Author Archives: VBR

The McAllen ISD STRIDES Program is the inaugural winner of the Texas Restaurant Association’s Innovation in Excellence Award. The award serves to recognize individuals, groups or organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to innovation and excellence in the field of culinary and hospitality education. According to TRA, the award is a “celebration of those who have dedicated themselves to improving the education experience for both students and teachers and demonstrated…

TSTC Prepares To Fill Hygienist Shortage

July 26, 2023

VBR

News Comments

Texas State Technical College’s Dental Hygiene program is training students to meet the need for workers in Texas. According to a recent American Dental Association report, the dental sector is facing a serious workforce shortage. Vacant positions in dental assisting and dental hygiene have reduced dental practice capacity by an estimated 10 percent nationally. Raquel Rico, TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program director in Harlingen, said the primary focus of the program’s education is about hands-on training.…

Another Statewide First For South Texas College

July 24, 2023

VBR

Education Featured News Comments

The South Texas College Centers for Learning Excellence is the first in the state to be certified for its online services by the Association of Colleges for Tutoring and Learning Assistance. The national organization works to improve tutorial programs and related services among organizations across the country dedicated to college and university learning assistance or developmental education. The organization’s mission is to foster and promote racial and socioeconomic equity in…

Leadership Edinburg Class XXXV Applications Open

July 22, 2023

VBR

Community Featured News Comments

The Leadership Edinburg steering committee is now accepting applications for the Leadership Edinburg Class XXXV. Aspiring community leaders may to submit their applications through Aug. 18. For years, Leadership Edinburg has been a pivotal platform, connecting community leaders from across the city and region, empowering them with advanced leadership skills. The program’s commitment to excellence has consistently contributed to the growth and improvement of highly motivated professionals. “We are proud…

Rio Grande Regional Hospital Earns Distinction For Surgeries

July 20, 2023

VBR

e-Brief Features Healthcare News Comments

Rio Grande Regional Hospital has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its patient care and outcomes in aortic valve replacement combined with coronary artery bypass grafting. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest quality category, places RGRH among the elite for AVR+CABG surgery in the United States and Canada. Rio Grande Regional Hospital is the only hospital in south Texas to currently hold a…

STC Police Academy Cadets Graduate With Guaranteed Jobs

July 20, 2023

VBR

e-Brief Features Education Government News Comments

The South Texas College 30th Police Academy recently celebrated the graduation and recruitment of every single graduating cadet in a ceremony joined by friends and family at the Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence in Pharr. For the first time in program history, all students were offered conditional job offers from the Hidalgo County Sherriff’s Office weeks before completing the 22-week program. Sherriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra attended the ceremony and…

Quinta Mazatlan Holds Youth Nature Photo Contest

July 20, 2023

VBR

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments

Quinta Mazatlán is currently hosting a free Summer Youth Nature Photo Contest along with nature photo workshops designed for children. In partnership with The Valley Land Fund, the center encourages children to get creative and explore nature with a camera and/or smartphone. Kids ages 5 to 18 are invited to take nature photos anywhere in the eight most southern counties of Texas this summer. Each child can enter up to six…

IMAS Receives Grant To Expand Arts Access

July 19, 2023

VBR

Arts Featured News Comments

The International Museum of Art & Science is the recipient of a grant from Texas Women for the Arts, a program of the Texas Cultural Trust. The grant funds will support art education through ongoing Student Art Exhibits at the museum. The Student Art Exhibits at the IMAS will be an opportunity for the Valley community to view the work of young artists in grades 6 through 12 in a…

Port of Brownsville Gains Ground In Energy Sector

July 17, 2023

VBR

Featured Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

NextDecade Corporation has made a positive final investment decision to construct the first three liquefaction trains at the company’s Rio Grande LNG terminal. It will be the largest proposed liquefied natural gas export facility in the United States and it will be at the Port of Brownsville. “The future of the Rio Grande Valley’s economy begins at the Port of Brownsville,” said Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra. “On behalf…

Edinburg Public Works Receives State Safety Award

July 15, 2023

VBR

Featured Government News Comments

The City of Edinburg Public Works Department was recently recognized by the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works Association at the organization’s statewide conference in Waco. City staff attended the event and came back as the winners of the 2023 Exceptional Performance Award for Safety in recognition of their Real-Time Hydrological System. The department’s RTHS is a progressive flood management project that allows staff to access up-to-date information on flood…