August 22, 2003 - San Angelo Standard Times: San Angelo RPCV Mayor urges Hispanics to get involved

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By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 10:44 am: Edit Post

San Angelo RPCV Mayor urges Hispanics to get involved





Read and comment on this story from the San Angelo Standard Times about Bolivia RPCV Mayor J.W. Lown who is both the first Hispanic elected to the city's top post and also the youngest. After sitting through several sparsely attended meetings about the recently passed redistricting plan, Lown stressed the importance of showing up and getting involved. Read the story at:

San Angelo leaders urge Hispanics to get involved*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



San Angelo leaders urge Hispanics to get involved

By NICOLE C. BRAMBILA, Staff Writer
August 22, 2003

Mayor J.W. Lown learned a few things in the jungles of Bolivia as a Peace Corps member: most importantly, the true definition of manana, which basically means ''never.''

The crowd that showed up for the Association of Hispanic Business Leader's lunch with the mayor Thursday laughed - they knew what he meant.

His brief chat was peppered with laughs that began with Councilman Joe Holguin's introduction.

''I've been in office so long people don't ask me when I'm going to run again,'' Holguin said. ''They ask me, 'When are you going to retire?' ''

By contrast, Lown just took office in May. He is both the first Hispanic elected to the city's top post and also the youngest.

After sitting through several sparsely attended meetings about the recently passed redistricting plan, Lown stressed the importance of showing up and getting involved.

Ray Zapata, president of the association, agreed. The Hispanic community, he said, has got to get more involved, such as when parents converged on the school district to see the mariachi program reinstated.

''If there aren't people there, it's not going to happen,'' Zapata said. ''And we don't have the numbers.''

At the luncheon, Lown solicited suggestions from the crowd after asking if people wanted a ribbon-cutting mayor or one who did something.

What is on everyone's mind?

Youth recreation. The condition of some of the city's streets and unsafe railroad crossings. Better jobs. The half cent sales tax. And Houston Harte freeway, which Lown joked he would take credit for, although the project began before he was born.

Former Assistant City Manager J.D. Reyes asked about the mayor's water plan.

''It has rained 10 inches since I've been mayor,'' Lown said with a smile.

Contact Nicole C. Brambila at nbrambila@ sastandardtimes.com or 659-8265.



May 4, 2003 - Bolivia RPCV J-W Lown elected youngest mayor in San Angelo's history





The Historic Oreint-Santa Fe Depot built by the KCM&O in 1909

Read and comment on this story from KTRK TV on May 4, 2003 on Bolivia RPCV J-W Lown who at 26 has just been elected as the youngest mayor in San Angelo's history. San Angelo has a population of 104,000 and is home to Angelo State University. Read the story at:

San Angelo elects youngest mayor in city's history*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



San Angelo elects youngest mayor in city's history

By The Associated Press

(5/04/03-San Angelo) — San Angelo elected the youngest mayor in the city's history Saturday night.

Twenty-six-year-old J-W Lown grew up in San Angelo, then spent time in Bolivia as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Lown received 58 percent of the vote, defeating city council member Jim Hughes and political newcomer Bill Forman.

Lown says he won the election in a grass roots campaign. He's promised to be a full-time mayor.

Voters say they picked Lown because of his young age and his handsome appearance. Some also say another factor is because Lown is biracial -- he's half Hispanic and half white.

A columnist from Florida recently called San Angelo a -- quote -- "Jasper waiting to happen."

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
More about San Angelo Texas



Read more about San Angelo at:

San Angelo

The City of San Angelo covers 58.61 sq. miles and Tom Green County covers 1,540.5 sq. miles. We are located at Latitude 31.22 N and Longitude 100.30 W in West Central Texas between the Texas hill country to the southeast and the rolling plains to the northwest. San Angelo is located between U.S. Interstate Highways 10 and 20. I-10 is 64 miles south of San Angelo and depending upon the route taken, it is approximately 70 miles to I-20. Other major highways connecting to San Angelo include U.S. Highways 67, 87 and 277. The mileage to major cities are:

San Angelo is located in Tom Green County, whose 2000 population is estimated to be 104,010. The City of San Angelo is a dominant part of the population of Tom Green County, with an estimated population of 88,439.

AGE DISTRIBUTION (2000)

The 2000 age distribution of Tom Green County's population is estimated to be the following:

Under 18 - 27,043 (26%)
18-24 years old - 13,521 (13%)
25-44 years old - 28,083 (27%)
45-64 years old - 21,842 (21%)
Age 65 and over - 13,521 (13%)

ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION (2000)

The 2000 ethnic distribution of Tom Green County is estimated to be the following:

Caucasian - 65,526 [63%]
Hispanic - 32,243 [31%]
Black - 4,160 [4%]
Other - 2,080 [2%]


History

With the end of America's civil war, thousands of settlers began moving west in search of their fortunes. Realizing its need to protect these citizens from roving bands of Indians, the government established forts on the frontier.

One such placement, Fort Concho, was made in 1867 at the confluence of three rivers in West Central Texas. The fort at different times was home to mounted cavalry, infantry, and the famous Black Cavalry whose members were respectfully called "Buffalo Soldiers" by the Indians. Almost as soon as the first units arrived at Fort Concho, a small and somewhat lawless village by the name of Santa Angela came to life just across the river. As the village grew into a community, it became a trade center for the many farmers and ranchers who had settled in the area.

By 1889, the Indians had moved westward and the soldiers followed, abandoning Fort Concho. However, with the economic base of agriculture and trade, the community later renamed "San Angelo" continued to grow as it moved into the 20th Century.

Weather and climate also played an important role in San Angelo's early development. When tuberculosis became widespread in the first half of this century, patients from all over the nation were sent to a treatment center near San Angelo. Our dry climate proved to be an effective healing factor, and the medical center reputation and the services we now enjoy can be attributed to this role played in the early 1900's.

The military returned to San Angelo during World War II, when an Army Air Corps training base was established in the city. While flight training is no longer provided, Goodfellow Air Force Base still provides military intelligence training and a fire fighting school for the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines.

The discovery of oil and gas, the influx of light manufacturing, the initial development of a communications center, the establishment and growth of Angelo State University, and the growth of the medical community provided diversification to a growing community. Today, this city of 88,000 is the trade and services hub of a 13 county area, supported by agriculture, manufacturing, education, business and health services, military, tourism, and retirement.



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