Featured: The Rio Grande Valley will receive more than $10 million in state funding for public safety initiatives, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, has announced. “These grants for deep South Texas will help pay for a dozen vital categories of programs, such as protecting victims of family violence, strengthening homeland security, improving the criminal justice system, and fighting human trafficking and illegal drug trafficking,” said Canales. “This list of state funding also shows the partnership between Texas and our local communities, through our dedicated men and women in those vital professions who have made it their life’s mission to keep us safe, and defend us from evil.” This image was taken on Thursday, February 6, 2020 during the ribbon-cutting event of the La Homa Road and FM 681 expansion project in Mission.
Vitalant of McAllen, which is part of one of the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit community blood service providers, on Thursday, October 22, 2020, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., will be hosting a blood donation drive, along with providing free COVID-19 antibodies tests, at the LDS Church, 401 S. Jackson Road in Edinburg. Vitalant supplies comprehensive transfusion medicine services to nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states, including Texas. For information on what a person should eat and drink before donating blood, call 575/840-8178 or log on to https://www.healthline.com/health/what-to-eat-before-donating-blood
Featured, from left: City Councilmember Johnny García; City Councilmember Jorge Salinas; Mayor Richard Molina; City Councilmember David White, and Mayor Pro Tem Gilbert Enríquez. This image was taken on Monday, September 28, 2020, during the ribbon-cutting for the $6 million Edinburg Transit Terminal.
Featured, from left: Amir Esmaeili, PT, DPT /NDT FAAOMP, DHR Health Aquatic Therapy Institute; Robert D. Martínez, MD, Chief Medical Officer, DHR Health; Carlos Cárdenas, MD, Chair, Board of Managers, DHR Health; Maritza Padilla, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, DHR Health; Achal P. Patel, MD, Neurosurgeon, DHR Health; and Juan Padilla, MD, Chief of Neuroscience, DHR Health. This image was taken on Thursday, September 26, 2019, immediately following the news conference and grand opening for the DHR Health Aquatic Therapy Institute, located at 2001 South Cynthia Street, Suite E, McAllen.
Featured: San Juan Municipal Judge José “Joe” Ramírez, a Democrat, is seeking election to the 464th Hidalgo County District Court. District courts have original jurisdiction in felony criminal cases, divorce cases, cases involving title to land, election contest cases, civil matters in which the amount of money or damages involved is $200 or more, and any matters in which jurisdiction is not placed in another trial court.
Featured, from left: Julián Álvarez, III, Commissioner Representing Labor, Texas Workforce Commission, and Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, on Friday, January 31, 2020.
Featured: Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, was a cosponsor of House Bill 2059, one of a series of bills that became state laws in September 2019 designed to help fight human trafficking – also known as “modern slavery”. House Bill 2059, which was unanimously supported by the Rio Grande Valley state legislative delegation, helps Texas fight human trafficking by ensuring that health care providers are trained to identify and assist victims, reports DHR Health.
Featured: Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen, reviews legislation in the chamber of the Texas House of Representatives. Guerra in 2013 was a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 24, which created the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine. “This institution provides more jobs and educational opportunities for our children and families, transformed the Rio Grande Valley’s education system, provides new research institutions, and brought home a first-class medical school,” Guerra said. “The new medical school will ensure the Valley meets the growing need for doctors and health care providers for a growing population while providing critical access and care to the uninsured.”
Featured: Mark S. Peña and his wife Michelle. Mark S. Peña, who passed away at his home on Sunday, March 29, 2020, was a Texas environmental activist, regional economic development leader, and a brother of former Rep. Aaron Peña, Jr. On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, Mark S. Peña had a key roadway unanimously renamed in his memory by the Edinburg City Council.
Photograph Courtesy EDWARDS ABSTRACT & TITLE COMPANY
Featured: Dr. Héctor P. García (1914 – 1996), advisor to three U.S. presidents, the first Mexican American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor, and was a recipient of the Bronze Star and six battle stars for his military service in World War II. In 2009, Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, designated the third Wednesday in September as Dr. Héctor P. García Day through Senate Bill 495. The bill authorized the observance of the day by schools and state agencies to honor García and teach all Americans about his legacy.
