by Legislative Media | Dec 21, 2007 | Politics |
Former Hidalgo County Judge Ramón García takes his oath of office on Thursday, December 13, to become the newest member of the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority, which met in Weslaco. “While I was county judge (2003-2006), I quickly realized that there are two very important issues that need to be addressed in this county: one was transportation, the other was drainage, not necessarily in that order,” he recalled. “To be able to serve on a board that I consider to be a meaningful board, I welcome that opportunity.” His oath of office was administered by Justice of the Peace Luis Garza of Mission. See story later in this posting.
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South Texas College has earned a financial reporting award from North American government group for fourth consecutive year. From left are Rubén Moreno, CPA and partner with Long Chilton, LLP of McAllen; Diana Peña, vice president for finance and administrative services for STC; Irene García, chair of the South Texas College Board of Trustees; and Mary Elizondo, STC Business Office comptroller. See story later in this posting.
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Rep. Juan García, III, D-Corpus Christi, featured center at the front podium of the House of Representatives last January in this file photo, is calling on a Texas to play a bigger role in deciding who the nominees will be for president. ” Last April I was part of an overwhelming majority of the State House of Representatives who voted to move our primary to the first Tuesday in February, giving Texans a say in who our next President will be,” García said. “However, the measure died in the Senate, with members arguing that the change would create a burden on election officials, who would have to conform to new dates (registration deadlines, sending new registration cards, filing dates for candidates, etc.), several of which would fall over the holidays.” García elaborates on his thoughts in his essay, featured later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Oct 9, 2007 | Politics |
Javier Villalobos of McAllen, who is seeking the House District 41 state representative seat currently held by Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, points to more than 300 friends who showed up on Thursday, October 4 in McAllen for a fundraiser to help power his campaign. “The winds of change are coming,” Villalobos told his supporters. “I think people are interested, and they do want to help. We were hoping to raise about $20,000 or $25,000, but we were able to raise $61,400.” See story later in this posting.
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Ramiro Garza, Jr., executive director for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, gestures to a screen containing economic and demographic information about the city during a Thursday, October 4 commercial real estate roundtable hosted by the EEDC at the Edinburg Depot. Leticia Reyes, EEDC project manager featured left, also participate in the presentation. See story later in this posting.
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Sebastian J. Izaguirre, son of José and Mayra Izaguirre from Edinburg, was the first baby born at the newly-opened, $67 million Women’s Hospital at Renaissance. The baby was delivered at 3:14 p.m. on Monday, October 1, weighing seven pounds and measuring 20.5 inches. “This modern state-of-the-art facility is the Valley’s only hospital dedicated exclusively to women’s healthcare needs,” says Marissa Castañeda, DHR Chief Operations Officer. “We are elated to join with over 45 obstetric and gynecological physicians in providing the highest quality care to women in South Texas.” In recognition of being the first baby born at The Women’s Hospital at Renaissance, Baby Izaguirre received a $10,000 savings bond from Lone Star National Bank and Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. HEB Food Stores was present during the formal presentation to the community and will be providing a supply of diapers and wipes for the first year to the Izaguirre family. The Women’s Hospital at Renaissance is scheduled to deliver 8,000 babies in its first year of operation and will revolutionize women’s healthcare in our region. For more information please call the Women’s Hospital at Renaissance at (956) 688-4000.
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by Legislative Media | Sep 19, 2007 | Politics |
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, shows off his hat in recognition of the cowboy/vaquero culture that is deeply rooted among many families in his legislative district, which stretches from McAllen/Edinburg/Mission through Corpus Christi. “This is for the people,” Hinojosa told several hundred supporters in McAllen, as he tipped his hat in their honor, during his campaign kick-off, held Thursday, September 13, at the Holidome. See story later in this posting.
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The construction of the first private student housing development to serve the University of Texas-Pan American will give the local economy an estimated $18 million shot in the arm, and send yet another message that both the university and city are growing by leaps and bounds, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The complex, to be called The Veranda Place, is being built on North Sugar Road.
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Steven J. Escobar, a 1987 Edinburg High School graduate, has sparked Bobcat pride for alma mater and for his hometown with his recent Emmy® Award for Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 2006-2007 Creative Arts Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles. See story later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 24, 2007 | Politics |
Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, Ph.D., an associate professor of Spanish linguistics and chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literature at the University of Texas-Pan American, on Tuesday, July 17, was appointed by the Edinburg City Council to the board of directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. “Over the next few years, I would like to see the EEDC expand its efforts in attracting diverse business and industry to Edinburg and make our city full participants in the knowledge economy of the 21st century,” Martínez said. “UTPA, my alma mater and my current place of employment, gives Edinburg a competitive edge over other cities in the region to attract industries with large research enterprises. As a member of the board, I will work to ensure that UTPA and its vast knowledge resources become critical incentives to attract high-paying jobs to our city.” See story later in this posting.
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While Mother Nature dropped up to six inches of rain in parts of the Upper Valley earlier that morning and tore rooftops from at least three McAllen businesses, Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas III and U.S. International Boundary and Water Commissioner Carlos Marín on Monday, July 16, executed the long-anticipated memorandum of understanding that will allow for the rehabilitation of several miles of federally-owned river levee. Featured, from left, seated, are: Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen; Salinas; and Marin. Standing, from left, are: Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview; Mission Mayor Beto Salinas; and Hidalgo County Commissioner Hector “Tito” Palacios, See story later in this posting.
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Three South Texas legislators – Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, and Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg – say that federal money to build a controversial “border wall” along 153 miles of the international border with Mexico could be better spent on more pressing national security needs, including helping Texas fight illegal drug trafficking that spells heartache, ruin, and death for countless Americans. Their comments came on Thursday, July 19, during a legislative luncheon in Edinburg. Mayor Pro Tem Alma Garza, Gonzáles and Peña are featured, sitting, first, second and third from left, respectively, while Councilmember Noe Garza (no relation to Alma) is shown standing, first from left, while Hinojosa is shown standing, fourth from left. See first story in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 3, 2007 | Politics |
In this file photo provided by the U.S. Navy, a Tomahawk missile is fired from the USS Alfredo “Freddy” González, a $900 million guided missile destroyer named in honor of the late Marine Sergeant from Edinburg, who was killed in action during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. Forty years after his death, González – whose mother, Dolia, lives in Edinburg – has been honored by his home state. In mid-June, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a proclamation posthumously bestowing the state’s highest military honor – the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor – upon the Edinburg war hero. See story later in this posting.
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Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, recently provided a legislative update to her constituents in McAllen, which included news that Gov. Rick Perry had signed into law a measure that will make it easier for working families in Texas to enroll their children in the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program. The expansion of CHIP to almost 130,000 more children ranks among the biggest victories for health care to come out of the recently concluded 80th session of the Texas Legislature, says the Texas Border Coalition, which lobbied for the improvements to CHIP. See story later in this posting.
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Robert Gandy, III, president of First National Bank of Edinburg, on Tuesday, June 26, provided an update on plans by the local financial institution to eventually create a $100 million corporate bank headquarters/retail development in west Edinburg. Gandy, who addressed the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation during its board session, said up to $2 million has already been spent by the bank to lay the groundwork at the 115-acre site, and the first building should begin going up later this fall. See story later in this posting.
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