by Legislative Media | Jul 20, 2008 | Politics
The University of Texas-Pan American Foundation and VAMOS, the Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarships announced at a press conference on Thursday, July 10 that they will partner to create the VAMOS/UTPAF Endowed Scholarship Program. VAMOS donated $1 million to the UTPA Foundation to kick off the program, and the University Foundation matched the funds. Pictured center, from left, holding the check, are: Sonia Falcón, VAMOS president; Alonzo Cantú, VAMOS chairman emeritus and UTPA Foundation board member; and Dr. Blandina “Bambi” Cárdenas, UTPA president. Standing, from left, are Rodrigo Reyna, VAMOS board member; Lydia P. Alemán, UTPA University Advancement executive director; David Deanda, VAMOS board member; Paul Rodríguez, VAMOS board member; Bill Ellis Jr., UTPA Foundation board member; A.R. (Felo) Guerra, UTPA Foundation board member; Heather Margain, VAMOS executive director; Alma De La Garza, UTPA Foundation board member; and R. David Guerra, UTPA Foundation chair. See story later in this posting.
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South Texas Health System, which includes Edinburg Regional Medical Center, Edinburg Children’s Hospital, and the South Texas Behavioral Health Center in Edinburg, is ranked among the top 10 contributors of the United Way of South Texas annual charity fundraiser. Its collection of $55,724 from hospital employees in the local system, which also includes McAllen Heart Heart Hospital and McAllen Medical Center, ranked it number seven among corporate employee donors. The United Way of South Texas helps fund various community organizations using these dollars to help local youth succeed, strengthen and support families, provide employment placement for the disabled, elderly assistance, transportation assistance, emergency center, CPS training, and many other services critical to Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley. Featured at Edinburg Regional Medical Center, from left, are: Thelma Garza; Joe Garza; Gilda Romero; Roxanna Godínez; Doug Matney; Lisa Killion; Linda Reséndez; Joel Peña; Joe Riley; and Ismael Morán.
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Janie Cabellero, featured left, a business advisor with the Small Business Development Center at the University of Texas-Pan American, and Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, president and CEO of the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, are making final preparations for a major workshop that will help area residents seeking to invest in both start-ups and established commercial enterprises in the United States. The seminar, which will be conducted in Spanish, will be held on Wednesday, July 30, in the third floor meeting room at the McAllen Memorial Library, 601 N. Main Street. The free seminar on foreign investments will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. “Pasaporte al Éxito: Estrategias Claves Immigratorias de los EE.UU. para el 2008 y en Adelante” will cover the eligibility for investor visa categories, preparation and lodging of visa applications on behalf of immigrant investors; typical guidance and strategy development on the most effective methods for obtaining foreign investors visa status; and information regarding renewal, maintenance and change of status for foreign investors. The Spanish session is being hosted by the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the UTPA Small Business Development Center. It will be presented by Tindall & Foster, P.C., one of the nation’s largest law firms specializing in immigration law, which enjoys a national reputation in this field. Pre-registration is required to secure a seat. Call the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at 928-0060.
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Mayor Joe Ochoa, featured left, presents a proclamation to Officer Balde Gómez, center, and Chief of Police Quirino Muñoz on Tuesday, July 15, designating Tuesday, August 5 as “Edinburg’s Night Against Crime”. The 13th annual event, being hosted by the Edinburg Crime Stoppers Association, is part of a nationwide effort to empower citizens to work with local law enforcement to help spot, prevent, and discourage criminal activities in their hometowns. In Edinburg, the event will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Edinburg Municipal Park, located at 714 South Raúl Longoria Road. Parking and admission to the local event is free and open to the public. There will be booths where food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, and live concerts – also free – will be featured during the evening. Robert Pulido y Los Clasicos, Riley y Los Gilitos, Los Badd Boys del Valle, and the 24/7 rock band will perform during the evening. Prizes, vendors, kid rides, and a special guest appearance by the Green Ghost will also be featured. Last year’s event drew more than 5,000 people. More information is available by calling the Edinburg Police Department at 383-7124. ••••••
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by Legislative Media | Jun 28, 2008 | Politics
A high-resolution map of the proposed routes for the $650 million Hidalgo County Loop, including the northern loop that would impact Edinburg featured in this graphics, is now available on the Internet, either by clicking on the ad icon posted on the left side of this page, or by logging on to the web site of the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority. Also, public hearing on the proposed routes have been scheduled for late July, including two that will focus on the northern loop near Edinburg, know as Section C and Section D. Section C proposes to connect U.S. Expressway 83 near Peñitas north to U.S. Highway 281 north of Edinburg. Section D of the planned loop – which proposes to connect from U.S. Expressway 83 between Alamo and Donna to U.S. Highway 281 near Edinburg. Section C will be discussed on Wednesday, July 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Elementary Cafeteria, 1801 Diamond Avenue in Peñitas. On Tuesday, July 29, Section D will be reviewed in a public hearing to take place at the Edinburg North High School Library, 3101 N. Closner, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Hidalgo County Loop is a planned $650 million to $750 million roadway system that will be designed to direct heavy commercial cargo trucks away from population centers as they transport their goods between Texas and Mexico. Persons interested in attending any of the five scheduled public hearings in Hidalgo (July 22), Peñitas (July 23), Donna (July 24), Edinburg (July 29), or McAllen (July 30) may contact the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority at 956/565-9813.
