Longoria, Texas Court of Appeal Judge Charged With DWI In McAllen

Nora Longoria

McAllen police in Texas arrested Judge Longoria for alleged DWI over the weekend.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 14, 2014

McAllen, Texas - On Saturday, Nora Longoria, 49, of Edinburgh was stopped by McAllen police around 1:20 a.m. for alleged speeding. The officer noticed that Longoria showed signs of being intoxicated and was taken into custody. She is facing a charged for DWI and was later released on a $2,000 recognizance bond.

Longoria is a Judge for the 13th Court of Appeals Place 2.

Update: A cover-up? Hidalgo County Judge Rolando Cantu dismissed Judge Nora Longoria's DWI in November for lack of evidence and dashcam video from the McAllen Police Department. The Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office claimed it never got the video as evidence from police, but police after the case in December 2014 released the video where it shows Judge Longoria intoxicated and stated they don't know why the D.A. didn't get the video. https://youtu.be/-v4qEa8yG0c

Maggie Rivera Elected LULAC National President For 2014 By Convention Delegates

Roger C. Rocha Jr. and Maggie Rivera

LULAC members at the National LULAC Conference in New York elected Rivera as their new President.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 14, 2014

New York, New York - On Saturday, Maggie Rivera of Crystal Lake, Illinois was elected as the new National President for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) at the 85th National Convention. Rivera was the treasurer for LULAC National.

The election was postponed on Saturday by Luis Vera, the appointed Election Judge by outgoing LULAC National President Margaret Moran. Moran and Vera were accused of attempting to keep Rivera from getting elected, so the Executive Committee could keep the current positions. But Vera failed to adjourn the convention Assembly and the delegates continued with the election process, which was witnessed by other respective long time LULAC Board members. Vera decided on a long recess, while a second judicial order to cancel the election would be filed in a New York court, but no decision by a judge was rendered to stop the election during the Assembly voting process.
At the convention, registered delegates were required to have a photo ID to vote, which the National LULAC By-Laws don't require one. It's the first time, LULAC voting delegates had to show an ID to vote. Mora and Vera attempted to suppress the vote at the convention this year, according to delegates.
Rivera received 60% of the delegate vote and defeated Roger C. Rocha Jr., according to the Editor, "Voice of the Mainland" and Dennis A. Montoya who posted the results on the LULAC New Mexico Facebook account.

Montoya who is the New Mexico LULAC Executive Administrator and Chair of the New Mexico LULAC Civil Rights Committee told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) that, "The election was not postponed. The faction that was in power attempted to cancel the election altogether, but veteran LULAC members who know the bylaws well took control and a quorum of convention delegates remained after the attempted adjournment. The convention continued and Maggie Rivera and other national officials were elected. In other words, an attempt at installing an non-elected "dictatorship" was averted."
On Saturday, LULAC National had announced in a news release that it had postponed the National Elections due to a court order and failed to mention that Rivera had been elected LULAC National President.

Montoya posted on Sunday the following report of what had transpired on Saturday, "Luis Vera was the Election Judge, appointed by Margaret Moran... who took some time to take the podium, finally getting there at 12:33 p.m. His first order of business was to recess the convention until 2:30 p.m. A New York state court had issued an injunction that prohibits the National President and the Legal Advisor from issuing any legal opinions during the course of the Assembly. At around 2:20 p.m., before the full Assembly returned, Luis Vera, the Election Judge, took the podium and without re-convening the Assembly, announced that the Convention of the Assembly was cancelled. This was around 2:20 p.m. The Roger Rocha delegates did not return. The Maggie Rivera delegates did return and continued the meeting.

"With no elections, this would mean that the existing Executive Committee would continue for another year, appointing replacements for termed out officers. The Machine had plans to remain in power, like they did in San Antonio, when they closed down the convention by making the false claims of a riot. The Editor thought that they would try something sneaky. Who would ever think that they would be so blatantly low? The shouting started, "Chapuseros, Chapuseros, Chapuseros...." Vera and the Machine was stealing the election from in front of the very noses of over 900 Maggie Rivera delegates and Vera thought that everybody was just going to go home and call it a day.

"Luis Vera left thinking that the delegates would leave. The delegates stayed.

