Voting Season Kicks Off Today (10/18)

From Hidalgo County Public Information Office:

Edinburg, Texas – Voting season kicks off today, with 24 conveniently-located early voting polls across Hidalgo County! All early voting locations will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from October 18 through October 29, except on Sunday when the polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“The primary benefit to voting early is that people can vote at any poll location within the county” said Yvonne Ramón, Hidalgo County Elections Administrator. “So if you live in Donna, but work in Mercedes, you can choose to vote in either place. On Election Day, November 2, you are required to vote in the precinct where you live.”

Registered voters should try to bring their baby-blue voter identification card to the polling location with them; however, if it is lost or misplaced, other forms of identification will be accepted to verify your registration.

• a driver's license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar
• document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
• a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
• a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
• United States citizenship papers issued to you;
• a United States passport issued to you;
• official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
• a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address;
• or any other form of identification prescribed by the secretary of state.

In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Hidalgo County tallied 279,979 registered voters. Only 17.2 percent of the registered population cast a ballot — 20,823 during Early Voting and 27,418 on Election Day.

However, this year, the Hidalgo County Elections Department and Hidalgo County Public Affairs partnered with the Equal Voice Network, a coalition of ten Valley non-profits, and the Secretary of State’s Office, to educate and register voters. Motor Voter took voting machines to targeted precincts across Hidalgo County with high levels of registration but low turnout to attempt to increase the amount of voters. The VOTEXAS tour at McAllen’s Palmfest on October 3, which featured Secretary of State Hope Andrade, intended to raise awareness about voting rights and capture last-minute registrants.

Hidalgo County has 297,291 registered voters for this 2010 General Election, and as long as the applications received daily have an October 4th postmark, the elections department will continue to process them.

We have worked hard to prepare for this very important election, and our hope is that more people will take advantage of this privilege granted to them. We have worked hard to educate our people about when and how to vote, too, but the why is up to them,” Ramón said. “Each person has their own reasons for who they vote for and why they vote, and whatever their reason, we just hope that people exercise their rights.”

Allegiant Air Resumes McAllen-Orlando Flights In November

Allegiant Air will resume the McAllen-Orlando route for the months of November, December and part of January. Most of the flights are scheduled for Sundays and Thursdays, with the exception of Thanksgiving Day.

Beginning the week of December 19th, they will offer a Tuesday flight in addition to the Sunday and Tuesday schedule. These flights are scheduled through January 9th. It’s not too early to plan your Holiday travel.

Visit www.allegiantair.com for more information and to book your flight!

G.O.T.V. Mega Walk

Kids Fish Camp Coming To McAllen

Fishing's Future, a non-profit organization dedicated in bringing children and their parents together through the outdoor experience of fishing, is opening a Fishing’s Future chapter in McAllen. Their first scheduled Kids Fish Camp© will be held at Rancho El Charco in La Joya, on October 23, 2010. The Kids Fish Camp© is FREE but space is limited and all interested in participating must register on-line at www.fishingsfuture.com. Registration must be done by October 20th, 2010.

Founder, Shane Wilson is very excited about this new chapter in McAllen.

“McAllen is growing and the opportunity for spreading the love of fishing and reintroducing kids to nature in the upper Valley is definitely needed. This is a chance for kids and parents to experience something new and exciting. Having a Fishing’s Future Chapter in this community will enable Kids and families to experience something new and exhilarating," said Wilson.

He added, "The new chapter will be headed by Paul Trevino who will direct all events and coordinate community involvement. Under the leadership of Paul, I am confident the chapter will be a success. Paul has been with Fishing’s Future for the past year, is an accomplished angler and fly fisherman, and has a successful professional background in business. He is the perfect person to open this chapter and we are glad he is directing our program.”

Fishing's Future combines the fishing experience with outdoor education at events called "Kids Fish Camps©". Camps include: learning different fishing techniques, teaching the "Leave No Trace" philosophy, and addressing water and outdoor safety practices. The overall goal of Fishing's Future is to reconnect kids and parents with nature while strengthening family bonds. This is achieved by including parents in all "Kids Fish Camp©" events.

Fishing's Future has been recognized by the Texas State Senate for their "….commitment to creating an atmosphere of family bonding and environmental stewardship through the sport of fishing".

The October 23rd, Kids Fish Camps© at Rancho El Charco in La Joya is the third event Fishing’s Future has held at this location. Organizers are confident that this Kids Fish Camps© will be well attended as the area is known to produce large numbers of fish.

For additional information or to register for this FREE Kids Fish Camps©, visit www.fishingsfuture.com and register on line, or via e-mail at paul.trevino@fishingsfuture.com



Nature Series Speaker To Talk About Kemp Ridley Sea Turtle

Near extinction in the 1980s, a heroic effort from two countries has brought the Kemp’s Ridley back from brink of extinction. Now a more insidious hazard unwittingly leashed on the Gulf of Mexico threatens to undo forty years of hard work as well as threatening the Gulf of Mexico itself. Join Dr. Burchfield, Director of the Gladys Porter, Thursday, October 21st, 6 pm to 7 pm during the McAllen Nature Speaker Series at Quinta Mazatlan.

Dr. Burchfield has studied the Kemp’s ridley turtle for over 38 years. The Gladys Porter Zoo carries out their conservation mission by contributing to various conservation projects to preserve endangered species such as Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. There are eight species of sea turtles in the world, and the Kemp’s ridley, Lepidochelys kempii, is the most endangered. It is also the smallest sea turtle and the only species that nests primarily during the daytime.

In 1978, a collaborative bi-national program between Mexico and the United States was developed to try and restore this species’ population to a self sustainable level. In 1981, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service asked Gladys Porter Zoo to administer the United States’ field portion of the joint U.S./Mexico effort to protect and increase the production of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles in their natal beaches located in the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. To date, the Zoo still carries out that role.

Patrick M. Burchfield, Ed. D, M.Sc. is currently the Director of the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. In addition, Dr. Burchfield continues to serve as the head of the U.S. faction of the Mexico/United States Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery Project. Dr. Burchfield began his zoo career in 1961 at the Columbus Zoo in Columbus, Ohio. He earned his Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership/Zoo Biology Curriculum at the University of Houston and his Masters degree is in Biology.

Join Dr. Burchfield on Thursday, October 21st to learn about the preservation of this endangered species and how we can make a difference. The Speaker Series is hosted by Quinta Mazatlan and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce as a means of disseminating ideas and information about our natural environment and the importance of protecting and conserving these wonders. The series is generously sponsored by Thurmond Eye Associates every Thursday evening at Quinta Mazatlan through April 2011.

General admission rates apply $2 for adults and $1 for seniors and no advance registration is required. Quinta Mazatlan, the McAllen Wing of the World Birding Center is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen, one block south of La Plaza Mall on 10th Street. For more information call (956) 681-3370 or visit www.quintamazatlan.com.