1169 Miles Away

San Diego, Texas lies 52 miles west of Corpus Christi and 1169 miles east of San Diego, California. It occupies 1.6 square miles on the county line between Duval and Jim Wells counties and is the county seat of the former. The population is approximately 4400, and 96.9 percent of its residents claim Hispanic heritage. The town has two banks, five schools, a museum, a library, and a civic center. One woman from a neighboring town describes San Diego as “a blink-you-miss-it kind of thing.”

The San Diego Volunteer Fire Department assisted with an accident on Farm to Market Road in Jim Wells County, where a truck drove off a 40-foot cliff. The driver and all 17 passengers, including 11 undocumented workers, were injured in the accident. According to the Alice Echo News Journal, three of the truck’s occupants were later arrested for transporting illegal immigrants.

The San Diego Independent School District hired Dr. Ignacio Salinas as the new superintendent. Dr. Salinas’s plans for the future of the district include the 2010 induction of a new building for the Collins-Parr Elementary School and the development of college-readiness programs through which students can earn college credits while still in high school.

The Second Annual Toys for Tots Youth Football Tournament was held at Vaquero Stadium. Participants included children ages 7–13 on 19 community football teams from various parts of South Texas. The required entry fee was $5 or the donation of a new, unwrapped toy. Local San Diego children received the toys during the Fiesta Navideña on December 18.

The San Diego Public Library sponsored the 2009 Christmas Ornaments Decoration Project. Library patrons created Christmas decorations for residents of Duval County’s two nursing homes. Library staff delivered the handmade gifts on December 22.

National Honor Society students from San Diego High School traveled to San Antonio to attend an NBA basketball game featuring the Spurs and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, December 5. Thirty-six students participated. Adviser David Valerio praised the students for their hard work and said the event was an opportunity “to reward them for their endeavors.”