by Legislative Media | Oct 14, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Letty Reyes, Director of Business Development and Public Affairs, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; and Juan Guerra, City Manager, City of Pharr. Both area leaders on Friday, October 7, 2016 participated in a panel discussion about entrepreneurial innovation during the Fourth Annual Binational Innovation Conference (INNO 2016), which was hosted by South Texas College (STC) in McAllen. The Edinburg EDC was a sponsor of the event. INNO 2016 was held at the STC Technology Campus located at 3700 W. Military Highway in McAllen. Also on the panel, but not shown in this image, were: Keith Patridge, President/CEO, McAllen Economic Development Corporation; Francisco “Frank” Almaraz, CEO, Workforce Solutions, Lower Rio Grande Valley; and Bobby Villarreal, County Executive Director, Hidalgo County.
Photograph By LAURA VELA
Edinburg’s retail economy from January through August 2016 has improved more than 4.6 percent, which is the best showing of all major Rio Grande Valley cities, and better than the statewide average of a 1.1 percent increase of all cities in the state, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. For the month of August 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy – as measured by local sales taxes generated from purchases of eligible goods and services – also remained healthy, showing an almost two percent improvement over the month of August 2015. Those figures are based on sales made in August 2016 by businesses that report tax monthly, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The local sales tax data is among the latest economic barometers featured in a detailed summary provided by the state comptroller’s office, which released retail sales figures on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. During the first eight months of 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $17,592,870.93 in local sales taxes, compared with $16,812,351.02 for January through August 2015, representing an improvement of 4.64 percent. For August 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $1,702,561.82 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,671,788.87 during the same period in 2015, representing the improvement of 1.84 percent, also according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The sales tax, formally known as the State Sales and Use Tax, is imposed on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Texas cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts have the option of imposing an additional local sales tax for a combined total of state and local taxes of 8 1/4% (.0825). 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. The amount of local sales taxes collected also helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends. 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, Elías Longoria, Jr., Harvey Rodríguez, Jr., Richard Rupert, and Dr. Peter Dabrowski.
•••••• (more…)
by Legislative Media | Sep 21, 2016 | Politics
Featured: An interior view of a Bob’s Steak & Chop House, the Dallas-based steakhouse system which has a presence in San Francisco, Tuscon, Nashville, and numerous other locations, and soon, in New York City and Edinburg. Bob’s unique atmosphere combines the old world elegance of rich mahogany booths, a polished bar and white, crisp table linens with modern, business casual attire. Celebrated by a loyal, repeat clientele, as well as new customers seeking more than just a restaurant, the highly-rated steakhouse, which will open locally in 2017, received a building permit from Edinburg’s Code Enforcement Department for the most valuable construction project in August 2016, worth $2.5 million.
Image Courtesy BOB’S STEAK & CHOP HOUSE
Construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through August 2016 have passed the $166 million level, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has reported, with the month of August 2016 accounting for more than $13.8 million of that amount. The top construction projects in Edinburg for August 2016, not including the value of the land, are: $2,500,000 – First Hartford Realty Corp., 613 E. Trenton Road, The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley Subdivision; $300,000 – Jacob & Jonathan Innovative Construction, 2302 Holland Avenue, Jackson Heights Subdivision; $289,000 – Timoteo Salinas, 4919 June Drive, Summerfield Manor Subdivision; $288,147 – Juan G. Soto, 707 Casa Vieja Street, Tierra Divina Estates Subdivision; and $275,000 – Israel Mata, 1131 N. Monmack Road, Monmack Terrace #2 Subdivision.First Hartford Realty Corp.’s building permit for work value at $2.5 million is for the construction of a 9,000 square-foot Bob’s Steak & Chop House, which will serve as the featured anchor of a 25,000 square-foot restaurants plaza at The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley. The ground breaking ceremony for First Hartford’s Bob’s Steak & Chop House is tentatively set for Tuesday, October 18, 2016, with the grand opening set for Spring 2017, said Peter Higgins, Vice President/Director of Leasing for Leasing at First Hartford 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. Mayor Richard García and Agustín García, Jr., are not related.
