Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, featured left, has announced that he will be soon be posting key dates on his legislative calendar that will allow his constituents to began shaping legislative priorities in the coming year that will result in bills being filed when the Texas Legislature returns to work in January 2011. "I will be busy working on interim committee assignments and reviewing state agency efficiency reports as a member of the Texas Sunset Commission," said Hinojosa. "We are just over a year away from the start of the 82nd Legislative Session, and already ideas for legislation are starting to trickle in to my office. My offices will be working hard to prepare for another successful session in 2011." He invited constituents to contact him and his staff with any ideas they have regarding proposed legislation or issues facing the state agencies under Sunset Review. Hinojosa and his staff may be reached at 512/463-0120. Hinojosa is featured here during a major gathering of the U.S. 281 Coalition during a Tuesday, December 15 session at the McAllen County Club. Hinojosa and Deirdre Delisi, the chairwoman of the Texas Transportation Commission, were honored by the coalition for their vital work in helping secure $114.5 million during the 2009 legislative session for major improvements along U.S. 281. Featured, from left: Sen. Hinojosa; Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen; Texas Transportation Commission Chairwoman Delisi; and Hidalgo County Judge René A. Ramírez.  

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The state representative campaign for Sergio Muñoz, Jr. (featured second from right) on Monday, December 21, drew big names and generous contributions from House District 36 constituents during a fundraiser held that evening at Balli’s Social & Event Center in Mission. Almost 150 supporters, including Mission Mayor Norberto Salinas, Pharr Mayor Mayor Leo "Polo" Palacios, and Hidalgo City Commissioner Guillermo Ramírez, joined Muñoz, a Democrat, and his family during the rally. "Sergio will be the kind of person who will know what to do in the Texas Legislature, who will be able to withstand the pressure of the lobbyists in Austin," said the Mission mayor. "Sergio is known for his good family values that we hold so close, especially in the Mexican American community. He will be able to take care of our needs." Muñoz, Jr. is seeking the March 2, 2010 Democratic Party primary nomination. From left are: former Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Sr.; Mission Mayor Norberto Salinas; Julio Cerda, Mission city manager; Sergio Muñoz, Jr.; and former Rep. Roberto Gutiérrez, D-McAllen. See lead story in this posting. 

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Former Hidalgo County Judge Eloy Pulido, featured center, on Wednesday, December 23, announced his plan to seek a second four-year term as Hidalgo County Judge. Pulido, who served from 1998 to 2002, said his campaign will also incorporate a push to encourage Hidalgo County residents to fill out and return questionnaires they will soon be receiving from the U.S. Census Bureau in order to help generate millions of dollars in additional federal and state funding for a wide array of programs and projects in Hidalgo County. Pulido, who has family members who are well known in the area, said he will work with top musicians to get the word out at concerts and dances about the need for residents to participate in the census, which begins in a matter of weeks. Featured at his announcement are, from left: nephew Bobby Pulido; Michael Cano, who was recently appointed to the board of directors for the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority; former County Judge Pulido; Pharr Mayor Leopoldo "Polo" Palacios; and brother Roberto Pulido. Eloy Pulido maintains a website at www.EloyforCountyJudge.com 

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Hidalgo County Precinct 2 Commissioner Héctor “Tito”  Palacios, featured left, on Tuesday, December 22,  unveiled plans and broke ground in San Juan for what will become the county’s first "green"-minded building, which promotes the protection of the environment. “Precinct 2 is committed to providing high-quality services to our residents, and having this building along with our other two community resource centers near where people live and work helps us to bring county government to the people. We are also working with the youth in our communities to educate them, get them ready for post-secondary education and the workforce. Having the energy of PSJA ISD next door will be good for everybody. I feel strongly that this is not just another building, but a commitment to learning and growing smartly,” said Commissioner Palacios. Wind turbines, solar panels, LED solar lighting, insulated concrete form exterior wall construction and several other exterior and interior green building components will respect not only the environment, but also taxpayer funds, because green buildings are shown to save on energy costs in the long term. Featured, from left: Commissioner Palacios; Rubén Cavazos, project manager for D. Wilson Construction Co.; and Pharr Mayor Leopoldo “Polo” Palacios. See story later in this posting. 

