Kyle Orgera is on one end of the craft beer spectrum, he brews about 10 times a year. Now that his brother is in town, the two plan to brew more and have talked about opening a business. Steve Padilla is on the other end of the spectrum. After finding the taste for craft beer while in school in Erie, Pa., he decide then that the Valley needed more options…
The landscape will tell you that you are in a different place. Bait shops and bait stores, cabins, homes and apartments for rent – during the summer in most fishing cities — but here in Arroyo City, the weather is great for fishing year round. Fishing is the lifeblood of this town. Seated along the Arroyo Colorado, this similar-named city is all about fishing – and you’re almost a stone’s…
Marty Moore looked down at the ruined pair of jeans in his hands, the jeans he had promised a first-time customer of D&M Cleaners to clean and just shrugged. “Looks like we bought these jeans,” he said as he stared at the black that ran all over the white designer jeans. “That’s the right thing to do.” Moore promptly called the customer and told her what happened. She returned to…
RGV meat markets provide fresh, local items Eliseo Castro has been with the Lopez family – Lopez Supermarkets in particular – for 50 years. He’s done and knows pretty much everything there is to know about the business or meat markets, working his way up from a bag boy to general manager of the five Lopez Supermarkets and the carnicera that they recently opened. He’s seen changes, markets come and…
Local towing helps when bad things happen When bad things happen on the highway or in your driveway, towing companies and roadside assistance services arrive on the scene with solutions to the problem. Whether clearing an accident site or jumpstarting a car, whether summoned by you, your motorist assistance plan or law enforcement, towing companies must respond rapidly round the clock with the right equipment and personnel. Some of these…
Vocational schools Lead to career paths Individuals who want skilled jobs and technical training without taking the academic courses required by South Texas College, Texas State Technical College and Southmost College can enroll at Rio Grande Valley’s privately owned vocational schools. Providing no nonsense, adult-focused education, the proprietary school courses that focus on healthcare jobs prepare students for careers in vocational nursing, massage therapy, dental assisting and medical office skills.…
The three liquefied natural gas facilities scheduled to begin construction along the Brownsville Ship Channel in 2017 and 2018 will have an enormous effect on the economy of the Valley and the nation. Given the initial capital investments of $10 billion in the three plants, South Texas is poised to become an epicenter of the LNG trade and clean energy (including wind and solar). Within five years, the United States…
Think of all the towns that have chosen a totem: Port Isabel’s porpoises, Louisville’s horses, Mission’s butterflies, Chicago’s cows. Mercedes is the only I know of that choose to spotlight an industry: the bootmaking business. At one time, Mercedes had 12 bootmakers, according to Hernan Gonzalez, the executive director of the Mercedes EDC. When Mercedes’ bootmaking legacy was chosen to represent the city, it was decided that each four-and-a half-foot…
It takes more than great coffee to make a coffeehouse successful: comfortable, neighborhood vibes, an unrushed atmosphere, the chance to run into old friends and meet new ones, and of course, Wi-Fi. But step one in the coffeehouse seduction is the tantalizing smell of fresh roasted, fresh brewed coffee as soon as the door opens. A knowledgeable barista who cares about preparing you a coffee you will enjoy is step…
When you’re outside in the summer, a shady tree is the next best thing to an icy drink. Temperature in the shade runs about 15 degrees lower than adjacent unshaded areas. Shade trees near your business and home cast the same umbrella of cooler temperatures on the buildings. The result is less strain on your air conditioner (meaning lower bills) and less sun beating on the windows. Late fall is…