April 2007 Issue

Mexican restaurants on the border are as common as pubs in Ireland, but a few stand out from the crowd.  The first in our series of eatery reviews shines a light on one that refuses to shine a light on itself, other than a word-of-mouth reputation that is well-earned and –deserved.

The Second Annual Fiesta Brava Weekend got started with a bang Friday night and Saturday afternoon, showing thousands of spectators and participants a colorful blend of tradition and comedy in the tourist district of Ciudad Acuña. Beauty queens, charros, dignitaries, and intrepid runners who paced themselves just ahead of horns and hooves delighted the large crowds ringing Plaza Benjamin Canales, the central plaza in Acuña’s downtown area. The events continue tomorrow at Lienzo El Campanario, and event organizers hope for equally enthusiastic turnout there to finish off the 2007 edition of Fiesta Brava.

There is no doubt that Southwest Texas LIVE! has tens of thousands of readers. We have over 57,000 readers per month to be exact. Our audit found that each copy of LIVE! is passed around 2.1 times. But that is not the whole story. Our audit found that LIVE!’s combination of the reach of direct mail coupled with the frequency of the Internet created a marketing powerhouse in less than nine months. This is a medium that eclipses all other traditional media options. Move over long-in-the-tooth (and boring) newspapers and radio. There’s a new sheriff in town. If you ever wondered who else is reading LIVE!, click on this story and find out.

The recent hype about Lake Amistad may have spurred residents in the region to explore fishing at the massive, 58,000-acre lake. Fishing as a hobby, catching up to five fish per day, the daily limit, is fun. Many people may not know where to start, however.

The Second Annual Fiesta Brava Weekend is coming soon to Del Rio’s Sister City across the Rio Grande. Ciudad Acuña will again host three days and nights of color, celebration, and fun for visitors who will get acquainted with many of the traditions that embody Mexican culture. Here, even for those who must wait for next year, are the agenda and tips on where to go, when to be there, and what to expect.

Challenges almost too numerous to mention plague local school efforts to lift Spanish-speaking students’ performance to acceptable proficiency levels in English. For the students, a forced departure from the single-language culture in which they live is daunting. For the schools, insufficient funding for everything from salaries to supplies is suffocating. But, to meet federal and state demands and to keep other funding from those sources, San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District is under the gun to make some big changes. Superintendent Roberto “Bobby” Fernandez talks about his game plan, and The Border Organization’s Edna Molina says why it may not work unless the basic methods change.

The signature “WE” logo stands for the company name, “Western Electric,” but owner Fidel Morales Jr. sometimes worries that a casual glance at the logo may confuse people not familiar with his business. “Occasionally we have someone refer to us a “We Electric,” Morales said with a laugh.

A pair of Sanderson motel owners are also Texas reptile aficionados, and lead the diverse lives of hosts, parents, snake merchants and educators.  Roy and Ruth Engeldorf can usually be found either in the office of the Outback Oasis motel or in their collection rooms adjoining the business. The Engeldorfs came from Kansas to be closer to Texas reptiles, but have learned that Sanderson is in growth mode.  They’ve also found that their traveling customers are attracted to their hostelry because of – not in spite of – the reptile collections at the Outback Oasis Motel.

Chuck Chandler was born in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, but matured quickly in the skies over five continents as he piloted the nation’s largest cargo carrier aircraft into war zones in Europe and the Far East. Then, Chandler finished a second career in maintenance at Laughlin Air Force Base, and now as approaches his 87th birthday, is ready to share some of his stories from both callings.