Author Archives: VBR

Area businesses who have an interest in Property Assessed Clean Energy are invited to attend an information session April 23 at the Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District. During this time, PACE Executive Director Charlene Heydinger will discuss how property owners can upgrade their buildings and conserve energy while also saving money. Financing options are available for industrial property owners and multifamily property owners as well as commercial property owners. Industrial Property Owners The Texas…

Summer Program Connects Disabled Students With Jobs

April 18, 2018

VBR

Education News Comments

The Texas Workforce Commission has kicked off its 2018 Summer Earn and Learn program which provides students with disabilities with both work readiness training and paid work experience. The program is a partnership between TWC, Texas Workforce Solutions Offices and Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Last year, more than 1,500 students, ages 16-22, participated in Summer Earn and Learn. They worked in positions such as design graphics assistants, customer service representatives…

Women in Technology Explores Career Paths

April 18, 2018

VBR

Education Events Featured Food & Entertainment Manufacturing/Industrial Comments

The Women in Technology event takes place April 19 at the South Texas College Technology Campus Atrium, highlight careers in technology considered as non-traditional for females. The event will include information booths from programs in the Business, Public Safety, and Technology divisions. This includes Fire Science, Police Academy, Engineering Design, Culinary Arts and Construction. STC Information Technology Program instructor and event organizer Angelita Teniente says events like this are crucial for women who…

Local Partnership Seeks to Close Tech Gap

April 14, 2018

VBR

Education News Technology Comments

Valley Technical Academy and Woz U are working together via an online learning portal to address the diversity gap in tech employment when it comes to Hispanics. According to Valley Technical Academy, only seven percent of the tech sector is comprised of Hispanics. Through this partnership, the Mission-based center will provide Woz U’s tech-based curriculum in immersive education sprint formats. This format enables students to learn skills required to enter a…

How Will NAFTA Changes Affect the RGV?

April 12, 2018

VBR

Events News Comments

NAFTA issues that directly impact the border region will be the topics of discussion in a conference April 20 in McAllen. The “Renegotiating NAFTA: Challenges and Opportunities” Conference aims to educate attendees on how NAFTA renegotiations could change the local quality of life in South Texas. The conference will include also roundtable discussions on strategies that are applicable in preparing for changes in NAFTA. Topics include investment and job creation, as…

UTRGV Students Take Trading Competition

April 10, 2018

VBR

Education Featured Finance/Banking News Comments

A group of undergraduate business students from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley recently beat out more than 500 teams from 37 countries to capture their first ever championship win in the 15th annual CME Group Trading Challenge. Christopher Martinez of McAllen, Michael Villarreal of Rio Grande City and Jose Naveja of Progreso finished the competition with a total of $706,585. They beat out second-place competitor Kansas State University, who…

Mission Employment Reaches Record High

April 5, 2018

VBR

News Comments

With the latest number released by the Texas Workforce Commission. Mission has reached a new milestone. Figures released for Feb. 2018 show the city has 34,433 people employed, thanks in part to the 900 jobs added to the local economy last year. This is the highest number of people in employment in Mission since TWC began keeping figures for cities in 2005. Mission’s 6.0 percent unemployment rate for February was a…

New Loan Program Fosters Small Business Ventures

April 5, 2018

VBR

Business Advice News Comments

The Alamo Economic Development Corporation is now offering a new Micro-Loan Program that will help small business owners expand their efforts in the city. The Micro-Loan Program works by lending money to local businesses, with the funds being paid back with the interest. The funds are then reused. The loans are possible with assistance from USDA – Rural Development. Qualified applicants must be located in Alamo and have a minimum…

Coast Guard Supports Texas LNG

April 4, 2018

VBR

Featured Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

The United States Coast Guard found the Brownsville Ship Channel to be suitable for marine traffic resulting from Texas LNG’s planned liquefaction terminal at the Port of Brownsville. In a letter of recommendation issued Feb. 26, the Coast Guard concluded that the waterway is suitable to handle current and anticipated incremental traffic from the Texas LNG proposed facility. The Houston-based company plans to construct an LNG export facility on a…

VTX1 Acquires Ranch Wireless

April 3, 2018

VBR