Smoking Bans Enacted With Employees, Customers In Mind
By Joey GomezThose business owners who stand to be the hardest hit from McAllen’s smoking ban may stand to learn a little from those who have spent the past two years in the trenches.
With similar measures in Harlingen, McAllen’s smoking ordinance has a lot in common with its neighbor to the east. Both cities are currently the only ones in the Valley that have enacted city-wide ordinance banning smoking from most public places.
Harlingen enacted their non-smoking ordinance in March of 2005 that prohibits smoking in public places, and places of employment excluding bars, nightclubs and dog racing tracks.
But there is currently no data on the effect a city wide crackdown of smoking has had in the community within the last two years, according to the local office of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
“You can ask any person,” said Dora del Toro, the regional coordinator for tobacco prevention for the DSHS in Harlingen. “(But) You have to go by anecdotal evidence though.”
The DSHS instead refers back to a study published after California passed state-wide legislation prohibiting smoking in bars in 1998.
The report done by the Department of Medicine’s Pulmonary Critical Care, and Occupational and Environmental Divisions found that establishing smoke-free bars led to a big improvement in overall respiratory health for employees.
Bar and tavern workers are exposed to levels of second hand smoke at least 4 to 6 times higher than in any other work place, the study finds.
This relation between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and respiratory symptoms had never been well established, and the report found that most employees of bars who had previously reported symptoms didn’t have any once the state-wide ban took effect.
Local health officials in Harlingen are seemingly aware of the positive impact the smoking ban has had in the past two years.
“I think it’s beneficial,” said Ramiro Gonzalez, Harlingen’s environmental health director. “People not smoking benefits everyone in the community.”
Gonzalez said the department inspects restaurants three times a year, and responds to complaints made within the community. He said he has had good compliance from restaurants adhering to the city’s anti-smoking ordinance.
The Health Department aims to protect the health and safety of the community through education and enforcement of the city’s health ordinances. These include food establishment regulations like public smoking, according to the department’s mission statement.
“Anyone can file a complaint but most places are on a kind of honor system,” he said.
McAllen has recently fortified current non-smoking ordinance to include separate ventilation systems in bars and nightclubs, and has received its share of complaints from local business owners concerned about its effect on business.
But not all business owners consider the smoking ban detrimental to their daily operation.
“We’re not happy with it, but we hear every day about those people who actually want to go to a non smoking bar,” said Melba Newman, co-owner of Newman’s Restaurant and Bar in McAllen. “It’s an advantage for the people, but a disadvantage to business.”
Newman’s, which in opened in November of 2003, is one of many similar establishments in town that stand to be impacted by the ban once the ordinance goes into effect in October.
Newman, a non-smoker, knows first hand the effects secondhand smoke has had on her health since opening almost four years ago.
“It’s worse when I walk in early at 4 a.m.,” Newman said. “I have had trouble breathing, my throat doesn’t clear normally … (and) I won’t even walk inside my home with clothes smelling like that.”
Newman said most businesses will eventually get accustomed to the new rules, and is currently working with the TABC to include a patio area for the smoking public at her business.
“All businesses should get together,” she said. “I agree with that.”
BND urges supporters to ‘think big’ for the future
By Joey Gomez
The Brownsville Navigation District remains a driving force in local and state economies, and provides ‘global opportunity for the entire region’, says BND Chairman Martin Arambula.
In his recent State of the Port speech in Brownsville, Aramubla utilized a high profile gathering of the city’s business elite to show how the BND is seeking to embrace the theme for global opportunity.
The speech reflected on several key issues, and new infrastructure on the horizon for the future of the area’s only deep-water port.
“It (the port) is vital in the global transport chain, and a key player in the economy locally and globally,” Arambula said in his roughly hour-long presentation. The Port amasses $16.4 million in annual income, and generates 4,695 jobs, or about 42 percent of the jobs in Cameron County he said.
