by Legislative Media | Dec 27, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Former Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa, along with his son, Omar Ochoa, meet with Congressman Vicente González, D-Edinburg, on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Embassy Suites in McAllen, where the U.S. lawmaker was hosting a Christmas celebration for his supporters and to collect toys for deserving area children as Christmas gifts. The former mayor was recently appointed by the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council to serve on the Edinburg Planning and Zoning Commission. Ochoa was elected by his fellow board members as Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Richard Molina represents the City Council on the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning staff administers the review of development projects to ensure compliance with the city regulations, coordinates pre-submittal meetings and administers the zoning and platting process. The staff also prepares reports, presents site data and recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council regarding rezoning, special use permits, and subdivision plats.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Total construction activities in Edinburg from January through October 2017, including more than $22.5 million for the month ofOctober, has passed the quarter-billion dollarlevel, compared with $188.7million during the first 10 months of 2016, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. During October 2017, new construction of multi-family residences and new construction of new homes led the way, with the issuance of building permits for investments valued at almost $14.9 million and more than $5.8 million, respectively. Those year-to-date and monthly totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. The top construction projects in Edinburg for October 2017, not including the value of the land, are: $12,500,000 – EHA Liberty Village, LTD, 4710 Veterans Blvd., Liberty Village Subdivision (Multi-Family Residences New Construction), and $1,250,000 – South Texas Museum, 200 N. Closner Blvd., Edinburg Original Townsite Subdivision (Non-Taxable Additions/Repairs).The Edinburg EDC is the jobs-creation arm of Mayor Richard Molina, Mayor Pro-Tem David Torres, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez, and Councilmember Jorge Salinas. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of City Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez as President, Edinburg School Board Trustee Miguel “Mike” Farías as Vice-President, Isael Posadas, P.E., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Julio César Carranza and Noé Sauceda, Ph.D. as Members. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits.
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by Legislative Media | Nov 26, 2017 | Politics
Dr. John H. Krouse (at center), Dean of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine and Vice President for Health Affairs, participated with state and federal lawmakers in a panel discussion on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 hosted by The Texas Tribune on healthcare reform. The event was held at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance in Edinburg. Featured, from left, are: Evan Smith, CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune; Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Krouse; Rep. Óscar Longoria, D-La Joya; and Congressman. Filemón Vela, D-Brownsville. The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
Total construction activities in Edinburg from January through September 2017, including more than $11.2 million for the month of September, reached almost $229 million, compared with almost $180 million during the first nine months of 2016, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. During September 2017, new construction of commercial facilities and new construction of new homes and multi-family residences led the way, with the issuance of building permits for investments valued at almost $3.9 million and more than $3 million, respectively. Those year-to-date and monthly totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campuses. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits. The top construction project in Edinburg for September 2017, not including the value of the land, are: $2,000,000 – South Texas International Airport at Edinburg, 1300 E. FM 490, Edinburg Airport Subdivision (Non-taxable/Addition/Remodel) and $1,600,000 – Texas Regional Bank, 203 S. Jackson Rd., Jackson Park Subdivision Phase 2 (Commercial New). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García 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 City Councilmember Gilbert Enríquez as President, Miguel “Mike” Farías as Vice-President, Isael Posadas, P.E., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Julio César Carranza and Noé Sauceda as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Nov 7, 2017 | Politics
Dr. Gladys Maestre, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine in Edinburg and Director of the Memory Disorders Center at UTRGV’s Institute for Neurosciences, is conducting research about the high number of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases in the Rio Grande Valley’s Latino population, UTRGV officials announced on Thursday, October 19, 2017. The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
Total construction activities in Edinburg from January through August 2017, including almost $22.5 million for the month of August, reached more than $217 million, compared with more than $166 million during the first eight months of 2016, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. During August 2017, new construction of commercial facilities and new construction of multi-family residences led the way, with the issuance of building permits for investments valued at more than $8.4 million and more than $6.4 million, respectively. Those year-to-date and monthly totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits. The top construction projects in Edinburg for August 2017, not including the value of the land, are: $4,000,000 – Safil Group LLC, 3131 W. Freddy González Dr., West Meadows Subdivision (Commercial New); $1,500,000 – Aguayo Corona LEP, 3807 S. Veterans Blvd., Kelly-Pharr Subdivision (Multi-Family New/Addition/Remodel); $1,500,000 – CTC Asset Company, LTD, 501 W. Owassa, Kelly Pharr Tract Subdivision (Commercial New); $850,000 – Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, 1512 Lone Star Way, Lone Star Plaza Subdivision (Commercial New); $725,000 – Amigo Motel Jay B. Patel, 2721 S. Hwy 281, Kelly-Pharr Subdivision (Commercial New); $600,000 – Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance, 2603 Michelangelo Dr., Doctors Center Ph. 2 Subdivision (Commercial Additions/Repairs); and $600,000 – Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, 1023 E. Kuhn St., Edinburg Original Townsite Subdivision (Non-Taxable Addition/Remodel). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García 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 Edinburg EDC Executive Director Agustín García are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Oct 16, 2017 | Politics
