Editor-In-Chief
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - There was a time when upstate reporters who found themselves working a story on the Texas-Mexico border always looked for one man. Upon finding him, they'd pepper the guy with questions and angles and theories and rumors to do with wanting to explain either a horrible local crime or the essence of the region's unique culture. They'd sit in his office at the local college or in the living room of his home. The word he issued would spread as if the absolute truth, the incontrovertible fact.
Now, for some reason he wants to be a city commissioner and has struck-out in political District 4 as the candidate arriving with the, he crows in colorful signs and posterboards pasted across town, needed experience. It would be a charm to label him the Shaman Candidate, because he can speak about that world for hours. But he also could be called the candidate who came just because he had nothing else to do. Zavaleta's gig with the college, where he served in a senior level administrative position, ended a few weeks back. Some say he looked at things in his home's garage, found no golf clubs or fishing gear, and decided politics might not be a bad flirtation.
It is a flirtation, if for no other reason than that Zavaleta's life has been one of looking for and finding the smallest of fact, the tiniest tidbit, the wildly-insignificant scant evidence of something or another in area anthropology. Life as a city commissioner here is anything, but that. Those who study it see it as no different than sitting at the end of a pier and watching the seagulls flutter-about. Zavaleta's life has been a bit more serious than that. What would he opine on funding an airline that's never owned an airplane, or what would he say about the antics of the other, less-cerebral city commissioners?
Zavaleta might find spark in chatting-up Commissioner Melissa Zamora. She's a graduate of the college that employed him. What would Zavaleta say when she'd quiz him on the city's plastic grocery store bag ban? That's a quirky one in Brownsville, a town where men carry the purse strings and generally don't give a damn about the environment. Plastic bags, Tony?
The election is this Saturday.
He may wish for a return to that old assignment of explaining away a beloved curandero, or why those mystic Mexicans across the river boiled the Spring Breaker kid's head that one crazy year, or why the tire-sole huarache never made a comeback with local men, or why Hispanics like to wear suits and ties in the town's tropical weather, or why the moon here always looks so damned cold and mineral...
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27 comments:
Exellent article. I know of Zavaleta and think he will win. But you never know in Browntown. You just never know. he could win and lose it to the system if you know what I mean.
Dear Mr. Tyson,
The infiltration scheme has worked so well, the subversive is now his BFF.
Please stop hitting fat Jesus.
The Readers
Tony comes across as gruff, unyielding with "does not work well with others" on his report card. He's a large, awkward man, not particularly genteel.
He did float some ideas out there while Pk Patel cannot form a single articulate sentence.
It just seems that the young tortilla maker, John Villarreal would be a better fit. No I don't like the Ernie Hernandez connection any more than you do, but I think John would have the brush picked up if you called him.
Zavaleta is a name in Brownsville. If only he had a new vision. he's really Old School.
Brownsvile is a funny place. Its politics is screwed up, but they like it that way. its a place for going for it, whatever it may be. cause there's nothing else to do!
good to see general sanchez in the Senate race. He is a man who has acomplished much for this country. let's see how he is treated by the Republicans.
True about President Obama. The country is so much better without Bush and his cabal. Bola de perdidos! Cheney should be in jail. with rumsfeld.
The fatso in the shorts in the sidebar is ----? Anyone we might know?
New reader, that's a local buffoon your lucky to not know. He's our resident tortilla, an ignorant slob who likes to hrow crap at god people. He has no name, just a leash some other bozo tugs at to keep him home. VALEN SEBO LOS DOS!
Brownsville will be different if tony z wins. He'll shake the tree, man. He'll shut atkinson's mouth from day one. And that will be the difference. Charlie is the town joke. hasn't done squat and doesn't have a job, like some otehrs on the city commission and most men in Brownstown.
I think Brownsville can do better, if the Commission can start working together. People will always see Tony Z. as a TSC employee and no more.
Congratulations to the committee selected by Carlos Yerena City Manager, Harlingen. They are to select a new police chief. What an outstanding number of Candidtes, I would recommend Tom Hushen or Luciano Rubio. Both men are very good police officers.
AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE.
