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Edinburg EDC helping organize résumé and interview workshops, followed by job fair – all free to residents – from January 23 – 25, 2018, respectively, at Dustin Sekula Memorial Library

Edinburg EDC helping organize résumé and interview workshops, followed by job fair – all free to residents – from January 23 - 25, 2018, respectively, at Dustin Sekula Memorial Library - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: U.S. Customs and Border Protection professionals, such as the ones shown in this photograph, will be among the representatives of more than two dozen employers scheduled to participate in the Thursday, January 25, 2018 Job Fair at the Michael Dustin Sekula Memorial Library in Edinburg. The event, to be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., is free and open to the public. Also at no charge to area residents, at the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, which is located at 1906 South Closner Boulevard, there will be a Résumé Writing Workshop on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and a Job Interview Workshop on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The work shops and the job fair are being organized by the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, the City of Edinburg, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Workforce Solutions. The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.

Photograph Courtesy Michael Dustin Sekula Memorial Library

Hosting job fairs and other important events are part of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation’s efforts to help promote economic development and provide quality-of-life programs. “We are here to to empower our community, and one of the ways to do that is by offering and hosting job fairs during the year, as well as to have a data base of job vacancies available at the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, and helping people learn how to prepare résumés and perform well in job interviews, at no cost to the public,” said Nelda Ramírez, Assistant Executive Director for the Edinburg EDC. Jennifer Cabrera, who leads the Edinburg EDC’s marketing efforts, said any business owner who wishes to participate in the job fair may still contact the Edinburg EDC at 956/383-7124 for updated information. Each employer will be assigned one table and two chairs to greet employee candidates. There is no charge to the employer to participate in the job fair. “The Edinburg EDC job fairs are designed to make it easier and more convenient for employers and prospective employees to get together,” said Cabrera. “They are for every kind of person, from people who want to get a job for the first time, to individuals who are already employed, but are looking for a better job or a different career.” The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Edinburg 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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Edinburg approached 37,000 jobs in November 2017 as unemployment rate remains low, calculated at 4.8 percent, reports Edinburg EDC

UTRGV Winter 9am Commencement for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship and the College of Health Affairs on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017 at the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas. UTRGV Photo by Paul Chouy

FEATURED: The second day of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Fall 2017 commencement took place on Saturday, December 16, 2017 with four ceremonies held at the McAllen Convention Center. Family and friends cheered on the graduates from the UTRGV Edinburg Campus. A ceremony for Brownsville-based UTRGV graduates was held Friday evening, December 15, 2017. The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city. More images from the graduation ceremonies are available online at: https://utrgv-umc.photoshelter.com, and type the password “commencement” (all in lower case letters).

Photograph By PAUL CHOUY

Edinburg posted an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent in November 2017, representing 36,989 jobs for that month, making the city, along with McAllen, the only two major economies in the Rio Grande Valley which came under the five percent level, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy. The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy. These latest figures, prepared by the Texas Workforce Commission and released on Friday, December 22, 2017, showed that there was an increase of 263 people employed in Edinburg in November 2017 (36,989) compared with October 2017 (36,726). Also, Edinburg saw a growth of 702 jobs when comparing the monthly total for November 2017, (36,989) and November 2016 (36,287), according to the Edinburg EDC. In addition, the November 2017 unemployment rate of 4.8 percent is the third-best showing in Edinburg for that month since 2007, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. 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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City has generated more than a quarter-billion dollars in total construction work from January through October 2017, reports Edinburg EDC

City has generated more than a quarter-billion dollars in total construction work from January through October 2017, reports Edinburg EDC - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: Former Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa, along with his son, Omar Ochoa, meet with Congressman Vicente González, D-Edinburg, on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Embassy Suites in McAllen, where the U.S. lawmaker was hosting a Christmas celebration for his supporters and to collect toys for deserving area children as Christmas gifts. The former mayor was recently appointed by the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council to serve on the Edinburg Planning and Zoning Commission. Ochoa was elected by his fellow board members as Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Richard Molina represents the City Council on the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning staff administers the review of development projects to ensure compliance with the city regulations, coordinates pre-submittal meetings and administers the zoning and platting process. The staff also prepares reports, presents site data and recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council regarding rezoning, special use permits, and subdivision plats.

Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR

Total construction activities in Edinburg from January through October 2017, including more than $22.5 million for the month ofOctober, has passed the quarter-billion dollarlevel, compared with $188.7million during the first 10 months of 2016, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. During October 2017, new construction of multi-family residences and new construction of new homes led the way, with the issuance of building permits for investments valued at almost $14.9 million and more than $5.8 million, respectively. Those year-to-date and monthly totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. The top construction projects in Edinburg for October 2017, not including the value of the land, are: $12,500,000 – EHA Liberty Village, LTD, 4710 Veterans Blvd., Liberty Village Subdivision (Multi-Family Residences New Construction), and $1,250,000 – South Texas Museum, 200 N. Closner Blvd., Edinburg Original Townsite Subdivision (Non-Taxable Additions/Repairs).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. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits.

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For third consecutive month, as of October 2017, Edinburg’s unemployment rate decreases, improving to 4.7 percent, reports Edinburg EDC

For third consecutive month, as of October 2017, Edinburg’s unemployment rate decreases, improving to 4.7 percent, reports Edinburg EDC - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: Bob Becquet, President of Coastal Deli, Inc. of Corpus Christi, which operates 16 Jason’s Deli franchises in Texas and New Mexico, including the latest one which opened in Edinburg on October 2, 2017; Edinburg City Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez, who also serves as President, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and Johnny Rodríguez, a former President of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, who serves as a public relations professional for the Bert Ogden Dealership Group in Edinburg. The three men were participating in a preview tour of the city’s latest national restaurant chain, which has locations in 266 delis in 28 states, including Jason’s Deli in Edinburg, located at 1618 W. University Drive. The Edinburg restaurant currently employs 70 staff members.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

Edinburg posted an unemployment rate of 4.7 percent in October 2017, representing 36,693 jobs for that month, and both figures are improvements over the previous month, when the unemployment rate in September 2017 was 5.5 percent, with 36,578 persons employed that month, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy.These latest figures, prepared by the Texas Workforce Commission and released on Thursday, November 17, 2017, showed that there was an increase of 115 people employed in Edinburg in October 2017 (36,693) compared with September 2017 (36,578). Also, Edinburg saw a growth of 554 jobs when comparing the monthly total for October 2017, (36,693) and October 2016 (36,139), according to the Edinburg EDC. In addition, the October 2017 unemployment rate of 4.7 percent is the second-best showing in Edinburg for that month since 2007, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Edinburg and McAllen, which posted an unemployment rate for October 2017 of 4.2 percent, compared favorably with other large population centers in the Valley, which reported unemployment rates ranging from 5.3 percent (Harlingen) to 6.1 percent (Pharr). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. 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 as Members. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy.

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Edinburg EDC: Thousands who attended 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg at H-E-B Park saw first-hand why the community is becoming a “Destination City”

