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 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 | Jun 23, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Edinburg Mayor Richard García, who also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, speaking with journalists after delivering his State of the City Address at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance on Thursday, May 19, 2016.
Photograph By ROBERTO GONZÁLEZ/Texas Border Business/Mega Doctor News
Edinburg’s unemployment rate for May 2016 of 4.5 percent marked the eighth consecutive month that the city posted a figure lower than five percent, with McAllen, with a 4.4 percent unemployment rate for May 2016, being the only other Valley city under five percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The May 2016 figure of 4.5 percent is the best showing for that month since May 2007, when the city posted a 4.3 percent unemployment rate. In addition, Edinburg’s unemployment rate has been under five percent during 10 months out of 17 months since January 2015. According to the latest data, which was released on Friday, June 17, 2016 by the Texas Workforce Commission, there were 36,727 people employed in Edinburg during the month of May 2016. That performance represents an increase of 615 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for May 2016 (36,727) and May 2015 (36,112).
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by Legislative Media | May 23, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Councilmember David Torres, Mayor Richard García, and Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina, at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance on Thursday, May 19, 2016, following the mayor’s State of the City Address about Edinburg to about 300 area residents in attendance and thousands more who viewed it on the Edinburg Cable Network.
Photograph By DIEGO REYNA
Edinburg’s unemployment rate for April 2016 of 4.5 percent marked the fourth consecutive month that the city posted a monthly figure of less than five percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced, The April 2016 figure of 4.5 percent is the best showing for that month in almost a decade, when the city posted a 4.0 percent unemployment rate in April 2008. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, there were 36,636 people employed in Edinburg during the month of April 2016. That performance represents an increase of 758 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for April 2016 (36,636) and April 2015 (35,878).
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by Legislative Media | Jul 6, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Karen K. Pittman, Branch Manager, International Bancshares Corporation (IBC); Dina Araguz, Area Sales Manager, International Bancshares Corporation (IBC); Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, and Harvey Rodríguez, Treasurer, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, on Wednesday, May 27, at the Edinburg Municipal Auditorium.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Edinburg’s unemployment rate for May 2015 was 4.8 percent, representing the fourth consecutive month that the city posted a monthly figure under five percent, with McAllen, at 4.6 percent, being the only other major Valley city to come under five percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. Edinburg’s unemployment rate, as calculated by the Texas Workforce Commission, was the best showing for the city for that month since May 2008, when it was reported at 4.6 percent by the state agency. Edinburg’s May 2015 unemployment rate of 4.8 percent remained close to the Texas statewide average, which was 4.1 percent for May 2015, four percent for April 2015, 4.2 percent for March 2015, 4.3 percent for February 2015, and 4.6 percent for January 2015, according to Texas Workforce Commission figures. The city’s latest performance also was better than the U.S. unemployment rate for May 2015, which was 5.5 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data represents an increase of 482 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for May 2015 and May 2014. In May 2015, there were 35,912 persons employed in Edinburg, compared with 35,430 in May 2014. The May 2015 unemployment rate of 4.8 percent for Edinburg is also better than the annual unemployment rate in Edinburg for 2014, which was 5.8 percent – and that yearly rate was the best 12-month average from January through December since 2005. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy. The unemployment rate is the number of persons unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed. To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work. All cities combined in Hidalgo County averaged a 7.2 percent unemployment rate in May 2015, representing improvements from 7.3 percent in April 2015, 7.6 percent in March 2015, 7.7 percent in February 2015 and 8.3 percent in January 2015. All cities combined in Cameron County averaged a 6.6 percent unemployment rate in May 2015, representing improvements from 6.7 percent unemployment rate in April 2015, 7.1 percent in March 2015, 7.2 percent in February 2015 and 7.8 percent in January 2015. Also for May 2015, there were 310,967 individuals employed in Hidalgo County, while 154,484 persons were employed in Cameron County. The Texas Workforce Commission data on all entities in the state, including cities and counties, is available online at: http://www.tracer2.com/cgi/dataanalysis/AreaSelection.asp?tableName=Labforce
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