Greetings From Falfurrias...

By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
The Paz Files

FALFURRIAS, Texas - As is common in most smalltown newspapering, the Christmas Edition of the weekly Falfurrias Facts arrived full of holiday cheer, color photographs of locals in full spirit and a few items of serious news. We picked up a copy at a roadside store, that and a snack or two - fuel for the road.

It is odd to read a newspaper that does not these days offer a story about the current presidential political campaigns, the country's struggling economy or a Big Time sports story about the Texas Longhorns or Dallas Cowboys. The Facts is all-local, all-the-time, which, on one level is refreshing. We can't all agonize over the stumbles of cornpone Rick Perry or the failings of our beloved football teams. There are times when you have to bring the news home. You can get your fill of Falfurrias in its little newspaper.

There's Mayor Anna Garcia in her own column on Page 2. She's in the season's spirit, writing, however awful, "In encourage the residents of Falfurrias to shop locally. Falfurrias has a lot to offer if you look around. Merry Christmas and remember Jesus Christ was born on Chfristmas Day."

It's cute and it's homey, but that's Falfurrias, there on Highway 281 south of Premont and Alice. Page 3 is the Obituaries page and we note that Ramon P. Garza died on Dec. 13. Ramon was a U.S. Army veteran and owner of Clancy's Cafe, it says on the page. Next to his opbit is an advertisement for Cowgirl Corner Tanning Salon (located at Selina's Bail Bonds), where, in its monthly plan, you can tan an entire month for $35. A single session will cost you $10. At the bottom of the page is a larger-sized Ad for The Silver Dollar, a business on St. Mary's Street pushing its New Year's Eve party, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., music by Joaquin Chavez.

The top-half of Page 4 offers listings of local and area churches, with the rest of the page taken over by business-car Ads for a wide range of enterprises, from H-E-B, to Fred's Fine Furniture, to Falfurrias Muffler Shop, to Funeraria Del Angel and the oddly-named Carousel Adult Day Care. It's a lifestyle. Smalltown people aren't very demanding. They see what they have and do with it all they can. A fancy McDonald's would look out of place in Falfurrias.

Page 5 is for Classified Advertisements. Legal notices take up part of the page. There's a posting for a public hearing to address building occupancies at various locations. It is signed by City Clerk Idolina Perez. The remainder of the page carries two news stories, one in which Gil Salazar, principal of Falfurrias High, announces the schol's second-six-weeks' Honor Roll. The other story is a canned feature noting that the Texas unemployment rate has dropped to 8.1 percent. There is no mention of the unemployment. A smaller Ad carries news that a two-bedroom house on Bennett Street is for sale, going for $35,000. Below that is a larger ad for Viagra and Cialis that shows a young woman smiling, her man in the foggy background waiting in bed. It gives a one-800 number and offers "4 bonus pills free" if you call now.

In the sixth and seventh pages, readers get those annual photos of pretty much every city and county official and their staffs. Few of them are smiling, although County Attorney Homer Mora flashes a big one from behind his thick mustache. He is accompanied by his wife, Norma, in the black and white photograph.

Letters to Santa round out the back pages. Falfurrias kids are no different than kids elsewhere. They want, want, want. Writes Marie Morales: "I have been a gooid girl. I want a Barbie. I want an Ipad. I want a laptop." Little Pearl Hinojosa is identified as being a 1st garder. She writes in her letter: "I have been nise. I want a desi and an ipod. How is misis Clos?" Christian Lopez is friendly in his note: "Dear Santa, how ar you doing? I have been a good boy because my teacher givs me happy faces. I love you, Santa. I want a PSP for Christmas. Your friend, Christian."

In the larger Ad below the letters to Santa is a photograph showing Ellie, Monica, Mr. Diaz, Maria, Ester and Cassandra, all in businesswear, all employed by the Greater South Texas Bank, FSB.

The rest of the newspaper is more celebratory Ads. There's one showing the "friendly" staff of the Dairy Queen, one for the crew over at the Alamo Lumber Company and a half-page Ad for R. Trevino Electric & Refrigeration that shows three guys on camels on a rising desert mound, a shiny star in the sky ahead.

It's the Christmas Season in tiny Falfurrias and all is warmy and joyful.

Well, not entirely. The Facts also reports on its Front Page that four area residents have been indictment for activities connected to smuggling of undocumented aliens. The story is at odds with the adjacent color photographs of the town's lighted Christmas Parade...

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