by Legislative Media | Aug 13, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Nick Cantú, Realtor/Owner, Jinks Realty, Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina, and Abisai Y. Ortiz, Realtor, Jinks Realty, during the Jinks Realty Ribbon Cutting and Open House on Friday, May 6, 2016 at Grindstone Coworking, 506 W. University Drive in Edinburg. Not pictured are Lee Jinks, Broker/Owner, Jinks Realty, Jania Cantú, Realtor, and Mary Alice Palacios, Realtor (www. JinksRealty.com). In addition to new businesses opening in the city, Edinburg’s economy continues to show continuing growth based on other financial figures, including in retail sales activities, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Edinburg’s retail economy during June 2016 showed a more than 8.5 percent improvement over the same month last year, a figure that is much better than the statewide average improvement of 1.8 percent for all cities, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. For June 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $2,000,505.08 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,843,334.30 during the same period in 2015, representing the improvement of 8.52 percent, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. During the first six months of 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $14,288,346.32 in local sales taxes, compared with $13,591,448.24 for January through June 2016, representing an improvement of 5.12 percent. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg EDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city.
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by Legislative Media | Aug 7, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at the Medical Education Building in Edinburg, which is a major component of the School of Medicine for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Canales was a cosponsor in 2013 of Senate Bill 24, authored by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and sponsored by Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville, which created a full-fledged medical school for deep South Texas.
Photograph By ALEX RÍOS
Under a measure being proposed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, which is being opposed by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, small business citrus and rose nurseries throughout Texas would pay dramatically higher fees to the state for exporting their products to the rest of the nation. Canales is the only Valley lawmaker among the 28 state legislators calling on TDA Commissioner Sid Miller, a Republican, to eliminate a proposed fee increase by the state agency for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates, which helps guarantee that plants and plant products exported by Texans are pest-free. The proposed fee increase would especially hurt small business owners, the House District 40 lawmaker noted.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 31, 2016 | Politics
Featured, on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at the ECHO Hotel and Conference Center in Edinburg following the Public Affairs Luncheon, which was organized by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, front row, from left: City Councilmember David Torres; Elva Jackson Garza (Vice President, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.); Cris Torres (Vice President, Greater State Bank); David Salinas (President/CEO, Greater State Bank); Mayor Richard García; Guy Bailey, Ph.D. (President, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley); Robert Lozano (Chairman of the Board, Greater State Bank); Agustín Lozano, Jr. (Bert Ogden Dealer Group); and Marty Martin (Rio Valley Realty). Back row, from left: Johnny Rodríguez (Bert Ogden Dealer Group); Mario Lizcano (Doctors Hospital at Renaissance); Jacob De León (Memorial Funeral Home); Sergio González (Rosie’s Flower Shop); Ricardo Hinojosa (Chief Financial Officer, Greater State Bank); Víctor Barbosa (Vice President, Greater State Bank); Claudia Alvarado (Officer, Greater State Bank); James Cano (Senior Vice President, Greater State Bank); Mark Hernández (Senior Vice President, Greater State Bank); and Michael Williamson (PlainsCapital Bank). Greater State Bank was the sponsor of the quarterly event.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
College football, which is currently being considered for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, could have positive results far beyond the gridiron, according to Guy Bailey, Ph.D., the President of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Bailey, whose extensive professional credentials include serving as president of The University of Alabama and Texas Tech University, which have high-profile football programs, brought up the possible addition of the nation’s most popular college sport to UTRGV during his presentation on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 before a full house in the Hidalgo Banquet Room of the ECHO Hotel and Conference Center in Edinburg. “As we look to grow as a university, we look at the possibility of football, too,” said Bailey, who was the featured speaker for the quarterly Public Affairs Luncheon organized by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. “There are a number of reasons for having football. If you have been at places with football, you understand it is a galvanizing force for students and for your communities as well. If that happens, you will all understand what impact it will have.”
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by Legislative Media | Jul 27, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; City Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Mayor Richard García; Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina; Councilmember David Torres; Ellie M. Torres, Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; and City Manager Richard Hinojosa on Thursday, July 21, 2016, immediately following the ribbon-cutting for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through June 2016 have passed the $131 million level, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has reported, with the month of June 2016 accounting for almost $32 million of that amount. Combined, building permits from January through June 2016 were issued for work valued at $131,744,588, compared with $65,224,544 for the same six months in 2015. During June 2016, building permits for work valued at $31,699,427 were issued by the city, compared with $6,212,165 in June 2015. The most valuable projects, not including the value of the lots, which led the way in June 2016, were: $22,500,000 – Edinburg Legends LTD, 1815 W. Chapin St, Tex-Mex Railway Co. Survey Subdivision; $500,000 – The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley LLC, 609 Trenton Rd., The Shoppes at RGV Subdivision; $450,000 – Kamel Investments LLC, 3020 W. Trenton Rd., Marvel Plaza Subdivision; and $400,000 – Edinburg Independent Consolidated School District, 310 E. Palm Drive, Tex-Mex Subdivision.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 25, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Guy Bailey, Ph.D, President, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; William H. McRaven, Chancellor, The University of Texas System; and Havidán Rodríguez, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, on Saturday, July 23, 2016. The three UT System leaders were among hundreds of other dignitaries, family, and well-wishers who gathered at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex auditorium in Edinburg to congratulate the inaugural class of 55 students who are beginning their first year of medical school in Edinburg. The Edinburg Mayor, Edinburg City Council, and Edinburg Economic Development Corporation played key roles in 2013 in securing a full-fledged medical school from the Texas Legislature for deep South Texas. Rodríguez also is a former member of the Edinburg EDC Board of Directors.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
For the first time in almost a year, Edinburg’s unemployment rate rose above five percent, based on the June 2016 estimate by the Texas Workforce Commission, but that figure still represents the best showing for that month in the city since June 2008, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Edinburg, with a 5.4 percent monthly unemployment rate, along with McAllen (5.1 percent) and Harlingen (5.7 percent), were the only three cities in deep South Texas to post figures for June 2016 under six percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported on Friday, July 22, 2016. According to the latest data, there were 36,322 people employed in Edinburg during the month of June 2016. That performance represents an increase of 612 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for June 2016 (36,322) and June 2015 (35,710).
