November 2007 Issue

Yet another Del Rio cook shares her family’s cherished holiday dinner with LIVE! readers as Jodi Wiese opens her kitchen and her recipe that’s in her mind and heart, not a book, for a truly tasty way of using the leftovers you hate to waste.  A deep dish meat-and-potatoes-and-dressing-and-gravy pie is the ultimate comfort food, and a low-sugar pumpkin dessert ends the meal satisfyingly.

Lake Amistad's favorite watering hole: The new Lorina's Cantina, 9087 U.S. Highway 90 West, es teeming with activity the latter part of the week. Earlier in the week there is a regular, smaller crowd.

Del Rio’s economy is largely driven by federal expenditures here, most aimed at keeping Laughlin’s fleets of trainer aircraft aloft with instructors and student pilots, luring tourists to Lake Amistad’s pristine, bassy waters, and protecting the U.S. side of the border. The lake and the base play pivotal roles in this externally driven wealth, and both are in need of greater protection, according to local, state and national leaders.

Ray Patuel, owner of Del Rio Home & Auto, 600 Veterans Blvd., Del Rio, was in a jam in the late 1980s. His furniture and Firestone/Bridgestone tire store was under attack from the almost viral spread of the growing big-box retail distribution juggernaut. He pondered about what to do and found that there were literally thousands of retailers in the same boat. What emerged was a business, now called simply H&A, that matches the prices of the large retail chains and adds value to its customers after the sale.

Economic development in southwest Texas depends on the vision and collaboration of civic leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and government employees. But do these diverse factions – each with different agendas for survival and success – take time to listen to each other, and join hands for the common good? Maybe, but in Del Rio it’s a rarity. Here’s what your leaders think about the future.

Our Local Champions: For the Past several years, Del Rio High School cross country teams have been doing just that running and winning. Even though the athletic department strives to compete and be successful in all sports, the cross country team has consistently won district and regional competitions.

A distinguished career as a daring, skilled fighter pilot in Vietnam was only a fraction of this veteran’s service to country and community.  Dan Burr is best known locally as a citizen volunteer who little tolerates poor performance and fuzzy integrity, but it’s his upbringing and a demanding flying career that afforded zero tolerance for either flaw that made Burr a valuable asset to Del Rio’s political, civic service, and humanitarian domains.

More of Del Rio’s economy is fed by tourists and travelers than most might imagine, and they’re not all charmed by Lake Amistad and local rodeos. Lesser known attractions such as Alamo Village draw a niche audience that current owners hope will expand, commensurate with more services and broader publicity.

Business interests in Ciudad Acuña are pulling out all the stops to lure tourists back to what they see as the safest Mexican border town of any opposite United States cities such as Del Rio. The planned reintroduction of Mexican, Spanish and Portuguese-style bullfights begins Sat., (Nov. 17) with the performance of a world-class rejoneador, Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza.