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For many years, disinterested elected officials dismissed colonia residents. They looked the other way while shady developers proliferated unincorporated subdivisions with little to no regulations.

But colonia residents have never given up their dignity. And organizers and advocates have tirelessly organized alongside them to demand the most basic infrastructure.

LUPE has instilled hope and pride among the residents of colonias and in the Rio Grande Valley. House meeting after house meeting, campaign after campaign, LUPE has organized a membership base of over 6,000 members, 1,000 active leaders and 50+ Colonia Committees. This has created a tremendous list of accomplishments.

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Colonia rights Colonia Rights Colonia residents work hard to make their neighborhoods places where their families can thrive. We guide them by providing leadership development and strategic direction. We are fighting for communities where the resources we pitch in together go to the services we really need.

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Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for undefined.

N/A are the senators currently representing N/A.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in N/A over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the N/A for N/A have changed over time starting in 2008.

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In 2018, Edinburg, TX had a population of 94k people with a median age of 28.3 and a median household income of $46,862. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Edinburg, TX grew from 86,123 to 94,019, a 9.17% increase and its median household income grew from $45,038 to $46,862, a 4.05% increase.

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Edinburg High School is a high school in Edinburg, TX, in the Edinburg CISD school district. As of the 2019-2020 school year, it had 2,564 students. The school received an accountability rating of B. 55.9% of students were considered at risk of dropping out of school. 20.3% of students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs.

An average teacher's salary was $58,608, which is $1,517 more than the state average. The average SAT score at Edinburg High School was 1043. The average ACT score was 17.0. In the Class of 2019, 89.7% of students received their high school diplomas on time or earlier. The dropout rate was 1.7%.

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Texas Public Schools: Use our database to learn more about the state's 1,200 districts and 8,700 public schools, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses. You can easily navigate through information on demographics, academic performance, college readiness and average teacher salaries for each school or district.

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U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Edinburg city, Texas

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Frequently requested statistics for: Edinburg city, Texas

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Idea Edinburg College Preparatory is an charter elementary/secondary school in Edinburg, TX, in the Idea Public Schools school district. As of the 2018-2019 school year, it had 722 students. The school received an accountability rating of A. 38.8% of students were considered at risk of dropping out of school. 19.3% of students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs.

An average teacher's salary was $50,471, which is $3,651 less than the state average. The average SAT score at Idea Edinburg College Preparatory was 1204. The average ACT score was 20.8.

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Texas Public Schools: Use our database to learn more about the state's 1,200 districts and 8,700 public schools, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses. You can easily navigate through information on demographics, academic performance, college readiness and average teacher salaries for each school or district.

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Mujeres Unidas - Women Together - Support Services for Victims of Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

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Counseling and Crisis Intervention is provided for victims of domestic violence & sexual assault. All our services are kept confidential and provided by trained professional staff.

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Animal Shelter | Palm Valley Animal Society | United States

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Home page for Palm Valley Animal Society, an animal welfare organization located in Edinburg, TX.

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How You Can Help

Helping children who are victims of abuse isn't a job that is only reserved for medical professionals or law enforcement. You, too, can get involved in helping our children in one of three ways:

1. Volunteer Dedicate your time to helping child victims through:

Clerical - Our staff members welcome anyone who would like to help them with their office duties by making copies, sorting out information packets and supplies, processing donations, answering phones and scheduling appointments, and basic data entry.

Family Advocate - Help our Family Advocates by providing information to families regarding our services and procedures. By getting involved here, you can also help us with child care, preparing snacks, and creating arts and crafts.

Estrella's Closet - You can help us coordinate and organize clothes and toys in the Teddy Bear Room and in Estrella's Closet.

Fundraising Events - You are more than welcome to dedicate your time to assisting CACHC through various duties during our fundraising events.

2. Internship Our internship program gives crucial experience to college students looking to make a difference in the lives of child abuse victims.

Family Advocate - To qualify for this position, you must have/be enrolled in a Bachelor's level practicum for Social Work, Rehabilitative Services, or Psychology degrees. Your duties under this internship may include:

Family and child assessments

Providing information and referrals to families for social services as needed.

Case management

Coordinating additional needed services for each family

Data entry

Mental Health - This position requires the student to be a participant in a Master's level practicum for Social Work, Rehabilitative Services, or a Licensed Professional Counseling Intern. Duties will include:

Crisis Counseling to victims and their non-offending family members

Debriefing of victims and family after services have been provided.

Providing Individual counseling

Facilitating counseling and support groups

Case documentation and management

Attending Multidisciplinary Team meetings

Accounting - Internship seekers for CACHC must be a Junior or Senior pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance. Duties for this position may include:

Maintain financial records

Fixed Asset and Inventory accounting

Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable

Participate in month-end close process, reconciliations, journal entries

Projects and other duties as assigned

3. Donate - If you can't donate your time, our center would be grateful to accept a small donation in the form of monies provided, new clothes and shoes, school supplies, and toiletries for children of all ages. Our federal funds work on a 20% cash-match system for all grant monies received, so this means that for every $1.00 that has been donated, that donation actually has a value of $4.00! Any little bit that you can contribute helps, as the average cost for services per child is approximately $1,500.

4. Employment - Take a look at our job listings here for any employment opportunities.

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How You Can Help Helping children who are victims of abuse isn't a job that is only reserved for medical professionals or law enforcement. You, too, can get involved in helping our children in one of three ways: 1.

