General Interest

EDINBURG — The University of Texas-Pan American is joining Texas State University-San Marcos (TSU-SM) in raising awareness to students about how they can save a life.

UTPA and TSU-SM are holding a bone marrow donor registration drive for TSU-SM's Kathy Soliz Texas State Radiation Therapy Outreach Program Feb. 27-29 on the Edinburg campus to encourage more students to become donors.

Those who register will be included in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). The NMDP's “Be the Match” Foundation will provide buccal swab kits and other materials for the volunteers to use for the marrow donor registration.

Read more: UTPA joins Texas State in marrow drive

MISSION — The Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD) celebrated its fifth year of participation in the AEP Texas SCORE Program, which helps schools save energy and money, by accepting a check for $43,549.

It is an incentive check earned through participation in the SCORE Program in 2011. Since joining the SCORE Program in 2007, MCISD has completed more than 30 qualifying energy efficiency improvement projects in school buildings, which will save the district more than $190,000 annually.

The SCORE Program provides no-cost facility improvement recommendations and financial incentives based on the total amount of energy the district will save. In 2011, the district installed energy efficient air conditioning and lighting systems in several schools. The new equipment will save nearly 721,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually, which is equal to the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 56,000 gallons of gasoline, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculations.

Read more: MCISD rewarded for energy efficiency

EDINBURG — Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Thomas L. Friedman to speak at UTPA will speak Wednesday, Feb. 29, as the second speaker of the 2011-2012 Distinguished Speakers Series at The University of Texas-Pan American. The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

He is the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes and author of five best selling books including “From Beirut to Jerusalem,” “The World is Flat,” and “Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution – and How It Can Renew America.” Friedman is a foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and a frequent guest on programs such as “Meet the Press,” “Morning Joe” and “Charlie Rose.” His TV documentaries, “Searching for the Roots of 9/11,” “The Other Side of Outsourcing,” “Straddling the Fence” and “Addicted to Oil,” have aired on the Discovery Channel.

Read more: Pulitzer winner Friedman to speak at UTPA

SAN ANTONIO — As a result of studies begun five months ago, the U.S. Postal Service has made the decision to move all mail processing operations from the Corpus Christi Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to the San Antonio P&DC, and move all mail processing operations from the Waco P&DC to the Austin P&DC. Once the transfers are completed, the mail processing operations of the Corpus Christi P&DC and the Waco P&DC will cease. There will be no change to the retail units, Post Office box operations, passport acceptance units, business mail entry units and vehicle maintenance facilities in these locations.

It also has been determined as a result of the studies of the McAllen Processing and Distribution Facility (P&DF) and of the Austin Mail Processing Annex that there was no significant opportunity to improve efficiency or service through consolidation of mail processing operations, and no changes will be made at this time.

Read more: McAllen mail processing operations to remain open

AUSTIN — The Texas Transportation Commission approved a grant award of approximately $2,249,900 for South Texas International at Edinburg on Thursday.

The grant will be used to fund taxi-way improvements at the airport. Work at the airport is expected to begin in 60 days.

"The award of this grant is a testament to the hard work put in by the Noe Garza, our late commissioner and the rest our city's leadership," said state Rep. Aaron Peña. "These improvements will continue to build up the facility and make Edinburg a destination for cargo and commercial air traffic."

Project costs will be funded through the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Facilities Grant Program. The City of Edinburg is responsible for providing 10 percent of the funding for the project.

McALLEN — The Annual Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild Quilt Show will be the biggest in the Guild’s history, according to Carol Hover, show registration chairman. Titled “Stars Highlight the 30s,” the event is to be held Feb. 24-25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center in Exhibit Hall B. Tickets are $5 each day at the door. Janet Major is this year’s show chairman

At the recent registration held in Weslaco, 352 items overall were entered: 294 from Guild members and 58 from non-members. This year’s event includes 99 bed quilts, 104 wall hangings, 23 items in the mixed media “innovative” category, 23 items of wearable art, 52 miscellaneous items such as table runners and baby quilts, and 26 items made for the annual challenge. For the challenge, participants are given certain fabrics and then allowed to create their own designs with them.

Read more: Annual RGV Quilt Show is Feb. 24-25

Apply for free aid at College Goal Sunday at both South Texas College and The University of Texas-Pan American. Whether a first-time student, already in college or thinking of returning to college free financial aid opportunities are available for those who qualify. The event will be held at both campuses on Sunday from 2-4 p.m.

Assistance at STC, 3201 West Pecan Blvd. in McAllen, will be available the Student Services Building. Private counseling areas and computers will be available for applicant use and attendants will be available to assist in both English and Spanish.

Read more: College Goal Sunday slated at UTPA, STC

EDINBURG — The University of Texas-Pan American Police Department and other law enforcement officials were investigating a suspicious death of an adult female whose body was found near an external staircase of the Science Building on campus Monday morning.

Read more: UTPA police investigating suspicious death