April 2018 Volume 10, Issue 1

Inside this issue:

Village of Vinton CERT Team………………..pg. 3

Keep Vinton Beautiful………………..pg. 6

City Council’s New Faces………………..pg. 8

ESL Classes in Vinton………………..pg. 11

Spring Cleaning…….…………….pg. 13

Village Vibes Golf Tournament………pg. 15

Upcoming Events……………………….pg. 17

City Council

Manuel Leos

Mayor

Victor Carrejo

Place 1

Alfredo Lopez

Place 2

Sonia Arceo

Place 3

Lulu Cloud

Place 4

Santos Lucero

Place 5

Administrative Staff

Andrea Carrillo, Deputy Village Clerk

Jannette Monrreal, Admin. Assistant

Enrique Medina, Accounting and

Budget Analyst

Norma Gomez, Sanitation Clerk

Josh Luna, Media Specialist &

Community Outreach

“Our Time, Our History” is the slogan that we in the Village of Vinton

live, work and play by. 2017 will go down in History, as the year that

we finally acquired the funding for the infrastructure that is critically

needed, the water and wastewater projects. We did not stop there,

with the water and wastewater projects, the passing of the Compre-

hensive Master Plan (Imagine Vinton 2035) and the Unified Develop-

ment Code (UDC), we’re two huge steps closer to the Village taking

control of its own destiny.

I have been asked on numerous occasions “What it takes to be a

member of council?” besides first getting elected to office, it takes a

person that will take on the challenges, the duties and the responsi-

bilities required of a leadership position. I thank each and every one

of you that voted on the regular November election and on the Febru-

ary Special election. These elections haves brought us two new faces

to council, Ms. Lourdes “Lulu” Cloud in Place 4, and Mr. Alfredo “Freddie” Lopez in Place 2. I welcome

and thank these two individuals for their wiliness to be an elected official, as they must devote a signifi-

cant amount of time and energy to fulfill a position that answers directly to the citizens.

What is next? 2018 comes with its own history making events and opportunities. Among them is the

second annual Village Vibes Golf Tournament, this event is an opportunity to come out and play 18

holes of golf while raising funds for our Community Garden and Learning Center. Mark your calendar for

June 1st, let’s have some fun and bring an opportunity for ourselves and our children to have a Commu-

nity Garden and Learning Center.

An event that is different for 2018 is the town hall meetings, take the opportunity to come and have cof-

fee with the Mayor on the first Saturday of the Quarter. The next “Coffee with the Mayor” is April 7th at

9:00 AM, please come by the town hall lets have some coffee and let’s talk about what is going on in

Vinton, what you would like to see in Vinton, or anything that you believe is important for everyone in

Vinton. This is the perfect opportunity to speak about anything and someone (the Mayor) is there to lis-

ten to what you have to say.

It’s “Our Time” to make “Our History” for the future of the Village of Vinton and to its prosperity. As al-

ways my door is open for you.

Sincerely,

Manuel “Manny” Leos, Sr.

As part of our continuing efforts to make the Village of Vinton a safe community for all who live and visit

here, we would like to invite the community to help form our own readiness team. By working together,

we can create a program that will not only benefit our family, friends and neighbors, but it will become a

model for other communities to follow.

Source: READY.GOV

Course Overview

The CERT Basic Course is delivered in the community by a team of first responders, and other qualified

volunteers. The organization and timing of training and meeting varies from program to program.

• Disaster Preparedness: Addresses hazards specific to the community. Materials cover

actions that participants and their families take before, during and after a disaster as

well as an overview of CERT and local laws governing volunteers.

• Fire Suppression: Covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards and fire

suppression strategies. However, the thrust of this session is the safe use of fire extin-

guishers, controlling utilities and extinguishing a small fire.

• Medical Operations Part I: Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway ob-

struction, bleeding and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.

• Medical Operations Part II: Covers evaluating patients by doing a head to toe assess-

ment, establishing a medical treatment area and performing basic first aid.

• Light Search and Rescue Operations: Participants learn about search and rescue plan-

ning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques and rescuer safety.

• Psychology and Team Organization: Covers signs and symptoms that might be experi-

enced by the disaster victim and workers, and addresses CERT organization and man-

agement.

• Course Review and Disaster Simulation: Participants review and practice the skills

that they have learned during the previous six sessions in a disaster activity.

The Great American Cleanup, which marks its 20th year in

2018, engages more than 5 million volunteers and partici-

pants, on average, every year to create a positive and last-

ing impact. At Keep America Beautiful, we work to inspire

people to take action every day to improve and beautify

their community environment through programs like the

Great American Cleanup.

Check the dates below for a chance to volunteer with Keep

Vinton Beautiful in this year’s Great American Cleanup.

April 7th - Don't Mess With Texas Trash Off

April 14th - Bulk Waste Collection Day

May 12th - Helping Hands

May 19th - Highway Cleanup

To volunteer or for more information contact Keep Vinton Beautiful at info@vintontx.us

or (915) 886-5104.

Source: © 1995- . The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.

Diets aren't the way to go when it comes to losing weight. That's be-

cause they create temporary eating patterns — and, therefore, tem-

porary results. Most dieters gain back any lost weight when they go

back to their old eating habits.

