General Interest

The Upper Valley Art League has planned their Annual Members’ Exhibit 2011 opening reception for Saturday, Oct. 8, from 7-9 p.m. in the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Building, 921 E. 12th St., Mission.

Themed “Honoring Lifetime Members,” the reception will present an array of artists’ works ranging from photography, paintings, drawings, to sculpture and more in a wide range of medium. There will be art sales throughout the evening.

The free event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Call 583-2787 for more information.

The Upper Valley Art League is offering a four-week segment art class, "Composition and Using the Golden Section," with Linda Jean, instructor.

Students will be taught how to understand color and achieve the right color mixed to suit their need. The lessons will also focus on understanding composition and the importance of important positioning the subject, and how the techniques work alone and together. Class members will be encouraged to paint the subject matter which appeals to them, whether it be portraiture, landscape, floral, anything at all.

Read more: UVAL offers art composition series

The Upper Valley Art League will present “Ad Vitam,” an exhibit featuring the artworks of local artist and teacher, Steve Franklin. The exhibit opening will be held Saturday, Sept. 10, with a gallery reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is free and the general public is invited to attend the opening at the Kika De La Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E.12th St., Mission. The exhibit will close on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Franklin earned his fine arts degree from The University of Texas-Pan American and is presently an art teacher at Nikki Rowe High School in McAllen, where he has taught for the past 17 years. He began as a printmaker in college and viewers can still see strong influences of these roots in his current acrylic on canvas paintings.

Read more: UVAL hosts Franklin exhibit Sept. 10

MISSION — Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas this week pushed to not raise rates at Shary Municipal Golf Course by approximately nine percent.

“Mission has always been known as a ‘Winter Texan-friendly’ town,” the mayor said. “Let’s not raise our rates so high we lose that designation.”

Course Director Paul Schaeffer presented the recommended rate changes approved by the Shary Golf Course board when Salinas asked if the golf course was making money at Monday’s meeting.

Read more: Keep Shary Golf Course Winter Texan-friendly, says mayor

EDINBURG - The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will host the 2011 Women’s Athletics Fundraiser (WAF) Gala on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Wellness & Recreational Sports Complex on the UTPA campus. Gala organizers are seeking sponsors for the event.

The two-hour event begins at 7 p.m. and will feature live music, a fashion show, and both a live and silent auction. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served. Tickets are $50 per person. Master of ceremonies will be Channel 5 News Anchor Letty Garza. With the theme, “Black Tie & Tennies,” guests are encouraged to wear formal attire and their favorite pair of sneakers.

Read more: Gala to benefit UTPA women’s athletics

The Edinburg World Birding Center is holding the Fall season’s Community Garden Orientation Class on Tuesday, Aug. 30, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.  EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria Rd. in Edinburg.

Participants will learn the history of the community garden, its purpose, information and guidelines for gardening organically, along with an introduction to the Community Garden facilities, materials, and supplies.  Gardeners will also receive free start-up plants for their beds!

Read more: Community garden orientation announced

The Upper Valley Art League is hosting a color theory class, “Making Color Work for You,” with Linda Jean as the instructor.  The four-week course will be held Saturday afternoons, 1-4 p.m. beginning August 27 at the UVAL facility in the Kika de la Garza Fine Arts Center, 921 E. 12th Street, Mission. Cost will be $120.

Read more: UVAL offers color theory class

The Mission Chamber of Commerce Diplomats, the volunteer arm of the Mission Chamber of Commerce, is seeking sponsors and vendors for their fundraiser, “Dog Days of Summer Are Over.” The day-long event will benefit The Oasis Animal Sanctuary, Palm Valley Animal Center, the City of Mission Animal Shelter, and the Diplomat program. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bannworth Park on Shary Road.

Sponsorship levels are Kennel, $1,500; Great Dane, $1,000; Labrador, $500; and Chihuahua, $250. Vendor booths are $125 for Mission Chamber members and $150 for non-members for an 8’x8’ booth.

Read more: ‘Dog Days’ event seeks sponsors, vendors