The Del MAr Board Of Regents Will Spit in the Face of Voters. Gabe Rivas (Sore Loser) is Coming Back Despite the Public.

Gabe Rivas will be appointed back onto the Del Mar Board of Regents after the voters tossed him out.

The regents are content to disrespect the voters of district 1 and the electoral process.

Notice how the Regents, Valdez and In House Counsel want to follow the election code when it suits them and then revert back to the by laws so as to appoint whomever they please?

Oops,.....I mean to appoint Gabe Rivas.
The Regents who vote to place Gabe Rivas back on the Del Mar Board of Regents are crooked and have no place leading in our community. It is an abomination to the community rendering this political subdivision corrupt and untrustworthy.

Go for it guys, Gabe Rivas will be the downfall of each and everyone of you who affirm him.

"Insiders say Gabe Rivas
has 4 votes already":

I followed that race and Gabe got beat fair and square. It's obvious
District 1 wanted change. This is an example of Gabe's sour grapes
rotting in the hot Corpus sun. He should respect the voters wishes and
move on with his life and business. However...Linda's mistake was
signing a voter registration card stating she voted in Kingsville and
have it dated AFTER her application for candidacy (which is
monumentally stupid!) You HAVE to reside in the county you vote in,
that's the law. I doubt Texas recognizes 'dual' residency.Perhaps
District 1 needs a completely NEW person for that seat. The voters
deserve way more than sour grapes and stupidity.

Posted by intheknow on
July 18, 2007 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)To be fair Gabe was on the
ballot and he was voted down. It was the will of the people. Someone
new should be picked and Gabe can try to run again when the special
election is called.

Posted by dannoynted1 on July 23, 2007 at 3:25 a.m.
(Suggest removal)Obviously there were enough people angry at Gabe Rivas
and more than enough to vote him out.

Posted by dvillarreal1981 on
August 2, 2007 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)There's no way people
should support Gabe Rivas now. He needs to go just as much as she
does.Posted by jenbarcor on July 26, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest
removal)Is Gabe just a sore loser?

Insiders say Gabe Rivas has 4 votes already

Prove me wrong, I dare ya. or will he re gain his Board President Position as well? He sure did run a meeting far better than the current Brd Prez ...

Who Dat?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This is a quasi-lateral concurrence, well at least we can agree on that, "At least Gabe Rivas knew how to run a meeting "

Del Mar sets regent deadline

By Israel Saenz (Contact)
Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Garcia resigned from the board last week.

CORPUS CHRISTI — The Del Mar College Board of Regents has set an Aug. 22 deadline for those interested in applying for the District 1 seat vacated by Linda Garcia last week.

Garcia, whose eligibility to run for the seat last November was under investigation, resigned Aug. 1, stating in a resignation letter that she had accepted a job outside of the city. Del Mar regents at Tuesday's called meeting accepted the resignation.

The applicant must be a District 1 resident and a registered voter. Board President Chris Adler said no timeline has been set for when regents seek to fill the seat.

"We'll go over the resumes, interview candidates and select someone," Adler said.

Adler said Tuesday no one yet was in the running for the seat, but former District 1 regent and board president Gabriel Rivas -- who was unseated by Garcia and spurred District Attorney Carlos Valdez's investigation -- said Tuesday he planned to apply.

"I'm definitely interested in returning," Rivas said.

Rivas submitted Garcia's application to run for the seat and her March statement of residency to Valdez's office in January. The documents, Valdez said, contained contradictory information on her stated home address.

While the candidacy application contained a District 1 address, the statement of residency showed a Kingsville address.

Valdez did not return phone calls Tuesday. The regent who replaces Garcia will fill the seat until 2012, the next time it is up for election.

The board's last vacancy came when District 5 Regent Bill Chriss resigned in July 2006 to pursue a fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin.

Regents called for that seat to be filled by a special election, held last November.

Contact Israel Saenz at 886-3767 or saenzi@caller.com

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Posted by torontomail on August 8, 2007 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I smell something fishy here, Rivas definitely SHOULD NOT be appointed to fill this position. If he is, the electoral system in Nueces County is a kangaroo court.

Posted by iwabazan on August 8, 2007 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I believe the voters spoke when they voted Rivas out. Take the hint. The voters did not have confidence in him and he should move on.

Posted by kingalonzoalvarezdepineda13 on August 10, 2007 at 1:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Insiders say Gabe Rivas has 4 votes already.

