Rio Hondo ISD to hold School Board elections

Ballot box
RHISD school board candidates vie for a spot on the district’s administration. (Photo by Louie Diaz)

By LOUIE DIAZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Candidates for the Rio Hondo ISD Board of Trustees have filed for the upcoming elections on May 1.
The seats on the RHISD school board that are open are Place 1, Place 2, Place 3, and Place 4. The following are the candidates who have filed for each seat on the school board. For Place 1, Hoss Lozano and Billie D. Simpson battle it out. Robert Lopez and Jennifer E. Alfaro campaign for Place 2. Valeriana Flores and Gina Marie Palacios face off for Place 3. Place 4, incumbent and board president, Claudia Villalobos, faces off against Carlos Garza Jr. and JR “Dagoose” Guzman.
Many of the candidates took to social media to announce their candidacy and garner support from prospective voters.
Lozano took to Facebook to announce his candidacy and his qualifications for the position.
“This election in May is critical if we want to turn this district around. As a RIO HONDO FIRST candidate I ask that you put your trust and faith in me,” Lozano wrote.
Lopez, the current Port Isabel Chief of Police, also asked for support on Facebook. He is running for Place 2 on the school board.
“I humbly ask for your support,” Lopez posted on Facebook.
Alfaro, who is running against Lopez, wrote in a Facebook post, “As a product of RHISD, I am proud to announce that I will be running in the School Board Elections this year. I look forward to serving the district that once served me; as a student and as a teacher.”
Palacios declared her candidacy a spot on the school board.
“Along with the support of friends and family, I’ve decided to run for Rio Hondo School Board Pl. 3. If elected, I promise to devote myself wholeheartedly to this honored position, serving my hometown city, day in and day out,” Palacios wrote in a Facebook post.
Flores, Alfaro’s opposition, also took to Facebook.
“A VOTE for me is a VOTE for you,” she said. “So, I humbly ask for everyone’s support this May 1st to please come out and VOTE.”
Former Rio Hondo High School boy’s varsity basketball coach and teacher, Joe Guzman declared his candidacy for RHISD School Board Place 4. He is challenging the incumbent Villalobos for her spot on the board.

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