel Aleman, just south of the Texas community of Roma over the weekend. The special forces team known as GOPES, or Grupo de Operaciones Especiales, took possession of a small cache of weapons that included 23 long arms, 81 chargers, 4,600 cartridges 7.62 x 39. They also seized 16 bulletproof vests, about 90 kilograms of marijuana, and six reinforced trucks. Photos of the pick-up trucks show the vehicles painted in green, windows covered with painted plywood that include lookout holes, and bolstered with modifications to the front bumpers.
myrgv.com'No George Floyd': Czech police defend officers who knelt on neck of Roma man who later died
A Roma man who died after being arrested by the police in the Czech Republic is being called the “Czech George Floyd” after video footage emerged of a police officer kneeling on his neck. The officer knelt on the man’s neck for several minutes while another held his feet during the arrest in the Czech town of Teplice. The man later died in an ambulance that was called to the scene. People were quick to draw comparisons to the case of George Floyd, a black man murdered by a white police officer i
news.yahoo.comMexico marks 50th anniversary of 1971 student massacre
Mexican officials and protesters on Thursday marked the 50th anniversary of a June 10, 1971, massacre of student protesters that was depicted in the 2018 Oscar-winning movie “Roma.” Demanding punishment for those involved, demonstrators marched down the same boulevard in Mexico City where students were attacked with guns and clubs by government-organized thugs 50 years ago. Assistant Interior Secretary Alejandro Encinas vowed that the massacre, which he said killed 37 students, would not be forgotten.
news.yahoo.comBipartisan group of Texas lawmakers announces legislation to ease crowding at border facilities
Small Texas border town considered ‘hot zone’ for migrant traffic
ROMA, Texas – A small town in Texas that borders Mexico is an area that is considered a “hot zone” for migrant traffic, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Hundreds of migrants have made their way into Texas by crossing the Rio Grande River from Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas, Mexico. In February, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials stated in a news release that agents had apprehended more than 16,000 family units. AdOn Friday, our crews witnessed smugglers crossing over five rafts of anywhere between 12 to 15 migrants packed onto each raft. Ad“We saw cages after cages after cages of little girls and little boys lying side by side, touching each other, covered with reflective emergency blankets.
White House says it's working on access to migrant centers
Republican officials are also blaming the Biden administration for actions they say are leading more people from Central America to seek entry into the United States. “It’s not a crisis, it’s a complete loss of sovereignty down there,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said. AdGraham recently visited the border and said he saw a facility designed to hold 80 children with about 1,000 in it. “It does not mean that they get to stay in the United States. AdPsaki said the administration is committed to transparency and providing access to those temporary Border Patrol facilities as soon as it can.
EXPLAINER: Why is media access at the border an issue?
WHY HAS MEDIA ACCESS BEEN BLOCKED? The Associated Press, for example, has asked Homeland Security officials for access to Border Patrol facilities at least seven times, without a response. Some of them aren't coming from the professional media but from people with special access. The customs locations are considered much more crowded, and journalists have still not been allowed access to them. He says: “It is more important than ever that journalists be allowed the necessary access to report accurately and independently on the border patrol's response.”___David Bauder is the media writer for The Associated Press, based in New York.
Small Texas border town is route to US for migrant children
As soon as the sun sets, at least 100 migrants crossed through the Rio Grande river by smugglers into the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)ROMA, Texas – As darkness sets on the Rio Grande, U.S. Border Patrol agents hear pumps inflating rafts across the river in Mexico. Roma, a town of 10,000 people with historic buildings and boarded-up storefronts in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, is the latest epicenter of illegal crossings, where growing numbers of families and children are entering the United States to seek asylum. More than 16,000 unaccompanied children were in government custody as of Thursday, including about 5,000 in substandard Customs and Border Protection facilities. A group of Republican senators on Friday visited the Rio Grande Valley, which is the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, and toured a holding facility.
Queer online series meets eager Russian LGBTQ audience
This image released by Fancy Production shows actors Dmitry Simonov as Lyosha and Arsen Khandzhyan as Roma in a scene from the "Here I come" web series in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, July 18, 2020. Fenochka says his web series about queer young people is important for LGBTQ people in Russia, which bans gay "propaganda" among minors. (Fancy Production via AP)MOSCOW – Russian film director Andrei Fenochka says his online series about queer young people is important for LGBTQ people in a country that bans gay “propaganda” among minors. Fenochka's “Here I Come” series that debuted last fall is marked as only available to people older than 18 in accordance with Russian law. “It is important for them to feel that they are not alone, they are not in isolation, they are not banned.