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**Pursuant to Hidalgo County Commissioner's Court Orders, all persons entering Hidalgo County buildings or parking lots (Extension Office) must wear a facial covering. Please make note that you may not be allowed entry to the Extension office without a facial covering. Thank you for helping us keep you and our employees healthy.**
Welcome to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Hidalgo County
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is a statewide educational agency linked in a unique partnership with the nationwide United States Department of Agriculture's Cooperative System and the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court. The mission of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is to provide quality, relevant outreach and continuing educational programs and services to the people of Texas and Hidalgo County. Extension educates Texans in the areas of agriculture, environmental stewardship, youth and adult life skills, human capital and leadership, and community economic development. The agency improves the lives of Texans through an educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on local‚ issues and needs.

From Left to Right: (Back Row) Romeo Ozuna, Ashley Gregory, Stephanie Bowman, Sevana Valero, Vidal Saenz; (Front Row) Melissa De Leon, Joanne Ureste-Armijo, and Andrea Valdez

Click here for our local Quarterly Reports

What is Texas Communities Futures Forum?

For a list of community issues from Texas Communities Futures Forum for 2019 Texas Community Futures Forum Identified Issues.

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Hidalgo | Texas AgriLife Extension Service

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Pursuant to Hidalgo County Commissioner's Court Orders, all persons entering Hidalgo County buildings or parking lots (Extension Office) must wear a facial covering. Please make note that you may not be allowed entry to the Extension office without a facial covering.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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The CDC 2022 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps for 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 3 US territories show the proportion of adults with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 ( ≥30 kg/m ²) based on self-reported weight and height. Data are presented by race, ethnicity, and location. The data come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing state-based, telephone interview survey conducted by CDC and state health departments.

The 2022 maps show that obesity impacts some groups more than others. There are notable differences by race and ethnicity, as shown by combined data from 2020-2022.

Among geographic groups (states, territories, or DC) with enough data, the number with an adult obesity prevalence of 35% or higher, by race/ethnicity, is:

Non-Hispanic Asian adults: 0 (among 37 states, 1 territory, and DC)

Non-Hispanic White adults: 14 (among 49 states, 1 territory, and DC)

Hispanic adults: 32 (among 49 states, 2 territories, and DC)

Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults: 33 (among 47 states)

Non-Hispanic Blacks: 38 (among 48 states and DC)

By Education and Age

Obesity prevalence decreased as level of education increased. Adults without a high school diploma or equivalent had the highest prevalence of obesity (37.6%), followed by adults with some college education (35.9%) or high school graduates (35.7%), and then by college graduates (27.2%).

Young adults were half as likely to have obesity as middle-aged adults. Adults aged 18-24 had the lowest prevalence of obesity (20.5%) compared to adults aged 45-54, who had the highest prevalence (39.9%).

Across States and Territories

All states and territories had an obesity prevalence higher than 20% (more than 1 in 5 adults).

The District of Columbia had an obesity prevalence between 20% and less than 25%.

6 states had an obesity prevalence between 25% and less than 30%.

22 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands had an obesity prevalence between 30% and less than 35%.

19 states had an obesity prevalence between 35% and less than 40%.

3 states (Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia) had an obesity prevalence of 40% or greater.

The Midwest (35.8%) and South (35.6%) had the highest prevalence of obesity, followed by the Northeast (30.5%), and the West (29.5%).

For adults aged 20 years and older, BMI categories are defined the same regardless of sex or age.

BMI

BMI Category

Below 18.5

Underweight

18.5-24.9

Healthy Weight

25.0-29.9

Overweight

30.0 and Above

Obesity

We encourage the use of person-first language (e.g., "adults with obesity" or "20% of children ages 12-19 have obesity" and not "obese adults" nor "20% of children are obese") when discussing topics like obesity and other chronic diseases, as well as respectful images.

The Obesity Action Coalition has more information - please see the Guidelines for Media Portrayals of Individuals Affected by Obesity [PDF-1.72MB] .

Map: Overall Obesity

Prevalence† of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among U.S. Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

† Prevalence estimates reflect BRFSS methodological changes started in 2011. These estimates should not be compared to prevalence estimates before 2011.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2022

Maps: Obesity by Race/Ethnicity

Non-Hispanic Asian Adults

Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic Asian Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic Asian Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

Non-Hispanic White Adults

Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic White Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic White Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

Hispanic Adults

Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Hispanic Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50 or the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Hispanic Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native Adults

Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native Adult by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50 or the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native Adults, by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

Non-Hispanic Black Adults

Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic Black Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
*Sample size <50 or the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

TABLE: Prevalence of Obesity Based on Self-Reported Weight and Height Among Non-Hispanic Black Adults by State and Territory, BRFSS, 2020-2022

*Sample size <50, the relative standard error (dividing the standard error by the prevalence) ≥30%, or no data in a specific year.

Read the 2023 Media Statement about the Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps.

Model-based population-level analysis and community estimates on obesity and other chronic disease factors for counties, census tracts, and ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) across the United States.

CDC's Data, Trends, and Maps Interactive Tool provides additional state and territory adult obesity prevalence estimates.

Adult Obesity Maps by State and Territory, 2011-2022

Adult Race/Ethnicity Obesity Maps by State and Territory, 2020-2022

Historical: Maps of Adult Obesity by State and Territory, 1985-2010*

Historical: Maps of Adult Race/Ethnicity Obesity by State and Territory, 2011-2021*

*The historical maps from 1985-2010 cannot be compared to maps from 2011-2022 because data analysis methodology changed in 2011. Like all public health public health surveillance systems, BRFSS must occasionally change its methods to adapt to the changing world and to maintain validity.

Citiation: Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. (21 September 2023).

