City of Pharr Plans 2nd Annual Ball Drop Celebration to Countdown to the New Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2023
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr joyfully invites the community to join us in ringing in the New Year at our second annual Ball Drop Celebration! This exciting event promises an unforgettable night of music, festivities, food, and a spectacular countdown to 2024.
Ball Drop 2024 takes place Sunday, December 31, 2023, at Downtown Park (118 S. Cage Blvd) starting at 8:30 PM until Midnight. Admission to this event is FREE.
The Spazmatics take center stage at 9:00 PM. Known for their high-energy performances and iconic ’80s covers, The Spazmatics are guaranteed to add an electrifying soundtrack to your New Year’s Eve festivities.
In addition to the majestic ball drop, experience a one-of-a-kind drone show, confetti cannons, fireworks, exclusive party favors, and other NYE surprises!
“What an exciting year it has been for the City of Pharr,” exclaimed Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “We hope to celebrate the night and ring in the new year with our Pharr families,” he added. “We will have plenty of fun family activities and events throughout the evening, everyone is invited to join us as we countdown to 2024!”
Ring in the New Year in style with the City of Pharr! Gather with friends, family, and the entire community as we count down together to welcome the promising year ahead. The Ball Drop 2024 will be livestreamed on the City of Pharr’s Facebook page!
All media and the public are invited to attend.
DETAILS
WHAT: City of Pharr’s Ball Drop 2024
WHEN: Sunday, December 31, 2023 @ 8 PM – Midnight
WHERE: Downtown Park (118 S. Cage Blvd)
City of Pharr Continues Annual ‘Tips for Toys’ Initiative, Spreading Holiday Cheer to Children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023
Pharr, Texas – The Pharr Police Department continues its Tips for Toys initiative, a heartfelt community-driven effort to bring joy to the children of Pharr during the holiday season.
The initiative involves Pharr police officers, EMS staff, Pharr firefighters, and emergency communications staff visiting various local restaurants, where they will serve as guest waitstaff, collecting tips to purchase holiday gifts for children.
This year’s initiative kicked off on November 30 and will run through December 11. Please see the schedule of participating locations, below.
The City of Pharr aims to provide gifts to children who might not otherwise receive them during the holidays. We invite the community to attend one of the remaining dates, meet our dedicated Pharr staff, and contribute to this worthy cause.
“During this season of giving, the Pharr Police Department is honored to continue the tradition of Tips for Toys,” Police Chief Juan Gonzalez said. “Our officers and staff are not only committed to keeping our community safe but also to ensuring every child experiences the joy of the holidays,” he added.
As we embark on this season of giving, the City of Pharr wishes everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. Let’s come together to make a positive impact on the lives of our community’s children.
City of Pharr Names Dr. Jonathan B. Flores as City Manager
Dr. Jonathan B. Flores, Pharr City Manager
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2023
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr is proud to announce that it has named Dr. Jonathan B. Flores as City Manager. Dr. Flores has been serving as the Interim City Manager since earlier this year.
Jonathan B. Flores Ed.D., a native of Pharr, Texas is a municipal government professional with over twenty-two years of diverse law enforcement experience. Since 2005, he has worked in various roles and assignments, such as patrol, criminal investigations, major crimes, and as Assistant City Manager/Chief of Police for the City of Alton.
“Today is a very special day for me and my family. I am extremely grateful to our Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, and the City Commission for their continued support and trust in me to lead our great city. I am committed to carrying out their vision and standard of excellence while serving our employees and community through a servant leadership philosophy.”
Dr. Flores is a graduate of the 90th session of LEMIT’s Leadership Command College and has garnered recognition for his leadership at the local, state, national, and international levels including the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 under 40 leadership award, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Public Service Award, and the Texas Police Chief’s Association Leadership Award.
