Passing of "Mr. Brownsville" & MHMR Closures Sought

November 21, 2004

Raul Bestiero, Jr., the former Superintendent of the Brownsville I.S.D. and the Director & C.E.O. of the Port of Brownsville since 1997, passed on to be with His Saviour Jesus on Sunday, November 14, 2004.  A man referred to as "Mr. B.", in reference to his name of "Mr. Besteiro" at first, continued to work for the betterment of the economy and the lives of the people of Brownsville.  This fact led many who knew of his passion for helping the city, and even the whole of the Rio Grande Valley, to turn "Mr. B" into "Mr. Brownsville," a name very few have not deemed more approproiate of a label for anyone else other than Mr. Besteiro.

Commenting in this show on the life of this honourable man, and the void left in the Valley and Brownsville, people he has touched and helped through the years gave recognitions on how he touched their lives and will be sorely missed.  From teachers he helped as the superintendent of Brownsville's Independent School District, to businessmen and friends who were amazed at his humility and kindness, all shared the one comment on his passion for helping people.

Following the remembrances of "Mr. Brownsville" for this edition of "Valley NewsLine," interviews were taken from attendees of a very short-noticed, and seemingly "sudden" hearing by the Texas Health and Human Service's Commission on the considered closure of many state schools and state hospitals for this next Fiscal Year 2005.  This hearing to present the TDHHS's findings and to take testimony from local residents on the feasibility of closing the Rio Grande State Center, Rio Grande State Horpital, the Corpus Christi State School, and other state facilities serving those with Mental Health and Mental Retardation (MHMR) problems (to meet the budget cuts legislated by the 78th session of the Texas State Legislature in 2003), was held from 3:00PM to 8:00PM at the Cultural Arts Center on 6th Street next to the Public Library in Harlingen, TX, on Thursday, November 18, 2004.

Almost no media were present at this very important hearing, and most of the Valley's Legislators weren't even told until the last minute of this hearing being held!  The only notice of it's occurrence was the legally required one of a small notice in the Valley's newspapers, which seemed to go unnoticed by nearly eveyone in the Valley save for one loyal viewer who informed us here at "Valley NewsLine" of it!

Commenting on the possible closure of these extremely important facilities which take care of the most unfortunate citizens of the Rio Grande Valley, and upon the thoughts on why this hearing was given very little notification of it's holding, were TX State Representatives Rene Oliveira and Juan Escobar, as well were Barbara Warnke, a parent of a son born with Down's syndrome who has become a happy resident of the Rio Grande Valley State Center in Harlingen, as well as Norma Delgado, the President of the Parent Association for Volunteer Services .

More information will be forthcoming here at ValleyNewsLine.com as it is developes, so PLEASE check back later.

Here is the link for the Health & Human Services Commission's Feasibility Study on closing the State Hospitals and State Schools: HHSC Handout on Plans for MHMR Facilities .

The ONLY solution to keeping these MHMR facilities open is for you and those you know, to write (email or letter) to your representatives and you can also ask Governor Rick Perry and even President Bush for help if you'd like, as they're both compassionate Christian conservatives.

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