"Ray Mancera, a former National Parliamentarian of LULAC took the floor and instructed how the delegates present could continue the convention using the language of the LULAC Constitution.
"With a majority present from the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee convened and elected Baldo Garza to serve as interim President. Baldo Garza then appointed Belen Robles as Election Judge. The Credentials report was approved noting that 1,625 delegates were certified. This report had been read out earlier in the morning citing the number of delegates that each council had. This is the 1,625 number that was noted as the first certification of the delegates. Next, Belen asked for the adoption of the Rules Committee report. This report was adopted with Rule 5, the reference to the Legal Advisor, being stricken.

"A count of the delegates present noted that we had 825 delegates present, more than a majority to constitute a quorum. Belen then proceeded with a vote for the officer positions," Montoya posted.

LULAC National Convention Assembly and officers elected for 2014.

Elected by the delegates were: 

National President

● Maggie Rivera - elected
    Roger Rocha

VP for Women

● Elsie Valdes - elected
    Loudes Galvan

VP for Southwest

   Tomas Esparza
● Baldomero "Baldo" Garza - elected

Treasurer

● Juan Carlos Lizardi - elected

VP for Elderly

● Lucy Arce - elected

VP for Young Adults

● Stanley de la Cruz - elected

VP for Youth

    Blanca Vargas
● Anna Estrada - elected

VP for the Midwest

● Daryl Morin - elected

VP for the Farwest

● Benigno "Benny" Diaz - elected

VP for the Southeast

● Evan Quinones - elected

VP for the Northeast

● Ralina Cardona - elected

VP for the Northwest

No election - no councils

2015 National Convention

Utah - Selected

2017 Convention Site

San Juan, Puerto Rico - selected

The reports of the Amendments and Resolutions were suspended until the first meeting of the LULAC National Board.
The Assembly adjourned around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Editor and Montoya reported.

Sierra Guyton Passed Away After Taken Off From Life Support

Sierra Guyton, Sylvester Akeem Lewis and Jamey Lamont Jackson

Guyton was shot in the head in May while playing across from the Clarke Street Elementary School.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 13, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - Sierra Guyton, 10, died at 1:35 a.m. on Sunday, according to family members. Guyton had suffered a head wound when she was shot  in a cross fire on May 21, in a gun fight between two men. Dozens of shots were fired near the school.

Guyton had been taken of life supports on June 25 and succumb to her injuries on early Sunday at Children's Hospital.

Sylvester Akeem Lewis, 18, and Jamey Lamont Jackson, 28, were arrested in connection with Guyton's shooting. Lewis was charged with one felony count for first-degree reckless injury, one felony count for first-degree reckless endangering safety and one felony count for a felon with possession of a weapon. Lewis bail was at at $250,000 cash bond.

Jackson was charged with one felony count for felon in possession of a weapon. Jaskson bail was set at $25,000 cash bond. Both Lewis and Jackson are facing amended charges for the death of Guyton.

Court TRO Forced LULAC To Suspend Elections For 10-days During The 85th National Convention

Roger Rocha Jr. and Maggie Rivera

Across the board elections suspended for ten-days after a LULAC group was granted a TRO.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 13, 2014

New York, New York - On Saturday, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was forced to cancel its membership elections after a TRO was granted to a LULAC Council opposing the elections. The elections were cancelled for ten-days until the issue gets resolved.

The LULAC membership was set to elect their National President at the 85th National Convention in New York City over the weekend. Members from around the country attending the convention were ready to vote when the elections were unexpectedly suspended. 

In a news release LULAC stated, "On the final day of the convention, the elections were postponed due to a court order. While the organization vigorously disputes the plaintiff's tactic in obtaining such an order without prior notice to LULAC, the organization's leadership had no choice but to comply with the order and to pursue legal remedies moving forward." 

At least 20,000 attended the convention.

In previous years, controversy has tainted LULAC elections, procedures and rules in electing its membership to leadership roles.

Maggie Rivera from Crystal Lake, Illinois and Roger Rocha Jr. from Laredo, Texas are candidates for National LULAC President. An estimated 1,625 delegates were present at the election assembly on Saturday. Rivera apparently had about 60% of the votes to get her elected as National President for LULAC, but the election was postponed by Luis Vera, the designated Election judge by the outgoing National LULAC President Margaret Moran. Moran and Vera are accused of supporting Rocha and keeping Rivera from being elected, according to some of Rivera's delegates at the convention.

