valleystar.

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Sunday, August 7, 2022 C2

MARY TORRES CAROL LEE

LUTSINGER

HARLINGEN
HAPPENINGS
Mark your calendar for the
“Rio Hondo Bridgefest”
happening this coming
Saturday, Aug. 13, from 6 to
11 p.m. The Brody Rivers
Band and the Los Jilgueros
Del Norte will be playing at
the festival, and there will be
food booths, fireworks,
entertainment for the kids,
and more. The festival is
taking place beside the Arroyo
Colorado Lift Bridge and the
following is a bit of history
about that location.
According to the Texas
Historical Commission
ABOUT THE STARS
Get ready! The fully-dark to
pre-dawn hours of Aug. 12
and 13 are the absolute best
times to go Perseid meteor
shower hunting, although the
moon will be full which
means only the brightest
meteors will be visible.
Astronomers are predicting a
rate of as many as one per
minute between midnight
and the early morning. The
comet debris from Swift/
Tuttle is good about outbursts
Courtesy photo of meteors and fireballs.
The U.S. Postal Service Friday unveiled its newest forever stamps that feature marine life. Arrange a reclining lawn
chair so that you are able to

U.S. Postal Service unveils

(https://www.thc.texas.gov,) see the sky from Cassiopeia
the town of Rio Hondo in the NE to due E and just
(Spanish for Deep River) was wait to see what passes
established along the Arroyo overhead. I hope we are
Colorado in 1910. To promote pleasantly surprised at what
better transportation and occurs. The “falling stars” will
appear to come from the

new marine life stamps

commerce, early versions of a
reliable crossing of that
waterway included a wooden
bridge on pilings, a single-
vehicle ferry, and a one-lane
steel bridge. When the plan to
dredge the Arroyo Colorado to
create a port for Harlingen
materialized, a temporary
swing bridge was built.
In May 1953, the new
vertical-lift bridge spanning
over 380 feet in length and
25 feet in width opened.
Designed by the New York
engineering firm Parsons,
Brinckerhoff, Hall &
MacDonald, the bridge
operated with two electric
pulley motors on each side of
the span that lifted the central
span between two towers to
allow barges and ships to go
through while vehicle traffic
waited. The bridge is not only
a practical economic lifeline
and a prime gateway to area
attractions, but it is the only lift
bridge built between 1945
and 1960 in Texas that is still
in operation.
In 2012, Norman Rozeff,
Marker Chair for the Cameron
County Historical Commission,
and Pete Castillo, a local
historian for Rio Hondo, were
instrumental in obtaining a
Recorded Texas Historic
Landmark marker for the
structure under the “Undertold
Marker” program of the THC.
Information on The Arroyo
Colorado Lift Bridge Marker
No. 17748 can be found on
the THC website.
See HAPPENINGS ★ C5
Staff Report
The U.S. Postal Service on
Friday unveiled its newest forever
stamps—and they will please any-
one who loves marine life.
The 16 new National Marine
Sanctuaries stamps showcase the
abundant wildlife and diverse
ecosystems that can be found
throughout the National Marine
Sanctuary System, the postal ser-
vice stated in a press release.
The stamps feature whales,
tiger sharks,, angel fish, balloon
Reap the many health benefits of a good laugh
Metro Creative Connection
Most people have heard
the adage that “laughter is
the best medicine.” There
are many indications that
laughter can be beneficial to
the mind and body, and that
the perks of laughter and
humor are far-reaching.
Various professionals have
studied the clinical benefits
of laughter, including Dr. Lee
Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at
Loma Linda University in
California. Here is what
these experts say in regard
to the benefits of a few
good belly laughs.
constellation known as
Perseus, he of Medusa’s
nemesis fame. They will
radiate out from a point in
space near Cassiopeia, the W
shaped pattern in the NE at
fish, sea lions and more. Sanctuary System is managed by full dark. Invite a few friends
For 50 years, U.S. national the National Oceanic and or family members out to join
marine sanctuaries and marine Atmospheric Administration. you and then you increase
national monuments have pro- Encompassing more than your counts of the number of
tected areas with special ecologi- 620,000 square miles, the sanctu- meteorites spotted, unless
cal, cultural and historical signifi- ary system currently comprises 15 you decide to watch lightning
cance. national marine sanctuaries and bugs.
The Marine Protection, two marine national monuments, Regular readers may
Research and Sanctuaries Act, stretching from the North Atlantic remember that meteors are
which established a framework to the South Pacific, and from the particles of dust left by
designating national marine sanc- Florida Keys to the Pacific comets as they wend their
tuaries, was signed into law in on Northwest. way through the solar system,
Oct. 23, 1972, according to the The stamps can be purchased swing around the sun and
postal service. at your local post office or at head back out into deep
Today, the National Marine https://www.usps.com. reaches of space. The earth
passes through the debris
and the air around it,
superheated, begins to glow,
and we think it is a star falling
out of the sky. These particles
are mostly the size of a grain
Boosts immune measured after participants laugh less often. Lower of sand, but the heated
system watched a one-hour blood pressure reduces the atmosphere makes them
A 2016 study titled “The humorous video. NK cells risk for stroke and heart seem far larger. Look for a
Laughter Prescription” and are lymphocytes with a attack. variety of colors and
published in the American unique ability to kill a broad brightness. It is best to be in a
Journal of Lifestyle Medicine spectrum of cancerous and Helps heal the brain good dark place; the less light
found that the amount of virus-infected cells, according Laughing can help reverse pollution the more meteors
laughter a person to the National Institutes of symptoms of grief or will be visible. It almost
experiences is related to the Health. depression by increasing the makes one wish for a power
immune system’s ability to Laughing out loud pleasure-enhancing outage. Too bad local power
fight off infections, among improves immune system neurochemicals in the brain, sources are so darned
other benefits. function and increases heart according to the Dr. Sears reliable.
The study references rate and oxygen levels. Wellness Institute. While you are watching the
additional research that A good laugh also may area around Cassiopeia you
indicated spontaneous (not Lowers blood help people recovering from may notice one star appears
forced) laughter boosts the pressure chronic illnesses by helping brighter than it did another
immune system by Individuals who laugh to alleviate fear and anxiety night.
increasing natural killer (NK) often have lower blood that could otherwise
cell activity. Levels were pressure than those who preoccupy the mind. See ASTRONOMY ★ C5

