Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse of Central Texas

The Rio Grande Guardian
March 18, 2010

WESLACO, March 18 - The late Bill Summers will be honored with a plaque unveiled at the international bridge in Nuevo Progreso on Sunday as part of the city’s Dia Del Turista celebrations.

Summers led the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, the Valley's regional chamber of commerce, for more than two decades before succumbing to cancer late last year. One of his top priorities was to foster better relations between Texas and Mexico and he was often referred to as the state’s unofficial ambassador to Mexico.

“This is a great honor and fitting tribute for Mr. Summers,” said acting Valley Partnership President Veronica Villegas. “The governor of Tamaulipas, Eugenio Hernandez Flores, has been invited to attend and we hope he can make it. We hope to see as many elected officials from the Rio Grande Valley present as possible.”

Among those slated to attend are Summers’ wife Jo, and many Rio Grande Valley Partnership board members.

Dia Del Turista is an annual event for Nuevo Progreso, a top tourist destination on the Tamaulipas border, especially for Winter Texans. This year’s event is more poignant because of the recent flare up of violence among competing drug cartels in nearby Reynosa. Organizers have beefed up security for this year’s Dia Del Turista.

Among the Guests of Honor for this year’s event are Governor Hernandez, Tamaulipas Tourism Secretary Javier Villarreal-Teran, Nuevo Progreso Mayor Roberto Benet Ramos, federal Congressman Edguardo Melhelm Salinas, state Representative Norma Elizabeth Parra- Martinez, and Armando Trevino Salinas, president of CANACO Rio Bravo, the local chamber of commerce.
 
The ceremonial “Abrazos” (a symbolic hug) takes place on the middle of the international bridge at 11 a.m. on Sunday. At 12 noon, officials from the State of Tamaulipas and the Rio Grande Valley will meet on the middle of the bridge. At 12.30 p.m. a plaque unveiling ceremony will take place in honor of Summers. At 1.00 p.m. the new Mr. Turista will be announced. At 1.30 p.m., elected officials will walk down Nuevo Progreso’s Main Street. And, at 2 p.m., elected officials will attend a luncheon at Arturo’s Restaurant in Nuevo Progreso.