Proposed UT medical school, expanded health care coverage, education, top list of legislative priorities for Edinburg City Council, EEDC
State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, was at Edinburg City Hall on Friday, January 11, for a ceremonial swearing-in as the new state representative for House District 40, which includes most of Edinburg, Elsa, northern Pharr and the University of Texas-Pan American. Other elected officials, family members, and supporters joined Canales for the 11:45 A.M. event, held in the Edinburg City Council chamber, including, from left: Rachel Borchard, his mother; Erica Canales, his wife; and Hidalgo County District Court Judge Ricardo Rodríguez, who administered the oath of office. Mayor Richard García, Mayor Pro Tem Agustín “Gus” García, Councilmember J.R. Betancourt, Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios, Rep. Bobby Guerra, D-Sharyland, and Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa were among the elected leaders who participated in the event.
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Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, featured left, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, center, and Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr., D-Mission, will be working together with other Valley legislators to try to secure state funding for a full-fledge Veterans Administration Hospital for the Rio Grande Valley. In 2011, Valley lawmakers introduced legislation to allow the governor to use money from the cash-rich Texas Enterprise Fund to help make a Valley VA Hospital a reality. “We need to run with it again, push it through the legislative process, and try to get more of our colleagues to recognize the need, not only for our region, but for veterans in general in providing medical services to them,” said Muñoz. He agreed with the strategy by Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, D-Weslaco, to have the identical bill to be filed in the Senate soon after the House bill is introduced, rather than wait until the House of Representatives takes action on the issue, which occurred in 2011. “We can move it through both chambers, hopefully earlier on, and start garnishing support from the Senate and the House, and try to make use of the legislative resources and press coverage of this vital issue to promote its need,” Muñoz explained. See story later in this posting.
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Speaker of the U.S. House John Boehner, featured left, on Thursday, January 3, administered the oath of office to U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen, during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Cuellar, who is beginning his fifth two-year term in Congress, is the only Texan who is serving on the House Appropriations Committee. See story later in this posting.
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The Hidalgo County District Clerk Office, led by Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa, on Wednesday, December 26, presented a check in the amount of $3,250 to the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen as part of their Blues for Bucks Workplace Fundraising Campaign to benefit local charitable organizations. The Boys & Girls Club of McAllen began in 1966, through efforts led by Othal E. Brand Sr., in a high school gym with a budget of $200 and 400 boys. Today, they are one of, if not the fastest growing clubs in the nation. With five Traditional Sites, five Afterschool Alliance Sites, and six 21st Century Sites and an annual operating budget of $3 million, the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen has grown to meet the needs of more than 10,000 members. Over the past 45 years, the Boys & Girls Club has been there to encourage, support and stimulate thousands of young people whose other choices were the loneliness of an empty house, or the risk associated with unsupervised activity. Find out more about the organization at http://www.bgcmcallen.org/who/us.aspx/ Featured, from left: María Elva Garza; Annelle Sánchez; District Clerk Laura Hinojosa; Irineo Razo; Zayra Narváez; Armando Cantú; Normalynda Zepeda; Krystal Rodríguez; Alessandra Galván; María Barrera; Aída Villarreal; and Jassia De La Paz.
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Want to enjoy an evening of fun while marketing your company? Sign up for the RGV Hispanic Chambers “Corporate Super Bowl” to be held on Wednesday, January 30, at the Flamingo Bowl in McAllen. The $250 entry fee is for a five-member team and includes the use of a bowling ball, shoes, coupons for food, pitcher of beer, soft drinks, and team t-shirt with the company name on it and a team photo. Only 40 teams will be accepted. Team trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Individual trophies will also be awarded to the female and male top bowler. Teams will bowl two games with the top six teams going on the finals. The “Corporate Super Bowl” is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. To sign up or for more information on the Super Bowl call the RGVHCC office at 928-0060. Featured making final arrangements are, first row, from left: Nick Boland and Paulina Rodríguez. Featured, back row, from left: Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, Ronnie Díaz, Ronnie Bernal and Rick Cavazos.
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Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, featured second row, center, and Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, featured behind Zaffirini, joined other senators on Tuesday, January 8, in taking their oaths of office in the chamber of the Senate at the State Capitol. Zaffirini and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen (not pictured), are encouraging their constituents to communicate with them during the five-month regular session, which ends on May 31. See stories by Zaffirini and Hinojosa later in this posting.
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Edinburg’s city, county and state leaders are reporting positive trends in the local retail economies, with the latest data from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts showing Edinburg posted an almost 12 percent improvement in its retail economy in November 2012 as compared with November 2011. Featured, from left: Rep. Bobby Guerra, D-Sharyland; Mayor Pro Tem Agustín “Gus” García; Mayor Richard García; Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Councilmember J.R. Betancourt; Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios; and Hidalgo County District Court Judge Ricardo Rodríguez, shown here on Friday, January 11, following the swearing-in of Canales, the new state representative for House District 40, which includes Edinburg, Elsa, northern Pharr, and the University of Texas Pan American. See story later in this posting.
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With the Texas Legislature having returned to work on Tuesday, January 8, for its five-month regular session, Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr. is encouraging South Texas political and economic development leaders to help influence passage of major new laws and policies designed to improve the manufacturing industry in the Valley and statewide. One of the key issues that has been brought to light is that manufacturing positions are available, but prospective employees do not have the education, training and skills needed for many of those high-tech jobs. “Many businesses do not have the ability to provide comprehensive retraining for applicants who excelled in their former professions, but who lost their jobs to a changing economy, and now must learn entirely new skills for the excellent jobs that are now available,” said Muñoz. “Our committee looked at how state government, community colleges and technical institutions, and the private sector can work better together to reshape the tremendous talent we have into a new workforce for the 21st century.” See story later in this posting.
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Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is the third member of his South Texas family to serve in the Texas House of Representatives. His father and sister have also been state representatives from north of Hidalgo County. Featured here, following the Edinburg lawmaker’s first day at the Capitol on Tuesday, January 8, are, from left: G.G. Betancourt, daughter of Edinburg City Councilmember J.R. Betancourt and Renée Rodríguez Betancourt; the Canales family, including daughter Juliana; wife Erica, who is from Edinburg; son Terry Andres; Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; his father, former Rep. Terry Canales; and Rep. Canales’ sister, former Rep. Gabriela Canales; on Tuesday, January 8, at his desk in the chamber of the Texas House of Representatives.
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