Author Archives: VBR

Reminder of SBA Disaster Relief Deadline

hail, disaster relief

City of McAllen Emergency Management officials are reminding businesses that the deadline to apply for disaster relief for damage related to the severe thunderstorm, large hail and straight-line winds of April 28, 2023 is fast approaching. The low-interest loans are available to businesses in Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Starr and Willacy counties. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience federal disaster loan for economic injury is…

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Pharr Police Department See Decrease in Crime Rates

police, crime

Chief Juan Gonzalez of the Pharr Police Department announced a reduction in the city’s crime rates based on the Uniform Crime Reporting system. Gonzalez recently presented statistics outlining the positive trend in crime reduction. Key statistics are: 2020 Crime Rate: 19.6 percent 2021 Crime Rate: 18.9 percent 2022 Crime Rate: 17.9 percent Gonzalez emphasized the department’s consistent success in steadily decreasing the crime rate by approximately one percent annually over…

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McAllen ISD Offering Free Pre-K to All 4 Year Olds

Pre-K

McAllen ISD is set to welcome all 4-year-old children to Pre-Kindergarten next year. Pre-Kinder is the way to establish a foundation to a child’s education and now all children can participate at no cost. In the past, certain criteria applied for students to qualify for Pre-Kinder or parents had to pay tuition, but now, the program is free to all children who meet the age requirement. “Our world-class Pre-Kinder program…

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VITA Tax Preparation Services to Begin at STC

Cynthia Sanchez, left, assists volunteers recently at a VITA training. (photo STC)

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program returns on Jan. 29 to South Texas College to help taxpayers process their returns ahead of the filing deadline of April 15. VITA offices at STC will be at the college’s Pecan and Mid-Valley campuses. Both locations will service the community for a six-week period until March 6 (Mid-Valley) and March 7 (Pecan). The Mid-Valley campus office will be open on Mondays from 9…

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Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at IMAS

Guests participating in the fan painting activity at the Lunar New Year Festival at IMAS. (Courtesy)

The International Museum of Art & Science invites the public to the 12th annual Lunar New Year Festival on Jan. 27, celebrating the Year of the Dragon. The day-long event features traditional Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese crafts, games and more. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., patrons can discover the art of calligraphy, create a dragon puppet, and enjoy local eateries Snow Bite, Ulike Tea and Han’s Katsuya. Paper fan…

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Fiesta Edinburg Returns Feb. 29

Fiesta Edinburg

The 55th annual Fiesta Edinburg takes place Feb. 29 to March 3 at Bert Ogden Arena, celebrating the vibrant spirit of the City of Edinburg. Put on by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, the event features live entertainment, food, diverse vendors and the Heart of America Carnival. The chamber is currently seeking sponsors, vendors and exhibitors for the family-oriented festival. Sponsor support will contribute to the success of Fiesta Edinburg…

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McAllen in Top 10 of Most Affordable Cities

McAllen 2040 Comprehensive Plan

For working adults looking to navigate rising costs and fight the stress of inflation, financial services company Empower set out to find the most affordable U.S. cities. To create its rankings, it analyzed 113 U.S. cities across multiple categories, including data on home prices, average income, cost of living and employment rates. It also asked 800 working adults about what they look for in a city and where they want…

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TWC App Connects Texans with Career Pathways

MyTXCareer

The Texas Workforce Commission has launched a new mobile app to help Texans explore potential career pathways and discover step-by-step resources to achieve their goals. With the launch of MyTXCareer app, job seekers can now find personalized occupation matches and recommended career paths based on their skills, interests and experience. “The continued growth of Texas’ record-breaking economy creates opportunities for Texans to advance their careers,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel.…

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Edinburg EDC Launches Facade & Lot Improvement Program

The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has launched its Façade and Lot Improvement Program, an initiative aimed at providing financial assistance to local small businesses that have faced significant challenges in recent years. FLIP addresses the aftermath of the pandemic, high inflation, and severe weather storms that have adversely affected the local economy, causing damage to signs, awnings, facades, parking lots and more. The EEDC will support the community’s recovery by…

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Valley Symphony Orchestra Names New Executive Director 

Performing arts and entertainment industry veteran David Lobel is the new executive director of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. Lobel has been serving as the interim executive director of the VSO since August 2023 following the departure of Katy Coy, who relocated to Columbus, Ohio to become the CEO of the Jazz Arts Group.  “As he has proven during the transition, David is the perfect person to lead the VSO through…

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