GRANT AWARDED- Clarissa Torres from the Rural State Agency awarded a $300,000 grant to the Bishop City Council at a regular meeting Tuesday. The grant will be used to renovate Bishop’s 200,000 gallon elevated water storage tank and will include major structural and safety components while repairing the interior and exterior surfaces. The grant is a part of $1.7 million in funding for communities in the 27th District of Texas that was secured by D-27 U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz through the Texas Community Development Block Grant Program and the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Pictured, from left, are, council member Antonio Garcia, Jr., council member Justo G. Suarez, Sr., council member Rafaelita Cardenas, Torres, council member Lee Roy Kieschnick, and Mayor Victor Ramos. (Photo by Katherine Robinette) Former Riviera coach Arturo “Coach Artie” De La Rosa was honored at the Riviera homecoming football game Friday night with the naming of the football field after him as a thank you for his 33 years of coaching.

Coach Artie De La Rosa thanked his family most of all during the dedication Friday night for always standing by his side and helping him become the person he is today. Pictured from left, front row, are granddaughters Kayla and Alexa Rivas; back row, son Eloy Rivas; daughter Ashley De La Rosa; wife Rose De La Rosa; De La Rosa; and daughter Danielle De La Rosa. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) A reception followed at the Vattmann hall where community members and former athletes celebrated his achievements.

Riviera ISD School Board President Sylvia Arguijo introduced De La Rosa at the beginning of the football game while he stood in front of the audience on the sideline, surrounded by his family.

“I can tell you that I have probably known Artie longer than most of you are old,” Arguijo said to the audience.

The football field sign that will now be a permanent fixture in Riviera bearing De La Rosa’s name. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) “I know that Coach Artie is a man who knows that in order to achieve anything you have to have faith, a vision, hard work, dedication, determination, and the belief in yourself.”

She continued, “In 1967 Coach Artie marched onto this very field wearing his first seahawk uniform only to wear it until 1974 when he graduated from high school,” she said. “He has spent most of his life as a seahawk and I bet he bleeds green.”

Arguijo praised De La Rosa for his service to both the district and the community and unveiled a sign at the top of the press box that bared his name.

“He has dedicated his life to educating and coaching the youth of this community,” she said. “We honor your dedication to the school district and your commitment to the children of this community and will now name this football field ‘Coach Artie De La Rosa Field’.”

Droves of Riviera football players thanked and hugged De La Rosa before their game Friday night. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) De La Rosa was presented with a plaque as the sign was unveiled and he was overwhelmed with emotion as the audience erupted in cheer.

He is not the first of his family to have school property named after him in Riviera as his brother Gumencindo had previously had the field house, which is to the right of the field, named after him in 1999 as an honor for giving his life for his country while in the military.

“This is such an honor to be right next to my brother and the Gumencindo De La Rosa Field House,” he said. “I wish that my parents were here to see this but I know that they are looking down tonight.”

De La Rosa thanked the Riviera ISD administration, among many others, for their continued support in the past.

“I would like to thank Superintendent Havner and the school board for all they have done for me and I thank the parents and athletes for allowing me to be a part of their lives over the years,” he said.

He spoke of his family and

Storm his mentors who have helped guide him to where he is today.

“I would also like to thank my family that is with me here tonight, my brothers and sisters, who have always been there for me,” he said.

“I also cannot forget my hero and role model, the late Mr. Ramiro De La Paz, he told me that if one day I woke up in the morning and didn’t want to go to work then I needed to retire and I can say that to this day I still have not had that feeling,” Coach Artie said.

Last but not least, De La Rosa thanked his daughters, Ashley and Danielle, his son Eloy Rivas, and wife Rose, who is also a teacher at Riviera ISD, and told the audience of his future plans.

“My wife and children are the most important people in my life, I have been married 22 years and I love my family very much, he said. “I would not be the person I am today without them.”

He told the audience that he plans to stay in Riviera and that if anyone wanted to stop by and speak with him then it would only cost a small token.

“I will continue to be here in Riviera and if anyone would like to come and visit with me a cup of coffee will do it,” he said with a big smile on his face.

De La Rosa attended Riviera ISD schools throughout his life before graduating in 1974; he later graduated from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 1994.

Although he has retired from coaching, he will continue to teach Spanish at Riviera Kaufer High School.