David Salinas and his creative partners at 9INE 5IVE 6EIS grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of the 1990s. The touchstones of their RGV era included listening to B104 on the radio and shopping for groceries at Carl’s Supermarkets. The nostalgia connected to their youth is one reason for starting a merchandising company that celebrates the region’s culture and history. The 956 as in the region’s area code has…
A partnership with Texas A&M University is bringing the Aggie spirit to South Texas College students who aspire to be part of the university’s renowned engineering program. The Texas A&M Engineering Academy at the STC McAllen campus is one of 10 such partnerships in Texas. The program links Texas A&M’s flagship campus in College Station with higher educational institutions around the state. The academy introduces A&M’s engineering program to first-…
The motto of a local hardware store speaks to its place in its community and the area around it. “Heart of a Working Town,” it says on a store window by an entrance of Express Hardware in Elsa. The store is located about a block away from the intersection on FM 88 and state Highway 107. It has become a crossroads corner for the communities that make up what’s known…
Alexandrea Peralta’s business is located across the street from an inner city park that needs an image boost. Putting her Jade Candle Co. shop across the street from a park in Harlingen some local residents avoid points to two of Peralta’s great passions. One is for candle making from scratch and creating products to the specifications of her customers. The other is love of her community and a commitment to…
Anchu Ann Vincent moved with her family to Harlingen in 2022 to work as a medical records specialist at Harlingen Medical Center. Vincent, a native of India, received medical training in her country before coming to Chicago in 2019 to continue her education. She is an MD and when coming to Harlingen, she had no idea her hospital was making plans to establish an internal medicine residency program. Such a…
Elsa was once a city off the Rio Grande Valley’s beaten path. Tucked away from the region’s vehicle-heavy corridor – Expressway 83 – Elsa’s location along state Highway 107 formerly made it appear as if nothing of significance could happen here. Times change, however, as do growth patterns and emerging traffic routes where commuters seek new ways to get to work. Elsa has become one of those places where remoteness…
McAllen’s ongoing efforts to grow more trees within its urban landscape got a significant boost recently with the Texas A&M Forest Service awarding the local school district a $2.7 million grant. The grant will benefit seven elementary schools that are part of the McAllen Independent School District. Each campus will receive $390,000 to purchase and plant trees over the next three years from the $2,730,000 grant. A key goal at…
Highlighting Daniel Silva’s two-year tenure as the chief executive officer of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership is his organization’s “one region, one voice” message. Silva’s predecessors also preached regional unity when it came to the Valley’s nearly 50 cities working more collaboratively when marketing and promoting the region. He has tried to intensify those efforts by having the many economic development corporations in the Valley band together under one regional flag…
The space now taken by The Deep End restaurant and entertainment center has lived many lives over the years on the west side of Harlingen. The spacious Business 83 location has been a dance hall, a honky-tonk and sports bar, among other variations. Under new ownership, there is a fresh concept with investments in facilities that have reimagined dance floors and traditional bar setups into a place suited for family…
Edinburg’s legacy of civic engagement and improvement reached another milestone recently as the fast-growing community was named an All-America City for the fourth time in its history. The award, as given by the National Civic League, celebrates communities that exemplify the best projects and achievements in innovation, civic engagement and collaboration. The organization chose Edinburg as one of 20 finalists this year from a pool of several hundred applicant cities…