EDINBURG — Hidalgo County Commissioners, citing the need to work diligently at creating new economic opportunities, agreed to pay a $30,000 service agreement for Rio South Texas Economic Council at their last meeting of the year on Thursday.

Officials with RSTEC, including Mission Economic Development Authority’s President/CEO Pat Townsend Jr., who also serves as RSTEC’s treasurer, said the membership fee would help the organization conduct research and studies for future economic development.

Read more: County approves $30,000 service agreement with RSTEC

The Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority has called a special meeting of the board of directors to discuss and take action on several items pertaining to the planned Hidalgo Trade Corridor Connector (TCC) and the IBTC projects.

Read more: RMA To Meet at Mission City Hall Thursday

AUSTIN — State Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores was sentenced by a state judge this week to five years probation following his guilty conviction of tampering with government records and perjury.

According to the Associated Press, state District Judge Bob Perkins handed down the sentencing on Monday where he said Flores, 52, had violated the law and would set an example for other public officials when preparing their financial disclosure forms.

Read more: Kino Flores gets five-year probation sentence

 MISSION — The City of Mission lit the Leo Peña Plazita Park with the help of hundreds of families to start the holiday season.

Emily Barker, a Winter Texan visitor from Minnesota, made her first trip to the annual tree lighting ceremony where the Veterans Memorial High School Mariachi, Veterans Memorial High School Choir, El Valle Cloggers, Mission Parks Folklorico Group and the McAllen Memorial Folklorico Group performed.

“It’s different to see a Christmas celebration with kids running around in short sleeve shirts and not scarves and mittens,” she said.

Dozens of children and their parents stood in line for a chance to win one of their first Christmas gifts of the year in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department raffle where about 30 bicyles were given away, along with other gifts.

Shortly before the official lighting by Mayor Pro Tem Leo Olivarez and Councilmember Ruben Plata, Santa Claus made his way into the park escorted by McGruff the Crime Dog and over a dozen children. Santa handed out candy bags and also visited with local children.

“I like to come with my family to meet Santa and look at the lights,” said 7-year-old Alex Leal as he stood in line to sign up for the raffle.

MISSION — Workers were putting the finishing touches on the Mission Police Department substation and the Mission Fire Department’s Station No. 5 this week as city officials prepare to officially open the buildings aimed to serve residents on the city’s growing south side.

Deputy City Manager Sonia Carnes said the substation is set to open in January while crews work on finalizing details for the buildings. The construction on the project is approximately $2.2 million.

Read more: Police and fire substation almost complete

MISSION — The Mission FFA Senior Chapter Conducting (parliamentary procedure) team had a very successful round of competitions this fall. The team placed first at the district, regional, and state semi-final competitions. At the state finals held last weekend, the Mission FFA conducting team placed sixth out of 242 teams competing at the Texas FFA State Leadership Development events held at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

Read more: MHS FFA Places in Top 10 at Competition

MISSION — Mission Crime Stoppers recently welcomed their new executive board members that assist the group in community outreach as well as support police in stopping crime.

New executive board members are Rene Flores, treasurer, Yadira Ramos, secretary, Randy Parez, president, Dianna Alaniz, vice president and David Escalera as historian.

The past board members and volunteers have worked countless hours throughout the year helping with community involvement and receiving leads that led to 85 arrests, group officials said.

To date, Mission Crime Stoppers has received leads that led to the arrests of five fugitives or violent crimes, 60 arrests for possession of narcotics, eight arrests for robbery, three for kidnapping, two for graffiti, five arrests for credit abuse/fraud and one arrest for auto theft, police said.

Mission Crime Stoppers also get involved with community policing events such as Neighborhood Watch and Campus Crime Stoppers.

Through Neighborhood Watch, residents are educated on what to look for and encouraged to report suspicious activity; Campus Crime Stoppers does the same with students at Veterans Memorial and Mission High schools. The students have the same responsibilities as the adults with their own board members and tough decisions to make.

Read more: Mission Crime Stoppers welcomes new board

MISSION — Bulldozers collected and moved piles of dirt in a major cleanup effort at Anzalduas Park this week as Hidalgo County Precinct 3 officials continue to get the Winter Texan attraction up and running again. Meanwhile, the local Riverside Club has re-opened its entertainment area to winter visitors.

Precinct 3 Park Director Sergio Saenz said the tedious work of moving the piles of sand and debris seems never-ending as portions of the park were overwhelmed this summer when U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission diverted floodwater to the Anzalduas. The park has remained closed to the public until county workers can not only clean up the mess left behind, but also repair and restore unsalvageable buildings. Workers move about 60 trucks of dirt a day in the park, Saenz estimated.

“Everything you can imagine landed in our park,” Saenz said as he walked through the mounds of loose sand. “Most of the park was underwater for more than a month.”

Signs of the water, which got as high as six feet, are evident with watermarks at the park’s office, restrooms and on a number of signs. In some areas where the sand isn’t completely removed, park tables are still surrounded by sand.

“All you could see is sand,” Saenz recalled of his first day back at the park once the floodwaters had receded.

Read more: Anzalduas park cleanup ongoing, Riverside re-opened