Eddie Mirza is a survivor of job layoffs, illness and economic upheavals, but there’s one thing he could always depend on. His talents as an artist, teacher and soccer coach have served him well, as has the multiple languages he speaks, giving him a versatility to make a living when buffeted by misfortunes. Mirza has worked at newspapers, advertising agencies, and printing and telecommunications companies. These days, he is up…
The origins of Weslaco read much like the beginnings of the Rio Grande Valley’s narrative of the early 20th century. It includes railroads, canals, irrigation and agriculture, with U.S. troops at the border to chase and capture Pancho Villa should he cross the river. The latter did not happen. There are no indications Villa and his riders ever ventured close to the South Texas border with Mexico. About 12,000 troops…
Cantina La Campana can be a bit hard to find – and it’s by design. The bar is tucked in the back of Mercado Weslaco. A customer has to walk a hallway of mini-stores featuring Mexican merchandise to reach the downtown cantina. Get a feel for the Mercado before getting to the bar in the back. “It adds a mystique about our place,” said Steve Valdez, who owns La Campana…
The green space grabs your attention upon pulling up to The Ruff House on West Van Buren near downtown Harlingen. It’s a well-kept spot with ramps for dogs to climb and jump off. There are large ovals on stands nearby, the next stops on an obstacle course of fun for dogs to romp. The open space is fenced but looks inviting as does the dog boutique store next to it. …
Javier Villalobos settles into the chair of his mayor’s office on the third floor of McAllen’s City Hall. From there, he has a view of Main Street heading into downtown McAllen. Twenty months passed since downtown and the rest of McAllen had last seen its revenue lifeline of Mexican shoppers stream into their stores. That finally came to an end on Nov. 9, the day the U.S. government allowed Mexican…
South Padre Island’s last movie house closed recently, leaving an entertainment void for tourists and local residents alike. Robert Gallagher’s Nana’s 7D Cinema isn’t a movie theater, but it does aim to provide visual entertainment along those lines. It opened earlier this year – with its official ribbon cutting and grand opening celebrated late last week – and the 3D cinema experience it provides is proving to be a hit. …
Whiskey is an acquired taste. That’s how Martin Cavazos puts it and he should know. He is one of the owners of the 1929 Whiskey Tavern in Brownsville. It is, Cavazos said, only one of two such establishments south of San Antonio that’s exclusive to whiskeys and its many varieties. The tavern is located across the street from Market Square, the historic center of Brownsville. The building whose bell tower…
The city of San Benito is using specially crafted legislation that allows for the use of hotel/motel tax funds to develop a nearly 40-acre project of retail, restaurants and medical facilities near the corner of Paso Real Highway and Expressway 77. City officials and Western Spherical Developers broke ground on Oct. 23 for what people are calling the Rio Grande Valley Epicenter. It would arguably be San Benito’s most significant…
Marisa Oliva recalls walking a group of local high school students through the Edinburg World Birding Center when they came across a visiting birder. He told the students about the wide array of migratory and native birds they have to enjoy in their native Rio Grande Valley. The group moved on, leaving the birder to his pastime. Oliva said a girl in the group then remarked, “How does a guy…
George Perez owns an iconic Brownsville restaurant whose name is ingrained into the city it has served for nearly 90 years. Mario Dominguez Jr. makes barbecue so renowned that it made Texas Monthly’s Top 50 for being among the best in the Lone Star State. And yet, in both cases, neither restaurant owner assumed their Valley businesses would survive the seismic disruptions of 2020. Adjustments had to be made quickly…