Author Archives: VBR

The Port of Brownsville continues to gain national prominence among the leading maritime ports in the United States. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ most recent annual report ranking 150 maritime ports nationwide, the Port of Brownsville rose to 55th position in the country for the movement of waterborne cargo in 2021, a significant leap from 66th place in 2020. Throughout 2021, 8.9 million tons of cargo were…

STC Introduces Tuition Waiver For First Responders

May 18, 2023

VBR

e-Brief Features Education News Comments

Beginning fall 2023, a new state waiver will make the Fire Science and Law Enforcement associate degree programs at South Texas College more affordable and accessible. A new tuition model introduced by STC will waive 90 percent of student fees for eligible local, licensed law enforcement professionals and firefighters. The first 100 personnel who take advantage of this offer for fall 2023 will get the few remaining fees paid off…

Vendor Applications Open For Texas Cook’Em High Steaks

May 17, 2023

VBR

Community Events Featured News Comments

The Texas Cook’Em High Steaks in Edinburg is now accepting vendor applications for the 2023 event. Organizers state this year’s cook-off promises to be bigger and better than ever, with live music, food and fun activities for the whole family. The Texas Cook’Em High Steaks BBQ Cook-off and Festival is an annual event that celebrates Independence Day weekend. This year’s event will be June 30 through July 1 at Ebony…

IMAS Visionary Members Pay it Forward

May 16, 2023

VBR

Featured Giving Back News Comments

The International Museum of Art & Science has launched a “Pay It Forward” fund with the goal of offering fully funded memberships for families in need. As an expansion of its Membership for All program, which currently serves families who qualify for WIC/SNAP, this program will provide MFA Memberships to first-time members free of charge. Supporters can fund this program in two ways; purchasing a Visionary Membership to fund three…

UTRGV Hosts Latina THRIVE Summit

May 15, 2023

VBR

Education Events Featured Comments

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will host the “Latina THRIVE Summit” for college faculty and administrators on May 18-19 on South Padre Island. This year’s summit at the Courtyard by Marriott South Padre Island will focus on the THRIVE (The Healthy DepaRtment Initiative for InclusiVe Excellence) Partnership. With the support of the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program, THRIVE seeks to remedy gender inequity in academic STEM careers. Marci…

STC Hicks Off STEM Summer Camp Season

May 13, 2023

VBR

Community Events Featured News Comments

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics summer camps at South Texas College have officially begun and recently kicked off with a Region One GEAR UP LEGO robotics camp at the college’s Technology campus. The three-day camp, which also included a tour of the campus, hosted Region One’s GEAR UP 8th grade cohort of students from Donna ISD, Sharyland ISD and Valley View ISD who built computerized LEGO models and piloted them…

TWC Grants Enable Local Students To Attend STEM Summer Camps

May 11, 2023

VBR

e-Brief Features Education News Comments

South Texas College and Harlingen CISD are two of 12 state-wide recipients to receive Camp Code grants from the Texas Workforce Commission. The grants enable middle-school students to attend various camps this summer for free to get a head start in science, technology, engineering and math careers. STC will provide 72 scholarships with its $44,815 award. Students in the camps will create prototypes of different electronic projects utilizing actual engineering…

Aaron Watson To Headline Texas Cook’Em

May 11, 2023

VBR

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments

Texas Cook’Em High Steaks returns June 30 to July 1 and will feature country music star Aaron Watson as its headliner. Watson will perform on June 30. On July 1, Texas Cook’Em High Steaks will feature two cover bands, the Fooz Fighters, a tribute to the Foo Fighters, and No Duh, a tribute to No Doubt. The grounds of Ebony Hills Golf Course serve as the festival’s location, also featuring…

Federal Red Snapper Season Opens June 1

May 11, 2023

VBR

e-Brief Features News Recreation & Tourism Comments

The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal water opens on June 1. Red snapper fishing is open year-round in state waters. Bag and size limits will remain unchanged. The regulations for red snapper are two fish per person daily with a 16-inch minimum size limit in federal waters, and four fish per person daily with a 15-inch minimum in state waters. Red snapper caught in federal waters count…

UT System Approves UTRGV Computer Science PhD

May 10, 2023

VBR

Education Featured News Comments

The University of Texas System Board of Regents on Thursday approved a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science with Interdisciplinary Applications degree program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. By design, the program will prepare graduates to become faculty at research-intensive universities or to establish research careers in industry. It will also offer rigorous, fundamental training in computer science and the application of computational methods to other disciplines.…