He highlighted at least four major projects the Port is currently undertaking. This includes the deepening of the port’s ship channel, the construction of the new Dock 16 to service larger vessels, a desalinization plant, and the construction of a controversial international bridge linking the port to Matamoros.
The goal is to maximize existing facilities, and current projects show how the district must plan for industry change, he said.
According to Arambula, San Antonio and other area cities continue to develop their ports while concurrently improving their infrastructure.
But he mentioned the port’s location makes it prime for luring business from the Far East as routes are changing from California to Mexico in order to avoid offshore traffic snarls. The port is the only deep water one in the region with further rail service from several carriers, he said.
The deepening of the channel, what Arambula calls improving the ‘front door to the U.S.’ is probably the largest, and most important undertaking facing the BND.
It has been implemented through Congress, and involves infrastructure improvements teaming the district with the Army Corps of Engineers for a $6.8 million feasibility study by 2010.
Construction set to begin on Anzalduas International Bridge
Completion target date is June 2009
The cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission have signed a design/build contract with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to begin construction of the Anzalduas International Bridge crossing. The project has a target date of June 29, 2009, for completion.
The three-mile international bridge, projected to cost $48 million, will be located on Stewart Road in Mission, just southwest of McAllen.
“This project is a culmination of a lot of hard work by many people,” said McAllen Mayor Richard F. Cortez. “We feel that it is going to benefit our economy for the entire region in trade and commerce with Mexico.”
The cities of McAllen and Hidalgo currently own the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge and have been working with Mission to build the Anzalduas crossing to alleviate traffic and improve trade across the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Good news that the GSA has good faith in the project,” said Hidalgo Mayor John David Franz. “It looks like it is finally coming to a head.”
Mexico is also moving forward with construction on their side of the crossing. They are expected to begin their construction in July, according to Cortez. Mexico has a shorter time schedule because their portion of the project will not be as elevated as on the U.S.
Reynosa Mayor Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca recently announced over $150 million (1.5 billion pesos) will be invested by the Mexican government this year in public works and infrastructure projects in Reynosa , including the Anzalduas International Bridge.
On the U.S. side, JE Dunn Construction South Central has been awarded the design/build contract. Dunn is ranked the sixth largest general building contractor in the nation. They maintain offices in Austin, Dallas and Houston.
Omaha, Neb.-based Leo A. Daly is the architect for the project. The firm ranks among the world’s top architects, according to Building Design’s 2007 Annual Survey of the World’s Largest Architectural Practices.
The U.S. portion of the bridge will be governed by the Anzalduas International Bridge Board consisting of elected officials from McAllen, Hidalgo, Mission and Granjeno. The board has already received a construction permit from the International Boundary and Water Commission, a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a diplomatic note from Mexico. The note allows U.S. authorities to start construction on the crossing.
The new international bridge is expected create hundreds of jobs in the area after it opens.
“I can’t tell you how important this bridge is, especially right now when we’re experiencing such huge growth,” said Carlos I. Garza, chairman of the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge. “As you know, we are getting more and more visitors from Mexico. This additional crossing will held shorten bridge crossing times and because of its connection to the western part of Reynosa, it will allow direct access to the autopista that connects Reynosa and Monterrey. … This is huge for the entire region.”
Free GMAT tutoring course offered at UT-Pan American
By Luke Koong
The University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg will be offering a free GMAT tutoring course from May 14 to June 2.
Under the sponsorship of the Graduate Studies program and the College of Business Administration, prospective MBA applicants can receive help preparing for the examination.
“The course is a way to jumpstart the importance of being prepared for an examination of this type,” said Teofilo Ozuna, interim dean for the College of Business Administration. “We want to begin to make students aware of the importance of this exam and that they can come and be successful at it with the initial training that they receive.”
A typical GMAT tutoring course costs between $800 and $1,200. The Graduate Studies Office plans on splitting the costs with the College of Business Administration. Both entities will fund two doctoral students who will be teaching the GMAT course. In addition, each doctoral student will be assisted by an MBA student from UTPA. Participants in the course will only be required to purchase their own study material.