Prove me wrong, I dare ya

Will the regents disrespect the voters of district 1 again?

Notice how the Regents, Valdez and In House Counsel want to follow the election code when it suits them and then revert back to by laws to appoint whomever they please?

Also did you guys know 4 of our regents recieve DMC Group hEALTH INSURANCE @ $360 per month? We will be posting the documentation.

DMC FOI Request Insurance Production

Corpus Christi Daily Digital: DMC FOI Request Insurance Production

Why does Libby go free while this kid winds up in prison? Why does Libby go free while Ramsey (a decent man) is banished to life in prison?

DMC's own John Crisp speaks up against injustice.

Hard time in Texas over pot, parole

By John M. Crisp

A friend of mine is an undercover do-gooder who looks for anonymous ways to help those on the lower end of our societal ladder to climb up a rung or two.

A kid who sometimes works in his yard is in trouble with the law, so my friend is supplying some of the encouragement and support that, in a better world, would be part of every kid's birthright. He asked me to come along for the ride to the prison where the kid will spend the next four months.

The trip generated a few questions about our penal system - and about I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

A thousand people live in the prison, set on the hot, brushy coastal plain of deep South Texas. A product of the Texas prison-building boom of the last decade, it doesn't have brick walls and guard towers like Alcatraz; instead, it's an extensive sheet-metal complex surrounded by high chain-link fences and impressive tangles of barbed wire.

It's a serious world of uniforms, guns and rules: Open the trunk, open the hood. Leave all wallets, keys and cell phones in your car. You will not enter the prison without official authorization. Do not take paper money into the prison.

Most of the rules are probably more or less necessary, but I wonder if visitors aren't worked over with a little more attitude than is called for.

Like most people, my friend and I tend to be intimidated by men with uniforms and guns. We show up at a place like a prison already prepared to do what we're told.

But inside, things got tougher.

My friend's name was on the authorized-visitors list and he had been previously vetted by authorities in Corpus Christi. He had his picture ID, as required. But his unusual last name was misspelled on the prison's list and, as a result, he was subjected to a stern lecture and threatened with being turned away after a 140-mile drive.

Of course, the guard eventually let him in; after all, it was just a misspelling.

I had my choice of two places to wait: in my car (in South Texas in July!) or at the picnic table on the far edge of the parking lot. The table had a little shade, so I settled in with a good book.

Soon an older Hispanic gentleman joined me. He had been shooed off the parking lot by a guard who, for some reason, wouldn't allow him to stand next to his car. His disabled wife, his son and he had driven three hours to see his grandson. They had almost been turned away, as well, because of his wife's clothes, even though she had already been allowed inside the prison three or four times previously while wearing similar outfits.

The guard wasn't very nice, the old man said. But after a humbling lecture, he let them in.

But only the wife and son. And while visits are limited to two hours, his wife or son wasn't allowed to come out after the first hour in order to allow him to visit during the second. Why? I don't know.

First question: I suspect that this prison is an efficient, professionally run facility. And prison is a place where structure and discipline are essential. But why not make visiting easy, rather than difficult, since lack of interested human contact is already a significant contributor to many prisoners' incarcerations?

Second question: What's my friend's acquaintance doing in a place like this, anyway, along with murderers, rapists and other hard cases?

He's just a decent kid who got caught with pot. But his big mistake was having wandered down to the convenience store on the corner for a soft drink just when his probation officer happened to show up.

1. Third question: I'm all for accountability, but why does Libby go free while this kid winds up in prison?

President Bush points to Libby's record of public service. But given that Libby was an inside player during one of the worst governing episodes in our nation's history, and given that all this kid did was have the bad judgment to walk to a convenience store when he should have stayed home, who has done our country more harm?

John M. Crisp teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. E-mail: jcrisp@delmar.edu.

Justice is Duck Blind spelled Just Us.

Was It Not About Orientation & Who Dr. Gustavo Valadez Ortiz Held Hands With?

