by Legislative Media | Sep 5, 2007 | Politics |
Principal participants with Hidalgo County Road Builders are featured in Edinburg on August 9 after being chosen by the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority as the agent to develop a proposed Southern Loop Project in Hidalgo County. The RMA’s next scheduled session has been announced – the governmental entity will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, September 12, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the City Commissioner’s Room, located on the second floor of Pharr City Hall, 118 S. Cage Boulevard. The agenda for that session will be posted three days before the meeting at http://www.lrgvdc.org/RMA/meetings.html. Included in this portrait shot are (center, first row) Gerry E. Pate, P.E., managing partner of Hidalgo County Road Builders and Pate Transportation Partners, and to his right, Jennie N. Taraborelli, a partner with Pate Transportation Partners.
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Mikal Watts, featured right, a probably Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, was in Edinburg recently, flanked by area mayors, including, from left, Salvador Vela of Alton, Gumaro Flores of Sullivan City, and Jorge Garcia of Palmview. The Labor Day weekend represents the traditional kick-off for major political campaigns, such as Watts’ hopes to unseat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in November 2008. But first, Watts may face Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, who is also considering a run for the March 2008 Democratic Party nomination to challenge Cornyn. Watts has picked up key endorsements in Edinburg, including support from: Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, III; Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg; and Mayor Joe Ochoa. Recently, Noriega announced endorsements from two former Democratic Party icons – Gov. Dolph Briscoe and Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby. See story later in this posting.
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The amount of bank deposits in Edinburg has passed $1 billion, a new record, while new construction activities continued strong, approaching $123 million between January and July 2007, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. “Edinburg’s economy is growing rapidly and the bank deposits reaching the billion dollar mark shows the level of investment interest in Edinburg and strong business activity taking place,” said Ramiro Garza, Jr., executive director of the EEDC. The EEDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council, is governed by a five-person board of directors, which includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, former mayor Richard García, who is the EEDC board president, and Fred Palacios, Mike Govind, and Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, Ph.D. Included in this photograph that featured local business leaders announcing the milestone is City Councilmember Gene Espinoza, featured right. See story later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Aug 28, 2007 | Politics |
Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, thanks several hundred supporters on Friday, August 24, as she participates as a model for her unique fund raiser, which featured her and other lawmakers in a fashion style show at the Embassy Suites in McAllen. She picked up almost $50,000 for her campaign war chest, along with endorsements from key political figures. She is facing at least one opponent in 2008: Republican Javier Villalobos. Both of them are McAllen-based attorneys. See story later in this posting.
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Estella Treviño, longtime executive director for the Edinburg Housing Authority, beamed with pride on Monday, August 20, as she posed with the Edinburg City Council, which presented her a proclamation chronicling many of her achievements on behalf of the community. Among her accomplishments are helping provide affordable housing to thousands of residents, creating opportunities for property owners to rent homes to qualified families, and fighting the negative image of public housing. “Ms. Treviño and the agency have received a host of awards for her diligent efforts including the Outstanding Services Award in 1975; the Specific Activity Award for outstanding programs offered through the Drug Elimination Program in 1994; the Award for Excellence in Youth Sports in 1995; the Family Self-Sufficiency Program Award in 1996; the Texas NAHRO Member of the Year Award in 1998; and the 2005 Texas NAHRO Hall of Fame Award,” said Mayor Pro Tem Alma Garza. “Widely known as an advocate of public housing and the elderly Ms. Treviño has changed the agency from merely providing assisted housing to helping residents achieve self-sufficiency and marketable skills enabling many of them to move beyond subsidized housing to homeownership.”
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South Texas College’s Valley Scholars Program is celebrating its 10th anniversary at its annual Night with the Stars this October. The special event is designed to celebrate 10 years of academic excellence and pay tribute to ten outstanding Valley Scholar students, who have continued on to successful careers and have made positive changes in their communities. The celebration will take place on Thursday, October 4, 2007 at the Cimarron Country Club and will be an evening of celebration, recognition and entertainment. All proceeds from the event will benefit future South Texas College Valley Scholars Program students. As a result of the 2006 event, more than $40,000 was raised for the program. The coordinating team for the event includes, from left, seated: Sora Yañez, graphic designer; Marie Olivárez, STC Valley Scholars coordinator, Anahid Petrosian STC Assistant to the Vice President for Instructional Services , and Sylvia Bernal, administrative assistant. From left, standing, are: Roberto Gutiérrez, STC Fundraising Development Associate; George McCaleb, STC Director of Operations; and Ginna Gutiérrez, secretary.
