Category Archives: Community

VBR Business Briefs

Community Healthcare News Technology Comments
Nursing students in Starr County are the beneficiaries of a new grant program that provides financial support as they complete their clinical training. (Courtesy)

Starr County Health Care Gets Boost Healthcare in Starr County recently received a major boost through internship grants for students pursuing careers in medical fields while completing their clinical training. A $100,000 Healthcare Internship Fund Grant with resources provided by the Texas Workforce Commission will offer stipends of up to $900 for Starr County students seeking health care careers. The grant program is a partnership between the Roma Independent School…

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Holiday Parade Celebrates Freedom In RGV

Community Featured News Comments
Law enforcement officers are among those who enjoy the festivities on Main Street during McAllen’s Fourth of July parade. (Courtesy)

The city of McAllen’s Fourth of July parade is nearing its 100th birthday as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary. The convergence of the two is adding an extra element to this year’s early July celebrations in McAllen. The city has perhaps the most event-filled July 4th of any Rio Grande Valley city. The longstanding parade down Main Street got its start in 1928 and is a mainstay event in…

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Mid-Valley Trails Connects Communities

Community News Recreation & Tourism Comments
A new hike-and-bike trail winds through picturesque rural areas south of Donna, (Courtesy)

Hidalgo County Commissioner David Fuentes admired the completed project of a neighboring colleague and knew he wanted the same for his precinct.  It was 2020. The Precinct 2 commissioner, Eddie Cantu, invited Fuentes and other county and community leaders to view the finishing touches on his nearly eight-mile-long hike-and-bike trail that connects McAllen, Pharr and San Juan. “I told Eddie, ‘I’m going to figure out a way to connect to…

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Oral Histories Tell Local Stories

Community News Comments
There are stories to tell in Mercedes, including those of a historic grammar school that still stands amid other historical school buildings near the city’s downtown.

Retired Mercedes school district administrator Sylvia Flores calls it “a widening” of knowledge when a younger generation learns about those who came before them.  “Every generation has been different,” said Flores, who recently turned 90. “It’s important for the younger ones to know that their ancestors had to go through a lot of problems to pave the way for them like those that came before us.” Flores was among those…

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Harlingen Builds Back Stronger

Community News Comments
Harlingen’s popular Arroyo Hike & Bike Trail will be extended to Dixieland and Victor parks on the city’s west side. (Courtesy)

Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda didn’t start her recent state-of-the-city address as many of her area colleagues do.  Rather than boasting early in her speech about growth and development, Sepulveda harkened back to March 27, 2025, when Harlingen was hit with torrential rains of over 20 inches in a day’s time. The deluge broke a one-day record of rain that dated back to 1912. The hurricane-like rainfall caused severe flooding throughout…

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Student Succeeds Amid Obstacles 

Education News Comments
Isaias Pena ‘powers through’ disability in seeking to become a great welder. (Courtesy)

Isaias Pena stood out as a high school student when participating in welding competitions held at the Texas State Technical College campus in Harlingen.  Pena represented La Joya High School and TSTC instructor Raul Saldivar recalls a student who was always a top three finisher in the SkillsUSA welding competitions. Pena’s attention to detail and the ability to visualize demonstrations and apply them to practical applications has always been evident,…

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Mayor Lauds Edinburg’s ‘New Opportunities’

Community Comments

Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa summarizes his city’s rapid growth as being one of “relentless progress” and has the numbers to prove it. The city’s population is expected to reach nearly 115,000 residents by 2028, an expected gain of 15,000 over the 2020 Census. The 15 percent population growth over the last six years makes Edinburg the Rio Grande Valley’s fastest growing city of any community with over 25,000 residents. At…

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Historical Edinburg School Honored

Education News Comments

An elementary school rose on Edinburg’s east side in 1926 and its purpose during times of segregation was made clear. “The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District established Stephen F. Austin Grade School for Mexican students,” states a Texas Historical Commission plaque that was recently placed in front of the century-old school. “They chose a site at E. Kuhn and N. 21st Streets near many of Edinburg’s Mexican families.” Stephen F.…

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McAllen Accepting Teen Court Program Applications

Community e-Brief Features News Comments

The McAllen Municipal Court is continuing its long-standing Teen Court Program and is taking applications now through May 15. The Teen Court Program initiative has positively impacted local youth for years while helping shape the next generation of community leaders. It gives students hands-on courtroom experience, strengthening leadership, public speaking, and real-world skills that support both academic success and future career goals. It is one of the many ways the…

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Search is On for Top Texas Nature Photographer

Arts e-Brief Features Featured News Comments

Wildlife in Focus is currently seeking its Texas Wildlife & Nature Photographer of the Year. The nonprofit conservation organization is accepting photography submissions statewide until June 7. “Our mission has always been to use photography as a bridge to conservation,” said Miles Phillips, photo contest director for Wildlife in Focus. “This new Photographer of the Year contest invites every Texan to tell the story of our state’s wildlife, from prairies…

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