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The Hidalgo County District Clerk staff, led by District Clerk Laura Hinojosa, featured front row to the right, helping hold up check, on Tuesday, December 22, presented a contribution of $2,500 to the Palm Valley Animal  Center as part of their Blues for Bucks Workplace Fundraising Campaign to benefit local charitable organizations. The Palm Valley Animal Center is a private, non-profit, open-door animal welfare agency serving the needs of animals, pet owners and the community at large and is the only animal shelter serving Hidalgo County. “Our staff is pleased to be able to give back to the community through our workplace fundraising campaign. Although our staff contributions are small, we recognize their significant affect on many of the nonprofit organizations that rely solely on the local support of their community,” said Hinojosa. See story later in this posting. 

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Former Hidalgo County Judge Ramón García celebrates with Dolly Elizondo, chair of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, after García filed the legal paperwork to place his name on the March 2, 2010 ballot for Hidalgo County Judge.  García, who was joined by numerous area mayors at the event, which was held in his law office in Edinburg on Tuesday, December 15, pledged to lead one of the state’s most important regions, noting the many contributions he made during his first successful term, and pledging to get the county government budget fiscally back on track. “Today, we are operating in a deficit,” said the prominent attorney and community leader. “I am proud of the fact that when I left the office over two and half years ago, we had an unprecedented budget surplus. Our county was in the best financial condition in its 153-year history. And I intend to see to it that we get the county back to a budget surplus position when I am elected. Being fiscally responsible is a requirement to be the county judge.” See story later in this posting.

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U.S. Army Sgt. Abram Camacho of Mission, featured left, who already has two tours of duty under his belt in Iraq and could be possibly be headed to Afghanistan later this spring, was welcomed home for the holidays by family, friends, and community leaders when he and his family flew in to McAllen on Saturday, December 12. Camacho, a graduate of La Joya High School who in 2003 answered his nation’s call to fight the scourge of terrorism stemming from the Middle East, arrived with his wife, Nora Lee – a former Valley resident and a graduate of Hutchison High School in Alaska – and their five-year-old daughter, Jackqueline Iriz, at 10:10 p.m. at McAllen Miller International Airport. Part of the welcoming delegation included Rosalba Hernández-Martínez with the office of Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview, and her husband, Rudy Edward Martínez, a former U.S. Marine. “As we get ready to celebrate this holy season in our nation, Sgt. Camacho’s visit back home serves as a reminder how blessed we are to have men and women of his high caliber – many from the Valley – protecting our lives and liberties,” said Flores, a former U.S. Army veteran. “He is a symbol of the thousands of South Texans who voluntarily place themselves in harm’s way to protect our precious way of life.” See story later in this posting.

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South Texas College and the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District are seeing stars from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. That’s because the two institutions were named recipients of the THECB’s prestigious Star Award for 2009. The partnering pair received the honor for their work on the PSJA College, Career and Technology Academy, which offers students between the ages of 18 and 25 a chance to go back to high school and earn a diploma. Participants work to make up missing credits or focus on passing one or more sections of the state’s standardized test. They also begin work to earn college credit in the hope they will continue on to earn a certificate, or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Featured, from left, are: Leonore Tyler, principal of the PSJA College, Career and Technology Academy; María del Pilar Garza, PSJA administrator; Ben Garza Jr., PSJA ISD board vice president; Pete García, member of PSJA ISD’s board; Dr. Shirley Reed, STC president; and Luzelma Canales, STC associate dean of community engagement and workforce development. See story later in this posting.  See story later in this posting.

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Sharpen up those gambling skills and get ready to enjoy a Las Vegas Style Casino Night at the 11th Annual “Noche de Gala” hosted by the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. This years theme is “A Night in the Orient”.  The evening consists of a gourmet dinner, silent and live auction, the awarding of the Golden Eagle Award, and the Vegas-style Casino.  The fun formal event is scheduled for Saturday, January 16 at the Corinthian Banquet Hall in Mission. The committee has already received many auction items such as: trip to Las Vegas with airfare and hotel; television time on KRGV-TV Channel 5; jewelry; sporting tickets; golf outings; restaurant certificates; and a pachanga for 100 people that includes on-site barbecue, dance and open bar, etc. Tickets and sponsorship information are available by calling the MHCC at 928-0060. Featured working on their Black Jack skills are, from left: Hari Namboodiri, chair-elect; Roxanna Godínez, vice chair of membership; Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, president and chief executive officer; Connie Hernández, committee member; Rachel García, committee member; Diana González, committee member; and casino dealer Joe Roxks.

