"Los Lonely Boys Homecoming" Among Proclamations Made By City Council Today

The San Angelo City Council makes proclamations at almost every meeting, declaring a month, week or day for something in an effort to recognize an organization or individual for giving back to the community. This morning the council will make several proclamations for the month of April at the McNease Convention Center, 501 Rio Concho Dr., at 9 a.m.

April 6 through 12 will be “National Public Health Week” under the theme “Healthiest Nation 2030”. The overall health of the community is the purpose of raising awareness and promoting safe and healthier lifestyle choices among residents. According to the proclamation, public health action, together with scientific and technologic advances, play a major role in reducing and eliminating the spread of infectious disease, and in establishing today’s disease surveillance and control systems. The proclamation will be received by Health Services Director, Sandra Villarreal.

April 7 will be declared “National Service Recognition Day”. The proclamation states that residents are encouraged to recognize the positive impact of national service in our community and thank those who serve. Dolores Schwertner, Senior Corps West Texas RSVP Director, and Nolan Mears, SCP/FGP Director for the Concho Valley will be accepting the proclamation. The WTRSVP has created a community of volunteers that offer support services for physically challenged adults and frail elders enabling them to live more independently. With volunteers in an array of areas like adult literacy, veterans services, storytelling, arts and crafts, and police services, the Senior Corps accepts all forms of volunteer work and donations.

The month of April will also be deemed “Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month." it will be accepted by the Concho Valley Rape Crisis Center. “We really need to dispel myths. I think myths are what perpetuate rape culture and also accentuate victim blaming. We are still hearing questions about the victim in a sexual assault, instead of the perpetrator,” said Karla Payne, Executive Director of the CVRCC, last week in an awareness rally held on the courthouse lawn. “What was she wearing? How much was she drinking? Why was she there? Those types of questions instead of, why did he do that,” Payne gave as examples. “We want to turn that around and hold the offender accountable.”

Also a participant in the awareness rally last Thursday on the courthouse lawn was the Concho Valley Community Action and Resources for Empowerment and Success Coalition. The “Alcohol[ism] Awareness Month” proclamation will be accepted by the coalition.  C.A.R.E.S. was formed in March 2007 by Bishop Michael Pfeifer to address the substance abuse problems in the community, pertaining to drugs and alcohol.  According to their website the coalitions’ focus is to increase awareness and educate the public about substance abuse issues in the community, help identify and include crucial community elements and components such as existing prevention and education programs, treatment programs, criminal justice agencies, the business community, employers, churches, schools – both public and private, civic organizations, private individuals, the media and social services agencies.

The Los Lonely Boys will be in attendance to accept a proclamation declaring April 11 as “Los Lonely Boys Homecoming”, in appreciation for bringing worldwide recognition to their hometown, San Angelo, and to encourage the community to join them in supporting the mission of Concho Valley Turning Point. CVTP is a non-profit Christian organization whose goal is to help adults who struggle with addiction rebuild and restore their lives.

The band gained popularity in 2004 for their Top 20 Pop hit “Heaven”, and won a Grammy award for Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal. The group gained national attention again in 2005 when drummer, Ringo Garza and his wife were accused of sexual assault involving a date rape drug.

According to the Houston Chronicle, detectives interviewed two women and staffers at Shannon Medical Center, where rape exams were conducted, for several hours both at the hospital and at police headquarters. Police detectives decided that they had enough information to ask a judge for a search warrant, which a magistrate signed at 12:45 a.m. Jan. 6, 2005. While no convictions were ever made regarding the sexual assault case, the Lonely Boy's drummer and his wife were jailed on unlawful possession of marijuana confiscated during execution of the search warrant, to which Garza’s wife eventually took full responsibility, earning her a class B misdemeanor conviction. Here's more of the story.

April 2015 will also be “I Choose Angelo State Month” that will be accepted by ASU Director of Admissions Sharla Adam. The proclamation says that ASU, with an enrollment of 6,494  undergraduate and graduate students, is an integral part of the city and a citadel of higher learning in west Texas. It employs 350 faculty members, 500 staff members and 700 student workers who are a vital part of this community. ASU has graduated 41,670 since its inception in 1965, and this year it will celebrate its 86 years of graduating classes.