General Interest

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, announced that in less than two months’ time, one million people have gone online, created a My Social Security account and viewed their Social Security Statement.

Read more: Social Security online statements a success

WASHINTON D.C. — The Social Security Administration announced June 25 that Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers, will electronically transmit complete medical records for its patients to the agency with the appropriate consent. Social Security requests about 70,000 patient files from Kaiser Permanente each year.

Read more: Social Security, healthcare provider share medical records

The Miracle Kids of South Texas, a local non-profit organization dedicated to bringing fun, free activities to special needs children in the Rio Grande Valley, will be hosting a “Special Catch” fishing event for special needs children ages five to 15 years old. The event will be held at Witten Basball Park, 600 S. Ironwood Street in Pharr from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. this Saturday, July 7.

Read more: Fishing event being held for special needs children

Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home hosts fund-raiser for Wounded Warrior Project

The Second Annual Car Show and Veterans Expo returns to McAllen’s Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, July 7, in McAllen. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

All proceeds from the $10 car registration fee and the $50 booth registration fees benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps to heal members of the military who suffered service-related injuries since 2001.

Read more: Car Show and Veterans Expo Saturday

McALLEN – The 4^th Annual RGV Salsa Heat Wave, a Latin Dance Convention held at the McAllen Convention Center, will be awarding three students one-year dance scholarships to one of three McAllen dance schools. The RGV Salsa Heat Wave is to take place Saturday July 14^th, at the McAllen Convention Center. With government funding for the arts at risk and the Valley’s average income one of the lowest in the country, the RGV Salsa Heat Wave wishes to help offset tuition costs and grant three students the opportunity to pursue their love of dance.

Read more: 4th Annual RGV Salsa Heat Wave to award dance scholarships

Through a memorandum of understanding approved by the Hidalgo County Commissioners’ Court and the City of McAllen, the RGV Spay/Neuter Clinic will begin providing mobile services in the county’s rural areas.

The collaborative effort is meant to control the growing population of stray dogs and cats in the area. Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in the Rio Grande Valley as more than 40,000 dogs and cats enter the local animal center every year. Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia presented the RGV Spay/Neuter Clinic with a $50,000 check June 28, helping to kick off the program.

The mission of the RGV Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic is to reduce pet overpopulation by providing high volume, high quality, and affordable sterilization services to all companion animals in the Rio Grande Valley. The clinic will offer low cost spay and neuter surgeries for cats and dogs.

Read more: RGV spay and neuter clinic will service rural areas

The 19^th Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival opened its registration last week with nearly 200 birders making reservations during the first day of opening. The festival will be held November 7-11. The event will feature field trips guided by birding experts, informative seminars and a trade show with lots of birding-related vendors.

The Rio Grande Valley has become a Mecca for serious, as well as amateur, birders. The new and different opportunities keep visitors coming back for sightings of our wonderful native, as well as migrant, species.

Sites included this year are area state parks, King Ranch, South Padre Island, and Laguna Atascosa and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges. Trips and other events have been tailored for those that can only do minimal walking, for beginners, first time visitors, family trips and veterans to birding.

Read more: RGV Bird Fest opens registration

UTPA Professor, Richard Hyslin will be the featured sculptor at a reception at the Upper Valley Art Gallery on July 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The reception is open free to the public and everyone is welcome.

Richard Hyslin is a sculptor and Professor of Art at the University of Texas-Pan American since 1968. He received his MA at the University of New Mexico. His home and sculpture studio are in Mission. He is married to Nancy Gibson Hyslin and has three children.

Read more: UVAL to feature sculptor Richard Hyslin