Valley high school mariachi group will join Inauguration festivities
No celebration of America's Latin heritage would be complete without some representation from Texas especially South Texas. Enter Eva Longoria and Roma's Nuevo Santander mariachi band from Roma High School. Both the actress and the band will participate in "Latino Inaugural 2021: Inheritance, Resilience, and Promise."
mysanantonio.comLong-time city of Roma police chief dies after battle with COVID-19
ROMA, Texas – The City of Roma is celebrating the life of its long-time police chief, Jose H. “Beto” Garcia, who died after contracting COVID-19. According to an announcement by the city, Garcia died Monday morning following a battle with COVID-19. The City of Roma and our entire community mourn the loss today of Roma Police Chief Jose H. “Beto” Garcia. Chief Garcia... Posted by City of Roma, Texas on Monday, January 4, 2021Garcia held multiple positions throughout his tenure with the Roma Police Department, including fire chief/fire marshal, emergency management coordinator and director of public safety. “Through his strong leadership and commitment, Chief Garcia laid the foundation to build a community-oriented police force committed to serving and protecting life and property,” the City of Roma said on Facebook.
Judge orders Trump administration to stop immediate deportations of unaccompanied immigrant minors
At least 13,000 unaccompanied children had been removed from the country under the order, the ACLU said in a statement. Before the order, children who turned themselves in to Border Patrol after crossing the border were processed by federal agents and then put in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The number of unaccompanied minors crossing the border reached record levels under the Obama administration in 2014, specifically in the Rio Grande Valley. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the administration didn’t properly halt the program. But lawyers for DACA recipients said after a hearing Wednesday that more guidance will be issued next month.
EU presents plan to improve plight of its Roma minority
European Commissioner for Transparency and Values Vera Jourova presents the EU framework on Roma equality and inclusion strategies during an online news conference at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. “Simply put, over the last 10 years, we have not done enough to support the Roma population in the EU. A commission report said that “Roma children living in marginalized communities are among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Distance learning has been impossible for too many Roma children living in households without IT facilities or electricity." “The Roma are Europe’s largest ethnic minority, and in many member states, they constitute a significant part of the population.
A Texas teacher who posted Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ posters in her virtual classroom was placed on leave after parents complained
I guess once that happened I knew that it might be a rocky road, but considering being put on leave? Roma school officials said that several parents and community members filed complaints to the district about the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ posters. Thousands of parents, students and community members have expressed outrage at the school district for punishing Lifka. Scott Schneider, an Austin lawyer who specializes in education, said the school district was likely employing a scare tactic to discourage her from displaying the posters. I think thats baseless.Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribunes daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
The Golden Globe Awards aren't great at predicting Oscar winners
Alfonso Cuaron wins Best Director Motion Picture and Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language for "Roma," a Netflix film, during the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 6, 2019, at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The 77th Golden Globes will be handed out Sunday night, just about a week before the nominations for the 92nd annual Academy Awards will be announced. However, the Golden Globes, which are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, don't always predict the winners at the Academy Awards. The Golden Globes have always been a bit of an oddball ceremony. "[The Hollywood Foreign Press Association] doesn't have a high overlap with Oscar membership," Ben Zauzmer, author of "Oscarmetrics: The Math Behind the Biggest Night in Hollywood" and a mathematical Oscar predictor, said.
cnbc.comFerrari unveils new 600-horsepower 'Roma' model
Ferrari Roma Source: FerrariFerrari unveiled a new front-engine V-8 powerhouse called "the Roma" on Wednesday in its namesake city, expanding its offering of more comfortable touring rides. The company isn't saying much yet about the Roma, its price or its exact features. But the car looks a bit like a coupe version of the company's popular Portofino convertible. Ferrari Roma Source: FerrariIt's powered by the company's popular twin-turbo V-8 that makes 611 horsepower and is coupled with an 8-speed gearbox introduced in the company's SF90 Stradale model. Ferrari Roma Source: Ferrari
cnbc.com'Black Panther' sequel release date announced
Eight movies were nominated for best picture on Tuesday, but there are two that couldn't be more different -- "Black Panther," the Marvel blockbuster; and "Roma," Alfonso Cuarn's black-and-white Netflix film -- might be the most significantANAHEIM, California (CNN) - "Black Panther" fans can finally mark their calendars for the highly-anticipated sequel. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige took the stage at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, along with film director Ryan Coogler, to announce that the second movie of the "Black Panther" saga will debut in theaters on May 6, 2022. The Disney-Marvel movie won three Oscars for original score and production as well as costume design. After hitting theaters in February 2018, "Black Panther" has grossed more than $700 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.
Pentagon to deploy additional 2,100 troops to U.S.-Mexico border
A member of the Texas National Guard watches the Mexico-U.S. border from an outpost along the Rio Grande in Roma, Texas, U.S., April 11, 2018. REUTERS/Loren ElliottWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Wednesday it would send an additional 1,000 Texas National Guard and 1,100 active duty troops to the border with Mexico, the latest deployment in support of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. There are currently about 4,500 active duty and National Guard troops on the border with Mexico. The Pentagon first approved the high-profile deployment of active-duty U.S. troops to the Mexico border in October, before the November congressional elections. Last month, Mexico has deployed almost 15,000 soldiers and National Guard in the north of the country to stem the flow of illegal immigration across the border into the United States.
feeds.reuters.comOscars 2019: Pick your winners!
Awards season is in full swing as the nominations for the 91st annual Academy Awards have been announced. Nominations for best picture, actor, actress and more were announced Tuesday. What or who do you think will win? Do you think anyone or any film was snubbed this year? MOBILE USERS: Click here to view article.