Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled for TOMORROW, Thursday, December 15 @ 11 am
Pharr, Texas – Nearly one year after a massive fire destroyed Matt’s Building Materials store in Pharr the first steps towards rebuilding have begun. Matt’s ownership team invites the media and public to join them for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the rebuilding of their iconic store.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 11 am TOMORROW, Thursday, December 15, 2022, at Matt’s Building Materials & Wood Row Plaza (404 E. Expressway 83) in Pharr, Texas.
“Matt’s has been a staple in Pharr for generations, and to see it rise once again from the ashes after last year’s tragedy is extremely heartening. We are grateful for new beginnings and congratulate the Matt’s team on this momentous occasion,” remarked Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Herandez, M.D.
Built in 1969, the original Matt’s “Cash & Carry” Building Materials is the oldest lumberyard still operating in the Rio Grande Valley. Though the fire razed the 120,000 square foot retail location on January 1st, 2022, the lumberyard was mostly undamaged and deliveries of materials resumed on January 3rd.
Despite the many challenges they have faced this year, the family-owned business is optimistic for the future. “It has been a year of ups and downs, but with the support and encouragement we have received, we are extremely hopeful and excited for the future of Matt’s” said Isaac Smith, co-owner of Matt’s Building Materials.
“Matt’s Building Materials has long contributed to the economic vitality of Pharr and the surrounding areas, and its team has been such dedicated supporters of our community. We are encouraged at the resiliency of the company and organization, and look forward to its continued success,” stated Victor Perez, Pharr Economic Development Corporation President/CEO.
The new building will retain the spirit of the original, while adding many new amenities. In addition to rebuilding the store, they will be utilizing a plot of previously undeveloped land on the east side of the property to expand and build an event center as well as 33,000 square feet of retail space that will be leased to other businesses.
DETAILS:
WHO: Matt’s Building Materials and City of Pharr/Pharr EDC Officials
WHAT: Groundbreaking Ceremony to Celebrate Rebuilding of Matt’s Building Materials
WHEN: Thursday, December 15, 2022 @ 11 am
WHERE: Matt’s Building Materials (404 E. Expressway 83) in Pharr, Texas
Nearly Ten Thousand in Attendance at Magical City of Pharr Posada!
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr celebrated the Christmas holiday by hosting its annual Christmas Posada, which included snow, live music, food, characters, and activities designed to spread cheer to families and citizens.
“During our annual City of Pharr Christmas Posada, we bring our community together to celebrate all things Christmas,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “This year, families were especially excited about the opportunity to enjoy snow tubing, visiting with Santa, the Grinch, and taking part in all the fun FREE activities at this year’s event,” he added.
The posada also included FREE carnival rides, pictures with Santa Claus, painting activities, a Christmas Village, delicious food, local performances by Texas Storm, VOX LIVE Band, and Pharr School District performances, among other fun activities.
Families throughout the City of Pharr and surrounding communities participated in the City of Pharr’s Posada. Downtown Pharr was packed with families enjoying the FREE event. The area was aglow with holiday lights, Christmas cheer, and smiling faces, all enjoying the posada festivities.
The popular event of the night was snow tubing. Children and families lined up throughout the night for their turn to snow tube down the slide and into the snow pit. Everyone had a big smile after their turn down the slide!
This year’s Posada was a great success with over 10,000 attendees. Each year the event gets bigger and bigger. Thank you to all who joined us from near and far for this year’s posada festivities!
“Our community had a great time at the event and we thank everyone who joined us in Pharr for the Christmas Posada,” Mayor Hernandez continued. “On behalf of the City of Pharr, we wish you all a Merry Christmas!”
PSJA North football team set to participate in Tips for Toys on Sunday, 12/11 @ 9:30 am
Pharr, Texas – Football players from PSJA North High School will be giving back this holiday season by participating in the City of Pharr’s Tips for Toys.
“We are excited to give back to the community who supported us this season,” said head football coach Marcus Kaufmann. “Participation in the tips for toys campaign will help our athletes realize what an effect even a small gesture can have on others in the community,” he added.
The Raiders will be waiting tables at IHOP (1601 S Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577) on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at 9:30 am. Tips collected will go towards the Tips for Toys fund.
Media is invited to attend.
DETAILS
WHAT: Raiders Participate in Tips for Toys
WHEN: Sunday, December 11, 2022, 9:30 am
WHERE: IHOP Pharr (1601 S Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577)
City of Pharr to Host Christmas Posada in Downtown Pharr on Saturday, 12/10 @ 6 pm
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr will host its annual Christmas Posada and invites the community to join them in celebration. A yearly tradition, the Pharr Christmas Posada is a festive event celebrating the magic of the Christmas holiday in the heart of downtown Pharr.
This FREE family event will take place on Saturday, December 10th from 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm by Pharr City Hall (118 S Cage Blvd).
“Our annual Pharr Christmas Posada is always a fun and festive event,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “We invite everyone to join us for an evening of holiday festivities, live music, great food, and family activities,” added Hernandez. “You don’t want to miss it!”
