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The article invites submission of papers for presentation during the 21st Annual Western Hemispheric Trade Conference to be held on April 5-7, 2017 in Laredo, Texas.

In this paper, the bilingualism of local communities and the way that a group of high school teachers discuss and understand bilingualism and biliteracy of two kinds of bilingual youth are examined from a place-based, place-conscious perspective. The high school teacherswant to create a new dual language program for local students from Laredo and students from across the Rio Grande River, Nuevo Laredo. The paper shows how the teachers' language orientations and ideologies informthe ways they view the language capabilities differently for each group of students, favoring academic Spanish and lamenting the language deficits of local Laredo bilingual youth. The paper endswith a recommendation forways to trouble language orientations and ideologies with an eye toward gaining a deeper, more place-conscious understanding of youth bilingualism and how schools and teachers bear responsible for improving conditions for expanding bilingualism of local youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper performs a detailed ordinal logistic regression study in an evaluation of a survey at a university in South Texas, USA. We show that, for categorical data in our case, ordinal logistic regression works well. Methods: The survey was designed according to the guidelines in diet and lifestyle from the American Heart Association and the United States Department of Agriculture and was sent out to all registered students at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. Data analysis included 601 students' results from the survey. Data analysis was conducted in Rstudio. Results: The results showed that, compared with students who do not have enough whole grain food and exercise, those who have enough in both tend to have normal BMIs. As age increases, BMI tends to be out of the normal range. Conclusions: Because BMI in this research has three categories, applying an ordinal logistic regression model to describe the relationship between an ordered categorical response variable and more explanatory variables has several advantages compared with other models, such as the linear regression model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contrasts public policies to enforce the payment of water services provided by two water utilities at the US-Mexico border. Our study shows that different payment enforcement strategies are shaped by the institutional context of each city. More importantly, these findings suggest that a high rate of nonpayment is associated with inadequate institutional arrangements that involve utilities, local politicians, and water users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unemployment rate of US–Mexico border cities has stood remarkably higher than the US average. Using annual data from 1990 to 2005, we contrast large border MSAs (Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo, and El Paso in Texas and El Centro in California) to a panel of MSAs in the same states (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles and San Francisco). Focusing on the industry composition of employment and population growth, we report several panel data results confirmed by error correction adjustment. First, the national unemployment rate does not help explain the local border cities unemployment but does so for the panel of large MSAs. Second, the relative employment indices have statistically significant effects only for the border panel: increases in employment concentration within an industry lead to higher local border unemployment. Third, higher population density lowers unemployment for border cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Stop the Bleed (STB) is a national initiative that provides lifesaving hemorrhagic control education. In 2019, pharmacists were added as health-care personnel eligible to become STB instructors. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacist-led STB trainings for school employees in South Texas. Methods: Pharmacist-led STB trainings were provided to teachers and staff in Laredo, Texas. The 60-min trainings included a presentation followed by hands-on practice of tourniquet application, wound-packing, and direct pressure application. Training efficacy was assessed through anonymous pre- and postevent surveys, which evaluated changes in knowledge, comfort level, and willingness to assist in hemorrhage control interventions. Student volunteers (predominantly pharmacy and medical students) assisted in leading the hands-on portion, providing a unique interprofessional learning opportunity. Results: Participants with previous training (N = 98) were excluded, resulting in a final cohort of 437 (response rate 87.4%). Compared with baseline, comfort level using tourniquets (mean, 3.17/5 vs 4.20/5; P < 0.0001), opinion regarding tourniquet safety (2.59/3 vs 2.94/3; P < 0.0001), and knowledge regarding tourniquets (70.86/100 vs 75.84/100; P < 0.0001) and proper tourniquet placement (2.40/4 vs 3.15/4; P < 0.0001) significantly improved. Conclusions: Pharmacist-led STB trainings are efficacious in increasing school worker knowledge and willingness to respond in an emergency hemorrhagic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a critical review of the emerging postmodern-feminist literature on wife abuse. The review functions as an early test of the hypothesis that postmodern ideas can be applied to help solve important problems that women face in daily life. This early reading of the literature suggests that current postmodern applications in the area of wife abuse, on balance, have more potential for harm than for good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the meetings of the Gamma Chapter of Texas of the sociological society Alpha Kappa Delta at the University of Texas. At the first meeting for the spring semester, Professor Genevieve Wilcox, a member of Gamma Chapter, read a very interesting paper on "The History of Laredo (Texas)." The next three meetings we considered the following papers, given by members of the Gamma Chapter: "The Background of European Sociology," by Kathleen Thompson; "The Background of American Sociology," by Josephine Evans; and "Trends in Attitudes Toward the Data With Which Sociology Deals," by Rex Hopper.

The article reports on the festivities and the political and social intricacies surrounding the celebration of George Washington's birth anniversary at Port of Laredo Mexico–United States border between Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. The role social environment play in framing and activating social dramas is discussed. The background and development of Port of Laredo and the International Bridge Closure Crisis and the crisis resolution is mentioned.

An essay is presented on Tejanos, or Texans of Mexican descent, in Laredo, Texas, focusing on military service and notions of American nationalism and patriotism. It examines Tejanos' stances toward and participation in several nineteenth century conflicts, including the Texas Revolution, the Mexican-American War, and the Spanish-American War. The author also comments on the U.S. Civil War and the role of Santos Benavides, leader of the 33rd Texas Cavalry, also known as Benavides's Regiment.

The article looks at the biculturalization of Tejanos in San Antonio and Lardeo, Texas, focusing on the role of Spanish-language newspaper advertisements. The transmission of stereotypical middle-class Anglo-American imagery within the advertisements of Spanish-language newspapers is discussed. Social conditions of Mexicans and Mexican Americans living in ethnic communities in Texas during the early 1900s are considered. Weekly publications reviewed include San Antonio's "El Regidor" and Laredo's "La Cronica."

The article examines the effects of nationalism on the players and fans of the Tecos, a baseball team in the Mexican League which represented the cities of Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The team, which went out of business in 2003, was the only bi-national sports franchise in the world. As such, the Tecos presented a unique example of both the animosities between the residents of each country and the mutual ties of their common border. Certain common attitudes, such as a sense of isolation and alienation from their national capitals, co-exist with national pride. Among the Tecos themselves, national resentments were created because American players were often given special treatment by management. Americans openly disdainful of Mexico were socially isolated, but even those who valued the experience of playing in the Mexican League were at best tolerated by their Mexican peers. Despite this, the team continued to play well, and players accepted that its image of binational harmony was an important part of its economic success. The Tecos were dissolved when political pressure from all of Mexico caused a demand for entirely Mexican ownership and management.

Examines the educational and lifestyle aspirations of secondary students in the rural communities in Laredo, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. Growth of colonies and border cities since 1930; Role of immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries to the growth of Laredo; Factors hindering the education of communities in Laredo and other border communities.