Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply held a grand opening at its first site in the Rio Grande Valley in early April. Nearly 2,000 miles from its flagship store in Bozeman, Mont., this Murdoch’s is at the corner of Expressway 83 and Bryan Road in Mission, a location next to a Burlington store in a new retail development area. “It’s a perfect retail outlet that fits well with the city of…
Weslaco’s city leadership in recent years has honed in on a consistent message amid the community’s growth across several key economic sectors. The days of local residents having to go to McAllen to shop and dine are over, they say. “We don’t have to leave Weslaco anymore,” said Steven Valdez, the executive director of the Weslaco Economic Development Corporation. “We can stay home.” A business and commerce identity independent of…
Rene Rodriguez’s students are huddled around representatives of Rio Grande LNG, a bit wide-eyed and asking plenty of questions. Rodriguez is an instructor with the building construction technology program at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen. Rio Grande LNG representatives had just concluded a presentation on campus regarding their facility, which is currently under construction at the Port of Brownsville. The first phase of the $18 billion-plus liquefied natural gas…
The City of McAllen will host the MXLAN International Economic Summit at the McAllen Convention Center on May 3, highlighting the South Texas region’s unique geographical position, cultural dynamics and significant impact it has on international commerce and trade. The discussions sparked and connections made during the conference are designed to reshape economic and cultural perspectives through insightful dialogue and collaboration about how economic activities within McAllen resonate globally, making…
South Texas College’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence will host its annual Public Safety and First Responders Expo on April 26, welcoming community members to explore career opportunities and academic pathways as first responders. Free and open to the public, more than 400 students from school districts across the Rio Grande Valley and community members are invited to the event, where a total of 40 local, state and federal…
Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System is participating in the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, also known as the DUMP Opioids Act, on April 26. Locally, VA Harlingen Health Care Center will take back prescription drugs for free from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Individuals (not only veterans) can use the VA facility to dispose of unused controlled substance prescription medications. VA holds Medication Take Back Days…
Once again, McAllen kids will be fulfilling their dreams of becoming business owners when Lemonade Day McAllen takes place on May 11. Organizers are currently seeking local businesses to serve as stand-site locations for the citywide educational program that teaches youth the entrepreneurial skills necessary to start, own and operate their own business in a lemonade stand. McAllen businesses serving as stand locations can not only help these young entrepreneurs,…
Murad Moqbel, program director for UTRGV’s Master of Science in Business Analytics, says data is powering the world these days. “Data is the new oil,” he said. “It used to be that people made decisions based on their experience or intuition but analytics allows us to make data-driven decisions.” That’s why a recent study by Fortune magazine that ranks UTRGV’s Online MSBA program fourth in Texas for 2024 – and…
Life hasn’t been easy for Brownsville resident Michael Castilleja. Raised by his grandfather, he learned the value of money at an early age because it was hard to come by. When he completed high school, he faced a number of obstacles in his pursuit to break free of the cycle of poverty but Castilleja possesses a clear understanding of the value of education. “Being in a Hispanic family in the…
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Universidad de las Américas Puebla have signed a collaborative research agreement to strengthen international research and academic collaborations. This initiative aims to enhance regional competitiveness through a portfolio of applied research and development topics to be carried out jointly by faculty and students of UTRGV and UDLAP. Can “John” Saygin, senior vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate College…