Rodrigo Cadena started his business life in the United States with a single pastry and cake shop in Mission. As the CEO of Los Pastelas Caseros de Gaby’s, his goal from inception was to scale up with more locations in the Rio Grande Valley. The cake shop company has its roots in Mexico, where it has three locations in the Reynosa area. Cadena aimed for similar successes in the U.S.…
The McAllen school district in 2001 became the first school district in the Rio Grande Valley to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The city’s business community and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in the process. They recognized it as a way to attract businesses and families to the region. The district’s IB students have a home campus where they participate in UIL activities. In 2021,…
The open-air labs of the automotive technology program at Texas State Technical College feature lifts, computerized equipment, tools and students huddled around their instructors as they troubleshoot and diagnose scenarios. Rosendo Rodriguez is one of the auto tech instructors at the TSTC campus in Harlingen. On a recent sunny morning, he pointed out what the different groups of students were doing. One instructor was going over a large engine placed…
Elma Chavez was in the midst of a busy work day and reflecting on the one before as a self-described “one-man show” at the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce. It has been about two years since Chavez was called back from the private sector to revive a chamber that had lay dormant since 2020. She knew what she had to do. A previous tenure as executive director of the Raymondville Chamber…
Five featured artists and their upcycled outfits remade will be part of “ReMade in the RGV: A Sustainable Fashion Show” April 3 at Quinta Mazatlán. The free, 5:30 to 9 p.m. event welcomes participants to learn about the global fashion industry, upcycling techniques, what artists and scholars are saying, and how this is expressed and related to geographical context. Community artists include Regina Montemayor, Samuel Ruiz, Eva Ryan, Natalia Saldana,…
The International Museum of Art & Science hosts the 17th annual Night at the Brew-seum, presented by Clark Chevrolet and Clark Knapp Honda, on April 5. This annual fundraiser, co-chaired by Gaby Jones and Annette Garcia, supports IMAS and its year-round art and science education programs in the Rio Grande Valley. For over 17 years, Brew-seum has celebrated the region’s growing craft beer culture. This year’s event will feature a…
The 11th annual South Texas All Hazards Conference takes place March 26-27 at the McAllen Performing Arts Center and McAllen Convention Center. As the second-largest emergency response training event in Texas — and the only one of its kind offered at no cost — the conference expects to host over 3,000 professionals from public health, public safety, law enforcement, emergency management, public works and educational institutions. STAHC follows the National…
Families are invited to the International Museum of Art & Science on March 19 for PNC Adventure Day, a spring event celebrating young children and early childhood learning. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature engaging activities tailored for children ages 6 and under. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the PNC Mobile Learning Adventure, a traveling educational exhibit designed to provide…
The Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco is partnering with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center to bring the Kauffman FastTrac Program to Weslaco. The nationally recognized program equips aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners with the tools, resources and knowledge to successfully launch, manage and grow their businesses. This seven-week program provides 21 hours of in-person instruction and will begin on May 9. It is…
The City of Pharr’s Pharr Connect Digital Literacy Program continues to accept applications from residents. The three-year program, running from 2024 to 2026, aims to bridge the digital divide and promote health equity by enhancing digital literacy, expanding access to technology, and providing valuable resources to Pharr residents. Those who complete the training will not only gain essential computer and internet skills but will also receive a new laptop upon…