Connect with Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

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Obesity remains high, varies, by state, and affects some groups more than others.

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On its face, weather is the great equalizer. Car commuters, no matter how pricey their respective rides, have to navigate the same icy roads and poor visibility as those with beat-up vehicles. A rained-out baseball game affects cheap-seat buyers and behind-the-plate ticket holders the same. Tidal waves take out everything - and everyone - in their paths.

But when it comes to escaping, surviving and recovering from a natural disaster, it's the poor who suffer the most, experts say. And with the extreme weather patterns and storms associated with climate change, the economic divide will only accelerate, they predict.

"The rich can survive well, and the poor don't," says Columbia University professor John Mutter, author of "The Disaster Profiteers: How Natural Disasters Make the Rich Richer and the Poor Even Poorer." "And it continues to separate us."

The disparity starts even before a natural disaster hits. Lower-income people may not have cellphones, broadband or regular use of technology that will keep them abreast of looming danger.

Cheaper houses are also less safe, without the strong foundations or reinforcements that can make the difference between a blown-away home and one with some window damage. Flood insurance must be bought separately from homeowners insurance, and lower-income people are less able to make the investment.

The average yearly cost of flood insurance is $700, much more for those who live in a high-risk area. Independent analyses of Federal Emergency Management Agency statistics show that only about a tenth of homes in the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Florence are covered by flood insurance. FEMA aid - typically less than $6,000.

"The rich can survive well, and the poor don't."

Once a storm is coming, lower-income people often don't have the same options to leave, experts say. In New Orleans, for example, many poorer people didn't have cars that could take them out of the city to safety. Others had nowhere to go, unable to afford a motel while they waited out the disaster - especially if they were hourly workers without a reliable paycheck. Even the timing of a storm can have an impact, says Susan Cutter, a geographer and disaster researcher at the University of South Carolina: When storms hit at the end of the month, as Katrina did in 2005 and Harvey and Maria did in 2017, people who live paycheck to paycheck have often spent the last of the month's income, leaving them economically trapped, Cutter says.

In Haiti, for example, 230,000 people were crushed to death in the 2010 earthquake, Mutter notes, casualties of extreme poverty (nearly 6 in 10 Haitians live on less than $2 a day) and the ramshackle homes that accompany it. In New Orleans, too, the poor who didn't drown in Hurricane Katrina were washed out of town anyway, he notes, with no place to come back to. Katrina victims who sought shelter at the Louisiana Superdome were flown to other cities, such as Houston and Atlanta, becoming, as Mutter describes it, "refugees in their own country."

In Texas, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, "low-income neighborhoods were more affected than wealthier ones, as poor families were more concentrated in flood-prone parts of Houston. Low-income and minority families are also more likely to live closer to noxious industrial facilities and are thus more at-risk to chemical spills and toxic leaks resulting from storm damage," Brookings Institution scholar Richard Reeves .

In Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory where more than 44 percent live in poverty, a recent George Washington University study 2,975 excess death occurred after Maria hit a year ago this week - mortality that resulted not just from direct impact from the storm but from things like failure to get to a hospital because of impassable roads or insufficient or expired medicine for people with heart ailments or chronic illnesses. The local El Nuevo Dia, the island's largest newspaper, reported earlier this year that excess deaths were high in 10 of Puerto Rico's poorest towns.

In the Carolinas, where 39 people have died already from Florence, the damage is disproportionately affecting the poor and will continue to do so during the recovery, Cutter says.

"It's affecting the most vulnerable population," she says. "The areas where you see the most flooding is in the historic Cotton Belt. The housing there is not necessarily elevated above the flood plain, and much of the housing is older housing." Further, she says, the rural population there is generally poorer and lacks the resources to move out of the area.

Climate change, then, particularly targets low-income people, says a 2017 report by the National Bureau of Economic Research. "In the climate change adaptation literature, there is a broad consensus that the wealthy can access a wide range of protective strategies ranging from owning a second home, to accessing better quality medicine, food and medical care and housing to protecting themselves from shocks; the poor are thus more likely to bear the incidence of natural disasters," the report's authors found.

Rebuilding, too, is not an equal opportunity experience - at least not in practice. Reconstructing a home can take a long time, and lower-income people do not have the funds to stay somewhere else while the work is being done. Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance can take some time to arrive, creating an insurmountable cash flow problem for those without a lot of it.

Since the rebuilding help may come with a demand that the home be built to be more resilient, the cost may be too high for low-income people. For example, Mutter says, a poorly built building might fetch $150,000 in rebuilding funds, but constructing a new one that meets storm-fighting standards might cost more than twice that. In New Orleans after Katrina, "poor neighborhoods [such as the city's Lower Ninth Ward] were the most devastated and were also the most restricted in terms of people returning," he says.

Reeves found similar results: A decade after the storm, residents whose homes were flooded during Katrina had lower credit scores and rates of homeownership than those who were spared the worst of the disaster, he concluded.

Most federal disaster assistance to individuals comes in the form of Small Business Administration loans. People with low or no credit won't be eligible for SBA loans or other loans. And renters? Not only might they have no place to come back to if they leave to escape a storm, but if their residence was destroyed, they'll have to start all over again, looking for a place, paying security deposits and possibly last month's rent in addition to the first month's rent.

The future is likely to exacerbate the economic divide even more, as climate change leads to unusual weather or bad storms, Cutter predicts. "The population is being displaced," she says, and with differing regional impacts.

Many Puerto Ricans who have the means, for example, moved to Florida or elsewhere in the States. Since they are American citizens, Puerto Ricans do not need any special paperwork to do so. In New Orleans, "some of them made a better life for themselves. Others couldn't find a way back, and families were torn apart," Cutter adds.

