LMT reporter Kendra Ablaza had a story in today's Laredo Morning Times. Although, judging by today's reporting, Ablaza's story would be more at home if LMT stood for Limited Morning Times since in this particular piece, the Public was given only half of the story behind the purchase of the Canseco home. Left out, whether by design or by negligence, was the fact that, at one time, Mr. George Beckelhymer had gone before the laredo city council and stated that he would be donating the house to the city. Also left out, was how a "donation" turned into a $540,000 purchase funded with taxpayer money.
There was also something lacking as far as clarity. The LMT story quotes Council Alex Perez, who was the main force behind this purchase, as having said " It's the poster child of Laredo's Most Haunted. It could just as easily be something great for that area".
It's hard to say just exactly what Perez meant by this statement. Did he mean : "Although at the moment, it's the poster child for a haunted house, it could easily be something great for this area"? This would signal an improvement in the status of the home. Or did he mean " Because it is the poster child for a haunted house, it could be something great for this area". That would not make much sense to me.
Another unclear quote attributed to Cm. Perez went like this : "After this what's next is that old hospital". I hope this does not mean that the city is seriously considering buying the old Mercy Hospital with taxpayer money. Councilman Perez, himself, has stated previously that the old hospital is an eyesore and that its dilapidated condition has had a detrimental effect on the surrounding area.
So, given the degree to which the owners of the old hospital have failed to adequately maintain their property, are those same owners about to be handsomely rewarded for neglecting their property as much as they have been?
In the meantime, the city has been refusing to turn on the lights at our local baseball parks so that little league kids can practice. Talk about misplaced priorities.
