For the third consecutive year, the Port of Brownsville joins the entire U.S. trucking industry in celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Sept. 9-14. The event highlights the efforts of professional truck drivers who deliver the nation’s freight safely and securely every day. In 2017, the Port of Brownsville recorded more than 300,000 truck movements at the port. According to the American Trucking Association, there are more than 3.5…
IBC Bank Executive Vice President Gerald “Gerry” Schwebel recently participated in a mission to Mexico City to meet with leaders of the incoming government of President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Organizer of the mission was the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue, an initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The group, made up of both U.S. and Mexican leaders, addresses core issues in the countries’ bilateral relationship. Schwebel and other representatives met with…
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is on the list of schools in the Best Bang for the Buck by the online magazine Washington Monthly. The university ranks seventh out of 50 in the Southern Colleges category. According to the magazine, the Best Bang listing is an “exclusive list of schools that help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.” The ranking analyzed 21 categories to determine the listings. “We are extremely…
Teacher candidates from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley now have a two new homes for training with experienced cooperating teachers, With the upcoming fall semester, those in the university’s Student Teacher Education Preparation University Partnership will be joining classrooms in both McAllen and Los Fresnos ISD. As part of STEP UP‘s goal in expanding and assisting future teachers in the Valley, teacher candidates will work with experienced teachers also to learn and…
The City of Alamo will host its biannual Small Business Workshop Sept. 19 to educate business owners on ways to get financial assistance as well as help bring ideas to fruition. Alamo EDC Director Rafael Tapia will discuss Alamo programs as well as available opportunities such as the Revolving Loan Program and Micro-Loan Program. These programs assist small businesses and start-ups by providing a low-cost alternative financing option. Information on Texas…
The Women’s Business Center of Cameron County and the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce are currently accepting applications for DreamBuilder Academy. The 12-module program is a step-by-step framework for starting a business. Throughout the program, participants learn if they should start a business and what a business plan is as well as how much it costs to start a business. Facilitated by small business consultant Luis Urquieta, DreamBuilder is designed specifically…
BuildRGV is focusing on the Rio Grande Valley’s downtowns and their economic prosperity with “The Future of Downtowns” Aug. 30 in downtown Weslaco. Held for downtown merchants, property owners, builders, developers, city planners and EDC staff, and county and downtown managers, the event provides innovative approaches to driving traffic to downtown. Attendees will learn not only how to bring more traffic to their downtowns, but also success stories of other vibrant…
With the start of classes on Aug. 27, the UTRGV School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling will offer a new bachelor of science degree in Addiction Studies completely online. The degree program meets all education requirements for positions as a licensed chemical dependency counselor in Texas. “For professionals already working in the substance abuse field, this provides a flexible way to earn a degree and advance in careers,” said Bruce Reed. Reed serves as both…
Construction of Hampton Inn’s newest location in the area has begun at 1004 Fairfield Blvd. in Weslaco with expected completion in September 2019. The hotel chain will create between 10 to 15 more full-time jobs in Weslaco. Birju Patel, franchise owner, says that Weslaco’s centralized location in the region, along with its stable economy and strategic growth, were determining factors to the decision to come to Weslaco. “I’ve been studying Weslaco…
Texas State Technical College’s Mechatronics Technology students will soon have labs equipped with two robotic arms to program and maintain as part of their hands-on training, thanks to Toyota. “Toyota’s donation is really important for our college, our program and our students,” said Lead Mechatronics instructor Eldwin Leija. “This allows us to expand our training and create more marketable graduates.” The donated robotic arms have built more than two million…