McAllen's Newest Park, The Crossings, Opens On North Side

View Photo GalleryThe City of McAllen Parks and Recreation hosted a ribbon cutting Saturday (10/9) for the newest city park, The Crossings.

The Crossings is considered a bit of a departure from most of McAllen’s parks. The Crossings Park is right in the middle of the Crossings Subdivision. The concept comes from large urban cities where parks are placed in large urban areas where children will have easy access without having to cross busy streets or traffic intersections.

This new park is just over five acres in size. It has some of the newest quality playground equipment and some of the old traditional swings. The ground area in the play area is covered with a soft, pliable material to absorb the shock if a child might trip or fall down. There is also a half size basketball court, restrooms, a covered pavilion, paved walking trails and a large circular field which can accommodate most any ball game that a team might want to play.

Most unique for the Crossings Park is the outdoor exercise equipment. Individual heavy duty machines are laid out several locations. Each machine helps you exercise a different part of your body. Each machine with moving parts can also be adjusted to your personal preference.

To find the Crossings Park, drive north on 23rd street and take a left at the light at Freddy Gonzalez.



City of McAllen Hosts Annual Halloween Festival

Bring the kids for a night of fun to the City of McAllen Annual Halloween Festival on Sunday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Lark, Las Palmas and Palm View Community Centers. Presented by the City of McAllen Parks and Recreation, Fire and Police departments, the annual festival provides safe Halloween fun with free admission for the entire family.

Each McAllen community center will have candy and prizes to hand out and participants will enjoy a variety entertainment including games, contests, arts and crafts projects and a haunted house.

Visit www.mcallen.net/parks or contact McAllen Parks and Recreation at (956) 681-3333 for more information. Lark Community Center is located at 2601 Lark Avenue. Las Palmas Community Center is located at 1921 N. 25th St. and Palm View Community Center is located at 3401 Jordan Road.

Parks & Recreation Dept. Hosts Annual McPumpkin Run

Lace up your sneakers and put on your Halloween costume for the City of McAllen Parks and Recreation annual McPumpkin Run on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Palm View Municipal Golf Course. The 7500 meter race begins promptly at 6 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to have some Halloween fun by running in costume and will receive a 50% discount when registering. Runners can register for $10 prior to Oct. 22 and $15 on the day of the race. Register in advance at the McAllen Parks and Recreation Office or at Lark, Las Palmas and Palm View community centers.

Designed to encourage runners build stamina and train, the event prepares participants for the upcoming International Friendship Run 10K scheduled in November.

Visit www.mcallen.net/parks or contact McAllen Parks and Recreation at (956) 681-3333 for more information.



Early Voting Oct. 18-29 For November General Election

Registered voters wanting to have a say in who their State Governor, US Representative, State Representative and county and local officials will be can vote early for the November 2 general election.

Early voting runs from October 18 to October 29.

Early voting polling sites in McAllen are listed here:

• Lark Community Center, 2601 Lark Avenue
• McAllen Tax Office, 311 N. 15th Street
• Palmer Pavilion, 301 E. Hackberry
• Palmview Community Center, 3401 Jordan Avenue

Early Voting Schedule:

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday, October 18 to October 23.

Polls are open from 10am to 3pm, Sunday October 24.

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Friday, October 25 to October 29.

For more information about early voting, call the Hidalgo County Elections department at (956) 318-2570.

More information is available online. Visit the Hidalgo County Elections Website or the Texas Secretary of State's Website



US Dept. of Labor Grant Creates Nearly 400 Temporary Jobs

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a $5,849,481 National Emergency Grant (NEG) award to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to assist clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Alex that struck Texas this past June. On August 3, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared the following Texas counties eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance Program: Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata.

"The impact of these floods may not have been widely reported in the national media, but it was certainly felt by the many Texans who saw their lives and work interrupted," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "These funds will pay for temporary clean-up and recovery jobs to be filled by individuals impacted by the flooding."

The funds awarded to TWC are expected to create 381 temporary jobs to dislocated workers who will assist with the region’s recovery efforts.

“Flooding caused by Hurricane Alex has caused extensive damage in South Texas and has dislocated many workers,” said TWC Chairman Tom Pauken. “These emergency funds will help provide funding for necessary repairs.”

TWC has been working with the four local Workforce Solutions boards to determine the needs of the area. Workforce Solutions Cameron, Lower Rio Grande Valley, South Texas and Middle Rio Grande will coordinate the Temporary Jobs program that will place dislocated workers in subsidized employment to assist clean-up efforts.

The NEG funds support eligible, enrolled participants in the Temporary Jobs program who will receive wages and necessary supportive services such as transportation assistance and work clothing.