Category Archives: Community

Charlton Named Weslaco Woman of the Year

Community Featured News Comments
Weslaco EDC Board members congratulate fellow board member Sandra Charlton, fourth from right. Board members are JJ Serrano Jr., Fred Perez, Jerry Gonzalez, Benita R. Valadez, Sonjia De La Fuenta, Patrick Gonzalez and Steven M. Valdez. (courtesy)

The Weslaco Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its annual Awards Luncheon at the Memory Blvd. Event Center in downtown Weslaco. During the luncheon, the chamber awards local businesses, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated leadership and made substantial contributions to the city.  Receiving Woman of the Year for 2021 is Sandra Charlton. Charlton currently serves on the Economic Development Corporation board as treasurer. She is also an active ambassador and…

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Illumina Fest Lights Up Quinta Mazatlán

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments
Visit the lighted show in the woods at Illumina Fest from Dec. 14-18 at Quinta Mazatlán.

Illumina Fest begins Dec. 14 at Quinta Mazatlán, showcasing a unique light show in the woods through Dec. 18. The festival features more than 2,000 luminarias on the trail, light art installations, live performers, live music and food. The five-day evening event features more than 30 art installations using nature as the canvas while featuring the talents of many Valley artists and performers. Illumina Fest celebrates the season of light with…

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Holiday Market Kicks Off IMAS Christmas

Arts Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments
IMAS Christmas Tree Forest

The International Museum of Art & Science presents a community Holiday Market to kick off this year’s annual Christmas Tree Forest “Christmas in the RGV” Dec. 5. The artisan market takes place from 1-5 p.m. In addition to the local artists, the Valley Symphony Orchestra and the McAllen Creative Arts Incubator will participate in the event this year. The community may support these local artists and artisans and then visit…

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Winter Wonderland Gives Students A Boost

Community Events News Comments
Talavera Décor & More will be selling wooden hearts painted by hand by artisans in San Miguel de Allende at the Winter Wonderland Market @ IB.

Erica De la Garza Lopez got right to work when she took over as president of Friends of IB for the 2021-2022 school year. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization brings awareness about the McAllen ISD International Baccalaureate school at Lamar Academy. It also develops partnerships between IB parents, local businesses and the community. Additionally, members raise money and provide other means of support to the school and its students. McAllen ISD…

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Incubator Creates Space & Opportunities

Arts News Comments
Christmas paintings are among the works by students at the Young Masters Academy.

Eddie Mirza is a survivor of job layoffs, illness and economic upheavals, but there’s one thing he could always depend on.  His talents as an artist, teacher and soccer coach have served him well, as has the multiple languages he speaks, giving him a versatility to make a living when buffeted by misfortunes. Mirza has worked at newspapers, advertising agencies, and printing and telecommunications companies. These days, he is up…

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Museum Tells Story Of City In Heart Of RGV

Community News Recreation & Tourism Comments
Sheila Shidler serves as the executive director of The Weslaco Museum.

The origins of Weslaco read much like the beginnings of the Rio Grande Valley’s narrative of the early 20th century.  It includes railroads, canals, irrigation and agriculture, with U.S. troops at the border to chase and capture Pancho Villa should he cross the river. The latter did not happen. There are no indications Villa and his riders ever ventured close to the South Texas border with Mexico. About 12,000 troops…

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McAllen’s New Mayor Shows Steady Hand

Community Government News Comments
Downtown shops in downtown McAllen are eager to welcome back Mexican visitors.

Javier Villalobos settles into the chair of his mayor’s office on the third floor of McAllen’s City Hall. From there, he has a view of Main Street heading into downtown McAllen. Twenty months passed since downtown and the rest of McAllen had last seen its revenue lifeline of Mexican shoppers stream into their stores. That finally came to an end on Nov. 9, the day the U.S. government allowed Mexican…

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Workforce Wednesday Job Fair Returns

Community Events Featured News Comments

The City of Harlingen and Harlingen EDC, in partnership with Workforce Solutions Cameron, host the next Workforce Wednesday Dec. 8. The hiring event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Casa de Amistad, 1204 Fair Park Blvd. in Harlingen. Workforce Wednesday will host dozens of employers seeking to fill part-time and full-time positions. This is the third event in the series of job fairs that began in August.…

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UTRGV Students Place First In Restaurant Competition

Education Food & Entertainment News Comments
Paulina Martinez, Abelardo Villarreal and Andrea Garza took home first place in the “Restaurant of the Future” competition at the Restaurant Finance and Development Conference. (courtesy)

Three students representing the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at the UTRGV Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship earned first place at the Restaurant Finance and Development Conference Nov. 8-10 in Las Vegas, Nev. The team of Andrea Garza, Paulina Martinez and Abelardo Villarreal earned first place in the “Restaurant of the Future” competition. Their restaurant concept, “Wonder,” was an immersive, multisensory culinary experience using augmented and virtual reality technology. “Dining…

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Nursing A Dream Into Reality

Community e-Brief Features Education Featured News Comments
Cristina Martinez

Growing up, Cristina Martinez witnessed her mom’s financial struggle and her resilience every day. Martinez’ mom did not graduate from high school, and yet, as a single mother with three children, she had to find a way to provide for them. “She worked as a custodian for many years to be able to provide,” Martinez said. In January 2020, Martinez, a resident of Pharr, was earning $10.50 an hour working…

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