Author Archives: VBR

City of Pharr Hosts Winter Wonderland on Dec. 6

Pharr Winder Wonderland

The City of Pharr kicks off the holiday season and invites the community to Winter Wonderland on Dec. 6 in Downtown Pharr. This evening features a tree lighting, live music, food, holiday activities and more. The free event takes place from 6-11 p.m. at 118 S. Cage Blvd. The annual Lighting of the Christmas tree will begin at 7:30 p.m. This year’s entertainment includes performances by local dance teams, Gatos Locos…

Read More

DHR Health Building New Behavioral Health Hospital

DHR Health behavioral health hospital groundbreaking

DHR Health has been awarded a $85-million grant from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to construct 100 beds at a new behavioral health hospital in Pharr. The new facility will help address the need for additional inpatient mental health beds. DHR Health currently operates an 87-bed inpatient behavioral hospital. The new campus at 4800 North Jackson Road will include a new 161,000-square-foot facility. It will have a total…

Read More

Shop The Island to Win

Shop the Island, Christmas presents

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce‘s “Shop the Island” initiative is back through Dec. 17. For every $20 spent with any Island businesses, shoppers may register for a $500 shopping spree. Every dollar spent locally also ensures a healthy and growing South Padre Island economy. Original receipts may be dropped off at the following SPI Chamber member businesses: Cactus Flower Calypso Friends of Animal Rescue Padre Island Brewing Co. Renee’s…

Read More

McAllen Launches Website to Attract Developers

McAllenMeansBusiness.com

The City of McAllen leadership recently launched McAllenMeansBusiness.com, an online resource specifically for local, state and international developers seeking to expand in McAllen. The platform showcases McAllen’s position as an international gateway, supplying current data, analytics and other useful information to support informed decision making as McAllen’s economy continues to attract interest in investment opportunities. “We are thrilled to unveil our new website to the public and provide an enhanced…

Read More

Mission to Host 30th Annual Community Health Fair

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Mission Regional Medical Center and the City of Mission, will host the 30th annual Mission Community Health & Wellness Fair on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 at the Mission Event Center. The free event from 7-11:30 a.m. is open to the public, providing a variety of essential health services. These include blood pressure checks, strength tests, stroke risk assessments, medication reviews,…

Read More

IMAS Presents Mysterious Cosmos Family Fun Nights

Mysterious Cosmos Family Fun Nights

The International Museum of Art & Science will begin hosting Mysterious Cosmos Family Fun Nights on Nov. 21, providing an immersive educational series for families to explore the wonders of the cosmos. The series takes place monthly until February, featuring hands-on activities, presentations and guided stargazing experiences.  The museum invites patrons to bring a foldable chair, sit back and gaze into the mysteries of space with telescopes provided by UTRGV’s…

Read More

McAllen Recognized for Balance in Work Environments

Work Environments

A recent study by commercial real estate blog CommercialCafe.com ranks McAllen eighth in the top 10 Texas cities for mixing work from office (WFO) and work from home (WFH). Furthermore, McAllen’s top four statistics for WFO rankings are top three in the state of Texas. To determine which Texas cities best meet the needs of households managing various work styles, CommercialCafe.com created a ranking system that evaluated each city’s capacity…

Read More

Culinary Icon Choi Headlines UTRGV Speakers Series

Roy Choi

Roy Choi, the culinary trailblazer of the modern food truck movement, will serve as the inaugural speaker for the 2024-2025 season of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Distinguished Speaker Series. DSS, a free event, takes place Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the UTRGV Performing Arts Center (EPAC) in Edinburg. Choi, a Seoul native raised in Los Angeles, will share his journey and insights into how he transformed…

Read More

Port of Brownsville Leads the Valley’s Economy

Port of Brownsville

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Annual Report features the Port of Brownsville’s ascension to 50th position among 150 U.S. maritime ports for waterborne cargo. In 2022, the port handled 9.1 million tons of cargo, up from 8.9 million tons in 2021, moving from 55th to 50th place. The port’s comprehensive logistical network comprised of rail, trucking lines, vessel and barge services and pipeline connectivity are key to the transportation…

Read More

UTRGV Opens Center for Human Genetics Building

The UTRGV School of Medicine has opened of its new, state-of-the-art Center for Human Genetics, headquartered on the Brownsville Campus. The new facility is dedicated to cutting-edge research that addresses major public health concerns in the Rio Grande Valley, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. The 17,246-square-foot facility, funded by a Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation grant and support from the UT System Permanent University Fund, will…

Read More