“Dr. Flores understands the needs of our city, employees, and community and we are so proud to have him as our City Manager,” said Mayor Hernandez, M.D. “He is a great leader and he has created many new initiatives that have promoted leadership and growth within our employees, and he has also been instrumental in leading the charge on new city projects,” Hernandez added. He continued, “Dr. Flores is a great fit for our city, and we are proud of where our future is headed!”
In 2023, Dr. Flores was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service in Toledo, Ohio. Dr. Flores is a TML Leadership Fellow and is currently in the process of earning credentialed manager candidate status through the International City Manager’s Association.
Dr. Flores is married to his high school sweetheart Rachel, and they have two wonderful children Michael & Dominique, and one Granddaughter Layla.
The Board of Commissioners of the City of Pharr met for a regular meeting on Monday, November 20, 2023, and considered an agenda that included the following highlights:
City Proclaims November 15th as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day
Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring November 15, 2023, as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day. It is a worldwide event that is dedicated to showing, teaching, and inspiring others about the importance of GIS and the role it plays in our lives. The City of Pharr GIS Division maintains updates and makes sure the city maps have the most current and accurate information for land development including zoning, utility lights (water, sewer, and storm drainage), roadways, properties, and and more. They also provide addressing services for the city which allow emergency services departments such as the fire department, police department, and EMS to locate addresses within the city when responding to an emergency. They also map geographical data analysis needed for the city such as TeamPharr.Net where they are able to count how many homes are connected. Ruben Alfaro, City Engineer, and his team including Miranda Garcia GIS Technician, and Jose Chavez, GIS Manager accepted the proclamation.
City Recognizes Pharr Leadership Development Program Graduates
Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission recognized city employees who graduated from the Pharr Leadership Development Program. The program consists of employees from different departments in the city who aspire to be leaders and supervisors. Individuals participated in a 7-week program which consisted of courses including leadership, followership, leadership in crisis, media relations, and a presentation. “This is a new program we have created for our city employees,” said Interim City Manager Dr. Jonathan Flores. He added, “We are so proud of our first cohort and their commitment and dedication to the City of Pharr, Congratulations!”
City Recognizes Pharr EMS Staff for Clinical Excellence Commendation
Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission recognized Pharr EMS staff for clinical excellence during a recent emergency case. Pharr EMS employees Oscar Lopez, EMT/Paramedic, and Mia Palacios, EMT were recognized with the Pink Stork Award and received a plaque for their heroic actions in safely delivering a 24-week-old baby while transporting a patient to the hospital. The baby remains in the NICU but is doing great. Mayor Hernandez, Commissioner Dr. Ramiro Caballero, and the city commission congratulated Lopez and Palacios, praising them for a healthy and safe delivery. This is yet another wonderful story of the great work Pharr EMS does every day to help save lives and respond to emergencies.
City of Pharr Office of City Communications and IT Departments Recognized for Winning State and National Awards
Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission recognized the City Communications and IT Departments for winning awards at the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Conference and at the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers (TATOA) Conference. The Pharr Media team earned 3 Government Programming Awards and the Pharr IT Department earned the 2023 Community Broadband and Digital Equity Award for Community Broadband Project of the Year at the NATOA Conference. At the TATOA Conference, the Pharr Media Department was a finalist in 9 categories and won 4 Programming Awards. Yuri Gonzalez, City of Pharr News Director/PIO, and Jose Pena, City of Pharr IT Director, and their staff were recognized by the city commission for their hard work and dedication.
Police Chief Juan Gonzalez Announces Pharr Crime is Down
In his presentation to Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission on Uniform Crime Reporting, Chief Gonzalez announced that the crime rate in Pharr is down. Presenting the statistics, he stated that the overall crime rate in 2020 was 19.6% in 2021 it was 18.9%, and in 2022 it was 17.9%. “We have steadily decreased at about 1% the last three years and we are proud to continue to lower the rate and strive to continue to meet this goal,” he added. “Our Pharr PD is dedicated to keeping our citizens and community safe,” said Chief Gonzalez. In his report, Chief Gonzalez also announced that Pharr PD expects to continue to see a 1-2% decrease in crime for 2023.