Featured, from left: McAllen City Commissioner Omar Quintanilla; Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; McAllen Mayor Jim Darling; Dr. John Krouse, UTRGV Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine; and UTRGV President Guy Bailey, on Wednesday, October 11, 2o17 at the Medical Education Building in Edinburg.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
The City of McAllen presented a $1 million check to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, at the Medical Education Building on the Edinburg Campus. The contribution is in support of the school’s mission to educate students and residents and provide increased access to healthcare. The payment is part of a memorandum of understanding UTRGV signed with McAllen and other Valley cities to support and ensure the success of the School of Medicine. “We are grateful for the City of McAllen’s support of the School of Medicine,” said UTRGV President Guy Bailey. “These funds will support UTRGV and the School of Medicine in its mission to engage in innovative research, clinical care and the training of the next generation of physicians for the Rio Grande Valley.” McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said the payment by the City of McAllen is its contribution to help improve the health and prosperity of the region. “In order to help the entire Rio Grande Valley grow and improve – as a community, in business, and most importantly, in our health – then a strong and vibrant UTRGV School of Medicine is tantamount to help make that possible,” he said. Dr. John H. Krouse, Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice President for Health Affairs, said McAllen’s support further solidifies the partnership between the UTRGV School of Medicine and the communities it serves. “It will allow our faculty, medical residents and students to continue providing healthcare to those who otherwise would not have access to care,” Krouse said, “and it will help fund the innovative research that addresses the healthcare needs of the Valley community.”
Featured, seated, from left: Rep. John Zerwas, M.D., R-Katy, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Rep. Óscar Longoria, D-La Joya, the Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, prepare to lay out the proposed $217+ billion, two-year state budget late last spring on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives. On Friday, October 13, 2017, Longoria was appointed by Zerwas to serve as Vice-Chairman of the newly formed Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery, which is part of the 27-member House Committee on Appropriations.
Photograph By HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
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by Legislative Media | Sep 9, 2017 | Politics
Featured: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine in Edinburg. During their meeting in Austin on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 and Thursday, August 24, 2017, the University of Texas System Board of Regents reinforced its commitment to The UTRGV School of Medicine, which has a major campus in Edinburg, by approving $20 million in Permanent University Funds (PUF) for capital expenses. “We are grateful to the Board of Regents for its continued support of the UTRGV School of Medicine,” said Dr. John Krouse, Dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and Vice president for Health Affairs. “This allocation will enable the School of Medicine to become a leader in research that will benefit the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, and prepare the next generation of physicians who will provide exceptional care to the communities they serve.” The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city.
Photograph by SILVER SALAS
For the second straight month, Edinburg and McAllen were the only two major Valley cities which posted unemployment rates under six percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy. For the month of July 2017, the latest figures available from the Texas Workforce Commission, Edinburg had an unemployment rate of 5.7 percent, which was an improvement from June 2017, which came in at 5.9 percent. This latest data also showed that Edinburg saw a growth of 492 jobs when comparing the monthly totals of July 2017 (36,037)and July 2016 (35,545), according to the Edinburg EDC. Edinburg and McAllen, which posted an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent, compared favorably with other large population centers in the Valley, which reported unemployment rates ranging from 6.5 percent (Harlingen) to9 percent (Weslaco). During 2017, Edinburg has recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates among Valley cities in April and May, and came in with the second-lowest unemploymentrates during the other months in 2017 through July. McAllen, which came in with a 5.4 percent unemployment in May 2017, tied Edinburg for the best showing for that month. For the past several years, Edinburg has registered the lowest or second-lowest monthly unemployment rates among all Valley cities. The unemployment rate is the number of persons unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed. To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work. Edinburg’s July 2017unemployment rate of 5.7 percent is part of a consistent pattern of positive reports, including June 2017 (5.9), May 2017 (5.4 percent), April 2017 (5.4 percent), March 2017 (6 percent), February 2017 (6.4 percent) and January 2017 (6.2 percent). The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García 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 Edinburg EDC Executive Director Agustín García are not related.
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