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Valley Baptist School of Vocational Nursing continuing to change lives through education
Special to the Star
HARLINGEN – When deciding
which career path to take nearly 20
years ago, Amadeo Flores III had a
decision to make, and he chose to
follow in the footsteps of a loved one.
Flores, who recently earned his
Masters of Science in nursing degree,
is a 2002 graduate of the Valley
Baptist School of Vocational Nursing
and is the program’s lead instructor.
He said he looked to his mother’s
experience as a nurse and Valley
Baptist’s reputation in the community
when making the decision that
ultimately shaped the future of his
career.
“I have deep roots with Valley
Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen,”
Flores said. “My mother was a nurse
in the mother/baby unit, and has
been with the hospital for more than
30 years. I began here as a volunteer
when I was 15 years old, and started
the licensed vocational nurse program
when I was 18 and graduated when I
was 19. The reputation of the
program and the caliber of nurses it
has produced were big deciding
factors in choosing what school to
attend after high school graduation.”
Now through his work at the
school, Flores helps potential students
make similar decisions that will
ultimately have a positive impact on
their lives.
“Today there are more and more
nursing programs, but what sets our
school apart is the reputation,” he said.
“Our school has a healthy mix of
tradition, experience, youthful
understanding that helps usher new
generations of nurses into the field.
The team of instructors we have
works well together and we all have a
thirst for knowledge and understand
the importance of not just producing
licenses, but developing strong,
confident, intelligent nurses.”
The Valley Baptist School of
Vocational Nursing was established in
1957, and to date the school boasts
more than 1,600 graduates. The
school features eight instructors and
office manager Stephanie Hamby.
Albert Azua, RN, the school’s head
of student retention and development,
has spent nearly 30 years caring for
his community.
“I began my nursing career at the
Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen
in 1976. During that time I have
gained experience in skilled nursing
and knowledge of the day to day of
patient care and trauma experience
throughout several departments of the
hospital,” he said. “In June of 2010, I
became an instructor at the school of
vocational nursing.”
Prior to his official tenure with the
school of vocational nursing, Azua said
he shared his knowledge by teaching
CPR skills to the public.
“I knew that by promoting CPR
education, I could contribute to
closing the missing link in increasing
the chance of survival, after a
catastrophic event where someone’s
heart has stopped,” he said. “I carry
this same purpose in educating my
students to make them the
instrument of hope and
compassionate, caring nurses that
can help the sick and injured increase
their chances at a fulfilling life. I take
pride knowing that I shared my
knowledge and experience to help
them close the missing link.”
Janis Baker, a registered nurse who
also holds a Bachelor of Science in
nursing, is the school’s director in
addition to one of its instructors. Baker
said the nursing school’s history and
its longtime connection to Valley
Baptist Health System are tangible
evidence of the quality education that
its students receive.
“The Valley Baptist Vocational
Nursing Program has been in
existence for a long period of time.
Grandparents, parents, and
eventually many of their children
have all attended this program,” she
said. “Our nursing school is one of
only a few hospital-based nursing
programs remaining in the state of
Texas, and we are truly blessed to
be in this position. Our students
have the ability to learn from a tried
and true academic program with
hands-on clinical performance, and
also have the opportunity to be
exposed to the new and innovated
programs being initiated at Valley
Baptist. They learn from what we
believe are the best of the best.”
While some graduates can have
trouble finding employment post-
college depending on their field of
study, students who graduate with
degrees in nursing are unlikely to
experience that difficulty. According to
statistics from the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
employment of licensed practical and
licensed vocational nurses is expected
to increase by 12 percent by the year
2026, and the aging of the “baby
boomer” population will lead to a
significant need in health care services,
especially in residential care facilities
and home health.
For those interested in joining the
school’s Class of 2023, pre-entrance
testing is ongoing through September,
2022. Baker said potential students
should not delay and sign up for pre-
entrance testing as soon as possible,
adding that it is the first step to a
rewarding career.
“The Valley Baptist Medical Center
Vocational Nursing Program is a place
for excellent beginnings,” she said.
“Our graduates are among the very
best prepared health care
professionals, and we welcome the
opportunity to be part of someone’s
success.”
For more information on the Valley
Baptist School of Vocational Nursing
and the ongoing testing schedule, visit
https://www.valleybaptist.net/for-
medical-professionals/education-
training/lvn-school-of-nursing or call
(956) 389-1721.