Weslaco

Weslaco derives its name from the W.E. Stewart Land Company. It was the hometown of Harlon Block, one of the Marines photographed raising the flag at Iwo Jima, and of film and television actor David Spielberg. During World War II, sandbag production reached a peak in Weslaco, and the town declared itself the "sandbagging capital of the world" It is located in southeastern Hidalgo County at 26°933N 97°5915W (26.1515, 97.987374). It is bordered to the east by the city of Donna, to the west by McAllen, and to the north by Nuevo Progreso, Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas. It is part of the McAllenEdinburgMission and ReynosaMcAllen metropolitan areas. As of the 2020 census the population was 41,103, and in 2020 the estimated population was41,103.Streets north of the railroad tracks have Spanish names, and streets south of the railway tracks bear names in English, as a consequence of a 1921 municipal ordinance which declared that land north of. the tracks be reserved for Hispanic residences and businesses, and land south. of the tracks was reserved for "Anglo" residences and. businesses. The city is located at the southern tip of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley near the Mexican border, across the Rio Rio from the city. The present location of WeslACo was originally part of a Llano Grande Land Grant granted to Juan José Ynojosa de Ballí in 1790.

History

Weslaco is the primary city name, but also Progreso Lakes, Progreso Lks are acceptable city names or spellings, Ramona on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. The present location of Weslaco was originally part of the Llano Grande Land Grant granted to Juan José Ynojosa de Ballí in 1790. The Ballí family ranched and maintained ownership of the land until 1852. In 1904, the Hidalgo and San Miguel extension of the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway made its way to the site. It was promoted by Uriah Lott, Lon C. Hill, Jr., and others interested in developing the area through farming as opposed to ranching. The American Rio Grande Land and Irrigation Company of neighboring Mercedes purchased a major portion of the grant and platted the West Tract in 1913. In an effort to control raids from Mexico, the United States government stationed troops along the Rio Grande in 1916. A watchtower was constructed at Progreso by these troops. On December 14, 1917, the irrigation company sold 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) at ninety dollars an acre to the W. E. Stewart Land Company. The town name "Weslaco" was derived from the company's name. The site was surveyed and planted on September 18, 1919. The Stewart Company later sold the townsite to Ed C. Couch and R. L. Reeves, whose partners, fearing failure, had backed out of the venture. Nearby communities circulated flyers discouraging settlement at the proposed town. But the sale of lots was held on December 810, 1919, and prices ranged from $50 to $400 per lot.

Geography

Weslaco is located in southeastern Hidalgo County at 26°933N 97°5915W (26.159130, 97.987374). It is bordered to the east by the city of Mercedes and to the west by the town of Donna. Interstate 2 and U.S. Route 83 pass through Weslaco, leading west 16 miles (26 km) to McAllen and east 19 miles (31km) to Harlingen. The city is 5 miles (8 km) north of Progreso in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. According to the United States Census Bureau, WesLaco has a total area of 14.8 square miles (38.3 km²) of which 14.7 square miles are land and 0.1 square miles of water. The town has a population of 2,816. It is located at 26.933 N 97.5915 W, and has an area of 38.3 square miles, or 0.49% of its land is water. It has an estimated population of 3,822. It was the site of the deadliest shooting in Texas history, with more than 1,000 people killed. The Texas Rangers are based in the town, and the Texas Rangers have a training facility in the city. It also has a post office, which is open to the general public. The community is served by the Texas Department of Public Safety, which has one of the busiest traffic arteries in the state.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Weslaco has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. It is the most easterly city in the central states of the Great Plains. The warm season is extremely long, as average high temperatures from May through September are above 90 °F (32 °C) Average annual precipitation is only 24.89 inches (632 mm) The record snowfall was 3.00 inches (76 mm) on December 25, 2004. The highest temperature ever recorded in Weslacco is 110 °f (43 °C), once in 1998 and once in 1999. The average annual snowfall of 0.1 inches over the last 30 years is the record for the city, which was set on January 12, 1962, when it was 13°F (11°C) The average high in January is 71 °F and the average low is 49 °F. The record low is 76 °F in August, when the average high is 97 °F, and theAverage high in February is 71°F, with an average low of 49°F. It has an average annual temperature of 97°F and an average high of 70°F in February. The city is located on the U.S.-Mexico border and is located in the Rio Grande Valley. The climate is characterized by two seasons; a wet season from April to September and a dry season from October to March. Most precipitation occurs in the wet season.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 40,160 people, 12,671 households, and 9,998 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 14.92% White, 0.27% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0,06% Pacific Islander, 20.93% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 83.76% of the population. The city's median income was $26,573, and the median income for a family was $29,215. About 26.5% of families and 30.9% of residents were below the poverty line. The per capita income for the city is $11,235. The average household size is 3.21 and the average family size was 3.68. The median age is 31 years, with 31.8% under the age of 18, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there are 87.9 males. For each 100 females age 18 and over, there is 82.4 males. The U.N. World Health Organization estimates the city to have a population of 40,000. The population is expected to grow to 50,000 by the end of the 20th century, and to 60,000 in the 2030s. It has a population density of 2,123.1.

