The City of Pharr, Fazoli’s and local school districts are working together to help feed Pharr families in need. “Plans are underway to provide free meals to our families most in need on a weekly basis,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez. “I wholeheartedly want to thank Jerry Maddox, Fazoli’s owner, for opening his doors and being so generous during these uncertain times. This is certainly a difficult time for many families…
The Small Business Administration will resume accepting Payroll Protection Program loan applications on April 27 at 11:30 a.m. CDT from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. The announcement comes today from administrator of the Small Business Administration Jovita Carranza and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. According to the application announcement, “the PPP has supported more than 1.66 million small businesses and protected over 30 million jobs for…
The City of Harlingen and the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation have established the Harlingen’s Emergency Loan Program (HELP) for Small Business with $1,000,000. The HEDC will provide the emergency loans at zero interest to qualified businesses. Repayment of the loans will then start a year after fund disbursement. “Our business community is so interconnected and when businesses are hurting, it impacts others as well,” says HEDC President Mickey Boland. “The decision…
Single mom Erika Elizondo was working as a front-desk receptionist less than two years ago at a resort on South Padre Island. She was earning $9.30 an hour when a friend told her about Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement. “I was always interested in the medical field to help relieve people’s suffering,” Elizondo said. “I chose Emergency Medical Science because of the fast pace, I love the adrenaline rush.” There…
South Texas College is the recipient of a significant grant directly from the National Science Foundation to support students in STEM fields. The grant of $649,369 is part of NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant. It provides scholarships to two cohorts of 20 undergraduate students pursuing various associate degrees. These include Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics. The funding period for the grant is…
A tree, just like a business, comes to life starting out in a disadvantage. A tree, in its infancy and though its beginning stages, fights for air, water and sunlight with other trees that have started out much earlier. These older trees seem to have experience as the sole advantage over the new tree. Chances are the new tree will not make it in woods for long. It has no…
A new classic rock station, KRIX-FM, 105.5 Rocket, is now up and on the local airwaves. Dubbed “The Valley’s Classic Rock Station,” 105.5 Rocket broadcasts classic rock music from the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s. According to owner Eduardo Gallegos, 105.5 Rocket is the only classic rock station in the region. “Classic rock is very popular in metro markets,” Gallegos said, “and it’s actually a perfect format for the Rio…
The dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine believes strict stay-at-home orders will likely lead to the coronavirus spread peaking in early May in the Rio Grande Valley. Dr. John Krouse said models he is seeing suggest the Valley is coming up to its COVID-19 peak time. “The latest models I’m seeing coming out of the state are looking at a peak, perhaps in early May,” Krouse said during a…
The Local Rio Grande Valley’s own Wing Barn restaurant is now offering all wings for 50 cents each until things are back to ‘normal’. This includes both bone-in and boneless. The local family restaurant most recently received accolades from Big 7 Travel one of the “Top 25 Best Places for Chicken Wings in Texas” and is also featured in the April 2020 edition of VBR. “We know things are changing and…
A McAllen/Mission-area bridge is reducing hours of operations for southbound traffic as traffic volume from Mexico has declined with restrictions imposed during the coronavirus crisis. Beginning Monday, April 6, the Anzalduas Bridge will see hours reduced for incoming traffic from Mexico. Northbound traffic on Anzalduas will operate from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours of operation for southbound traffic will remain unchanged and be open for traffic from 6 a.m.…