The demographics of Winter Texans are changing and professionals in the tourism and hospitality industries are calling for more frequent studies and research into this vital group of visitors with deep connections to the Rio Grande Valley. Leah Woolridge, the vice president of Visit McAllen, sees an age shift among Winter Texans. Retirees are younger, more active and looking for things to do, she said. “You use to be able…
As school has started or will very soon, let’s ease off the accelerator and keep an eye out for our little ones. Hot summer temperatures of course are really kicking in, and so are the classroom doors for a new year of learning, growing and exploring. Back-to-school sales, stuffing the backpacks and new sneakers are all part of daily lives this month. The roads are again congested, and the frequent…
Princeton University student Wendy Kopp formulated the idea of Teach For America in 1989 for her undergraduate thesis. The first participants in the nascent TFA program began their lifelong pursuit of educational excellence in 1990. Teach for America Rio Grande Valley was founded the following year. The national organization and its affiliates around the country are non-profit institutions. They recruit and train recent college graduates and professionals to teach in…
The Delta Area communities of Edcouch, Elsa and La Villa are a cluster of cities along state Highway 107 and located away from the main strip of regional business activity along Expressway 83. These communities are steadily getting a foothold in raising their collective profile in the Rio Grande Valley. Elsa is seeing retail growth and the rooftops of new homes along FM 88 that are located near a Wal-Mart…
The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, in partnership with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center, is now accepting applications for the Startup Texas Accelerator Fall 2025 cohort. The accelerator helps early-stage startups refine their business models, access funding opportunities and build the connections necessary for growth in Brownsville. The program focuses on entrepreneurs in high-impact sectors such as cybersecurity, digital health, e-commerce, automation, environmental technology…
The International Museum of Art & Science will host its premier black-tie fundraiser, the 46th annual Collage Gala, on Sept. 6. IMAS will honor John Sharp, retiring chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, in recognition of his leadership and impact on education and public service throughout the Rio Grande Valley. “The Rio Grande Valley is a place we’re proud to call home, and IMAS represents the heart of what…
The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center hosts Lemonade Day Weslaco at the Isaac D. Rodriguez Park Weslaco (1200 E 6th St, Weslaco, TX) on July 19. From 5:30 to 8 p.m., the community’s young entrepreneurs will be selling lemonade via lemonade stands. The event also includes a selection of food vendors, entertainment and activities. Last year, Lemonade Day Weslaco earned participants over $10,000, all of which they…
Representing Region One ESC GEAR UP and La Joya ISD’s Palmview High School, Maria Del Rosario Gazca, mother of sophomore Rosvelt Ortiz, was named GEAR UP Family Leader of the Year by the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships. According to the organization, the GEAR UP Family Leader of the Year is passionate and committed to the GEAR UP movement and the goal of ensuring that college access and…
Lone Star National Bank’s annual Back to School Drive has begun and community members are welcome to participate by dropping off supplies at local banking centers. The drive has been taking place for more than 15 years at LSNB and will run from now through July 23. With support from employees, customers and community partners, the drive provides essential school supplies to children in need across South Texas, ensuring they…
The City of McAllen will host a slew of patriotic festivities on July 4 during its Independence Day Celebration, presented by H-E-B. The 97th annual Independence Day Celebration features an early morning 4K race at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m., the festivities kick-off with a musical Patriotic Program which will take place at Archer Park, 101 N. Main Street, followed by the Main Street Parade, running north along Main Street…