by Legislative Media | Dec 28, 2007 | Politics |
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, featured second from right in this file photo, is hoping to get a new, four-year term to the Texas Senate if no one files against him by 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 2, the deadline for candidates who want to place their names on the ballot for the March 4 party primaries in Texas. As of Thursday, December 27, the veteran legislator, whose Senate District 20 includes Edinburg, remained unopposed, according to the Texas Democratic Party. Only those candidates whose constituency covers multiple counties are required to file with the Texas Democratic Party. If Hinojosa draws no opponents, his new four-year term will begin in January 2009. His district includes part of Hidalgo County, along with all of Brooks, Jim Wells, and Nueces counties. Local legislative races also up for grabs that affect Edinburg include the expected battle between two Democrats – Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and Eddie Sáenz – and next fall’s upcoming contest between Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, and Javier Villalobos, a Republican. Gonzáles’ House District 41 includes southwest Edinburg.
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Edinburg High School’s twin brother athletes Roberto (featured left) and Ricardo Vergara, 17, were honored recently by the Edinburg school board with a resolution recognizing their many accomplishments in race walking. Both young men are members of the South Texas Walking Club which promotes health and fitness through competitive walking. In addition to be outstanding in their academics, the brothers also have built international athletic reputations. Along with the Edinburg school board members featured in this portrait, the two brothers also were joined by their former elementary school – and now Edinburg High School – principal, Maria Luisa Guerra, shown here in the first row, second from right. A.C. Jaime, featured third row, first on left, has been the coach and mentor for the Vergara brothers. See story later in this posting.
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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 | Dec 7, 2007 | Politics |
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, featured here on Tuesday, November 27, after endorsing the reelection of Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, has been appointed to the Joint Interim Committee on State Water Funding by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. The legislative committee will focus on key issues for state water funding for future planning projects. The committee was created as part of SB 3, a comprehensive statewide water bill that was passed during the last legislative session. Hinojosa said water will remain a top issue for Texas for many generations to come. “SB 3 was a key piece of legislation for the future of water use in Texas,” Hinojosa said. “I look forward to working with the committee on one of the state’s most important natural resources.” While it appears that Hinojosa may not draw an opponent for his Texas Senate seat, Gonzáles is facing a challenge from fellow McAllen attorney Javier Villalobos, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination. Gonzáles laid out her platform during her campaign rally, held in McAllen. See story about her political rally, along with a transcript of her speech, later in this posting
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Two of the area’s more well-known political leaders, La Joya Mayor Billy Leo, featured left, and Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, strike a pose for a portrait shot during the November 27 campaign kick-off of Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen. Although the two men share the Democratic Party designation, Leo favors the election of a Democrat to be Speaker of the House of Representatives in Austin in January 2009, while Peña has pledged his support to the incumbent Speaker of the House, Tom Craddick, a Republican from Midland. The Speaker of the House is arguably the most powerful position in the Texas Legislature, with the power of life and death over all measures considered in the 150-member House of Representatives. The speaker is elected every two years by the House members. Peña’s opponent for the March 4 Democratic Party primary nomination is Eddie Sáenz, also of Edinburg, who has promised to vote for a Democrat for Speaker if Sáenz defeats Peña. See story on Peña filing for reelection and story on Sáenz opposing a voter I.D. bill, both included later in this posting.
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Stephen López of Edinburg belts out a patriotic song on Tuesday, November 27, with an image of Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, appearing to look on in approval. López, a gifted singer whose talents have put him in demand at political and social gatherings in the Valley, continues to take the region by storm with his dynamic voice and stage presence. This latest performance helped kick off the campaign reelection bid for Gonzáles, who is facing a challenge from fellow McAllen attorney Javier Villalobos, a candidate for the Republican Party nomination.