Areas that are becoming perpetually vulnerable to damaging storms may end up becoming more poor, meanwhile, as people of means move to safer areas, researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research found. That conclusion was echoed by an academic analysis of natural disasters and migration written for "The Conversation" and appearing on the U.S. News website.

"Despite the progress in preparing for natural disasters ... the poor will face growing exposure to natural disaster activity," the authors said. "The rich may have the resources to move away from areas facing natural disasters, leaving behind a population that is disproportionately poor." A population, evidence indicates, that will have a hard time recovering from the next storm.

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Hurricanes Hit Everyone, But the Poor Have the Hardest Time Recovering

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On its face, weather is the great equalizer. Car commuters, no matter how pricey their respective rides, have to navigate the same icy roads and poor visibility as those with beat-up vehicles. A rained-out baseball game affects cheap-seat buyers and behind-the-plate ticket holders the same.

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FEATURED, FROM LEFT: Julián Álvarez III, Commissioner Representing Labor, Texas Workforce Commission; Arcelia "Shelly" Sánchez, Deputy Director, Workforce Solutions Strategy and Engagement; Sonia Falcón, Chair, Board of Directors, Texas Workforce Solutions; Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen; and Dr. Shirley Reed, President, South Texas College, on Thursday, August 1, 2019. The South Texas College Board of Trustees has announced a 19-member search committee to find a successor to Reed, the founding president of the two-county community college system, who retired in January 2021. Photograph Courtesy SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE ******
Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 awarded $32.7 million from Texas Water Development Board for flood control, announces Sen. Hinojosa

The Texas Water Development Board on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, approved a project application from the Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 for financial assistance through the Flood Infrastructure Fund for a portion of the total cost for a major flood control project, Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, announced.

The Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 Flood Control Project was approved for $32,670,000 in financial assistance consisting of $22,869,000 in financing and $9,801,000 in grant funds.

"The residents of Hidalgo County have experienced six flooding disaster declarations in five years resulting in damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure in various parts of the county," Hinojosa said. "Today's actions by the Texas Water Development Board, will reduce frequent flooding problems and accommodate the area's rapid urbanization and future economic development."

The project will spread between Mile 9 North, Mile 15 North, FM 493, and the International Boundary and Water Commission floodway, just north of Weslaco.

The project was approved under Category 2 of the Texas Water Development Board's 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan, which is designed for planning, acquisition, design, and construction activities to implement flood mitigation projects.

Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner David L. Fuentes was in attendance at the Texas Water Development Board meeting on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, via phone conference, and thanked the Board of Directors for the award.

Fuentes has been instrumental in promoting the need for adequate drainage and flood control projects after a series of extreme rain events resulted in widespread flooding in Precinct 1, impacting thousands of residents and damaging homes and properties.

"We are extremely appreciative of the Texas Water Development Board's commitment to improving our area's ability to mitigate (lessen) and control the damaging effects of flooding in our region," said Fuentes. "This project is critical to meet our current needs as well as accommodate for future growth in population, saving lives, homes, and properties for years to come."

The Texas Water Development Board is a state agency, and among its many duties, it provides loans and grants for the water and wastewater needs of Texas' economically-distressed areas.

It's efforts must receive approval from a full-time, three-member Boardappointed by the governor, which considers loan applications from eligible applicants, awards grants for water-related research and planning, and conducts other Texas Water Development Board business, such as approving the state water plan.
https://www.twdb.texas.gov/about/
Drainage in Hidalgo County is served by a network of large, manmade network of ditches that were constructed during the late 1970s through the middle 1980s to provide outfalls for the county. These ditches are collectively referred to as the Hidalgo County Master Drainage System.

Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 is responsible for the development and maintenance of these ditches. It also provides planning and engineering functions required for the growth and development of the drainage system.

The mission of the Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 is to proactively manage the Hidalgo County Master Drainage System and allow for the efficient exportation of drainage water, to protect life and property for Hidalgo County residents, businesses and surrounding jurisdictions.

Raúl E. Sesin, PE, CFM, is the general manager of the Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1.
http://www.hcdd1.org/main/organization.html
The project's planning phase is anticipated to end in August 2021, with the design phase commencing in November 2021. Expected construction is scheduled to begin in June 2022.

"On behalf of our community, we want to also thank Hidalgo County Commissioners Court, Gov. Greg Abbott, our state legislative delegation, and our team members who worked and supported our efforts to secure this funding," Fuentes added.

According to the Texas Water Development Board:

* Over the past few years, Hidalgo County has experienced more frequent and intense storm events, resulting in widespread flooding that has impacted thousands of residents. Along with the unprecedented rainfall and flat terrain, the county has also seen rapid urbanization that has contributed more runoff to its system, further adding to the challenge of improving its current drainage capacity.

* Hidalgo County is a smooth, nearly flat plain that includes portions of the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Rio Grande Delta. There are few natural surface drainage channels within the county. Most of the storm precipitation in excess of soil infiltration capacity runs off slowly as sheet flow. While overland runoff moves very slowly toward the drainage ditches, numerous obstructions such as elevated canal levees, dikes, roadways, and railroad embankments tend to impede the flow.

* Ponding can be very widespread and usually shallow, but in some areas, it can persist for months after a storm has passed.