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South Texas College on Tuesday, June 24, honored Edinburg native and Vietnam veteran Edward “Ned” Pillow Cooper, dedicating the college’s new 27,825 square foot Cooper Center for Communication Arts in his name and memory. Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pecan Main Campus in McAllen included, from left: Dr. Alejo Salinas Jr. and Irene Garcia, members of STC’s Board of Trustees; Gary Gurwitz, vice-chair of STC’s Board of Trustees; and Dr. Shirley A. Reed, STC president. “Edward ‘Ned’ Cooper was born in Edinburg, attended the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo schools and eventually lived in McAllen. He was well liked and respected by his classmates, friends and the community. As a Navy navigator, he gave his absolute best for his country,” said Salinas. “Mrs. Edwynne Cooper, his mother, requested that ‘Ned’ be honored in some fashion for giving his life to his country during the Vietnam War. The Board of Trustees of STC chose to honor both ‘Ned’ and his mother by naming the state of art building for the performing arts in their honor.” Additional details and photographs of the new facility are available through the STC website by logging on to: http://www.southtexascollege.edu/coopercenter/gallery/photos/building/index.html. See story later in this posting.
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Some of the members of the Edinburg Home Buyers Expo Committee, recently formed to help area residents overcome obstacles faced in trying to buy a new home, listened to Elva Jackson-Garza, featured at the podium addressing the Edinburg City Council on Tuesday, June 17. The citizens volunteer group announced it will sponsor the event on Saturday, July 26 at Edinburg North High School from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The sessions will allow any resident, at no charge, to learn about the home buying process, ranging from securing financing to understanding real estate terminology. From left are: Edna Peña with Horizon Properties; Manuel Cantú, Jr. with Rio Valley Realty; Elias Longoria, Jr., a member of the board of directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Ramiro Garza, Jr., EEDC executive director; Marty Martin, Rio Valley Realty; and Sam Saxena, Rapid Mortage. There are almost 30 real estate industry professionals involved in the planning of the Edinburg Home Buyers Expo. See story later in this posting.
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Screen Actors Guild performers Estephania LeBaron and Valente Rodríguez, most famous for starring on ABC’s The George López Show, recently rehearsed a scene for an upcoming movie, The Red Queen, which is being filmed by University Theatre Productions at the University of Texas-Pan American. The movie, an action-thriller that focuses on a young woman’s search for the true identity of her deceased mother, is scheduled to complete location shooting the first week in July, with hopes that it can compete in major film festivals later this fall. On Tuesday, June 24, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation approved a $10,000 grant to help in the production of the film, which will include scenes that feature Edinburg, and also expose UT-Pan American on a national and level. See lead story in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Jun 21, 2008 | Politics
Edinburg Fire Chief Shawn Snider, featured here with his wife, the former Edna Casas, and their 13-year-old daughter, Sarah, on Tuesday, June 17, was honored by the Edinburg City Council for his recent selection as president of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals Association of Texas. In the 132-year history of the group, only three other Valley residents – including two other fire chiefs from Edinburg – have ever held the top leadership position of the association. Snider, who was born in San Diego, California on July 10, 1964, and was raised by his grandparents in San Juan, has been Edinburg Fire Chief since 1991. He now resides in Edinburg. See story later in this posting.
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The Region One Education Service Center is one step closer to realizing a 38,171 square foot expansion to its Edinburg facility, located immediately west of the University of Texas-Pan American. The new construction, which officially began with a May 7 groundbreaking ceremony, will increase its size from 74,000 square feet to more than 112,000 square feet. The total project will take about 474 days, with a completion date in mid-August 2009. Featured in this portrait taken at the groundbreaking are, from left: Region One Board of Trustees members Abel Cavazos (Place 7-Willacy County); Alicia E. Requenez (Place 1-Hidalgo County); Dora Ruiz (Place 5-Cameron County); Jack Damron (executive director); Richard R. Cantú (Place 4-Hidalgo County); Dr. Manuel Gómez, Jr., (Place 6-Cameron County); and Noé R. Sánchez (Place 2-Jim Hogg, Starr, and Zapata Counties). See story later in this posting.
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U. S. Representative Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, featured left, along with Rex Tillerson, the chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon, on Thursday, June 19, were chosen as the 2008 recipients of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) Inspira Award. The annual award honors leadership in education and community service for Latinos and for inspiring a new generation of Hispanic leaders in the United States. Actor and CSI: Miami star Adam Rodríguez will be the third Inspira Award recipient and presented during the National Youth Awards Ceremony in Kansas City, Missouri on July 11. See story later in this posting.