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by Legislative Media | Jul 16, 2016 | Politics
Featured: An artist’s rendition of the 9,700-seat RGV FC Toros Stadium, located on 1616 South Raúl Longoria Road in Edinburg, one of many symbols of economic growth in the city. On Thursday, July 21, 2016, a press conference will be held beginning at 9 a.m. at the amphitheater, located on the park side of the professional sports complex, to announce the naming rights for the venue.
Image Courtesy RGV FC TOROS
The city’s continuing strong economic growth and the strategies by its elected leaders to protect taxpayers and manage public funds have resulted in one of the nation’s best bond ratings for investors, sending a strong message nationwide that the future remains bright for people to live, work and do business in Edinburg. The ratings, which were released on Monday, July 11, 2016, focused on several bonds previously issued by the city and the Edinburg EDC. Fitch Ratings upgraded those bonds to “AA”. “The improved ‘AA’ ratings mean that the Mayor, City Council, and Edinburg EDC Board of Directors, through their policies and actions, continue to demonstrate their excellence in helping shape an economy that means more good-paying jobs, a great environment for businesses of all sizes, and a high quality of life for our community,” said EEDC Executive Director Agustín García, Jr.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 14, 2016 | Politics
Featured: The cast of Peter and The Starcatcher. Top row, from left: Daniel Garza of Edinburg; Jonathan Taméz of McAllen; and Priscilla Perales of Stuard, Florida. Second row, from left: Annemarie Alaníz of Alamo; Óscar Camacho of Cadereyta Jiménez, Nuevo León, Mexico; and Zebastian Duchene of McAllen. Third row, from left: Mauricio González of Mission; Immanuel García of Alton; and Micaela Cantú of Mission. Fourth row, from left: Selena Flores of La Victoria; Joshua Duazo of McAllen; and Alan González of Mission. Bottom Row: Gerrad García of Edinburg; Diana Furman of McAllen; and Ricky Godínez of McAllen.
Featured, from left: Zebastian Duchene of McAllen; Joshua Duazo of McAllen; Immanuel García of Alton; Daniel Garza of Edinburg; Mauricio González of Mission; Selena Flores of La Victoria; Jonathan Taméz of McAllen; Annemarie Alaníz of Alamo; and Micaela Cantú of Mission.
Photographs By JASON BARRERA
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by Legislative Media | Jul 13, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, at the rostrum (large desk) facing the Texas Senate chamber at the State Capitol Building. The portrait behind her is of Stephen F. Austin, known as the “Father of the Republic of Texas”, done shortly before his death on December 27, 1836.
Photograph By SENATE MEDIA SERVICES
Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, is one of six 2016 inductees into The Daily Texan Hall of Fame, the non-profit Friends of The Daily Texan announced recently. The organization was established in 2013 to support quality journalism and a strong future for the student newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin. While a UT undergraduate, Zaffirini served as a reporter, feature writer, copy editor, headline writer, assistant editor and special issue editor for The Daily Texan. “This award is especially meaningful to me because working for The Daily Texan was an amazing experience that strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in communication and public service,” Zaffirini said. “What’s more, I am grateful to the Friends of The Daily Texan not only for this honor, but also for their work to promote quality journalism and to ensure the success of The Daily Texan in the digital world. I share their belief in the power of student journalism, and, equally important, their commitment to freedom of speech and freedom of the press.”
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by Legislative Media | Jul 9, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Daniel Rivera, Founder, Grindstone Coworking of Edinburg (www.TheGrindstone.co) and Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, reviewing key data about the strength of the Edinburg economy prior to a broadcast interview on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 on KURV710 Talk Radio.
Photograph By DIEGO REYNA
For the second consecutive month, Edinburg’s retail economy during May 2016 had the best rate of improvement – 10.78 percent – over the same month last year among the Valley’s major cities, while by comparison, cities statewide reported a combined average improvement of 2.7 percent in May 2016 compared with May 2015, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. These figures are based on sales made in May 2016 by businesses that report tax monthly. For May 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $1,730,440.77 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,561,948.68 during the same time in 2015, representing the improvement of 10.78 percent, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg EDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 5, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Eric Soza, the first quarterback for the University of Texas at San Antonio, which set a record for the highest-attended game, with an attendance of 56,743, for an NCAA Division 1 FSC start-up program on September 3, 2011 at the Alamodome.
Photograph by JEFF HUEHN, UTSA ATHLETICS
Fresh from announcing the selection of a football feasibility consultant group, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is set on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, to hold the second meeting of a 22-member, blue-panel committee that will help determine the possibility of a college football team being created for UTRGV, which is the state’s largest public university south of San Antonio. The location and time of the meeting, which will be closed to the public, and the agenda for UTRGV’s football feasibility study committee will be announced at a later date by university officials. But the selection of College Sports Solutions, LLC, to conduct the university’s football feasibility study is sure to be among the top items to be discussed when the special UTRGV advisory panel meets later this month.
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