FEATURED: Sohail Rao, MD, MA, DPhil, President and CEO, DHR Health Institute for Research & Development, was presented with a legislative resolution, authored by Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen. “Through his vision, leadership, and dedication, Dr. Rao has contributed significantly to the well-being of countless Rio Grande Valley residents during a historic public health crisis, and in so doing, he has earned the deep respect and appreciation of all who are privileged to know him,” said Guerra, who serves as Vice Chair, House Committee on Public Health.
FEATURED: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, addresses participants during the 25th Annual League of United Latin America Citizens’ (LULAC) Legislative Awards Gala, held at the Hamilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Friday, March 17, 2022. The South Texas lawmaker participated in the induction of one of his great-uncles, JoséTomásCanales, into the LULAC Hall of Fame. José TomásCanales, a founder of LULAC, was a prominent civil rights leader who led the 1919 investigation into the Texas Rangers for their actions during the 1910s, in particular the massacre of 15 unarmed ethnic Mexican men and boys.
FEATURED, FROM LEFT: McAllen natives and brothers Dr. Macaulay Ojeaga and Dr. Patrick Ojeaga posed together on Saturday, May 8, 2021, on the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Brownsville Campus, during their graduation from the UTRGV School of Medicine. Patrick is now a resident physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and Macaulay is now at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
FEATURED: On Friday, May 6, 2021, at his Capitol office in Austin, Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, points at the slogan on his face covering – “Good Trouble” – made famous by Congressman John Lewis (1940-2020). Lewis said: “Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” In 2019 and 2021, Martínez, supported by the Rio Grande Valley state representative delegation, passed a plan in the House of Representatives to create a public state law school in the Rio Grande Valley. Both times, that plan died in the Texas Senate.
FEATURED, FROM LEFT: Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen, congratulates Edinburg Assistant Chief of Police Peter De la Garza on his retirement during a ceremony held on Thursday, April 28, 2022 at the Bert Ogden Arena. De la Garza is the longest-serving police officer and assistant chief in the history of the Edinburg Police Department. During his tenure, De la Garza was appointed four times as Interim Police Chief and has proven to be an exemplary leader, supervising hundreds of officers, leading task forces, and investigations. De la Garza and his wife, Alma, live in Guerra’s House District 41.
FEATURED: Alfredo Martínez, Sr., 81, whose one of two sons is Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, was laid to rest on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at Highland Memorial Park in Weslaco. Alfredo Martínez, Sr. passed away on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
FEATURED, FROM LEFT: Jesse Ozuna, Vice President, Public Affairs, Texas Regional Bank; Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortéz; Hidalgo County Precinct 2 Commissioner Eduardo “Eddie” Cantú; Roberto Haddad, Vice President and Counsel for Government Affairs and Policy, DHR Health; and Jamison Merrick, Assistant Director, Office of Organizational & Strategic Excellence, City of Pharr. This image was taken on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at the Hope Family Health Center, which is located at 2332 Jordan Road in McAllen.
FEATURED: Gary Gurwitz, center, is joined by his colleagues on the Board of Trustees, South Texas College, on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, as they paid tribute to his 29 years of service on the governing board. He did not seek reelection this year for another six-year term as District 4 trustee, which represents north McAllen, northwest Pharr, Palmhurst, northeast Mission, and southwest Edinburg. Three candidates are seeking to succeed him later this spring. From left are: Danny Guzmán, District 7; René Guajardo, District 6; Victoria Cantú, Secretary, District 2; Gurwitz, District 4; Rose Benavidez, Chair, District 1; Dr. Alejo Salinas, Jr., Vice Chair, District 5; and Paul R. Rodríguez, District 3.
FEATURED, SEATED, FROM LEFT: Juneteenth Planning Committee members Sabrina Walker Hernández, CEO, Supporting World Hope; Dr. Theresa Gatling, Co-Pastor, Mount Olive Worship Center, McAllen; and Marsha Terry, RN MSN, Administrator, Terry Physical Therapy. Standing: C.J. Sánchez, Vice President, Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. Not pictured are Elizabeth Flores, Dan-Eli Ace Forwarding, Inc; Sharon Almaguer, Almaguer Law Firm; and Marla Sandoval, HNI Healthcare.
FEATURED: Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, with his wife, Amanda Leticia Hinojosa. On Monday, April 4, 2022, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, asked committees of the Texas Senate to study issues during the remainder of 2022 that could affect Texas in general and the Rio Grande Valley in particular. Those topics gain increased visibility and are more likely to be on the policy agenda for the next regular session of the Texas Legislature, which returns to work in early January 2023. The District 20 senator serves on several of the committees which will consider major legislative proposals such as a state hospital for mental health in the Valley and border security.