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by Legislative Media | Aug 22, 2007 | Politics |
Ricardo Pérez of La Joya, featured first on left, on August 9 became the newest member of the Regional Mobility Authority board of directors, which a public entity that will have tremendous influence over the creation of major roadway systems in Hidalgo County, including a planned $643 million southern loop. Pérez’ first major action on the board involved voting to select Hidalgo County Road Builders, led by Gary E. Pate, P.E. of Houston, to serve as the agent for the Southern Loop Project. Pérez’ status as the newest RMA board member may be temporary if fellow RMA board member Rubén Plata, featured first on right, is elected to the Mission City Commission later this fall. If Plata wins his bid, the bylaws of the RMA prohibit any elected official from serving on the governing board, and Plata would have to be replaced. The current RMA board featured here, from left, are: Pérez, the branch president of Rio Bank Palmview, and who was appointed by Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, III; Joe Olivárez of Weslaco, the operations manager for L.C. Olivárez and Company, Inc. of Weslaco; Rick Pérez of McAllen and RMA vice-chairman, who is an attorney in the Pérez Law Firm of McAllen; Dennis Burleson of Mission, the RMA chairman who was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, and who Vice-President of A.G. Edwards Financial Services in Mission; Ramiro E. Salazar of McAllen, a retired civil engineer; Ruben Serna of Pharr, who is retired from the U.S. Customs Agency; and Plata of Mission, who is branch president for First National Bank in Mission.
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The 2nd Jewels of the Valley Conference and Business Expo, for aspiring ‘Women Entrepreneurs of the 21st Century,’ will feature Mónica A. García Pleiman from Denver, Colo. as the keynote luncheon speaker. The conference is scheduled for August 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center located at 700 Convention Center Blvd. in McAllen. In June 2006, Pleiman launched Latino SUAVE Magazine, a bi-monthly publication written in both English and Spanish, which focuses on the lives of Latinos. The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is a sponsor of the event. See story later this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 31, 2007 | Politics |
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, on Thursday, July 26, successfully passed an amendment to H.R. 2638 / S. 1644, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill, which will prevent Congress from dictating to states where border fencing will be built. Hutchison, shown in this file photo earlier in the year with Larry R. Faulkner, president of the University of Texas at Austin (left) and Kenneth M. Jastrow, II, chief executive officer of Temple-Inland, received key help on the amendment from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. See story later in this posting.
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Sen. Juan “Chuy”” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, featured right, was honored Saturday, July 28 with the 2007 Patient Advocacy Award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians for his work during the 80th legislative session in fighting for transparency in managed care contracts and protecting taxpayer money. The award was presented during the TAFP’s 58th annual scientific assembly in Corpus Christi at the American Bank Center. Hinojosa is featured here in Edinburg with Social Life Magazine publisher Pepe Cabeza de Vaca. See story later in this posting.••••••
Gov. Rick Perry, seated, was joined by South Texas College leaders and legislators on Thursday, July 19, at the State Capitol for a ceremonial bill-signing ceremony authorizing the creation of a STC Rural Technology Center in Starr County. The Rural Technology Center will be managed by STC in partnership with local public schools, libraries, learning centers, businesses, and the local community. STC will also fund the annual operating costs. Participants will be able to learn about computers and information technology, explore related career pathways, further their education through the development of skills in the area of technology, and much more. Featured in this photograph are, from left: STC President Dr. Shirley Reed; Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview; Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, the author of the law; Irene García of Mission, chair of the STC Board of Trustees; STC board trustee Manuel Benavides of Rio Grande City; Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, the author of the law; and Palmview Mayor Jorge García. 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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