Cynthia Brown, interim vice provost for graduate studies, said the tutoring course will help familiarize students with the exam.
“I think there’s anxiety about taking a high-stakes kind of exam of this type. If we do the training, I think we’re going to help alleviate that fear,” Brown said. “If we give a tutoring class, they’ll see that they can do the test and are ready to enter the MBA program.”
Brown said the free course will be a pilot project that may eventually expand to the other colleges at UTPA.
Ozuna hopes the program will be successful.
“As you get economies of scale, then maybe we can begin to look at different ways to finance this particular type of training session,” he said. “This is an investment in our belief that our students are capable of doing these things.”
He also believes the university and the students taking the course will see returns on their efforts.
“The more educational attainment, the more economic development comes to the area. We see the return in the future is much greater than the costs,” Ozuna said.
A total of 50 spots, first-come, first-serve, are open to students and community members. Students preparing to take the GMAT before June 30 will be given preference.
To register or receive more information, call 381-3311.
Cortez offers a QuickInside look
at option for better bookkeeping
By Joey Gomez
For more than 30 years, Raul Cortez has refined what he calls a universal language among all businesses.
Years of working with CPA firms, handling the books for private and non-profit agencies, and performing audit field work for various organizations have given him an insight into the accounting systems of many businesses influencing the creation of his current business.
“I found, just recently, that my own strengths were not in the detail of actually performing the accounting functions, but in that of instructing and motivating others who do have that strength,” Cortez said.
QuickInside is a professional development center specializing in QuickBooks training, as well as offering a general introduction into computers, the Internet, and various office-based programs.
The center is a one-day instructional opportunity for businesses looking to better manage their books by also learning the finer details of Microsoft Office programs like Excel and Word, Publisher, and Power Point.
“Recently I had been visiting numerous businesses and training them on QuickBooks…(and) I noticed a big demand for it,” Cortez said. “A lot of businesses have it, it’s accounting software, however most people don’t have any accounting training.”
Cortez said that as a result many business owners decide to do their own accounting as well as run their business.
“My main idea is to share some accounting knowledge with some of these students, then go into QuickBooks training,” he said. “ We have also extended to Office sessions mainly on weekends and evenings in little four-hour training sessions, but QuickBooks takes a full day.”
Classes are held at Iglesias Professional Plaza located at 1201 N. Raul Longoria Road in San Juan. QuickBooks classes are $149, and lunch is provided. The Microsoft Office Package is $175 for all four classes, or $49 for each individual class that comprise a half day course.
Call 467-5015 for more information.
Where did the idea for QuickInside begin?
It started from the idea of combining my education and strengths with my knowledge of QuickBooks. In preparation for this, I obtained an advanced level QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification for small business, as well as an Enterprise Solutions ProAdvisor certification for medium businesses. I realized that not everyone may have the time and/ or resources to obtain formal accounting training. (And) Not everyone has the time to spend learning all the QuickBooks has to offer.
What kinds of businesses are normally represented by your students?
Any kinds of businesses. We have had funeral homes, auto sales places, non-profits. You can say that accounting is a common language among many different kinds of businesses. There’s no limit to the kinds of business, and then there are the individuals who just want to keep track of their personal financial records.
You must have a pretty intensive curriculum to teach the program in one day.
Yes. We start with the basics of accounting. Then move on to setting up your own company which includes everything from writing checks, paying bills, and preparing invoices. We cover things item by item so by the time you leave you should have a pretty good understanding of QuickBooks.
Are there different levels of instruction?
Our basic one is the beginner’s course. But now we have specialized classes that focus only on construction, for example. Then we have one specifically for non-profits. So we are extending service by offering more specialized classes as we move on.
In the past several months since you started, how has your business been received?
When I start the class I ask the people for their expectations, and I try to meet them. But before they leave I try to answer the questions they came with so that they don’t go away wishing that I would have taught them something else.