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Former Mayor Richard García, feature here in a file photo, was reappointed by the Edinburg City Council to another two-year term on the board of directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council. He currently serves as the president of the EEDC board of directors. Under García’s leadership, as well as during the first and current administrations of Mayor Joe Ochoa, Edinburg has seen unprecedented economic development and growth in new construction, record-low unemployment rates, advances in higher education, and the development of a significant medical corridor that includes two comprehensive hospitals, a women’s hospital, a children’s hospital, two behavioral health care centers, a high-tech cancer treatment complex, and a University of Texas Regional Academic Health Center. “I’ve seen Richard García in action, and he’s not doing just a good job, he’s doing an excellent job in bringing commerce to this city,” said Councilmember Alma Garza. “In my opinion, it is in the city’s best interest to keep him in this position.” See lead story in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Apr 18, 2008 | Politics
Key leaders of the Texas Border Coalition, welcomed here by Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, a member of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (featured bottom row, second from left), on Tuesday, April 15, in Edinburg spoke against federal government plans to build 2,000-mile border wall designed to stop terrorists from illegally crossing into the United States. Opponents against the wall say border security can be better enhanced with additional Border Patrol agents and high-technology detection systems. The wall, TBC leaders have contended, will hurt the border economies while doing little to stem the threat of terrorism. “It affects us very directly,” contended Martínez. “Many of us have a family members, friends, business relations across the border, and building a fence sends a message that we are breaking ties with them.” The international gathering, which included mayors from Mexican cities, will help spread the right image about border concerns, as well as favorably portray the local university. “It really shines a light on us and allows us to fulfill one of our functions as a major university – to project local knowledge to the world,” Martínez reflected on the event. The TBC forum was hosted by The University of Texas-Pan American. See lead story later in this posting.
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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez (center) was escorted by Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg (left) and McAllen Mayor Richard Cortéz upon his arrival at the University of Texas-Pan American on Thursday, April 11, for the opening of the Rapid Response Manufacturing Center. See story later in this posting.
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The development of a world-class advanced manufacturing industry in the Rio South Texas Region is one step closer following the official opening on Thursday, April 11 of the Rapid Response Manufacturing Center (RRMC) at The University of Texas-Pan American. UTPA President Dr. Blandina Cárdenas welcomed more than 200 representatives from education, business and government and presided over a ceremony that included remarks from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez, U.S. Representatives Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, and Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen, and South Texas College President Dr. Shirley Reed. Featured, front, from left, are: right Dr. John Lloyd, RRMC director; Reed; Blas Castañeda, chief development officer, Laredo Community College; Cuellar; Gutiérrez; Dr. Blandina “Bambi” Cárdenas; and Hinojosa. See story later in this posting.
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by Legislative Media | Jan 4, 2008 | Politics |
Eddie Sáenz, featured second from right, on Monday, December 31, officially filed for state representative, House District 40, to challenge Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, in the March 4 Democratic Party primary. Sáenz was joined by his family and by Juan Maldonado, Hidalgo County Democratic Party chairman, and Maldonado’s son, Juan, at the county Democratic Party headquarters in Pharr. Sáenz said that under the legislative terms of Peña and Peña’s Austin allies, hundreds of thousands of eligible children have been stripped of their health benefits, college tuition costs have almost doubled at Texas’ flagship university, families and small business are charged an average of 54 percent more in utilities, and homeowners are forced to pay more than twice the national average to insure their homes. Peña, meanwhile, criticized Sáenz for failing to appear at a local Democratic Party event onj Wednesday evening, January 2, hinting of some of the attacks Peña, a local trial lawyer, will launch against Sáenz, a civil engineer: “Based on information that has reached our campaign on his residence and his disregard and failure to appear at tonight’s important Democratic function for a minimal debate he should really consider dropping out of the race,” Peña wrote in his political website. Featured with Sáenz in this portrait are, from left, his wife, Sandra; Juan Maldonado and his father, Juan Maldonado; Eddie Sáenz; and Eddie and Sandra’s daughter, Cassie. See story later in this posting.
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McAllen attorney Javier Villalobos, left, hears from a potential constituent, Fred Zambrano, last summer in McAllen at the onset of Villalobos’ campaign run for state representative, House District 41 – currently held by Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen – which includes southwest Edinburg. Villalobos filed as a Republican candidate on Wednesday, January 2, marking his official first entry as a political candidate. If elected, Villalobos would be the first Republican to win a state representative seat in Hidalgo County. In addition to Villalobos/ Gonzáles race, which won’t be decided until the November 2008 presidential election, there are two other contested battles for the Texas Legislature in Hidalgo County. Eddie Sáenz and Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, are involved in the House 40 Democratic Party primary contest, and Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview, is being challenged by Sandra Rodríguez for the House 36 legislative post.
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Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, featured left during a recent event at the University of Texas Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen, was one of three Hidalgo County lawmakers who drew no opponents for their respective legislative seats in 2008. In addition to Lucio, Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, also will be unopposed for reelection. Lucio and Hinojosa will begin serving new, four-year terms beginning in January 2009; Martínez will begin serving a new, two-year term in January 2009.
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