Kiko, you are just saying that to piss off Chapacito. The truth is, neither Hushen nor Rubio would make a good Chief. If it has to be someone with an HPD connection then it should be Carlos Cantu. That guy is really sharp.
Luciano Rubio would be a good choice. He would re-open the investigatio of that hit put on Tony Chapa's murdered son-in-law. You know he one that forced Chapate to leave town like a slug? Go Luciano!
ALL:...We believe Luciano Rubio would make a fine police chief in Harlingen. He knows the town, and we would urge him to re-open the case of that unsolved murder by a hitman of Tony Chapa's son-in-law. There remain too many unanswered questions in that weird case. And we believe Chapa should be questioned, if only to once-and-for-all remove the mess that seems to hang over his head. Most police department's would have done that as a matter of course. Luciano Rubio will do it... - Editor
Wow! That Gingrich guy has some gall to seek the White House. Three wives and he left his first when she was dying? what a loser! Not voting for his cheating behind!
Wow! good story about the Mejia kid who wa sin on the Bin Laden killing. Hadn't heard about that. thankz
again, The Tribune gives us he lowdown on the WhiteWings. Jerry Deal writes what the team tells him to write. This new kid they signed has no record worth me paying the price of admisison to see that team. Get some REAL players!
The wings are just going to geta bunch of leftovers and put them on the field. harlingen gets scraps again! Pobre pueblo no puede ganar.
You're doing a great job of ignoring those two idiots on ghat other dead blog. It's just them commenting to each other now. Homosexuals do that, you know. I love the fact that the dwarf has lost and lost BIG! LOL!!!
Flaco, what gives al pinche chaparro the right to criticize the committee, ese viejo hoto, devia de mantener a la vieja cholona que pesa como 400 libras, I saw him and her at a local restaurant. No offense big dawg, but her gut is bigger than yours, and you know you are kind of hefty.
The committee is doing a fine job. I spoke to Chano Rubio and he tells me his chances are pretty good.
I do think they are going to the outside.
Yerena is doing a good job.
Pinche Harlingen, esta bien salado, we ought to change the name to Saltine Texas, porque pura pinche sal.
A baseball team, que no nomas no, has anyone seen the women on channel 4. Damn, they are ugly. They can't select a police chief, more empty buildings than anyone cares to count. Chingo, de old delipitated structures, Jerry Deal, lla se le voltio el chirrion, all he does is promote a baseball team that doesn't meet class a status. There are rumors that Bass pro shop, might need some more money.
And some think Browntown is all messed up, Harlingen is Comatosed, or rigor mortis as they say.
Mr. Editor, thank you for your fine articles, I swear, both harlingen Blogs have gone dormant, they don't post anything worth reading.
What an excellent choice Luciano Rubio for Police Chief and Lt. Myriam Anderson as Assitant police chief.
Perrrrrfect choice. I wholeheartly endorse this fine police officers, and please, don't blame Ms.Aderson for her husbands shortcomings.
Sorry Rumalus you are to biased, if you are blogging con el chapapote.
That newt, is kind if overweight, esta cholon, como la cholona. I guess he likes woman pretty much, if he can divorce and marry before the ink is dry on the divorce papers. You sure he isn't from the Valley??
Sources said that when Usama Bin Laden Got his Islamic / Muslin Buried Service at sea... The U.S. Elite Marines / Navy Seals, They all Called ALA ---- Yes, It went Like This:
A la Una.... A las Dos ... Y Alas tres ---- A LA Chingada Batos Pochos !!!
EPM, did you read the story of Rio Hondo mayoral race in the VMS? You got a police officer accusing the current mayor of what appear to be criminal allegations? This Lopez guy is supposed to be an investigator? Why hasn't he have his office investigate these allegations against the incumbent? The story in the VMS is a joke, all finger pointing! What is funny? Lopez forgets that he has a Realtor license and he may have gained financially from seized houses sold by the DA office? He needs to watch what he is doing? Is he politicking on county time? The guy was a bailiff and what does he know about investigating crimes, NOTHING! Because he is finger pointing like a kindergarten kid in order to win an election?
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