AG Abbott files lawsuit in Edinburg to stop “Indian tribe” from promising U.S. citizenship to immigrants
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.
