Movie at the Pool: Saturday Night Dive-In at Los Encinos

On Saturday, August 21st, the City of McAllen Parks & Recreation Department will show Walt Disney Pictures’Finding Nemo on its giant 20’ x 12’ inflatable movie screen. McAllen’s first-ever Saturday Night Dive-In takes place at Los Encinos Swimming Pool located at 3300 Sarah Avenue.

Public swim will be available beginning at 1:00 p.m. withFinding Nemo scheduled to start at approximately 8:00 p.m. Participants are welcome to bring floats and lounge in the pool as they enjoy the movie. For those who prefer to watch poolside, plenty of space will be available. The fee for public swim is $1.00.

Concessions will also be sold on-site by the Parks & Recreation Department. A moon bounce and face painting for the kids will be provided courtesy of Time Warner Cable.

For more information contact the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department at 681-3333. or see the flyer attached below.

Saturday Night Dive-In Flyer [PDF]

Brad Paisley and Live Nation - Responds to Call to Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:             

Contact:  Ruby Martinez
Manager of Marketing and Social Media
Food Bank RGV
(c) 956.227.6784

Bertha Gonzalez
 State Farm Arena,
Marketing Director
 (c) 956-227-6012

 Brad Paisley and Live Nation – Responds to Call to Action

Food /Water Drive to Benefit the Food Bank of Rio Grande Valley  

 Hidalgo, TX – With Food Bank RGV shelves critically low, Brad Paisley and Live Nation are stepping up to help by offering a pair of “meet and greet” passes to his August 5th concert at State Farm Arena.  Fans are asked to donate canned food or water at the Food Bank RGV Tent at the main gates of the State Farm Arena 10am and 7pm, Thursday August 5th.  The person who donates the most food or water will win! 

“We are so thrilled that Brad Paisley is providing this contest to raise food to help feed the hungry. Times are difficult for thousands of families who are hungry in the Rio Grande Valley.” Terri Drefke, Executive Director, Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.

 Donations can only be made at the Food Bank RGV tent at the main gates of the State Farm Arena on Thursday August 5th, between 10am and 7pm for this contest.  

Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, INC:

•      Directly serves Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties.
•      Distributes 25,382,884 pounds of food annually to 194 member non-profit agencies like food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters who then distribute to needy men, women, and children.
•      Is the 4^th largest Food Bank in distribution in Texas and the 26^th largest Food Bank in the nation.
•      Served clients 1,137,850 times during the 2009 fiscal year.
•      Provided assistance for adults 632,414 times, children 505,436 times, and families 327,539 times through neighborhood non-profit agencies in FY 2009.
•      Will provide five meals for every $1.00 donated. 

Gov. Perry Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration

Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to President Barack Obama requesting a major disaster declaration for several Texas counties due to ongoing river flooding as the result of Hurricane Alex and Tropical Depression 2. The Presidential Disaster Declaration would provide federal resources to support recovery efforts.

"Preparations by state and local leaders minimized the initial impact of Hurricane Alex, but the response to ongoing flooding in these counties cannot be sustained with state resources alone," Gov. Perry said. "I urge President Obama to grant the assistance I have requested so Texans can begin to recover from the effects of this storm."

The governor has requested assistance for Bexar, Cameron, Cottle, Floyd, Foard, Garza,Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Maverick, Motley, Starr, Terry, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties.

Specific requests include:

· Individual assistance, including the Individual and Households Program (IHP), disaster unemployment assistance, crisis counseling and Small Business Administration Disaster Loans;
· Public assistance (all categories); and
· Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Public Invited to Grand Opening of New Spray Ground Park

The City of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to invite the public to the Grand Opening Ceremony for the 29th & Zinnia Park. The newest addition to McAllen's park system features McAllen's first spray ground park. The park has a multitude of amenities including a sand volleyball court, shade structures, a half basketball court, athletic practice fields and a walking trail. The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 10 a.m.

McAllen EDC Launches Rewards for Referrals Program

To capitalize on local knowledge and global contacts, the McAllen Economic Development Corporation has launched a new program aimed at increasing community engagement in the economic development process. Modeled after frequent flier programs from the airline industry, Rewards for Referrals encourages people from throughout our local and global community to refer a company and/or investor that has an interest in the McAllen/Reynosa market.

“We know that word of mouth and referrals remain the strongest methods of driving business,” said Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen EDC. “Many of the companies currently located in our community started as referrals from friends and business partners.”

With the onset of social media, the world literally has become one network of global connections, Patridge said, adding that McAllen EDC has promoted the program on the organization’s pages on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. The McAllen EDC Rewards for Referrals program augments the referral process by adding small incentives at certain benchmarks of the economic development process. People who make referrals are rewarded points after several key steps in the process, which takes time and could prove challenging.

“It takes a lot of work to close a company and this program not only offers rewards for people who help us, but it provides a glimpse of what it takes to create jobs and attract new investment,” Patridge said. Since 1988, McAllen EDC has helped bring more than 600 companies to the greater McAllen and Reynosa area.

The program is open to everyone and certain regulations and restrictions apply. The program is managed online and once registered; people can access their accounts and track their progress. Rewards range from an ipad to a 42-inch flat screen television and can be cashed in at different points of the process. McAllen EDC will purchase all gifts locally.

“In addition to the rewards, which everyone enjoys, we are engaging our community and working together to make our city better,” Patridge said. “It could be difficult and take some time, but just like our new referral program; economic development offers great rewards in the end like jobs, more wealth and a better city to be in.”

For more information, visit rewards.mcallenedc.org or call a McAllen EDC business development specialist at (956) 682.2875.