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Tuesday, October 30, held a formal ceremony to dedicate the Mario E. Ramírez, M.D., Library at the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) in Harlingen. Ramírez, who practiced family medicine in Starr County for 43 years, served on the UT System Board of Regents from 1989 to 1995. At its August meeting, the board approved a request by the Health Science Center to name the library for Ramírez. In this portrait, Ramírez, featured left, stands near a plaque that was to be posted outside of the Mario E. Ramírez, M.D., Library at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio/Regional Academic Health Center/Harlingen Campus. With Ramírez are his wife, Sarah; son, Roberto L. Ramírez; daughter, Patsy Kittleman; and daughter-in-law, Liza Ramírez. See story later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Nov 29, 2007 | Politics
Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, on Tuesday, November 27, addressed several hundred supporters in McAllen during her campaign reelection bid kick-of. Gonzáles, whose House District 41 includes southwest Edinburg, is seeking a third two-year term. She is facing fellow McAllen attorney Javier Villalobos, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for the legislative post. A complete story, along with a transcript of her speech, will be posted in next week’s edition of http://www.EdinburgPolitics.com
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Dan Ríos, featured left, has added to the honors bestowed upon his Edinburg family with his recent appointment by Gov. Rick Perry as the new judge of the 449th Judicial District Court in Edinburg. Ríos, who will be stepping down as city attorney for Edinburg, is shown here earlier this fall, along his his mother, Mary Ann, and brother, Luis, accepting a legislative proclamation, signed by Perry, from Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen. House Concurrent Resolution 195, authored by Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, and sponsored by Hinojosa, paid tribute to the late patriarch of the local family, Dr. Luis M. Ríos, Sr., a plastic surgeon who passed away last February. Dan Ríos succeeds Judge Maxine Longoria-Nash as judge of a district court that will focus on juvenile cases. Ríos, a Republican, may seek election to the bench in November 2008, otherwise his term will be up on December 31, 2008. If no other Republican files for his spot, he would face either Democrats Longoria-Nash or Jesse Contreras, who are seeking the Democratic Party primary nomination in March. The Rios family is not new to politics; Mary Ann Rios ran a closer-than-expected race in the 1990s as the Republican nominee against incumbent Rep. Eddie de La Garza. Dan Rios is expected to be sworn into office within two weeks. Featured in this portrait, from left, are Dan, Mary Ann, Hinojosa, and Luis Rios, Jr. See story later in this posting.
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South Texas College and area business leaders on Friday, November 16, gathered with community leaders from across the Rio Grande Valley to celebrate its new bachelor’s degree program – a rarity for community colleges nationwide. Featured in this portrait, posing with a framed copy of the state law that authorized the Bachelors of Applied Technology in Computer and Information Technologies are, from left: Irene García, chair of the STC Board of Trustees and mother-in-law to Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview; Reed; Robert W. Sheppard, chair of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Danny King; and Flores. See story later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Nov 23, 2007 | Politics |
The newest members of Edinburg’s Tejano Walk of Fame, which honors the titans of the music genre, were joined by the Edinburg City Council on Thursday, November 15, for a portrait during a ceremony, hosted by The Social Club, commemorating the legendary musicians’ contributions to the Hispanic culture. Featured, from left, are: City Councilmember Noe Garza; inductees Emilio and Genaro Aguilar of Los Aguilares of San Antonio; inductee Gilberto Pérez of Mercedes; Mayor Joe Ochoa; inductee Gilberto López of Edinburg; inductee Paulino Bernal of McAllen; and inductee Freddy Martínez of Corpus Christi. “Edinburg, the Tejano Capital of the Valley, continues to promote the Tejano Walk of Fame, which brings international attention, not only to our diverse cultural riches, but also our shared history and sound music to the city,” said Ochoa. “These great artists surely characterize our culture and heritage through their outstanding musical contributions.”
See lead story later in this posting.
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Freddy Martínez of Corpus Christi, featured left, proudly displays the marble plaque bearing a star with his name that will become part of the Tejano Walk of Fame in Edinburg. Martínez, featured here with Mayor Joe Ochoa during the Tejano Walk of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, November 15, is an internationally-renowned musician and producer whose many achievements earned him the honor from the three-time All-America City. Profiles on him, and the other four inductees, are featured following the lead story in this posting.
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Dr. Noel Oliveira, M.D. an internal medicine specialist who also plays with the group, Renaissance Rockers, plays guitar with vocalist Little Joe booming out a song during the scholarship fund raising concert that was held in conjunction with the Tejano Walk of Fame on Thursday, November 15. The event, which honors legendary talents of the Tejano music genre, is also designed to raise scholarship funds for music majors at the University of Texas-Pan American. See lead story later in this posting.
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