"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa of SA, 9-28
Just a Thought: Hispanic Judicial Candidates
By Steve Walker
Many San Antonio voters may remember with some excitement
some years ago that we joyously elected Alma Lopez as the first Hispanic female
to serve as the Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals. It includes all
of Bexar County and 31 other counties. Now retired she mentors up and coming
judges.
This year we have a chance to elect another Hispanic
female, Irene Rios, a former County Judge running to fill that slot. Her win
would make her only the 2nd Hispanic female to do so.
The all-woman 4th Court of Appeals justices
include three Hispanics. They include Rebeca Martinez, Patricia Alvarez and Luz
Elena Chapa.
Focusing on the district courts, Bexar County has Laura
Salinas in the 166th Civil
District Court, Lori Valenzuela in the 437th Criminal District and Gloria
Saldana in the 438th Civil District Court. Salinas and Saldana are
not up for re-election and Valenzuela is on the ballot but unopposed. Judge
Laura Salinas' daughter was coincidently born on my birthday, September 5th.
On the November ballot we will have five male and three
female Hispanics running for the District Courts. A long way from the old days.
Reflecting on the surge of Hispanic candidates for just
Judges alone is heartwarming to me, as one who spent years in the Hispanic
community teaching a number of their children or relatives. In San Antonio I
can remember not that many Hispanics held any office much less judgeships.
Currently there are three Hispanic females who preside on
County Court benches. Judge Monica Gonzalez is retiring while Judges Liza
Rodriguez, (8) and Tina Torres, (10) are both up for re-election along with Judges
David
Rodriguez, (3) and Carlo Key. (11)
Candidates for County Courts No. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13 and 14
respectively are: Al
Alonso, Alfredo
Ximenez, Rochelle Acevedo, Michael De Leon, Carlos Quezada, John A. Longoria, Rosa Maria "Rosie"
Gonzalez and Ernest Acevedo Jr.
Adding two new Justice of the Peace slots this year to
total eight, six will be Hispanic. In Precinct 1 former JP and Commissioner Robert
Tejeda & former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez will both take the oath of
office January 1st. Both are unopposed.
Judge Edmundo Zaragoza will retire from Pct. 1 after 20
years. In Pct. 2 both Judges Robbie Vasquez and Monica Caballero are not on the
ballot until 2016. In Precinct 4 incumbent Rogelio Lopez is unopposed as is newcomer
Judge-Elect Yolanda Euresti.
I taught Judge Edmundo Zaragoza's daughter Dolores at
McCollum in the 90s along with Judge-Elect Yolanda Uresti’s son, Michael about
the same time. During that time, Judge Al Alonzo’s wife was running for Mayor
and she spoke to my Public Speech class at McCollum. When I was a Justice of
the Peace a couple of years ago I performed candidate Michael De Leon’s sister’s
wedding. She and her husband now have a seven month old little girl.
It appears that the time has come for local Hispanics to
aggressively seek higher office and win.
As I always, I write “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice
of the Peace
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