Ponding is the (typically) unwanted pooling of water, typically on a flat roof or roadway. Ponding water accelerates the deterioration of many materials, including seam adhesives in single-ply roof systems, steel equipment supports, and particularly roofing asphalt. On low-slope asphalt roofs, ponding water allows the oil solvent components of the asphalt to leach out and evaporate, leaving the roof membrane brittle and susceptible to cracking and leaking in the ponding location.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponding Flood Infrastructure Fund
Passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019 and approved by voters through a constitutional amendment, the Flood Infrastructure Fund was created to provide funding for flood mitigation projects.

The purpose of the Flood Infrastructure Fund, as outlined in Senate Bill 7, is to assist in financing drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects. Flood Infrastructure Fund projects presented for
consideration has been scored and ranked using prioritization criteria outlined in 31 Texas Administrative Code § 363.404 and further specified in the Flood Intended Use Plan.

A bill is a type of legislative measure that requires passage by both chambers (House of Representatives and Senate) of the legislature and action by the governor in order to become effective. A bill is the primary means used to create and change the laws of the state. "Bill" types include Senate and House bills, Senate and House Joint Resolutions, Senate and House concurrent resolutions, and Senate and House resolutions.

As Vice-Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a co-author of Senate Bill 500 during the 86th Legislative Session in 2019-2020, Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding to start the Flood Infrastructure Fund through a one-time transfer of $793 million from the "Rainy Day" Fund.

A coauthor is a legislator authorized by the primary author of a bill or resolution to join in the authorship of the measure. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives allow an unlimited number of coauthors on a bill or resolution. A coauthor must be a member of the chamber in which the bill was filed.

The state's "Rainy Day" Fund, officially known as the state's Economic Stabilization Fund, is a financial resource controlled by the Texas Legislature which is used to stabilize (protect) the state's economy and prevent budget cuts to essential state agencies and services, according to The Texas Signal.

As of December 2020, Texas was sitting atop a $10.7 billion economic stabilization fund that has yet to be used to do exactly that, stabilize the state's economy and prevent budget cuts to essential state agencies and services.
https://texassignal.com/about Project Need and Description
According to the Texas Water Development Board's agenda packet:

The east side of Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1, just north of the city of Weslaco, is one of the
natural low areas where water migrates and accumulates, draining into two outfalls, before entering the International Boundary and Water Commission levee.

To reduce frequent flooding problems and to accommodate the area's future development, the Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 needs to expand and improve the main drainage ditch, drainage ditch laterals, regional detention facilities, culvert crossings, discharge structures, and pumps.

The proposed project is located between Mile 9 North, Mile 15 North, FM 493, and the IBWC floodway, an area containing approximately 18,600 acres, just north of the city of Weslaco.

The project has been divided into four segments that interconnect and drain into the two outfalls that drain into the IBWC floodway. The construction of each segment is composed of channel excavation, regional detention pond excavation, embankment, gate well control structure, pump and controls, concrete rip rap, reinforced concrete boxes, and reinforced concrete pipe.

The rights-of-way are limited in the area; therefore, land acquisition is included in the project.

The improvements will benefit over 400 structures in the area. The project will reduce the water surface elevation by more than 1.5 feet and it will increase the storage and discharge capacity of the storm system.

The Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 project is eligible under Category 2 of the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan. This category of funding was designed for planning, acquisition, design, and construction activities to implement flood mitigation projects. Category 2 projects are eligible to receive up to 70 percent in grant funding.

Recipients of financial assistance may either use their own available funds or borrow Flood Infrastructure Fund money at zero percent for any portion of the required local share not provided through Flood Infrastructure Fund grants.

Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 qualified for a $9,801,000 grant under the Flood Infrastructure Fund equal to 30 percent of the total project costs. The remaining 70 percent will consist of $22,869,000 in Flood Infrastructure Fund financing and $3,043,915 in cash from the District.

In recent years, Hidalgo County has experienced more frequent and intense storm events resulting in widespread flooding. The District's Phase 1 Flood Control Project was approved for $32,670,000 in financial assistance consisting of $22,869,000 in financing and $9,801,000 in grant funds. The project will spread between Mile 9 North, Mile 15 North, FM 493, and the IBWC floodway, just north of Weslaco.

The project will expand and improve the main drainage ditch, drainage ditch laterals, regional detention facilities, culvert crossings, discharge structures, and pumps to reduce frequent flooding problems and accommodate the area's future development. The Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 will provide the remainder of the cost to complete the project, which is projected at $3,043,915. The projected completion date is June 30, 2024.
19-MEMBER SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR NEW PRESIDENT OF SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE ESTIMATES FINALISTS WILL BE INTERVIEWED IN PUBLIC IN EARLY MAY 2021
The South Texas College Board of Trustees, which is seeking a new president for the two-county higher education system following the retirement of Founding President Dr. Shirley A. Reed in January 2021, has engaged the Association of Community College Trustees, and Dr. Bill Holda, Search Consultant, Association of Community Colleges, to assist with the search in cooperation with a 19 (nineteen)-member Presidential Search Committee.

The next step in the process is advertising the profile nationally, including through The Chronicle of Higher Education and other major publications and websites. The Presidential Search Committee will review the applications, interview semifinalists for the position, and identify the final candidates to forward to the Board of Trustees.

Final candidates will be interviewed and participate in open forums, either virtually or in-person, at South Texas College, most likely in early May.