Mexican Government To Prohibit Passengers To Ride La Bestia In Southern Mexico

The Mexican military, marines and federal police will work to prevent undocumented immigrants from South and Central America from riding La Bestia freight train between the Guatemala-Mexico border into the interior of the country on their way to the U.S. border.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 12, 2014

Mexico, D.F. - The Mexican federal government in its effort to stop the flow of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants from South and Central America into Mexico has announced that it will strictly prohibit for passengers to ride in La Bestia. La Bestia (Beast) is a cargo freight train, which thousands of undocumented immigrants take to travel from the Guatemala-Mexico border to the interior of Mexico on their way to the U.S. border. 

Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, the Secretary of Governance in Mexico says, that a strategic plan will be made public within days and then put into action to help prevent undocumented immigrants from crossing into Mexico. Any immigrant found to be undocumented in Mexico will be processed for immediate deportation and passengers riding in La Bestia will be prohibited in four states, Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz and Tamaulipas. Immigrants passing through the states of Quintana Roo and Campeche will be required to have legal documents or face deportation.

The Mexican military, marines and federal police will work with Mexican immigration officials to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants through the Guatemalan and Mexican border. More than 170,000 of undocumented immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala cross into Mexico every year. More than 80,000 of unaccompanied children are expected to travel through Mexico.

The Mexican government hasn't announced any plan to also stop the flow of undocumented immigrants, including Mexican nationals along the Mexico and U.S. border. The U.S. Immigration and Border Protection has confirmed that at least 57,000 of unaccompanied children have been detained and are expecting more than 80,000 to cross into the U.S. illegally. 

President Barack H. Obama has asked the U.S. Congress to pass a bill to allow immigration officials to deport unaccompanied children more quickly.

Missing U.S. Tourist's Body And Motorcycle Found Discarded In Guerrero

Missing traveler and his motorcycle located after a tip led the Ministry police in the state of Guerrero to a remote area.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 12, 2014

Lagunillas, Guerrero, Mexico - The Public Ministry police in the state of Guerrero recovered two garbage bags with decomposing body parts and a deteriorated motorcycle in a remote area in the township of Lagunillas located in the municipality of Union Isidro Montes de Oca, state of Guerrero. A tip led Mexican authorities to the scene. A joint effort by Ministry police, the military and Mexican marines in the area helped recovered several bags of a decomposed body and a motorcycle. The body parts from the bags were taken to a forensic lab in Zihuatanejo for DNA testing and the identity of the body is being confirmed.

Authorities believe that the body of missing U.S. tourist Harry Devert, 32, of New York and his missing 2002 Kawasaki motorcycle with license plate NY67SD67 has been found. Devert was travelling through Mexico on his way to the Brazil World Cup Soccer games. He was last seen heading to the Cerró Pelon Butterfly Reserve in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. 

The motorcycle that eas found has a decal similar to Devert's missing motorcycle indicating it could be Devert's body as well.

Evidence at the scene also suggested that the two bags containing body parts and the motorcycle were buried at another location, then exhumed and placed where they were recovered.

Devert disappeared on January 25. His mother has provided DNA sample to local Mexican authorities. 

Power Turned Off After Truck Struck Light Pole In Milwaukee's Southside

A truck struck a light pole and WE Energies shut off the power of street lights from W. Loncoln Ave. to Cleveland Ave. and between S. 16th to  S. 10th Streets.

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 12, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - Police were called to the 1200 block of W. Arthur Street after a truck heading East on Arthur lost control and struck a city street light pole on the North side of the street near an alley. Police had to call WE Energies and a city worker to shut down the power around the area. WE Energies was able to turn off about 5 watts of power affecting only street lights. No residential homes lost power.

It will take hours to replace the pole and restore power. The truck needs to be removed and towed first, which was blocking part of an alley, including the sidewalk. The truck was still at the scene around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. 

Police say no one was reported injured and wouldn't confirm, if the driver was detained, but the truck looked abandoned.