Page 1 MINUTES OF THE CALLED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE DEL MAR COLLEGE DISTRICT July 28, 2003 The Called Meeting of the Board of Regents of the Del Mar College District opened in the Isensee Board Room, Harvin Student Center, Del Mar College East Campus, 101 Baldwin, Corpus Christi, Texas, at 11:30 p.m. on Monday, July 28, 2003, with the following present: From the Board: Mrs. Chris Adler, Mrs. Minnie Arriaga; Dr. Haysam Dawod, Mrs. Olga Gonzales, Mr. Bill Martin; Mr. Gabe Rivas, Mrs. Dorothy Spann, Mr. Guy Watts, and Ms. Beverly Winters. From the College: Dr. Gustavo Valadez Ortiz, President; Mr. Jose Alaniz, Vice President, Business and Finance; Mr. Jose Rivera, Vice President of Student Development and Community Learning; Ms. Claudia Jackson, Assistant to the President for Community Relations; Ms. Barbara Riley, Executive Administrative Assistant to Vice President of Business and Finance; and other administrators, faculty, and staff. From the Attorney's Office: Mr. Stephen Hilmy. Others: Other interested citizens. Mrs. Olga Gonzales, president of the Board, presided and called the meeting to order. With a quorum present, she requested a moment of silence. The meeting opened with public comments. Mrs. Gonzales announced that, because of the number of people who signed up to address the Board, public comments would be limited to three minutes. Ms. Laura Parr asked the Board to remember the comments she had made at the last meeting, and stated that those comments were made by her as a taxpayer and as an employee of the College. Mr. Justin Shirley, a student at the College, expressed his support for Dr. Valadez and the activities he has been involved in with students. Mr. Raul Saenz addressed the Board as a taxpayer in support of Dr. Valadez and his accomplishments. Ms. Angela Garcia, deputy director for the elderly at the state level for LULAC, expressed her support for Dr. Valadez for the things that she had heard he had done at the College. Page 2 Ms. Rosa Rosales, national vice president of Southwest for LULAC, gave her support for Dr. Valadez as a Latino, and expressed the need to have more Latinos in higher positions. Ms. Ann Thorn, faculty member in the Computer Science department, asked that the Board give due consideration to the resolutions presented by the Faculty Council and Council of Chairs. She admonished those who were labeling the issue as “racism.” Mr. Mike Anzaldua, faculty member in the English department and speaking for himself, expressed his anger for those who stated that there was racism at the College. He reviewed the many administrative positions at the College held by Hispanics or minorities. Ms. Dolores Huerta, faculty member in Business Administration and speaking for herself, informed the Board that she was hired 20 years ago based on her credentials, not race, and that she has earned her rank as Professor. She asked that the Board omit the issue of ethnicity and race in any decision they make. Mr. Ruben Lopez Rodriguez, an employee of the College for 31 years and speaking for himself, commented on the effect the issue is having at the College and in the community. He also asked that the issue of race not be a factor. Ms. Nancy Vera, president of LULAC Council #4444, voiced her support for Dr. Valadez and the initiatives he had taken during his tenure at the College. Because Ms. Vera continuously addressed the audience, and addressed her comments to individual Board members, Mrs. Spann requested that Ms. Vera be told to follow the rules of decorum. Mr. Howard Karsh, auditorium supervisor, expressed his appreciation for Dr. Valadez’ assistance in making progress with auditorium issues. Mr. Ray Madrigal, 1113 18 th Street and speaking as a citizen, expressed his concerns for the financial impact on the College, and thus, the taxpayer, if the College has to pay off the remainder of the College president’s contract. Mr. Willie Perez, speaking on behalf of LULAC Council #4444 and Griselda Leal, commented on the issue of racism. He read a note from Ms. Leal in which she expressed her support for Dr. Valadez. Several speakers were exceeding the three-minute time limit, and Mrs. Arriaga requested that the Board president adhere to the limit and the comments appropriately. Mr. Joe Ortiz, member of the Felix Longoria Chapter of the G. I. Forum, insinuated that there was a “witch-hunt” and asked that the Board provide Dr. Valadez due process. Page 3 Ms. Lula Hinton, an employee of the College and speaking for herself, reminded the Board that they needed to make a responsible decision, and pointed out that the majority of speakers were not employees of the College. She asked that the Board give attention to the resolutions presented by two major factions of the College. Mr. Jose Rivera announced that he was asked to read a letter addressed to Dr. Valadez. The letter, from Mr. Mike Roberts, superintendent of Sinton ISD, expressed support for Dr. Valadez. Mr. Rivera asked that the Board consider that Dr. Valadez may not have been given the opportunity to address the issues presented in the resolutions. Mr. Pete Rivera stated that, although he did not know Dr. Valadez, he knew of him from the media, and asked that the Board make any decisions based on facts. Mr. Albert Benitez, instructor in the Criminal Justice program, reported that he felt there was racism within the Criminal Justice program. Mr. Benitez expressed his support for Dr. Valadez because the president had introduced himself to Mr. Benitez’s class. Ms. Mary Kay, faculty member at the College and speaking for herself, stressed that racism was not a factor with the issue of the College president, and reminded everyone that Dr. Valadez was selected as College president because he is a Hispanic. She assured those present that all students are being taught on an equal basis and not based on their skin color. Mr. John Crisp, faculty member in the English department and assistant chairperson of the Faculty Council, clarified that the resolution made by the Faculty Council was not based on racism or a witch-hunt, but made by professionals at the College who did not take the issue lightly. Mr. Ben Morin, faculty member and chairperson of the Business Technology department, pointed out that a previous president of the College was also dismissed, and being that the president was not Hispanic, questioned the direction of racism, if it was evident. No one else signed up ore requested to address the Board. Mrs. Gonzales announced that the Board would enter into closed session in accordance with Government Code Sections 551.071 and 551.074 beginning at 12:37 p.m. The Board ended closed session and reconvened at 2:45 p.m. Mrs. Gonzales announced that the Board had approved, effective today, a settlement and release agreement with College president Dr. Valadez, and that the Board and Dr. Valadez felt that the disengagement was in the best interest of the College and students. Mrs. Gonzales expressed the Board’s appreciation to Dr. Valadez for his service, and their best wishes for his future endeavors. Dr. Dawod made a motion to approve the final settlement agreement and full release between Dr. Gustavo Valadez Ortiz and Del Mar College. Mrs. Spann seconded, and the motion carried with Adler, Arriaga, Dawod, Martin, Rivas, Spann, Watts, and Winters voting in favor; Gonzales opposing; and none Page 4 abstaining. (This Settlement Agreement will recorded as Document #03-12 in the document section of the Official Minutes of the Board.) Mrs. Arriaga made a motion, seconded by Mr. Rivas, that the Board appoint, as acting president of Del Mar College effective at 5:00 p.m. today, July 28, 2003, Joe Alaniz, vice president of Business and Finance, who has strong support from his administrative staff, pending deliberations and action by the Board of Regents to appoint an interim president. The motion carried by unanimous vote. Mr. Alaniz expressed his appreciation for the Board’s confidence. Under Calendaring, the Board was reminded of the called meeting scheduled for the next day at 9:00 a.m. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m

