Author Archives: VBR

DHR Health Named to Nation’s 100 Top Hospitals

e-Brief Features Healthcare News Comments
DHR Health Hospital

DHR Health is one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals, according to an independent quality analysis provided by Premier Inc. The primary purpose of Premier’s 100 Top Hospitals program is to inspire hospital and health system leaders to pursue higher performance and deliver added value to patients and communities. Participation in the study is not application-based, and award winners do not pay to market their honor. “As a teaching hospital,…

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STC, Texas Mutual Collaborate for a Safer Texas Workforce

e-Brief Features Education News Comments
South Texas College Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships

South Texas College has been awarded a $100,000 Safety Education Grant from Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, to support the college’s workplace safety training. Texas Mutual has given the college over $300,000 in grants over the last few years to expand trainings that reskill and upskill regional employees. Since 1999, Texas Mutual has awarded over $14 million in safety education grants to Texas…

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Pharr Accepting CDBG Applications

Community e-Brief Features News Comments

The City of Pharr’s Grants Management & Community Development Department is now accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant Program for Program Years 2025–2026. This funding opportunity is open to nonprofits, public agencies and other eligible organizations working to improve the quality of life for Pharr residents. The CDBG Program supports projects that address community needs, such as housing and public services. Interested organizations can pick up an application…

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Port of Brownsville Thrives

e-Brief Features Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
Westa at Port of Brownsville

Food manufacturer Westa Inc., the first tenant of the Port of Brownsville’s 118-acre business park, is finalizing the layout for its $20 million facilities at the port. Taking advantage of the port’s maritime access, Westa Inc. will receive grains via barge from the Midwest, enhancing the company’s supply chain operations for its high-capacity flour mill and sunflower seed processing plant set to employ 120 people. Last April, the company celebrated a…

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Monarch Fest Returns on April 26

Community Events e-Brief Features Featured News Comments
Monarch Fest

Quinta Mazatlán hosts a celebration of the spring migration of monarch butterflies with the ninth annual Monarch Fest on April 26. The festival offers family-friendly fun with live music, cultural performances, arts and crafts, educational booths and youth activities. Admission to the 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. event is free with the donation of a recyclable plastic bottle or plastic bag. Kids can join the festival favorite, the Mayors Bug…

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Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon Comes to McAllen

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments
Wendy Knight

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce and the City of McAllen will host their annual Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon on April 23 at the McAllen Convention Center. The event, which sold out last year, is expected to welcome over 400 attendees to celebrate the contributions of administrative professionals. “We host this event to recognize the invaluable contributions of administrative professionals,” said Xiomara Mier, VP of Membership at the McAllen Chamber of…

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Pharr’s Easter EggStravaganza Returns Saturday

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments

The City of Pharr welcomes back its Easter signature events of the Easter EggStravaganza and the Easter Scavenger Hunt  on April 12 at the Pharr Sports Complex Park. Easter EggStravaganza, hosted by the Pharr Memorial Library, will feature an Easter egg hunt with more than 15,000 eggs, games, prizes and snacks. Registration for the egg hunt will take place on-site at the park  at 201 East Moore Road, beginning at 9 a.m.…

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STC Instructor Accepted Into Prestigious Fellows Program

e-Brief Features Education News Comments
Elizabeth Gonzalez

South Texas College Biology faculty member and lead Microbiology instructor Elizabeth Gonzalez is one of seven who were selected nationwide for the Community College Presidents’ Initiative in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fellows Program. CCPI-STEM is a national initiative to strengthen leadership skills among community college faculty and administrators to support the growth and diversification of the STEM technician workforce. Gonzalez will join a cohort of seven fellows who are…

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McAllen Ranks as a Top City for Inbound Moves

Community e-Brief Features Featured News Comments

According to the website moveBuddha.com’s recent analysis of mover search data, McAllen ranks 14th among U.S. cities with the highest inbound-to-outbound move ratios for 2025. The study, which analyzed data from thousands of searches conducted on the moveBuddha.com  moving cost calculator, found that for every person leaving McAllen, almost two are arriving. McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos highlighted the city’s continued growth, saying “McAllen’s affordability, safety and quality of life make…

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Greatest American Clean-Up April 12

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments
Greatest American Clean-Up

Keep McAllen Beautiful hosts its annual Greatest American Clean-Up & Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-off on April 12, inviting the community to help clean up the streets, trails, schools and parks of McAllen. The event takes place from 8 a.m. to noon at McAllen Municipal Park. Volunteers who participate will receive safety vests, gloves, trash bags and a free t-shirt, and then be assigned a designated area to pick up litter.…

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