Israel Vega is a nurse practitioner who dabbles in renovating classic Chevys and is a founding member of a Rio Grande Valley-based semi-pro soccer team. Since January, you can add co-owner of a Los Fresnos coffee shop to his portfolio. PJ’s Coffee is a shop he co-owns with his business partner and fellow Los Fresnos native, Adam Abrego. They wanted to create a sense-of-community kind of place where people could gather…
The City of McAllen held a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 16 for Camp McAllen, a first-of-its-kind public campground offering residents and visitors immersive outdoor experiences, right in the heart of the city. Located at 8701 N. 23rd Street, just north of Frontera Road, the 20-acre site includes fishing docks, kayak launches, an archery range, walking and biking trails, and group camping spaces. Mayor Javier Villalobos, city commissioners and city…
The Brownsville Community Corporation has launched a new Space Accelerator Program in collaboration with the Space Foundation to support local startups and businesses with ties to the growing space economy. Through a partnership with Cameron County, the eight-week accelerator will equip a cohort of 8-10 companies with the tools, mentorship and resources needed to scale their ventures. Participants will also learn how to apply for federal funding, like SBIR/STTR grants,…
Seth Naranjo quips that Harlingen has two types of businesses all over town – car washes and gyms. He made that observation even as he and his wife, Nikki Solis Naranjo, sat inside of a gym they recently opened in the city. The Goon House on South Sunshine 77 Strip in Harlingen is located within a sprawling plaza with a call center as a next-door neighbor. The gym sits back…
Motivation can be derived from a variety of sources. Maritza Hernandez didn’t need to look far to find hers. A single mother, she merely looked at her daughter to gain motivation, determined to provide her with a better future. Already earning a steady income as a private-duty nurse, Hernandez knew that she needed to further her education to open the doors of opportunity in her field. “I first heard about…
Quinta Mazatlan and The Valley Land Fund are currently hosting the annual nature photography contest for kids, Southern Exposures. The contest offers prizes for every child who enters, including cash and a photo feature in the Award Winning Exhibit. Photographs should have a nature or wildlife theme and must be taken in the Rio Grande Valley. “Observing and photographing nature is an enriching hobby that helps your child learn in…
The McAllen Police Department is now accepting applications for its next Citizens’ Police Academy. Starting Aug. 14 and running through Oct. 15, the 10-week academy will meet every Thursday evening from 6-9 p.m. There is no cost to apply and selected applicants must be 21 years of age or older, able to attend all classes, work or reside in McAllen, and turn in a completed application by July 25. “The…
The Public Utility Commission of Texas is urging all Texans to stay alert and informed during the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which began this week and extends through Nov. 30. Texans can track potential power outages and restoration times using the PUCT’s Storm Resources webpage. “Every Texan should take time to create or review their severe weather plans and prepare their families and property for a potential storm,” PUCT Chairman…
Downtown Edinburg has lost much of its luster with aging infrastructure and block after block of lawyers’ offices filling up what were once retail spaces. For one day at least, on May 1, downtown was buzzing again. It was the day when the new Hidalgo County Courthouse celebrated its much-delayed completion and the venerable Citrus Theater marked its rebirth with a grand reopening event. Frustrations mounted in recent years over…
Pharr resident Maria “Mily” Moreno found herself at a crossroads in life. Divorced and the mother of two sons — ages 25 and 15 — she knew she needed to find a new path. Moreno resigned from her dead-end job and accepted a position as a part-time contract employee for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. This move cut her income by $20,000 a year. One day, Moreno encountered a South…