CCISD: the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission, Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation, Albert Benitez and Dr. Denise Hutchinso

CCISD: the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission, Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation, Albert Benitez and Dr. Denise Hutchinson

The Kenedy Pasture Company: "Mr. Benitez is one of those instructors who are there for students," Camacho said. "I have never seen him turn a student

The Kenedy Pasture Company: "Mr. Benitez is one of those instructors who are there for students," Camacho said. "I have never seen him turn a student away."

Such Choreography, Scripted or Encrypted Before Chief Justice Valdez and Justices Benavides and Vela (I. BACKGROUND)

On the morning of August 9, 2003, Albert Benitez was in his garage apartment with Reynolds, his girlfriend. Suddenly the couple heard a loud thumping on the door. Benitez opened the door to encounter a man, later identified as Franciso Perez, pointing a gun at him and asking if he was Albert. Benitez slammed the door and yelled for Reynolds to call 911.

At trial, Benitez testified for the State that he held the door closed as Perez rammed into it for a few minutes. After the ramming ended, Benitez continued to hold the door until he was shot from behind by Perez. Benitez believed Perez had entered the garage apartment through Benitez's parents' attached house. Perez shot Benitez two more times before Benitez ran outside. Benitez ran into an entrance of his parent's adjoining house to find a phone and call 911. Perez chased Benitez into his parents' house and shot him for the fourth time in the kitchen. Benitez testified that he ran to the back porch and was shot a fifth time. After being shot for the fifth time, Benitez lost his balance and fell off the porch. Perez then shot him a sixth time. Benitez ran to another area outside the house and saw Perez and Reynolds slowly driving away in Benitez's green Crown Victoria.

Benitez called 911, and the police arrived. He told the officers that he had never seen Perez before, but he was able to give the officers a description. He told them that Perez had kidnaped his girlfriend and that the two were traveling in Benitez's Crown Victoria.