In addition to faculty, staff, and student representatives, the 19-member Presidential Search Committee includes:

* Paul R. Rodríguez, Chair, Presidential Search Committee, Member and Past President, STC Board of Trustees;
* Noel Benavídez, Representing the Private Sector;
* Sergio Contreras, President & Chief Executive Officer, RGV Partnership;
* Hon. Jim Darling, Mayor, City of McAllen;
* Aisha González, Representing the Private Sector;
* Bonnie González, Chief Executive Officer, Knapp Community Care Foundation;
* Dr. Frank Guajardo, Chief Executive Officer, Museum of South Texas History (MOSTHistory);
* René Guajardo, Member, STC Board of Trustees;
* Gary Gurwitz, Founding Member, STC Board of Trustees;
* Dr. Danny King, Owner/Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Innovation Transformation;
* Keith Patridge, President and CEO, McAllen Economic Development Corporation; and
* Mike Pérez, City Manager, City of Weslaco.

According to college leaders, South Texas College's next president must be committed to strengthening campus camaraderie, involved with the community, innovative and technologically savvy, and be able to understand and appreciate the Rio Grande Valley's unique culture, according to surveys and public forums that are playing a critical role in the search process.

The South Texas College Board of Trustees incorporated this input into a model "Presidential Profile" of what it wants to see in its next top administrative leader and formally adopted the standards at its Tuesday, March 9, 2021 meeting.

A total of 157 people attended the forums and 181 people responded to the online survey.

"South Texas College is committed to hiring a president who can motivate students, faculty, and staff to reach their full potential and will succeed in expanding on the tradition and impact the college has established in the Rio Grande Valley," said Paul Rodríguez, Chair, Board of Trustees, South Texas College, and Member and Past President, South Texas College Board of Trustees.

The Association of Community College Trustees, which has more than 40 years of experience as the only nonprofit dedicated to providing services to community college governing boards, has successfully completed more than 500 CEO executive searches ranging from college presidents to state chancellors.

"The Board of Trustees is committed to continuing a transparent process and excited about finding a nationally recognized leader that will help carry our excellence in service to the community forward," said Rose Benavídez, Chair, Board of Trustees, South Texas College.

For further information about the process, please contact Holda at[email protected] or (903) 987-3332, or visit South Texas College's website atsouthtexascollege.edu/presidential-search.

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Evana Vleck and Daniel Ramírez contributed to this article. For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com

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Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 awarded $32.7 million from Texas Water Development Board for flood control, announces Sen. Hinojosa - Titans of the Texas Legislature

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The Texas Water Development Board on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, approved a project application from the Hidalgo County Drainage District No.1 for financial assistance through the Flood Infrastructure Fund for a portion of the total cost for a major flood control project, Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, announced.

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SpaceX Starship SN11 ended in yet another fiery explosion at the Boca Chica facility Tuesday morning.

The launch happened at about 8 a.m. even with dense fog in the area.

The fog made it impossible to see the explosion, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed the blast on Twitter, saying "at least the crater is in the right place!"

Am donating $20M to Cameron County schools & $10M to City of Brownsville for downtown revitalization. Details to follow next week.
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2021

In a follow up tweet, Musk said he will be donating $30 million to Cameron County schools and the city of Brownsville next week.

Musk also encouraged others to consider moving to the greater Brownsville/South Padre Island area as the company looks to expand.

READ ALSO:
Elon Musk: SpaceX SN-11 launch postponed after FAA inspector unable to reach Boca Chica facility

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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says he's donating millions to Cameron County schools, city of Brownsville

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SpaceX Starship SN11 ended in yet another fiery explosion at the Boca Chica facility Tuesday morning. The launch happened at about 8 a.m. even with dense fog in the area. The fog made it impossible to see the explosion, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed the blast on Twitter, saying "at least the crater is in the right place!"

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Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, women are still vastly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce.

Women made gains - from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 - but men still dominated the field. Men made up 52% of all U.S. workers but 73% of all STEM workers.

In 1970, women made up 38% of all U.S. workers and 8% of STEM workers. By 2019, the STEM proportion had increased to 27% and women made up 48% of all workers.

Computer (including computer and information systems managers)
Mathematical
Engineering (including architectural and engineering managers and sales engineers)
Life science, physical science, and social science (including natural sciences managers, excluding occupational health and safety specialists and technicians)

Architects, except naval
Health care and technical practitioners (including medical and health services managers)

Management
Business and financial operations
Community and social service
Legal
Educational instruction and library
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media
Health care support
Protective service
Food preparation and serving
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance
Personal care and service
Sales and related
Office and administrative support
Farming, fishing, and forestry
Construction and extraction
Installation, maintenance, and repair
Production
Transportation
Material moving

Women Make Gains in Some STEM Occupations

In 1970, women made up 38% of all U.S. workers and 8% of STEM workers. By 2019, the STEM proportion had increased to 27% and women made up 48% of all workers.

Since 1970, the representation of women has increased across all STEM occupations and they made significant gains in social science occupations in particular - from 19% in 1970 to 64% in 2019.

Women in 2019 also made up nearly half of those in all math (47%) and life and physical science (45%) occupations.

What Women Earn

Women employed full-time, year-round in STEM occupations earned more than their non-STEM counterparts but the gender earnings gap persisted within STEM occupations.

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Women Making Gains in STEM Occupations but Still Underrepresented

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Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, women are still vastly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce. Women made gains - from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 - but men still dominated the field. Men made up 52% of all U.S.

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The US education system was not built to deal with extended shutdowns like those imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, administrators, and parents have worked hard to keep learning alive; nevertheless, these efforts are not likely to provide the quality of education that's delivered in the classroom.

Even more troubling is the context: the persistent achievement disparities across income levels and between white students and students of black and Hispanic heritage. School shutdowns could not only cause disproportionate learning losses for these students-compounding existing gaps-but also lead more of them to drop out. This could have long-term effects on these children's long-term economic well-being and on the US economy as a whole.

