General Interest

Faculty and staff from Castro Elementary School turned out in large numbers Saturday for the annual Mission Pink Run/Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness. The school lost a teacher to breast cancer last year, and another teacher is battling the disease this year. Courtesy photoAs speakers pumped out dance music and thumping bass Saturday morning, runners and walkers of all ages created a river of pink outside Mission Regional Medical Center. Teams made shirts and carried signs with the names of women they honored during the Fourth Annual Mission Pink Run/Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Read more: Castro Elementary teachers remember co-workers with walk

Palmhurst Mayor Ramiro Rodriguez and Chief of Police Michael A. Vela initiated the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Palmhurst National Night Out event with members of the City of Palmhurst Council and Palmhurst Police Department. Progress Times photo by Andrielle FigueroaPALMHURST—Tuesday evening, the City of Palmhurst had hundreds of citizens celebrate its first National Night out at the North Mission Church of Christ at 1410 E. Mile 3 Road. Attendees received free printed shirts marking the event and enjoyed performances from Midkiff Elementary School.

Read more: Palmhurst hosts first National Night Out

“Passing this bond issue is not a choice, it is a necessity. While voting for the bond issue may raise taxes by $25 a year, that is nothing compared to the cost of losing one’s home and possibly life in the flooding that would occur. We need to get the word out to make people understand how critical the drainage issue is,” said Dr. Gloria Egli of Weslaco, at the Weslaco Town meeting on the upcoming $184 million bond election to address drainage issues.

The $25 Elgi referred to was based on the value of a property valuation of $100,000. At a tax increase of $0.025, the average increase to property owners would be $25 per year. The average property in Hidalgo County is valued at slightly less than $100,000.

Read more: Town meetings explain upcoming county bond election for drainage

PALMHURST—The Palmhurst Police Department will present the city’s First National Night Out on Oct. 2 from 6 - 9 p.m. An event, in the past, that has been shared with the city of Mission, will be held at the North Mission Church of Christ at 1410 E. Mile 3 Road.

Chief of Police Michael A. Vela said to kick off the night out, a convoy will commence on 3 Mile Road beginning on Shary Road and ending on Stewart Road.

Read more: First Palmhurst National Night Out set for Oct. 2

Palmview High School’s conjunto La Tradicion performs during the Peñitas White Wing Festival on Saturday. Progress Times photo by Luciano GuerraPEÑITAS — The third annual White Wing Festival in Peñitas was a big hit among those attending last weekend. It was also a big hit for the non-profit Peñitas White Wing Festival board that organized and hosted the event. From the early morning cook-off and the 5K run/walk to the live music that began at noon and continued until midnight, there were plenty of activities for those in attendance.

Read more: Peñitas White Wing Festival a success

PEÑITAS—The Peñitas City Council held its second public hearing Tuesday to address

a possible 10 cent tax rate increase. This would be 27 percent higher than the current tax

rate of $0.3625 per $100 valuation.

The council is scheduled to vote on the proposed tax rate increase at a meeting on Sept. 25 at 1320 S. Main St. at 6 p.m.

Read more: Peñitas considers 27 percent tax hike

The City of Peñitas will host the third annual Peñitas White Wing Festival Saturday, Sept. 22, combining several major events into a day full of activities, including a 5K Run, a cook-off competition, a car show, kids carnival and many hours of fun with music provided by 15 live bands.

Homer Tijerina, president of the Peñitas White Wing Festival non-profit, which puts on the annual event, said headliners for the event include the musical group The Hometown Boys, a Tejano-Norteño group, and Ram Herrera, a Tejano performer. Sons of the Rio Grande will bring country music to the festival grounds, while several other groups will perform throughout the day, including the three La Joya ISD high school mariachi groups – Mariachi Los Coyotes, Mariachi Sol ad Mariachi Los Lobos. Their conjunto counterparts will also perform: Conjunto Los Diamantes, Conjunto Sol and Conjunto La Tradicion.

Read more: Peñitas White Wing Festival packed with action Saturday

EDINBURG – Hidalgo County officials were notified Sept. 7 by the Texas Department of State Health Services of a positive confirmation of the West Nile virus in Hidalgo County. County leaders held a press conference on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Hidalgo County Health Department to address the issue.

Read more: West Nile Virus confirmed in Hidalgo County