by Legislative Media | Jun 30, 2017 | Politics
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has purchased this existing shell building on Crosspoint Boulevard in Edinburg to house the UTRGV School of Medicine Pediatrics Clinic. The sale was finalized in May and project completion is estimated for September 2017. The UTRGV School of Medicine was created in May 2013 through Senate Bill 24 by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, serving as the primary author, and Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville, serving as primary sponsor. The rest of the Valley legislative delegation played key roles in the creation of the medical school in Edinburg, serving as joint authors and cosponsors of SB 24. The Edinburg Mayor, Edinburg City Council, and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on behalf of UTRGV in Edinburg and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
Jobs in Edinburg’s medical and health care professions will continue to grow following news on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine that it will establish a Pediatrics Clinic in the community. Edinburg – which for numerous consecutive years has registered the lowest or second lowest unemployment rate among all Valley cities, for the month of May 2017 posted the best figure, at 5.4 percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. This is the second consecutive month that Edinburg has posted the lowest unemployment rate in the Valley. The Edinburg EDC, of which Gus 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 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. Richard García and Gus García are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Jun 29, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Steven Lieberman, Interim Dean of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine in Edinburg, speaks to medical school residents during the Graduate Medical Education Program Orientation at the local campus on Thursday, June 22, 2017. The UTRGV School of Medicine was created in May 2013 through Senate Bill 24 by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, serving as the primary author, and Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville, serving as primary sponsor. The rest of the Valley legislative delegation played key roles in the creation of the medical school in Edinburg, serving as joint authors and cosponsors of SB 24. The Edinburg Mayor, Edinburg City Council, and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on behalf of UTRGV in Edinburg and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
As Edinburg continues to receive positive and independent reports on its growth – it posted the lowest unemployment rate (5.4 percent) in the Valley for May 2017 and was approaching more than $150 million in construction activities during the first five months of this year – the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation will meet in public on Friday, June 30, 2017, to review its strategies for more advances for the community. The session, which begins at noon, will be held in the City Council Chamber at Edinburg City Hall, located at 415 West University Drive. The Edinburg EDC, of which Gus García is the Executive Director, 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. Mayor Richard García and Edinburg EDC Executive Director Gus García are not related. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors’ agenda is posted online at: http://edinburgedc.com/meetings-agendas/.
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by Legislative Media | Jun 28, 2017 | Politics
Featured, from left: J.J. Flores, Vice Chair of Special Events, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, and representing Chorizo de San Manuel; Gus García, Executive Director, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; and Ronnie Larralde, Director of Marketing & Special Events, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. The Edinburg EDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, presented a $10,000 contribution to the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce to help cover expenses for Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg barbecue cook-off, which takes place on Saturday, July 1, 2017, at H-E-B Park. The national-level barbecue competition will occur on the second day of the annual two-day event, which kicks off Friday evening, June 30, 2017 as part of the city’s Fourth of July festivities. “This event is great for Edinburg. It gives area residents a family-friendly event with entertainment for all,” said Gus García, Executive Director of the Edinburg EDC. “It also brings in so many visitors from outside the region and they too will get to enjoy this amazing venue. H-E-B Park has become a trending spot for the hottest events coming to the Valley and it’s right here in Edinburg. It’s such a versatile park and it’s great seeing it being used in so many different ways.” On Friday, music fans will be able to purchase tickets ($30 apiece) for a major concert, to begin at 6 p.m. at the outdoor amphitheater, that will feature two of Edinburg’s many talented musical performers – Matt and the Herdsman (http://www.mattandtheherdsmen.com), and Southern Ashes (https://www.facebook.com/SouthernAshesMusic/) – followed by two national headline groups: Los Lonely Boys LosLonelyBoys.com and then the Eli Young Band (http://www.cmt.com/artists/eli-young-band).
Photograph By JENNIFER CABRERA
Featured promoting Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg (Friday, June 30, 2017 and Saturday, July 1, 2017) during the Edinburg City Council meeting held on Tuesday, June 20, 2017, are, from left, front row: Marty Martin, Immediate Past Chairman of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, representing Rio Valley Realty; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Alex Ríos, Chair-Elect, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, representing Kids College Learning Center and the Office of State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; and J.J. Flores, Vice Chair of Special Events, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, and representing Chorizo de San Manuel. Back row, from left: City Councilmember David Torres; City Councilmember Richard Molina; Mayor Richard García; and City Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr. With more than 1,000 people from outside of the Valley anticipated to show up for the upcoming Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg barbecue cook-off, which takes place on Saturday, July 1, 2017 – along with several thousand more in attendance from the city and the Valley – the community will continue to sizzle as a Destination City, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Adding to the wow factor for residents and visitors, the gathering for the first time will be held at the recently-opened H-E-B Park, located at 1616 S. Raul Longoria Road, which boasts a $16.8+ million, 9,735-seat professional soccer stadium as part of the 37-acre site, a sprawling park with all amenities, an amphitheater with a capacity of 2,000 people, well-lighted parking, and security and medical personnel for major gatherings (http://www.hebparkrgv.com). Now entering its 12th year, Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg will provide $30,000 in cash prizes, with the top winner in the day-long barbecue competition that will be held all day Saturday to take home $2,000, and qualify for other nationally-sanctioned competitions later this year.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Featured, from left: Ringo Garza, drums/vocals, Jojo Garza, bass guitar/vocals, and Henry Garza, guitar/vocals, of Los Lonely Boys, an American rock power trio of brothers from San Angelo, Texas, who play a style of music they call “Texican Rock n’ Roll,” combining elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown-eyed soul, country, and Tejano. They will perform from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 30, 2017 at the amphitheater of H-E-B Park in Edinburg as part of the two-day Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg, which includes the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation as a major sponsor of the annual event. Their debut single, “Heaven”, was a number-one hit on the Billboard adult contemporary chart and reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004. In 2009, they signed to Austin-based indie label, Playing in Traffic Records, and released an EP, “1969” and three albums under their LonelyTone imprint, Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live!, Rockpango, and their newest release, Revelation. The performances start earlier that evening, with Edinburg country music bands Southern Ashes kicking off the concert at 6 p.m., followed by Matt and the Herdsmen.