Despite the enormous attention devoted to the achievement gap, it has remained a stubborn feature of the US education system. In 2009, we estimated that the gap between white students and black and Hispanic ones deprived the US economy of $310 billion to $525 billion a year in productivity, equivalent to 2 to 4 percent of GDP. The achievement gap between high- and low-income students was even larger, at $400 billion to $670 billion, 3 to 5 percent of GDP. Although we calculate these two gaps separately, we recognize that black and Hispanic students are also more likely to live in poverty. Yet poverty alone cannot account for the gaps in educational performance. Together, they were the equivalent of a permanent economic recession.

Unfortunately, the past decade has seen little progress in narrowing these disparities. The average black or Hispanic student remains roughly two years behind the average white one, and low-income students continue to be underrepresented among top performers.

We estimate that if the black and Hispanic student-achievement gap had been closed in 2009, today's US GDP would have been $426 billion to $705 billion higher. If the income-achievement gap had been closed, we estimate that US GDP would have been $332 billion to $550 billion higher (Exhibit 1).

These estimates were made before schools closed and the transition to remote learning began, sometimes chaotically. In this article, we explore the possible long-term damage of COVID-19-related school closures on low-income, black, and Hispanic Americans, and on the US economy.

Learning loss and school closures

To that end, we created statistical models to estimate the potential impact of school closures on learning. The models were based on academic studies of the effectiveness of remote learning relative to traditional classroom instruction for three different kinds of students. We then evaluated this information in the context of three different epidemiological scenarios.

How much learning students lose during school closures varies significantly by access to remote learning, the quality of remote instruction, home support, and the degree of engagement. For simplicity's sake, we have grouped high-school students into three archetypes. First, there are students who experience average-quality remote learning; this group continues to progress, but at a slower pace than if they had remained in school. Second, some students are getting lower-quality remote learning; they are generally stagnating at their current grade levels. Then there are students who are not getting any instruction at all; they are probably losing significant ground. Finally, some students drop out of high school altogether.

We also modeled three epidemiological scenarios. In the first-"virus contained"-in-class instruction resumes in fall 2020. In the second-"virus resurgence"- school closures and part-time schedules continue intermittently through the 2020-21 school year, and in-school instruction does not fully resume before January 2021. In the third scenario-"pandemic escalation"-the virus is not controlled until vaccines are available, and schools operate remotely for the entire 2020-21 school year.

In our second scenario (in-class instruction does not resume until January 2021), we estimate that students who remain enrolled could lose three to four months of learning if they receive average remote instruction, seven to 11 months with lower-quality remote instruction, and 12 to 14 months if they do not receive any instruction at all (Exhibit 2).

Although students at the best full-time virtual schools can do as well as or better than those at traditional ones, most studies have found that full-time online learning does not deliver the academic results of in-class instruction. Moreover, in 28 states, with around 48 percent of K-12 students, distance learning has not been mandated. As a result, many students may not receive any instruction until schools reopen. Even in places where distance learning is compulsory, significant numbers of students appear to be unaccounted for. In short, the hastily assembled online education currently available is likely to be both less effective, in general, than traditional schooling and to reach fewer students as well.

Likely effects on low-income, black, and Hispanic students

Learning loss will probably be greatest among low-income, black, and Hispanic students. Lower-income students are less likely to have access to high-quality remote learning or to a conducive learning environment, such as a quiet space with minimal distractions, devices they do not need to share, high-speed internet, and parental academic supervision. Data from Curriculum Associates, creators of the i-Ready digital-instruction and -assessment software, suggest that only 60 percent of low-income students are regularly logging into online instruction; 90 percent of high-income students do. Engagement rates are also lagging behind in schools serving predominantly black and Hispanic students; just 60 to 70 percent are logging in regularly (Exhibit 3).

These variations translate directly into greater learning loss. The average loss in our middle epidemiological scenario is seven months. But black students may fall behind by 10.3 months, Hispanic students by 9.2 months, and low-income students by more than a year. We estimate that this would exacerbate existing achievement gaps by 15 to 20 percent.

In addition to learning loss, COVID-19 closures will probably increase high-school drop-out rates (currently 6.5 percent for Hispanic, 5.5 percent for black, and 3.9 percent for white students, respectively). The virus is disrupting many of the supports that can help vulnerable kids stay in school: academic engagement and achievement, strong relationships with caring adults, and supportive home environments. In normal circumstances, students who miss more than ten days of school are 36 percent more likely to drop out. In the wake of school closures following natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Maria (2017), 14 to 20 percent of students never returned to school. We estimate that an additional 2 to 9 percent of high-school students could drop out as a result of the coronavirus and associated school closures-232,000 ninth-to-11th graders (in the mildest scenario) to 1.1 million (in the worst one).

In addition to the negative effects of learning loss and drop-out rates, other, harder to quantify factors could exacerbate the situation: for example, the crisis is likely to cause social and emotional disruption by increasing social isolation and creating anxiety over the possibility that parents may lose jobs and loved ones could fall ill. Milestones such as graduation ceremonies have been canceled, along with sports and other extracurricular events. These challenges can reduce academic motivation and hurt academic performance and general levels of engagement.

The loss of learning may also extend beyond the pandemic. Given the economic damage, state budgets are already stressed. Cuts to K-12 education are likely to hit low-income and racial- and ethnic-minority students disproportionately, and that could further widen the achievement gap.

The economic impact of learning loss and dropping out

These effects-learning loss and higher dropout rates-are not likely to be temporary shocks easily erased in the next academic year. On the contrary, we believe that they may translate into long-term harm for individuals and society.

