Rockets Take On Orlando Magic At State Farm Arena Oct. 5

Yao Min and the Houston Rockets take on Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, Tuesday, October 5, 2010, at State Farm Arena.

Last year, the Houston Rockets brought the NBA to the RGV as they played and defeated the Boston Celtics.

For more information on this year's match up visit ExploreMcAllen.com.

View a video promoting the event: Rockets vs Magic Video

Residents Encouraged To Review Revised Animal Ordinance

McAllen residents are being encouraged to review the city's revised animal ordinance, recently adopted by the City Commission, and they're also being urged to sterilize their pets.

In an interview with the McAllen Cable Network (MCN 12), City of McAllen Deputy City Attorney Ignacio Perez spoke about some of the main modifications made to the animal ordinance.

• To address the overpopulation and the soaring costs of euthanizing animals, the ordinance offers incentives to pet owners in two ways. When pets are vaccinated, the cost of the license fee is cut in half. Secondly, when a pet owner is found to be in violation of the animal ordinance, if their pet is spayed or neutered, the cost of the fine is also cut in half.
• The sale of animals in the open is prohibited in the general city ordinance but the revised animal ordinance goes farther to prevent the sale of animals along roadways and in flea markets. Under the revised pet law, pets may only be sold in pet shops. Pet shops are also now licensed the McAllen Police Department's Animal Control Division and are subject to random inspections.
• Fines under the new animal ordinance become progressive. If someone is found guilty of a violation the amount of the fine doubles the next time the offense is commited. Maximum fines are not to exceed $500 dollars.
• Vicious animals are also addressed farther in the revised ordinance. If an animal is deemed to be vicious for aggressive behavior, the pet owner must comply with obide by regulations. Those regulations can include confining the animal, making the animal wear a muzzle in public, and posting property signs warning of a vicious animal. Violaters of the vicious animal portion of the ordinance can also be subject to fines.

To review the entire ordinance, click here: Link To Animal Ordinance

Anyone who has questions about the revised animal ordinance can call the city attorney's office at (956) 681-1090 or the McAllen Police Department's Animal Control Division at (956) 681-2124.

Palmfest 2010 This Weekend At McAllen Convention Center

Palmfest, known for its famed fajita cook-off, heritage village, arts and crafts mercado and non-stop live music, is set for this weekend at the McAllen Convention Center.

Admission and parking is free and the event begins at noon on Saturday, October 2nd and on Sunday, October 3.

Among some of the featured performers are Nuevo Latinos, Highway 7, Grupo Iman and Lil Rob, Marshall Law, the South Texas Indian Dancers and a host of other entertainers performing on 3 stages.

Specials guests also include Garfield and Odie, actress Jessica Romero and Director Alan Jacobs from the Hollywood movie "Down for Life", and Al Ragusin and his dancing horses.

For more information call our hotline at 956-682-5566!

To view a complete list of the attractions, show times and for a map of the festival grounds, Click Here

7 Texas Cities File For TRO Against Time Warner Cable

McAllen, TX—The Cities of McAllen, San Juan, Laredo, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Edinburg and San Marcos have taken legal action against Time Warner Cable and its plan to digitize public, educational and governmental (PEG) channels in Texas, filing for a temporary restraining order in State District Court in Hidalgo County, Texas on Friday September 24, 2010.

This is in response to Time Warner Cable (TWC) announcing that it will stop providing PEG channels in an analog format on October 1, 2010 at which time it will solely provide these channels in a digital format. The company will continue, however, to provide other basic tier programming, including broadcast channels in an analog format. PEG channels would be moved to digital channels 135.12 and 135.17 to free up space for Time Warner Cable’s commercial interests.

As a result, on October 1, 2010, a TWC cable subscriber in Texas with analog equipment will be able to watch the PEG channels ONLY if the subscriber obtains additional cable equipment. The subscriber may also be subject to additional fees.

The plaintiffs contend that Time Warner Cable’s move would be in violation of franchise agreements and the Federal Cable Act. Each seek a temporary restraining order, and temporary and permanent injunctive relief prohibiting Time Warner Cable from implementing its PEG digitalization plan and prohibiting Time Warner Cable from recapturing PEG capacity for its own commercial uses.

The petition reads: “Those particularly affected will be the poor, the elderly, and others on limited income, who will not be able to afford the additional equipment, or who may have difficulty obtaining the equipment without additional fees.” Additionally, “these are also groups who may heavily depend on public services, and each of the Plaintiffs has a particular interest in being able to reach these groups via the cable system for educational and governmental programming.”

This court filing in Hidalgo County follows the McAllen Independent School District’s request for an emergency petition with the Federal Communications Commission asking the FCC to issue a standstill order to protect PEG channels.

Update: A short time after the lawsuit was filed, counsel for the coalition of cities and for Time Warner Cable entered into an agreement to delay the conversion until October 15, 2010. Thereafter, Time Warner Cable filed pleadings with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas—McAllen Division requesting that the state court lawsuit be removed to federal district court. If granted by a federal court judge, the state court lawsuit will be transferred. As of 2 pm (CDT), no court order granting Time Warner Cable’s removal request had been issued.

For more information, contact Miller & Van Eaton, P.L.L.C., at (202) 785-0600 or Michael Rodriguez with Colvin, Chaney Saenz & Rodriguez, L.L.P., (956) 542-7441

¡Veracruz Nos Necesita!

State Farm Arena has joined efforts with the Mexican Consulate to provide
assistance to the residents of Veracruz Mexico, who have been severely
affected by the hurricane. We have a tractor trailer parked at the State
Farm Arena front parking lot (along 10th St.) donation will be taken at
this location starting tomorrow. press conference to announce the
assistance drive has been scheduled for tomorrow at 11am.