So what's the best way to drop excess weight? Create a new normal!

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their

habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviors.

Here are 5 ways to make that happen:

1. Exercise

Regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle — both of which help you look and feel good

and keep weight off. Walking the family dog, cycling to school, and doing other things that increase your

daily level of activity can all make a difference. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity

of your workout and add some strength exercises to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more

calories you burn, even when you aren't exercising.

2. Reduce screen time

People who spend a lot of time in front of screens are more likely to be overweight. Set reasonable lim-

its on the amount of time you spend watching TV, playing video games, and using computers, phones,

and tablets not related to school work. Be sure to set aside enough time to exercise every day and

get enough sleep.

3. Watch out for portion distortion

Big portions pile on extra calories that cause weight gain. Sugary beverages, such as sodas, juice drinks,

and sports drinks, are empty calories that also contribute to obesity. So choose smaller portions (or

share restaurant portions) and go for water or low-fat milk instead of soda.

4. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day

Fruits and veggies are about more than just vitamins and minerals. They're also packed with fiber,

which means they fill you up. And when you fill up on fruits and veggies, you're less likely to overeat.

5. Don't skip breakfast

Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism, burning calories from the get-go and giving you energy to do

more during the day. People who skip breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later on. So

they get more calories than they would have if they ate breakfast. In fact, people who skip breakfast

tend to have higher BMIs than people who eat breakfast.

Photo: YMCA of San Diego County

Thank you residents of Vinton for allowing me the privilege to serve as your

councilman place two. I am proud and honored that you have bestowed

your trust in me.

My family and I have made Vinton our home for forty-six years and hopeful-

ly enjoy the rest of our retirement years here. I graduated from Canutillo

High School in 1963 and shortly after joined the U.S. Navy. I served a com-

bination of 32 years active duty and Naval Reserves. I worked and retired

from The Texas Department of Transportation.

During my position I will work diligently with my fellow council members,

village staff and mayor on the water and waste water project and future

infrastructure projects. I will also assist with Keep Vinton Beautiful projects.

Thank you for your support and vote of confidence and looking forward to

working for you. Alfredo Lopez, Place 2

Lulu Cloud, Place 4

A native of El Paso and graduate of Bel Air High School. I have been a resi-

dent of Vinton for 24 years. I raised my two sons, JR and Justin Cloud here

in Vinton and loved watching them raise chickens, turkeys, peacocks, dogs,

a cat, and a goat along with other pets. I have been employed with EPISD

for the last 15 years working with children of special needs population.

I enjoy living in Vinton because of the close-knit community. I have seen the

changes and the progress that Vinton has made over the last few years. I

am fully committed to working with the community and other council mem-

bers to see the Village continue to prosper while preserving our small city.

I support the water, the sewer system. I believe in keeping the Village a

clean city and building partnerships between the residents and the busi-

nesses. I will push to continue community programs for housing, services

and volunteer organizations.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Alfredo “Freddie” Lopez

Sincerely,

Lourdes “Lulu” Cloud

Most of us know that eating healthy foods, at least part of the time will help us to feel better and live

longer. Although we have the most abundant food supply in history, the increased consumption of fast

foods and processed foods, along with our busy lifestyles, make choosing healthy foods more of a chal-

lenge. Here are 11 reasons to take on the challenge and try to eat healthier.

1. You will feel better, with better digestion and general well-being.

2. You will live longer, at least with regard to health-related mortality.

3. You will sleep better.

4. You will look better, with healthy skin, hair, eyes, teeth, etc.

5. You will have more energy to do the things you love.

6. You will require fewer visits to the doctor and dentist.

7. Your mood will improve.

8. Your love life will improve (especially if your spouse is eating healthy, too).

9. You are less likely to struggle with obesity.

10. You will be less likely to develop diseases such as diabetes, cancer and

heart disease.

11. If you are already suffering from a disease or disorder, eating healthy will

help keep it under control or even reverse it.

Source: HEALTHY EATING SUPPORT WITH SUZY STAYWELL

Recipe courtesy of Delish

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS • 4 bell peppers, seeds and cores removed

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp. butter

• 1/2 large onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken

• 1/2 c. hot sauce (preferably Frank's Red Hot)

• 2 c. shredded gouda

• Ranch dressing, for drizzling

• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place bell peppers cut side-up

on a large baking sheet and drizzle all over with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add

onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.

3. Add shredded chicken and hot sauce and toss until

combined. Cook until the mixture comes to a sim-mer, then remove from heat.

4. Divide chicken mixture between pepper halves. Top

each with gouda and bake until cheese is melted and peppers are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Drizzle each stuffed pepper with ranch and sprinkle

with chives.

LEVEL: EASY

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

My name is Mary Ruth Montoya and I am the in-

structor for the ESL classes that the City of Vinton

offers on Mondays and Thursday from 5:00 PM to

7:00 PM. I volunteer my time after retiring from

my career as an Administrator of a medical clinic

because teaching has always been a passion of

mine, it was my first love.

