by Legislative Media | Dec 15, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Mayor Richard García, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., and Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4 Joseph Palacios on Monday, December 12, 2016 during a joint city council/county commissioners work session, held at Edinburg City Hall, on the proposed $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
With one month to go in 2016, construction activities in Edinburg just barely missed the $200 million mark for the year, compared with almost $128 million during the first 11 months of last year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Those totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. New single-family homes and multi-family residences (duplexes to apartments) continue to lead the way from January through November 2016, having been issued building permits for a combined total of $119,303,812 in the value of their construction. That figure is more than double the $51,916,366 combined value of single-family homes and multi-family residences approved for construction during the same period last year. Year-to-date (January through November 2016), building permits were issued for 437 single-family residences, valued at $56,586,297 compared with 307 single family residences, valued at $43,652,244 from January through November 2015. Year-to-date (January through November 2016), building permits were issued for 255 multi-family residences, representing 980 units, valued at $63,717,415, compared with 42 multi-family residences, representing 83 units, valued at $8,264,122, from January through November 2015. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits. The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Nov 28, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Several members of the Hive Effect in Edinburg: Juan F. Rodríguez, Mako Media; Michelle Vallejo, Common Culture, RGV; Harvey Rodríguez, Jr., Vice President, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Eduardo Robles, Web & Tech Consulting; and Rubén Morales, Surface Web Development, pose for an image taken at Grindstone Coworking, located at 506 W. University Drive, on Tuesday, September 23, 2016. According to its website, http://hiveeffect.com/intro/, Hive Effect is an entrepreneur development initiative developed as a partnership between the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and Grindstone Coworking. Hive Effect, in turn, partners with local and regional entrepreneurial organizations and businesses with programs and events that aim to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Rio Grande Valley. The Edinburg EDC serves local companies by providing assistance with expansion plans, programs to help retain business, and advocating for policies that enhance the region’s economic competitiveness.
Photograph By DANIEL RIVERA
A recent decision by the Texas Water Development Board to approve a $5.4 million loan for Edinburg’s water treatment services also provides additional independent and positive light on the strength of the city’s economy, and the integrity of its city government, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. According to the required analysis by that state agency, “the financial sustainability indicators for the city are strong. The city shows that it has the ability to repay its debt. The city scored well on other indicators showing the overall health of the city.” Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, was reelected to a new four-year term, reflected on how the action by the Texas Water Development Board is further evidence of the vitality of Edinburg as a place in which to invest, work and live. “I applaud Mayor Richard García and the Edinburg City Council for working together with the State to invest in infrastructure for the city’s future growth and provide safe drinking water to the citizens of Edinburg,” said Hinojosa. “Clean water and wastewater services are essential to the development and health of our communities. The impact of this infrastructure improvement will promote economic development and safeguard against public health concerns.”
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by Legislative Media | Nov 27, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Diana Padilla, Mortgage Loan Officer, Lone Star National Bank; Juanita Mendoza, Mortgage Loan Officer, Lone Star National Bank; Anna Casares, Mortgage Operations Manager, Lone Star National Bank; Esther G. Guerra, Mortgage Sales Manager, Lone Star National Bank; Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Elva Jackson Garza, Vice President and Marketing Manager, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; Ma. Elena Guerra, Mortgage Loan Officer, Lone Star National Bank; Norma L. Cano, Mission Marketing Manager, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; Letty Rodríguez, Sales Representative/Escrow Officer, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; and Jaime Jackson, Mortgage Loan Originator, International Bank of Commerce. The Edinburg EDC Executive Director was the featured speaker on Thursday, October 20, 2016 before The Women’s Council of Realtors McAllen Network during his presentation in Edinburg at Edwards Abstract and Title Co. in Edinburg. Elva Jackson Garza is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg EDC.
Photograph By LEE JINKS
With two months left in 2016, construction activities in Edinburg have approached $189 million, compared with almost $115 million during the same 10 months last year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Those totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. New single-family homes and multi-family residences (duplexes to apartments) continue to lead the way from January through October 2016, having been issued building permits for a combined total of $114,609,443 in the value of their construction. That figure is more than double the $45,746,390 combined value of single-family homes and multi-family residences approved for construction during the same period last year. Year-to-date (January through October 2016), building permits were issued for 403 single-family residences, valued at $52,402,028, compared with 278 single family residences, valued at $39,781,574 from January through October 2015. Year-to-date (January through October 2016), building permits were issued for 237 multi-family residences, representing 944 units, valued at $62,207,415, compared with 42 multi-family residences, representing 83 units, valued at $5,965,356, from January through October 2015. Also according to the city’s Code Enforcement Department, 46 single-family residences, valued at $5,330,686 were approved for construction in October 2016, compared with 21 single-family residences, valued at $2,678,657, during the same month in 2015. Combined, building permits from January through October 2016 were issued for work valued at $188,725,537 compared with $114,664,341 for the same 10 months in 2015. During October 2016, building permits for work valued at $8,963,349 were issued by the city, compared with $14,618,375 in October 2015. The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Oct 24, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, signs a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Somchai Wongkasem, President of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University (RMU), on Friday, October 21, 2016, at the International Trade & Technology building on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus. RMU is located in the Muang District in northeastern Thailand. Rodríguez is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Mayor, Edinburg City Council and EEDC lobbies the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents for advances that help UTRGV and its School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photo By PAUL CHOUY
Edinburg and McAllen were the only two Valley cities which posted unemployment rates under 5.6 percent during the month of September 2016, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, which also reported on Friday, October 21, 2016, that Edinburg saw a growth of almost 1,000 jobs when comparing employment in September 2016 with September 2015. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that there were 36,302 people employed in Edinburg during the month of September 2016. That performance represents an increase of 975 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for September 2016 (36,302) and September 2015 (35,327). That state agency found that McAllen and Edinburg came in with 5.2 percent and 5.5 percent unemployment rates, respectively, for the month of September 2016, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Sep 27, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, on Friday, August 26, 2016, gave welcoming remarks for the university’s first Project Sin Fronteras banquet, hosted by the UTRGV Office of Sustainability at the Embassy Suites McAllen Convention Center. Rodríguez is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC, its Board of Directors, the Edinburg Mayor and the Edinburg City Council lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents 0n behalf of UTRGV and its School of Medicine in Edinburg.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
Edinburg and McAllen were the only two Valley cities which posted unemployment rates under 5.5 percent during the month of August 2016, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, which also reported on Friday, September 16, 2016, that Edinburg saw a growth of almost 1,000 jobs when comparing employment in August 2016 with August 2015. Edinburg’s 5.4 percent unemployment rate for August 2016 is the same as the August 2015 level (5.4 percent), and both of those figures were the best for that month since August 2008, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. McAllen’s 5.3 percent unemployment rate for August 2016 was the best showing among all Valley cities for that month. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that there were 36,091 people employed in Edinburg during the month of August 2016. That performance represents an increase of 995 jobs in Edinburg when comparing the employment figures for August 2016 (36,091) and August 2015 (35,096). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related.
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