Economy

The focal point of economic activity has shifted from agriculture to international trade, healthcare, retail and tourism. US/Mexico trade crossing the international bridge in Hidalgo County increased from $5.0 billion in 1994, pre-NAFTA, to $12.56 billion in 2000 and $19.9 billion in 2006. From 1995 to 2006 the Rio Grande Valley share of NAFTA trade increased 168% from $11.1 billion to $31.6 billion. It is estimated that there are 40 million visits per year from Mexican citizens coming to Texas for vacations and shopping trips. These people contribute greatly to the retail sales volume that occurs in Weslaco and the surrounding communities. Prime Healthcare Services, through its subsidiary Knapp Medical Center, serves WesLaco's emergency medical needs. The facility is outfitted with a Heli-Pad, Level 3 Trauma Unit and 233 hospital beds. There is a double board certified, fellow trained Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Total Joint Replacement and fracture care. Dr. Michael D. Sander is a native of Weslco, Texas. Weslico residents can check with local providers for other specialized needs. For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. For support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.

Government

The current City Officials are Mayor David Suarez, Mayor Pro-Tem Letty Lopez, Commissioner Leo Muñoz (District 1), Commissioner Greg Kerr (District 2), Commissioner JP Rodriguez (District 3), Commissioner Adrian Farias (District 4) and Commissioner Josh Pedraza (District 6) The current Chief of Police is Joel Rivera, a former Division Chief at the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office. The United States Postal Service operates the Weslaco Post Office at 109 N Border Ave. The Sergeant Tomás Garces Texas Army National Guard Armory located at 1100 Vo Tech Dr, in the home for the C Company 3rd Battalion (Mechanized) 141st Infantry and Detachment 1, Company A, 536th Brigade Support Battalion. This armory was dedicated in honor of WeslACo native Sgt. Tomas Garces, the first Texas ArmyNational Guard combat casualty since World War II. The Texas Department of Public Safety operates the Region 3 McAllen office in Weslacos. The U.S. Border Patrol Weslacco Station is located at 1501 E. Expressway 83. The current City Mayor is David Suarez and the current City Council members are Lettyopez, Greg Kerr, Leo Muñooz, Adrian Friaras, and Greg Rodriguez. The city is located in the Rio Grande Valley and is on the Texas-Mexico border. The City has a population of about 2,000 people. It is located near the border with Mexico.

Transportation

I-2 and U.S. 83 are major highways in Weslaco. Private air services are available at the Mid Valley Airport. Local public transportation is provided by Valley Metro. The city is home to the University of the Incarnate Word, which was founded in 1859. The town is also home to a college, the University of the  Incarnate Word, which opened in 1881. It is also the site of the National Museum of American History, which dates back to 1854. It was named after the founder of the university. The Weslaco City Hall is located in the center of the city, in the heart of the town. It has a population of 1.6 million, making it one of the smallest cities in the United States, along with San Antonio and Laredo. It also has a university, the University of the Institute of the Conception and the College of The Universities of Texas, which were founded in 1861 and 1874 respectively. The City's population is 1.7 million, with the majority of its residents living in and around the town of Weslacos. The population of the City of McAllen is 1.8 million, and the population of Harlingen is 1.9 million, which is the largest city in the state. The majority of the population lives in the city of McAllen, and most of its suburbs.

Education

Weslaco is home to four private schools and two charter schools. The city has a Head Start Program, pre-kinder programs as well as several privately owned day care centers. Texas A&M operates an agricultural research center in Weslaco. South Texas College, South Texas Vocational Technical Institute, and Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies are all located in the city. There are no public schools in the town of 5,000 people, but there are 3 public school districts and a charter school. The town has a population of 3,000. It is located on the Texas-Mexico border and is located near the border of the U.S. states of Texas, Mexico, and New Mexico. It has an estimated population of 4,000, with the majority of its residents living in and around the city of Weslacos. The majority of the city's residents are Hispanic or Hispanic-American. The population of the town is about 3,500 people, with most of the population living in or near the city center. The average income is about $30,000 a year. The community has a high school graduation rate of about 80%. The city's population is about 2,400 people, which is the third highest in the state of Texas. It also has a low-income population of about 1,200 people, or about 1.5% of the state's population. The area has a median household income of about $25,000 per year.

Public library

The Mayor Joe V. Sanchez Public Library serves Weslaco. In addition to its book collection, the library offers computer classes and various community events. Meeting rooms and an auditorium are available.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Weslaco, Hidalgo County, Texas = 78.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 60. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Weslaco = 6.1 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 1,745 individuals with a median age of 29.9 age the population grows by 19.79% in Weslaco, Hidalgo County, Texas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,541.61 residents per square mile of area (981.35/km²). There are average 3.13 people per household in the 10,180 households with an average household income of $32,933 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 10.60% of the available work force and has growths 0.91% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 31.22%. The number of physicians in Weslaco per 100,000 population = 104.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Weslaco = 23.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 0 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 64. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 226. 96 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 49.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 18, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Weslaco, Hidalgo County, Texas which are owned by the occupant = 53.48%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 26 years with median home cost = $96,430 and home appreciation of -0.80%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $16.93 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,656 per student. There are 15.5 students for each teacher in the school, 256 students for each Librarian and 346 students for each Counselor. 3.25% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 9.39% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.00% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).