Using the middle (virus resurgence) epidemiological scenario, in which large-scale in-class instruction does not resume until January 2021, we estimated the economic impact of the learning disruption. (The results would, of course, be worse in the third scenario and better in the first.) All told, we estimate that the average K-12 student in the United States could lose $61,000 to $82,000 in lifetime earnings (in constant 2020 dollars), or the equivalent of a year of full-time work, solely as a result of COVID-19-related learning losses. These costs are significant-and worse for black and Hispanic Americans. While we estimate that white students would earn $1,348 a year less (a 1.6 percent reduction) over a 40-year working life, the figure is $2,186 a year (a 3.3 percent reduction) for black students and $1,809 (3.0 percent) for Hispanic ones.

This translates into an estimated impact of $110 billion annual earnings across the entire current K-12 cohort (Exhibit 4). Of that sum, $98.8 billion would be associated with loss of learning and the rest ($11.2 billion) with the increase in the number of high-school dropouts. This is not just an economic issue. Multiple studies have linked greater educational attainment to improved health, reduced crime and incarceration levels, and increased political participation.

The damage to individuals is consequential, but the consequences could go deeper: the United States as a whole could suffer measurable harm. With lower levels of learning and higher numbers of drop-outs, students affected by COVID-19 will probably be less skilled and therefore less productive than students from generations that did not experience a similar gap in learning. Furthermore, if other countries mitigate the impact of lost learning and the United States does not, this will harm US competitiveness. By 2040, most of the current K-12 cohort will be in the workforce. We estimate a GDP loss of $173 billion to $271 billion a year-a 0.8 to 1.3 percent hit (Exhibit 5).

A call to action

These numbers are sobering-but they are not inevitable. If the United States acts quickly and effectively, it may avoid the worst possible outcomes. But if there is a delay or a lack of commitment, COVID-19 could end up worsening existing inequities.

It is therefore urgent to intervene immediately to support vulnerable students. Many students will continue to take advantage of free learning resources, but school systems must also think creatively about how to encourage ongoing learning over the summer. Initiatives might include expanding existing summer-school programs, working with agencies that run summer camps and youth programs so that they add academics to their activities, and enlisting corporations to identify and train volunteer tutors. Tennessee, for example, is recruiting 1,000 college students to tutor kids falling behind. New York will be conducting remote summer school for 177,700 students (compared with 44,000 in 2019). Some districts are making digital summer learning available (though optional) to all students.

The necessity of continued remote learning cannot be an excuse for inaction or indifference. There are examples of high-quality online education, and reaching this level should be the general expectation. While no one knows exactly what level of in-class learning will be possible for the 2020-21 school year, many students will probably need to stay home for at least part of it. Educators need to use the summer to learn how to make instruction more effective, whatever the scenario.

Achieving this goal will make it necessary to provide teachers with resources that show them how they can make virtual engagement and instruction effective and to train them in remote-learning best practices. It will also be necessary to work with parents to help create a good learning environment at home, to call upon social and mental-health services so that students can cope with the pandemic's stresses, and to ensure that all students have the infrastructure (such as laptops, tablets, and good broadband) needed for remote learning.

As a blend of remote and in-classroom learning becomes possible, more flexible staffing models will be required, along with a clear understanding of which activities to prioritize for in-classroom instruction, identification of the students who most need it, and the flexibility to switch between different teaching methods. And all this must be done while school systems keep the most vulnerable students top of mind. That may require investment-something that cannot be taken for granted if state and local government budgets are cut.

The US academic-achievement gap was first identified in 1966. Its persistence is troubling. The possibility that COVID-19 could make it worse deserves focused attention. The achievement gap costs the United States hundreds of billions of dollars-and also exacts a long-term cost in social cohesion. This is a moment-and a challenge-that calls for urgency and energy.

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COVID-19 and student learning in the United States: The hurt could last a lifetime

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The US education system was not built to deal with extended shutdowns like those imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, administrators, and parents have worked hard to keep learning alive; nevertheless, these efforts are not likely to provide the quality of education that's delivered in the classroom.

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César Chávez & Dolores Huerta founded LUPE, a community union rooted in the belief that members of the low-income community have the responsibility and the obligation to organize themselves. Through their association, they begin to advocate and articulate for the issues and factors that impact their lives. Further, César Chávez believed that for people to have ownership of this endeavor, they have to invest of themselves, their efforts and resources, to sustain it. The membership, and the responsibility that comes with it, form the base that is the power of the organization.

César Chávez & Dolores Huerta founded LUPE in 1989. LUPE was founded on the belief that when people work together, they can impact change. César & Dolores realized that workers had needs outside the work place. They envisioned LUPE as the entity to help workers and their families by applying the same principles and strategies that he used to build the UFW.

In 2003, LUPE was established in the Rio Grande Valley by Executive Director Juanita Valdez-Cox, then UFW State Director for South Texas. Juanita brought the LUPE model after farmworker leaders recognized the need for a community organizing model to advance the objectives of farmworkers and colonia residents.

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About La Unión del Pueblo Entero Founded by labor rights activist César Chávez & Dolores Huerta, LUPE builds stronger, healthier communities where colonia residents use the power of civic engagement for social change. From fighting deportations, to providing social services and English classes, to organizing for streetlights and drainage, LUPE responds to the needs of the community, and takes action that creates a ...

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Gaps, Critical Issues, and Partnership Report

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Gaps, Critical Issues, and Partnership Report

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Gaps, Critical Issues, and Partnerships Report final