My goal is not only to teach but also learn from my

students. My method of teaching is to go with the

pace of the students themselves. Nobody stays be-

hind, we all learn together. We work on reading

and comprehension then continue with writing

sentences and telling stories in English. We work

on diction and how to pronounce words. We also

work on English grammar and spelling. I also enjoy

talking and teaching about the month’s events like

holidays, the changing of seasons, weather, etc.

My goal is to get all of the students that attend my

ESL classes familiar through the use of the English

language with their daily lives as much as possi-

ble. I want them to be able to express themselves

in English and to familiarize themselves with sim-

ple daily words in English so they will have the con-

fidence needed and not be ashamed or afraid to

speak it.

I invite one and all to come to one of the classes. I

guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Sincerely,

Mary Ruth Montoya

If spring is in the air, don't let a musty house spoil it. Here are seven tips for

giving the season the welcome it deserves.

1. The best refrigerator cleaner is a combination of

salt and soda water. The bubbling action of the soda

water combines with the abrasive texture of the salt

to make a great cleaner.

2. The best way to get rid of lime buildup around the

faucet it is to lay paper towels over the fixture, soak

it with vinegar and let it set for an hour. The deposits

will soften and become easier to remove.

3. Clean screens with a scrap of carpeting. It makes

a powerful brush that removes all the dirt.

4. Clean windows with a rag and soapy water, and

then dry them with another rag. You can also go to

an auto-parts store and buy a windshield squeegee,

which cleans very well.

5. If drapes are looking drab, take them out of the

window, remove the hooks and run them through

the air-fluff cycle in the dryer along with a wet towel

(to draw off the dust) for 15 minutes. Hang them

back in the windows immediately.

6. Clean the blades of a ceiling fan by covering

them with a coat of furniture polish. Wipe off the ex-

cess and lightly buff.

7. Sometimes comforters, blankets and pillows

don't need to be cleaned, but they do need to be

aired out after a long winter in your closed-up home.

Take them outside and hang them on a clothesline

for a day.

Source: HGTV

Each Texan currently generates about 6.5

pounds of trash every day, and Tex-

as' population is growing. More residents

means more trash and more space to dis-

pose of it. Our population is expected to

double by 2070. At that rate, we only have

landfill space to last another 56 years. We

encourage every Texan to reduce waste

and help keep our land clean!

The Village of Vinton will be having a Resi-

dential Bulk Waste on Saturday, April 14

from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., or until full.

Free recycle bins will be given to the first

40 Vinton residents.

Examples of items accepted: Couches, ta-

bles, plywood, pallets, electronics, used oil

and tires. (Limit 4 tires per household.)

We will not receive: TV’s, computer moni-

tors, car batteries, and hazardous waste.

For more information please contact the

Village of Vinton at info@vintontx.us or

(915) 886-5104.

Source: Take Care of Texas

2nd ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

This year's tournament is scheduled to take place on

Friday, June 1, 2018

11:30 am - 6:00 pm

at the beautiful Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course in El Paso, Texas.

The Village Vibes Golf Tournament is back for round two this year and will be held at Painted Dunes Desert

Golf Course once again on Friday, June 1st, 2018. Last year, Keep Vinton Beautiful held the inaugural golf

tournament and raised a little over $10,000 with the contribution of 76 players and 30 sponsors.

The proceeds from the event will go towards Vinton’s first community garden and learning center, located

on four acres of property in the heart of Vinton. The community garden will address resident’s lack of

access to fresh, locally sourced produce - as well as provide economic opportunity for local farmers and an

educational resource for local residents and elementary school students.

• Single Player Registration is $150 and includes lunch, drinks, and dinner.

• Team registration (4 players) is $500 and includes lunch, drinks, and dinner

for each.

For additional information please contact this

year's Tournament Organizer:

Josh Luna

(915) 886-5104

jluna@vintontx.us

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MAY 2018

City Council Meeting - Meetings

begin at 6:30 pm. We encourage

all Vinton residents to attend all

City Council meetings to stay in-

formed.

Town Hall Meeting - Join Mayor Le-

os for coffee and voice your opin-

ions.

River Cleanup - Meet us under the

Vinton Bridge at 9:00 am.

Bulk Waste - Open to all Vinton res-

idents with sanitation service.

Please bring your sanitation bill

and an ID. You may not dispose of

car batteries, hazardous materials

and household trash.

Highway Cleanup - Meet us at Vinton

City Hall at 9:00 am to help in keep-

ing our roadways clean.

Memorial Day - Vinton City Hall will

be closed in observance of Memorial

Day. Regular office hours resume

Tuesday, May 29 at 8:00 am.

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JUNE 2018

Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off -

Meet us at Vinton City Hall at 9:00

am to keep our adopted portion of

Doniphan litter-free.

Helping Hands - Meet us at Vinton

City Hall at 9:00 a.m. to provide as-

sistance to the elderly and disabled

through this community project.

Let’s get social!

Follow us on all our

networks

@keepvintonbeaut

@vinton_tx

/kvbtx

/villageofvinton

www.vintontx.govoffice2.com

The Village of Vinton website

is the official source of

information.

Place your ad here!

Call us at 886-5104 for

rate information