This year’s event promises to be a fun-filled and family-friendly evening as the community gathers together to celebrate all things Christmas featuring: activities, face paintings, food trucks, food vendors, and live music for the whole family to enjoy.
All media and the public are invited to attend.
DETAILS
WHAT: City of Pharr Christmas Posada
WHEN: Saturday, December 10th from 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
WHERE: Pharr City Hall (118 S Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577)
City of Pharr Makes Spirits Bright with Annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr held its annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree on Monday, November 28th at the Downtown Park near city hall. The park was packed with excitement as city hall and the downtown main street lit up with lights in celebration of the Christmas holiday and festivities. The community was especially excited to welcome The Grinch back to Pharr.
Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., Pharr City Commissioners, and employees welcomed the community to the FREE event which featured a countdown to the lighting of the tree, musical performances, popular Christmas Characters such as The Grinch, Mickey Mouse, and more.
“Christmas is about joy, happiness, and love but most importantly, it is about FAMILY,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “Today, we celebrate the lighting of our tree and city as we prepare for the festivities of the Christmas season, and I am so proud to see our community gather together,” he continued.
After the welcoming remarks and invocation, Mayor Hernandez and City Commissioners gathered around a giant flip switch as the countdown began for the lighting of the tree. They were joined by children in the audience who helped them flip the switch.
Once the tree was lit and all the lights turned on, the community was invited to enjoy a walk around the Downtown Park and Pharr City Hall to view the spectacular Christmas decorations, listen to live Christmas music, and take photos with The Grinch and other Christmas characters.
“Our Tree represents light and this holiday season, I encourage each of you to spread light to those around you,” added Hernandez. “We wish you all a joyous Christmas season filled with hope, aspiration, and love,” he said.
Everyone is invited to enjoy the lights at Downtown Park throughout the holiday season. The City of Pharr will be hosting several upcoming family-friendly events in the area in celebration of Christmas. Stay informed of upcoming events on the city’s social media pages.
Pharr Bridge Hosts Global Entities Economic Partnership to Promote Growth and Trade with Mexico; Signs MOU to Promote Joint Initiatives
Pharr, Texas – The Pharr International Bridge held a luncheon workshop for the National Importers and Exporters Association of Mexico (ANIERM) on Thursday, November 17th at the Pharr Bridge Administration Building to discuss and promote growth and trade with Mexico. Elected officials, trade, export, produce, investors, and logistic personnel from both Mexico and the United States were in attendance including Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and ANIERM President Dr. José Gerardo Tajonar Castro.
As part of the workshop, the City of Pharr and ANIERM leaders agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Global Entities Economic Partnership between the City of Pharr, Texas, and the ANIERM, México. The objective of the MOU is to formalize a bilateral relationship to promote growth and expand economic opportunities for both entities, through joint initiatives in trade, investment, innovation, and knowledge transfer.
“This partnership and agreement are important for The Pharr International Bridge because we are not only building the necessary infrastructure for the future, we are positioning ourselves strategically to capture in-demand trade, we invest in infrastructure, we invest in personnel, we invest in technology and process improvements, but we always keep in mind that it’s all about investing in business relationships to meet our objective of continuous improvement by listening to the voice of the customer.”
These initiatives will be conducted to increase business opportunities and strengthen the cultural, historic, and economic ties between the entities. This will help develop a strong infrastructure, partnerships, and long-term goals on both sides of the border which will benefit the binational partnership.
“We look forward to working together through our MOU to promote growth and expand economic opportunities on both sides of the border through joint initiatives at our port of entry,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “This is a historic step forward for both our countries and will help to solidify our binational relationship and presence as we collaborate to expand our international trading capacity,” he added. “There is so much to be done and we have already hit the ground running,” Hernandez said.
Attendees participated in a round table discussion focused on binational commerce, witnessed both Pharr and ANIERM leaders sign the MOU, learned about the City of Pharr’s role as the leader in the region for cross-border trade, the 3rd fastest growing land port in the state and the 7th ranked in the nation by value of goods crossed, networked with authorities and companies from both the United States and Mexico, and ended the meeting with a tour of the Pharr International Bridge projects under construction, local warehousing, and distribution facilities and trade routes. This will mark the first of many future forums and special meetings held between the two entities.
Shown together after the signing of the historic MOU (L to R): Luiz Bazan, Pharr Bridge Director, Ricardo Medina, Pharr City Commissioner, ANIERM President Dr. José Gerardo Tajonar Castro, and ANIERM representatives.
(L to R): Ricardo Medina, Pharr City Commissioner, and ANIERM President Dr. José Gerardo Tajonar Castro.
Shown together after the signing of the historic MOU (L to R): Luiz Bazan, Pharr Bridge Director, Ricardo Medina, Pharr City Commissioner, ANIERM President Dr. José Gerardo Tajonar Castro, and ANIERM representatives.
(L to R): Ricardo Medina, Pharr City Commissioner, and ANIERM President Dr. José Gerardo Tajonar Castro.