General Interest

A Veterans Day celebration will be held at the Veterans War Memorial of Texas, in McAllen, on Monday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m., with Sgt. Major Richard Clem (Ret.) as the keynote speaker.

Clem is recently retired from active duty at the White Sands Missile Base and has been to Afghanistan several times.

Events will start with the raising of a 150-foot high American flag owned by crane operator Jim Shawn. As the flag is raised, Steven Lopez, University of Texas-Pan American student, will sing the national anthem.

Read more: Veterans Day ceremony set for Monday, Nov. 12

MCALLEN—What do colored extensions, LED lights, glitter, Kool-Aid and Slinky have in common? These were all items used in hairstyles at the 3rd Annual Care for Hair Show: BATTLE of the DECADES on Oct. 24 at Metropolis Night Club in McAllen.

Read more: Hair Show funds wigs and scarves for Cancer survivors

It’s time to fall back with daylight saving time ending on Sunday, Nov. 4. Most of the United States ends daylight saving time at 2 a.m. Clocks should be turned back 1 hour, changing the time from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.

As a reminder, with Daylight Saving Time, many fire departments encourage citizens to change their smoke alarm batteries when turning back the time.

Read more: Turn Back Those Clocks: Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday

The question of whether land located in flood zones should be developed for residential use was a topic of prime discussion in the Tuesday, Oct. 30, meeting of the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court.

County Planning Director Raul Sesin asked for preliminary approval of Vista Ridge Acres Phase IV in Precinct 1. Developer Jack McClelland is trying to develop one- or two-acre home sites where the front part of the land is not in the flood zone, while the rear portion of the land is in the flood zone. Sesin said construction of buildings would only be allowed on the land not designated by FEMA as a flood zone. The rest of the lots could be used to raise goats or horses or other animals since the land is located in a rural area.

Read more: County questions subdivision in flood zone

Maxilou Link, 12-time president of the Upper Valley Art League, has helped transform the artists’ organization and create the largest gallery in the Rio Grande Valley to host the works of local artists. Progress Times photo by Doug YoungWith paintings hanging from nearly every available space, it would be easy to believe the Kika de la Garza Building has always been a home for local artists.

Read more: Labor of Love: Art League president isn’t done yet

Friday, Nov. 2 day is the last day of early voting for the 2012 General Election in Texas. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

To help voters cast an informed vote, the Progress Times has posted online the Voters Guide, published by the non-partisan League of Women Voters of Texas. Readers can view or print this guide here.

Included in the Voters Guide are candidates for US President, statewide offices, regional Courts of Appeal and State Board of Education.

Read more: Voters Guide available

Mission Regional Medical Center CEO Javier Iruegas walks down a third floor corridor in the hospital Tuesday afternoon as he visits various departments. Progress Times photo by Doug YoungEveryone starts somewhere.

Before Javier Iruegas, CEO of Mission Regional Medical Center, began his career in health care administration, he was a college student putting himself through school with a part-time job at a pizza joint.

Read more: The first steps to success: Mission hospital CEO discusses beginnings

EDINBURG—The University of Texas-Pan American will be holding its 46th annual Carnival of the Great Pumpkin from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the UTPA Fieldhouse. Thousands of people are expected to attend the yearly event, which is free and open to the public.

Read more: UTPA Carnival of the Great Pumpkin will be a ghostly good time