Later that morning, Reynolds approached Kingsville Police Officer John Greif in the parking lot of the Kingsville police station. Officer Greif testified for the State that Reynolds approached him crying, yelling, and claiming she needed help. Reynolds told him her boyfriend had been shot and that she was abducted at gunpoint by the shooter and forced to drive to Kingsville. Reynolds also told Officer Greif that the shooter jumped out of the vehicle on the highway at a speed of between 55 and 70 mph.

Officer Ted Figueroa participated in the conversation between Reynolds and Officer Greif. Officer Figueroa testified Reynolds seemed upset but was not crying. He further testified that she appeared to be shaking, but when asked a question, she would stop and answer it. When asked to give a description of the shooter, Reynolds told the officers she did not know what he looked like because he was wearing a ski mask. Officer Figueroa asked Reynolds if her boyfriend had gotten any help and Reynolds told him that she did not know; she did not mention placing a 911 call. Officer Figueroa then went to the section of the highway where Reynolds said the suspect had jumped from the vehicle, but he did not find any evidence to indicate anyone had jumped from a moving vehicle.

Texas Ranger Oscar Rivera questioned Reynolds about the shooting and testified about her responses. According to Ranger Rivera, Reynolds phoned 911 from Benitez's parents' kitchen shortly after hearing gunshots. After dialing 911, Reynolds threw the phone on the kitchen table and ran towards the garage apartment yelling for Benitez. Unable to find him, she walked outside and was taken hostage. However, Ranger Rivera testified that there was no record that Reynolds had ever placed a call to 911 and that even if she had hung up after placing a call, there would be a call record. Ranger Rivera also testified about his visit to the crime scene, observations of the bullet holes in the door, and his conclusion that based on the location of these holes, the shooter had to have been in the kitchen area of the house.

After the shooting and alleged kidnaping, Reynolds was unable to identify Perez in a line up. On a second occasion, however, when she was shown photographs, she pointed to Perez's picture and said that he kind of looked like the shooter.

Ranger Rivera testified as to certain forensic evidence and business records utilized in the investigation. He stated that a shirt Reynolds later identified as the one worn by the shooter was found approximately a half mile off the highway where Reynolds had said that the shooter had jumped from the vehicle. Ranger Rivera testified that the shirt was not damaged in any way. He also testified that he pulled Reynolds's cell phone records. During the three month time frame from July 2003 to September 2003, Reynolds made over one hundred phone calls to a number that belonged to Sara Perez. A review of Reynolds's bank accounts revealed that Reynolds transferred $2,000 to her checking account on the day of the shooting. The record also contains a $2,000 check dated August 10, 2003, the day after the shooting, written from Reynolds's checking account to Francisco Perez.

The State's final witness was Sara Perez. Ms. Perez testified she was the mother of Francisco Perez. Ms. Perez said that sometime around August 9, 2003, Reynolds called her house and asked to speak to Francisco Perez. After Ms. Perez told Reynolds that Francisco was not there, Ms. Perez testified that Reynolds told her that if a Texas Ranger came to her house, she should lie and say that she was Reynolds's maid.

After hearing the testimony and deliberating on the evidence, the jury convicted Reynolds of criminal solicitation of capital murder. After a sentencing hearing, the jury sentenced Reynolds to life in prison. The trial court entered a judgment of conviction and sentenced Reynolds to life in prison pursuant to the jury's verdict. A motion for new trial was timely filed, but denied by operation of law. (1) This appeal ensued.

Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi Daily Digital: Linda was the first person in a Corpus Christi Public Housing Dev. to successfully run 4 pu

Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi Daily Digital: Linda was the first person in a Corpus Christi Public Housing Dev. to successfully run 4 pub office: a person who picked

Corpus Christi Daily Digital: Linda was the first person in a Corpus Christi Public Housing Dev. to successfully run 4 pub office: a person who picked herself up by her bootstraps

by hkarsh

August 2, 2007

I was a candidate for the Del Mar Board of Regents. I picked up the package to run for office. I am College Educated. I have several degrees. I'm pretty good at reading and writing contracts and such. I'm not a lawyer and believe me I could have used a lawyer to explain all the stuff I was responsible for and had to do. Del Mar wasn't going to explain it to me and the local party bosses wouldn’t have anything to do with me. Del Mar certainly wasn't going to help Linda whose brother they had railroaded out of a job. Now Linda was the first person in a Corpus Christi Public Housing development to successfully run for a public office and her neighbors were very proud of her. So here we have a person who picked herself up by her bootstraps with out the aid of the local democratic or republican bosses and won her election. So what do the local politicos do and that includes our slimy DA


there's more at the link above