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Much like a gifted athlete who dominates in three key aspects of his sport, Antonio Reyna, III – an Austin resident with deep roots in South Texas – is a rare triple threat in the fiercely competitive world of art: he excels with oil paints, sculpture, and photography. On Friday, December 11, through Sunday, December 20, Reyna will be the featured artist for a major exhibition being hosted by the Produce Gallery, located at 415 Peoples Street, in Corpus Christi – including a special reception in his honor on Saturday, December 12, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. In a fitting tribute to his talent, Reyna’s exhibition also marks the grand opening of the Produce Gallery, a trailblazing effort of its own which promises to showcase the best talent and artwork in the Shining City by the Sea. Reyna’s mastery of his chosen profession is such that his accomplishments have attracted the attention and praise of Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who views the Mission, Texas hometown product as representative of the scores of American success stories who hail from deep South Texas. “Antonio not only demonstrates tremendous talent and skills, but this outstanding man symbolizes a great new generation of Texans who will help lead our state now and in the future through their ingenuity, entrepreneurship, hard work, and determination,” said Hinojosa, whose constituents include all residents of Mission and Corpus Christi. “I am very proud of Antonio, who brings great credit to my senatorial district and even greater honor to his family.” Reyna encourages persons interested in his work or who wish to communicate with him to contact him online through his website, www.AGrainofUniverse.com, or at MySpace/AGrainofUniverse, via e-mail at Laidbackpa@hotmail.com, or at Twitter/ReynaIII. See lead story later in this posting.

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Sergio Muñoz, Jr. – a successful attorney, area municipal court judge, and South Texas native son – on Thursday, December 3, filed for state representative, House District 36, vowing to think big, fight hard, and help people from all walks of life. “I am running because I believe that my years in professional and community services, and my experience as a defender of the people, combined with my vision and commitment for all of us to have a better life, are positive qualifications to serve the good people of District 36,” said Muñoz. Dolly Elizondo, chair of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, congratulates Muñoz after he finalized the campaign filing paperwork.

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Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, featured center, on Friday, December 4, signed up for his party’s nomination for a fifth two-year term for the House District 40 legislative district, which includes most of Edinburg. “It’s official. I filed. My hat’s in the ring,” said Peña. The Edinburg attorney said he decided to highlight an area business – The Boxing Gym, located in the downtown square – while promoting his own candidacy as well. Dolly Elizonda, chair of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, accepted Peña’s legal papers for his reelection bid at the local business. Featured with Peña are two of his staff members – Maricela De León and Orlando Salinas.

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Diana Delgado graduated from South Texas College with an Associates of Science in Paralegal in May 2008. But it wasn’t her intended career path. “I attended another college and started out in criminal justice, but I made the switch to STC and decided to try something else,” she explained. “I took some classes in office management and got interested in paralegal studies because I really wanted to work in the legal field.” Now she is putting her degree to use as a paralegal assistant for Pharr family law lawyer Damian Orozco. Delgado isn’t finished with higher education. “My dream is to go on and earn my bachelors and then attend law school,” she concluded. “I am looking into the requirements now and look forward to opening up that next chapter in my life.” See story later in this posting.

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Leadership Edinburg Class XXI, along with the City of Edinburg and the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, will host the Reflections of Edinburg photography contest for non-professional photographers. Top pictures will be published in Edinburg’s Annual Reflections of Edinburg magazine. Deadline to register is December 15 by 5 p.m. Fees are $50 for adults and $25 for youths. Awards and prizes will be given to the top five entries in each category and division: People, Places, Culture and Nature. Photographers must reside in the Rio Grande Valley, and photos must be taken within the Edinburg city limits. For a complete list of rules/regulations and to register please visit www.edinburg.com or call 956/383-4974. Promoting Reflections of Edinburg photo contest are some of the current participants of Leadership Edinburg Class XXI. Seated, from left: Maris Aguirre; Lisa Chávez; Emilio Santos; and Myra L. Ayala Garza.  Standing, from left: Rita Flores; Juan Aguirre; Abel Vaquera; María Medina; and Sal Martínez.

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Members of the National Honor Society at South Junior High in Edinburg, featured here, secured the first place award in the school division during the 2009 Night of Light Parades held on Saturday, December 5.  Kenya Rose Clothing Store secured the top spot in the business category, followed by the City of McAllen and Vicky Roy Home Health Care. More than 50 entries were featured in the light parade, coordinated by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce.

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