by Legislative Media | Mar 31, 2018 | Politics
Featured, from left: Newly-elected McAllen District 1 City Commissioner Javier Villalobos, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, and Edinburg Mayor Richard Molina, following the Monday, March 12, 2018 swearing-in ceremony for Villalobos, which took place in the City Commission Chamber at McAllen City Hall. Villalobos represents District 1, which includes northeast McAllen and borders Edinburg’s southwest region, which features Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System and South Texas Hospital System.
Photograph By ROBERTO GONZÁLEZ
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by Legislative Media | Feb 14, 2018 | Politics
Featured: Mario López, Jr., an American television host and actor, featured back row, center, was the honored guest during the 11th Annual “Steak” In Your Community fundraiser held on Sunday, January 18, 2018 for the Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg Rio Grande Valley. As part of the gala, Brianna Capetillo was selected 2018 Junior Youth of the Year, with Brianna García being named 2nd runner-up, and Alicia Alemán taking the 3rd runner-up honor. Each received a technology gift bag and certificate. According to the Boys & Girls Club of America, Junior Youth of the Year seeks to develop junior leaders ages 10-13 within the Club environment. The program fosters Club members’ emerging leadership abilities while preparing them for later participation in the Youth of the Year program. In addition to recognizing the leadership achievements of Club youth, Junior Youth of the Year also cultivates their leadership potential, providing the foundation they need for advanced leadership development, academic excellence and postsecondary success. Through this program, Club youth become motivated to seek opportunities for leadership and to act as responsible citizens and change agents. From left are: Brianna García, 2nd runner-up; Brianna Capetillo, 2018 Junior Youth of the Year; and Alicia Alemán earned 3rd runner-up honors. Back row, from left, are: Marissa Castañeda, Chief Operating Officer, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, who served as the Honorary Chair for the event; Mario López, Jr; and Joe Quiroga, President, Texas National Bank South Jackson Branch who also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg RGV. Mario López, Jr. has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slateron Saved by the Bell, whom he also portrayed as a regular on Saved by the Bell: The College Years. He has appeared in numerous projects since, including the third season of Dancing with the Stars and as host for the syndicated entertainment news magazine show Extra. He has also hosted America’s Best Dance Crew for MTV. In 2012, he co-hosted the second season of American version of The X Factor with Khloé Kardashian-Odom, and was the sole host for the third and final season.
Photograph Courtesy BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF EDINBURG RGV
The Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation on Friday, February 16, 2018, is scheduled to conduct interviews for the position of Executive Director, and possibly take action for the hiring of the new administrative leader of the organization. The Board of Directors special meeting, which is open to the public, will be held in the Council Chamber at Edinburg City Hall, located at 415 W University Drive, beginning at noon. However, the interviews may take place in executive session, according to the agenda, which is posted outside of Edinburg City Hall, and is also posted online at: http://edinburgedc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2-13-18-Agenda.pdf Any action – including no action – taken by the board of directors on all executive session items would have to be announced in public. The agenda states: “In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Vernon’s Civil Statutes Annotated, Government Code, exception to requirements that meetings be open, Section 551.074 Personnel Matters, and Section 551.071 Consultation with Attorney, the Board of Directors will announce that it will adjourn into Executive Session to deliberate the following items. The EEDC Board may elect to go into Executive Session on any item, whether or not such item is posted as an Executive Session item, at any time during the meeting, when authorized by the provisions of the Texas Open Meeting Act. The EEDC Board will deliberate on the following items: a. Conduct Interviews for the position of Executive Director and possible action for the hiring of the position of Executive Director; and b. Consultation with Attorney.” The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of Mayor Richard Molina, Mayor Pro-Tem David Torres, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez, and Councilmember Jorge Salinas. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of City Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez as President, Edinburg School Board Trustee Miguel “Mike” Farías as Vice-President, Isael Posadas, P.E., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Julio César Carranza and Noé Sauceda, Ph.D. as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Oct 25, 2017 | Politics
Featured, on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at Edinburg City Council as part of Texas Chamber of Commerce Week for October 16-20, 2017, are, from left, front row: Ronnie Larralde, Director of Marketing & Special Events, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Lee Castro, Funeral Director, Legacy Funeral Home and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Verónica Gonzáles, Vice President for Governmental Affairs, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Alex Ríos, District Office Director, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Chairman, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; and Jacob De León, Funeral Director, Memorial Funeral Home, and Immediate Past Chairman, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. Back row, from left: Councilmember David Torres; Councilmember Richard Molina; Mayor Richard García; Mayor Pro Tem J.R. Betancourt; and Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr.