Courtesy Photograph
Featured, from left are the members of the Eli Young Band: Chris Thompson, drums: Mike Eli, vocals/guitar; James Young, lead guitar; and Jon Jones, bass guitar. The Eli Young Band (EYB) is the final act scheduled to headline the two-day Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg on Friday, June 30, 2o17, with the country music stars set to come on stage at the amphitheater at H-E-B Park beginning at 10 p.m. EYB’s hit singles have been awarded Billboard’s #1 Country Song of the Year and ACM (Academy of Country Music) Song of the Year, in addition to garnering EYB numerous nominations from GRAMMY (https://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards), CMA (Country Music Association), CMT (Country Music Television), and Teen Choice Awards. They have performed on NBC’s TODAY, Conan, Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Fox & Friends. The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is a major sponsor the Texas Cook ‘Em – High Steaks in Edinburg.
Courtesy Photograph
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by Legislative Media | Jun 21, 2017 | Politics
Featured, from left: Councilmember David Torres; Councilmember Richard Molina; Mayor Richard García; Elías Longoria, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Gus García, Executive Director, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; and Richard Hinojosa, Edinburg City Manager. The area leaders were gathered on Thursday, May 11, 2017, for the groundbreaking of the multi-million dollar Edinburg Transit Terminal. The facility also will serve as the new headquarters for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The Edinburg EDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, is led by a five-member Board of Directors which features Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Mayor Richard García and Gus García, who is the Executive Director of the Edinburg EDC, are not related.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
The promising future for the community continued moving forward on Thursday, May 11, 2017, with the groundbreaking of the multi-million dollar Edinburg Transit Terminal, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The 15,000-square-foot, two-story complex, located on a 1.2 acre tract donated by the Edinburg EDC, will serve as a home for Valley Metro, which is the publicly-owned bus service for deep South Texas that is administered and operated by the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. Valley Metro’s increased presence in Edinburg will have far-reaching benefits not just for the city, but throughout the region, according to local and area leaders. One of the many key needs the Edinburg Transit Terminal will fulfill when it opens for business in early 2018 will be to help handle the thousands of vehicles that converge into and near the city’s downtown during the work week.
Artist’s Rendition Courtesy of NEGRETE & KOLAR ARCHITECTS, LLP
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by Legislative Media | Jun 20, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, looks out at the Texas Capitol grounds in Austin as he handles calls from constituents during a break from legislative debate on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives earlier this spring 2017.
Photograph By HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, June 15, 2017, approved House Bill 351 by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, which will help do away with a decades-old injustice which results in hundreds of thousands of Texans going to jail every year because they are too poor to pay fines for traffic tickets and other Class C misdemeanors. HB 351 was one of 12 measures passed by Canales which were approved by the Texas Legislature and the governor following the five-month regular session, which ended on Monday, May 31, 2017. Those 12 now-enacted state laws covered a wide range of issues, from protecting veterans and victims of family violence, to advancing medical education, creating more jobs, and promoting open government. In addition, Canales also served as a joint author or co-author of 24 other bills. The legislator who files a bill and guides it through the legislative process is the author (also called the primary author). The Senate allows multiple primary authors for each bill or resolution. The House of Representatives allows only one primary author, the house member whose signature appears on the original measure and on the copies filed with the chief clerk. Both chambers also have coauthors, and the house of representatives has joint authors. Canales said HB 351 represents a “sweeping reform” of the state’s criminal justice system. “In Texas, at the rate we are going, we were going to eventually be throwing a million poor people in jail every year for failure to pay tickets, fines and fees arising from court cases,” explained the House District 40 lawmaker, who is an attorney. “We have too many Texans statewide who are struggling to pay rent and groceries, then they wind up getting ticketed and getting jailed for the most minor offenses, such as traffic violations.” For Class C misdemeanors, there is no jail time, and the fine is limited up to $500. But a person can be put in jail for not paying the fines, and other related costs, such as failure to appear in court. Canale added that the border of jailing all these people for petty crimes ultimately falls on the shoulders of taxpayers. “This whole system of putting poor people in jail has become a convenient cash cow for our government, which wants to squeeze money out of indigent Texans,” he said. “HB 351 provides a much better way for minor offenders to pay their debt to society without unjustly putting them behind bars.” Canales is the primary author of HB 351 while Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, by carrying HB 351 in the Senate, is the primary sponsor of the legislation. The measure, which won final support in the House of Representatives on a huge, bipartisan vote of 132 Yeas, 11 Nays, and 2 Present, Not Voting.
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