Edinburg EDC: Thousands who attended 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg at H-E-B Park saw first-hand why the community is becoming a “Destination City” - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, some of the members of the winning teams, judges, and community leaders who participated in the 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg competition held on Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, 2017 at H-E-B Park in Edinburg. The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, was a major financial sponsor of the event, which draws hundreds of visitors to Edinburg. Front row, from left: Proudly sporting their  team red outfits are Myranda Johnson with Road Crew BBQ, Lauria Franklin Kelley with Road Crew BBQ; Gary Kelley with Road Crew BBQ; and Ross Kelley with Road Crew BBQ, whose team from Sinton, Texas was the Texas Cook ‘Em Overall Champion for 2017; and Jerry Cárdenas with Loaded Smoke of Raymondville, the Reserve Grand Champion for the International Barbeque Cookers Association (IBCA); Michelle Dang, Judge with the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA); and Fred Robles with Rio Valley Meat of Weslaco, Grand Champion of the International Barbeque Cookers Association (IBCA). Featured, middle row, from left: Marty Martin with Rio Valley Realty and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; J.J. Flores with Chorizo of San Manuel and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Ashley Tapia, Assistant, International Barbeque Cookers Association; Judy Tapia, Assistant, International Barbeque Cookers Association; Eddie Tapia, Head Judge, International Barbeque Cookers Association; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Ronnie Larralde, Director of Marketing and Special Events, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Stephanie O. Larralde with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Ambassador, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Michelle Gallaway, Judge, Steak Cookoff Association; and Sara Treviño, Secretary, International Barbeque Cookers Association. Featured, back row, from left: Martín Rivas, Director of Membership, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Imelda Rodríguez, Director of Tourism, Edinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau; Brett Gallaway, Judge, Steak Cookoff Association; Roddy Treviño with Roadster BBQ and 1st Place Winner in the H-E-B Steak Challenge; and Jake Barrera, Judge, International Barbeque Cookers Association.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
 

Edinburg EDC: Thousands who attended 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg at H-E-B Park saw first-hand why the community is becoming a “Destination City” - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: Joe González, Manager, H-E-B Rio Grande Valley Meat Market, provides expert advice to help contestants select rib-eye steaks for the premier portion of the 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg, held at H-E-B Park in Edinburg on Saturday, July 2, 2017. The steak selection was a process by which the teams chose their meat for the day-long competition, which drew 127 teams from Edinburg, the Valley, Texas and beyond. Initially done by a lottery, the teams then lined up in numerical order based on that lottery and picked their steaks. The Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) is the sanctioning body for the steak portion of Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg. The SCA requires the event to provide the same high-quality steaks for equal competitive opportunities for all the teams.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
 

Edinburg EDC: Thousands who attended 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg at H-E-B Park saw first-hand why the community is becoming a “Destination City” - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, Mike Eli, vocals/guitar for the Eli Young Band, performs as part of the final featured act on Friday, July 1, 2017 during the two-day 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks at Edinburg, held at H-E-B Park in Edinburg. An estimated 2,000 people bought tickets to that evening’s concert, which included two of Edinburg’s own talented musical performers – Matt and the Herdsman (http://www.mattandtheherdsmen.com), and Southern Ashes (https://www.facebook.com/SouthernAshesMusic/). The turnout for the concert that evening does not include people at the adjacent Edinburg Municipal Park who showed up to see the fireworks display during the concert. The following day, on Saturday, July 2, 2017, an estimated 3,000 people bought tickets to see the the world-class barbecue competition, as well as to enjoy many other activities going on that day, including another concert. 

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

Edinburg EDC: Thousands who attended 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg at H-E-B Park saw first-hand why the community is becoming a “Destination City” - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: Hundreds of fans of Los Lonely Boys cheer for the San Angelo-based “Texican Rock n’ Roll” band, which combines elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown-eyed soul, country and Tejano, on Friday, July 1, 2017 at the amphitheater of H-E-B Park in Edinburg. Los Lonely Boys were one of two national acts which performed on the first evening of the two-day 12th Annual Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg. H-E-B Park opened earlier in 2017. H-E-B Park is described on its web site as “the premiere sports and entertainment destination and focal point for the entire community. H-E-B Park serves as a community hub of outdoor space for active and recreational use including sports, live music, and corporate events.” H-E-B Park, which is privately owned and which is located at 1616 S. Raul Longoria Road, boasts a $16.8+ million, 9,735-seat professional soccer stadium as part of the 37-acre site with all amenities, an amphitheater with a capacity of 2,000 people, well-lighted parking, and security and medical personnel for major gatherings. The building permit issued for H-E-B Park represents the initial investment for the stadium, at that time valued at $16.8+ million, but the total financial worth of H-E-B Park, which is the name of the stadium and the fairgrounds with all improvements and assets, now that this outdoor sports and entertainment complex is open, is much higher.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

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