•••••• (more…)
by Legislative Media | Sep 16, 2016 | Politics
Featured: A frontal view of the 50,000 square-foot building that will feature a Trane dealer sales office and warehouse, which is set to open on October 1, 2016 at the Owassa Lakes Business Park in Edinburg.
Photograph By DANIEL J. GALVÁN, CCIM
Edinburg is joining San Antonio and Austin as the latest sites for Trane, a world leader in air conditioning systems, services and solutions, to open company-owned dealer sales office and warehouse complexes that locally will eventually create as many as 200 jobs at the Owassa Lakes Business Park, located near Interstate Highway 69C. The announcement, made by leaders with Trane, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and Coldwell Banker Commercial, brings with it more positive news – the business park, which was first built in 2000, will now be at 100 percent occupancy, allowing CTC Distribution Ltd., which owns the complex, to begin planning for another 50,000 square-foot expansion. “‘Nothing stops a Trane’ is the famous slogan for this U.S.-based, global company, which sees Edinburg and deep South Texas as the place to be and in which to invest millions of dollars,” said Mayor Richard García. “Well, nothing stops Edinburg in protecting and promoting economic development in our city, from the Mom-and-Pop small businesses to the giants of industry, such as Trane, and many other Fortune1,000 businesses which have a strong and proud presence in our rapidly growing hometown.”
•••••• (more…)
by Legislative Media | Sep 10, 2016 | Politics
Board members, students, teachers, and staff with the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, along with other community leaders, including Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina, recognized Sgt. Francisco Barrientes on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, during a public celebration of the 10th anniversary of naming Barrientes Middle School in his honor. Featured, from left: ECISD Superintendent Dr. René Gutiérrez; ECISD School Board Member Carmen González; Alex Ríos, District Director for State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Sgt. Francisco Barrientes; Edinburg Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina; Robert López, Principal, Barrientes Middle School; Eva T. Torres, ECISD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction; and ECISD School Board Member Ellie M. Torres, the immediate past Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. Mayor Pro Tem Molina is one of two veterans who serve on City Council. Mayor Richard H. García is also a U.S. Army veteran.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Edinburg’s retail economy during July 2016 showed a more than 3.4 percent improvement over July 2015, which was the second-best showing among all major Valley cities – and much better than the statewide average for all cities in Texas, which was down 1.6 percent from the same month last year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. For the first seven months of 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy – as measured by local sales taxes generated from purchases of eligible goods and services – also remained healthy, showing an almost five percent improvement over January through July 2015. During the first seven months of 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $15,890,309.11 in local sales taxes, compared with $15,140,562.15 for January through July 2016, representing an improvement of 4.95 percent.For July 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $1,601,962.79 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,549,113.91 during the same period in 2015, representing the improvement of 3.41 percent, also 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. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Elías Longoria, Jr., Harvey Rodríguez, Jr., Richard Rupert, and Dr. Peter Dabrowski.
•••••• (more…)
by Legislative Media | Aug 25, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Leaders gathered in front of the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg in support of migrant farmworkers from the Rio Grande Valley during the 1966 melon strike that featured a walk from Starr County through Edinburg to Austin seeking better working conditions and pay for workers, which helped ignite the Chicano Movement in Texas.
Photograph Courtesy LA UNÍON DEL PUEBLO ENTERO (LUPE)
Edinburg and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday, September 9, 2016, will serve as sites for the 50th anniversary celebration of the 1966 melon strike by Texas farmworkers that resulted in more civil rights for labor and Hispanics, and helped ignite the Chicano Movement in Texas.The event, which is being hosted by the United Farmworkers, will begin at 9 a.m. at the courtyard of the International Trade and Technology Building at the Edinburg university, 1201 West University Drive. At 9:30 a.m., participants will continue with a march to the Edinburg City Hall Courtyard, followed by a program inside the adjacent City Auditorium, located at 415 W. University Drive, beginning at 10 a.m. The announcement of the upcoming celebration came on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, during the public comment portion of the Edinburg City Council meeting at Edinburg City Hall. As part of that news, Mayor Richard García and the City Council – Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Councilmember J.R. Betancourt, and Councilmember David Torres – unanimously approved a city proclamation recognizing the impact and importance of the 1966 melon strike on the Valley and Texas. García also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Mayor and Edinburg City Council.
•••••• (more…)