City of Pharr Announces it will Host the 2023 RGV Coastal Expo
City of Pharr Urban Ecologist, Hanna Marble announced during the city meeting that Pharr will be hosting the 2023 RGV Coastal Expo in December. RGV Coastal Expo is a field trip opportunity for children in grades 1 – 6 across the valley to come and learn about coastal ecology and outdoor adventure. This event is a partnership between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. UTRGV students who are interested in environmental sciences, conservation, and wildlife biology could also use this as an opportunity to learn about the outreach that people with careers in these fields do. A variety of activities will be viable at this event for volunteers to assist with. These include small table programs with local nature sites to help someone learn how to catch a fish for the first time! For more information, please contact Hanna Marble at (956) 497-0715 or via email at hanna.marble@pharr-tx.gov.
Further details about the event are as follows:
Date(s) – Thursday, December 7th & Friday, December 8th
Featured Event: REMINDER – City of Pharr Presents Winter Wonderland – Friday, December 1, 2023, from 6 pm to 11 pm in Downtown Pharr
The City of Pharr’s Winter Wonderland is coming to Downtown Park Friday, December 1st! Kick off the holidays with us and witness the annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree!
We’ll have plenty of food, games, market vendors and more! Mark your calendars!
City of Pharr to Unveil Veterans Wall of Honor inside City Hall
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2023
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr is proud to announce the unveiling of the Veterans Wall of Honor, a new display paying tribute to our city’s employees who have served in our nation’s military.
The unveiling will take place on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 10 AM in the City Commissioners’ Room, located on the 2nd Floor inside of Pharr City Hall (118 S Cage Blvd., Pharr, TX 78577).
“We are indebted to our military men and women for the unyielding dedication and selfless sacrifice they have made for our nation,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “This wall will forever pay gratitude to our very own City of Pharr veterans, the heroes who continue their service through the outstanding work they provide on a daily basis for our city and its residents,” he added.
This meaningful event provides an opportunity for the City of Pharr to recognize and express its gratitude to our employees who have selflessly served in the military, safeguarding our nation’s freedom.
We look forward to seeing you at this momentous event as we honor those who have served our great nation and the City of Pharr.
Media invited to attend.
DETAILS
WHAT: Veterans Wall of Honor Unveiling
WHERE: City Commissioners’ Room, Pharr City Hall 2nd Floor (118 S Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577)
WHEN: Thursday, November 9, 2023, 10 AM
City of Pharr to Host Veterans Parade and Fireworks on Saturday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023
Pharr, Texas – In honor of all Veterans who served in our United States military and armed forces, the City of Pharr is proud to host and celebrate Veterans Day with a Salute to Veterans Parade and Fireworks!
The festivities will take place in Downtown Pharr (200 S. Cage Blvd.) on Saturday, November 4, 2023, beginning with a parade at 5:30 pm followed by The HUB Market taking place at 7:00 pm, and concluding with a fireworks show at 8:00 pm.
Fireworks will be displayed by Pecina Rd. and Cage Rd. in South Pharr. Citizens are encouraged to find a safe location to watch the fireworks show.
“Pharr is proud to salute all Veterans in our community, and we honor the many brave men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect our freedom and our country,” said Mayor Hernandez. “On behalf of the entire Pharr City Commission, we invite the public, our citizens, and all our veterans to come and enjoy the festivities,” he added.
City of Pharr officials invite all Pharr residents and families to attend and show their support as we honor the men and women who have served and who are currently serving in the United States military.
This event is FREE and open to the public. All media and the public are invited to attend.
DETAILS
WHAT: City of Pharr Salute to Veterans Parade & Fireworks
WHEN: Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
WHERE: Downtown Pharr (200 S. Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577)