Photograph By IMELDA RODRÍGUEZ
Featured, promoting the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce’s Public Affairs Luncheon, set for Monday, October 30, 2017, which will showcase U.S. Congressman Vicente González, are, seated from left: Verónica Gonzáles, Vice President for Governmental Affairs, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Elva Jackson Garza, Vice President | Marketing Manager, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; and Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. Standing, from left, are: Amy Cantú, Senior Vice President | Commercial Loan Officer, PlainsCapital Bank; Michael Williamson, PlainsCapital Bank- Market President;, Byron Jay Lewis, President & C.E.O., Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; Cris M. Torres, Vice President | Loan Officer, Greater State Bank; and Mario Lizcano, Administrator of Corporate Affairs, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce will welcome Congressman Vicente González, who represents the 15th Congressional District in Texas – which features Edinburg as the largest population center – as the guest speaker during the quarterly Public Affairs Luncheon, which will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, 118 Paseo Del Prado. Tickets may be purchased for $20 each, or a reserved table of eight for $200 for the Public Affairs Luncheon by contacting the Edinburg Chamber office at 956/383-4974 or [email protected] . For more information please call the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce or visit the website at http://www.edinburg.com.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
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by Legislative Media | Sep 24, 2017 | Politics
Featured, from left: Marissa Castañeda, Senior Executive Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance; Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr., D-Mission; Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen; Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville; Cary Zayas, News Anchor, KRGV-TV in Weslaco; Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco; and Edna X. De Saro, Senior Vice President and Marketing Director at Lone Star National Bank. The group met at the KRGV-TV studios, one of the locations for donations, on Wednesday, September 20, 2017.
Photograph By JUSTIN CANTÚ
The Rio Grande Valley’s state House and Senate members have collectively donated $10,000 to help victims of Hurricane Harvey, the devastating superstorm that hit most of the Texas coastal region, including Houston, on Friday, August 25, 2017, stalling over that region of the state for days, causing billions of dollars of property damage, displacing tens of thousands of residents, and killing at least 81 people. The contribution is going towards the Valley Relief Fund, coordinated by KRGV, Lone Star National Bank, and other area businesses. All monetary donations to the Valley Relief Fund will go to the Salvation Army and American Red Cross. “The devastation of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath are on a scale of historic proportions,” said Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen. “This is one way the Rio Grande Valley can help in the efforts to restore those communities affected. I’m honored to belong to a delegation that is willing to step up and help our fellow Texans.” Muñoz also shared his thoughts, and offered the following prayer from the Holy Bible for everyone hurt by Hurricane Harvey: “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand! – Isaiah 41.10.”
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by Legislative Media | Oct 20, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Guy Bailey, President, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, on Saturday, July 23, 2016, addressing the inaugural class of the UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, which opened its $54 million Medical Education Building at the Edinburg campus, welcoming 55 students into its charter class. In a related development, the UT System Board of Regents on Monday, September 26, 2016, unanimously approved the leasing of an approximately 85,000-square-foot facility from Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, which is based in Edinburg, to UTRGV for medical research and educational and clinical uses. The Edinburg Mayor, Edinburg City Council, and Edinburg Economic Development Corporation lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents for advances at UTRGV and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
More people continue to move into Edinburg, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced, based on the latest year-to-date figures which show that between January and September 2016, more than $108 million in new homes and multi-family residences were approved for construction. For the month of September 2016, total construction activities during that period totaled more than $13.5 million. Also year-to-date, construction and related building activities for all categories have approached the $180 million level, based on information collected by the city’s Code Enforcement Department. The increasing number of residents in Edinburg is reflected in the most recent population estimates by the U.S. Census Department, which show the city has grown more than 13 percent between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2015. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Edinburg’s estimated population as of July 1, 2015 was 84,497, compared with 74,541 on April 1, 2010, representing a growth of 13.4 percent. Year-to-date (January through September 2016), building permits were issued for 357 single-family residences, valued at $47,071,342, compared with 257 single family residences, valued at $37,102,917 from January through September 2015. Year-to-date (January through September 2016), building permits were issued for 230 multi-family residences, representing 928 units, valued at $61,655,264, compared with 36 multi-family residences, representing 71 units, valued at $5,365,356, from January through September 2015. The Edinburg EDC, whose executive director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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