THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE DOWNTOWN CHRISTMAS TREE

(Ed.'s Note: See the dapper gent in the photo above? He is none other than Gilbert Velasquez, graphic designer extraordinaire and hombre de buen aire. He was the one who put the bug in people's ear to put up Brownsville's first Christmas tree in the public square. Of course, the official version is that the Brownsville Historical Museum did it, that city commissioners did it, that the Historical District did it, but it was really Gilbert who pushed for the tree and through his dogged persistence had the city people erect it. If you happen to be downtown one of these nights you can't miss it. Thanks, Gilbert!)