Henry Camargo dispenses with any high-tech gadgetry when it comes to making boots. After five decades of stitching, sewing, hammering and stretching leathers to make boots for celebrities and common folk alike, Camargo said he’ll stick to the time-tested basics of the craft. “I’m old school,” Camargo said at his Mercedes shop Camargo’s Western Boots on Business 83. “I do everything by hand.” By his side is his brother, Santos,…
It’s time for the 80th edition of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, as the iconic event continues to showcase its connections to area communities. “Ask anyone who has grown up in Mercedes and the Rio Grande Valley, and they will name the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo as one of the best-known and attended events of each year,’’ said Beatrice de Leon Edwards, a local historian and…
The U.S. Census is currently hiring for the 2020 census. Thousands of employees make it happen and some of those positions are local. For consideration, applicants must reside in the McAllen local commuting area. “In 2020, the United States will conduct the once-a-decade census, a mandate in the U.S. Constitution,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “That may feel like a long way off, but preparations have already begun, and the U.S.…
Some businesses come and go like the wind. Others not only survive but stay alive and prosper despite enduring one obstacle after another. Barbara, an upscale boutique on South Padre Island, falls in the latter category. The shop, owned by Remedios Villarreal, has been in business for nearly half a century and has been doing remarkably well after all those years. “I am still running Barbara,” she said. “It was…
Dark chocolate, rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, can have positive health benefits, according to numerous studies. After his physician recommended eating dark chocolate, Rio Grande Valley entrepreneur Anthony Matulewicz started experimented with making it in his home kitchen. Today, he is three years into a journey to turn a private passion into a viable business with Mozna Chocolate, a small but growing dark chocolate factory in the border town…
Do you need to slim down, bulk up or just fine-tune your personal health? All Star Nutrition is a one-stop shop with three Rio Grande Valley locations, precisely suited for those seeking expert guidance on everything from weight loss to sports nutrition, vitamin and mineral intake, detoxification and hydration. At the store in Pharr on North Jackson Street, co-owner Sally Balderas Bracewell said that it feels good to help customers achieve…
From his catbird seat of an office, Ryan Vaughan oversees three brands of boots that are made and crafted by hand every week at Rios of Mercedes. The iconic Rio Grande Valley company traces its roots back to Zeferino Rios, the father of boot making in the region. The three companies operating under one extended roof today at Rios are continuing that legacy – and doing so under the leadership…
The scorching South Texas sun holds virtually unlimited potential to generate electricity, and consumer demand for solar power is on the rise. And while at one time about seven solar companies operated in the Rio Grande Valley, today there is only a handful, and only one of those is locally owned and operated. American Made Solar and Wind Technologies, based in Weslaco, specializes in meeting the demand for both commercial…
The spent remains of a Russian mortar lay quietly on a glass display at the Weslaco business of Adam Shidler. It was on a typical day in Iraq during a nine-year tenure in the Air Force that Shidler had a close encounter with the mortar now on display. He recalls stopping to answer what he called “a stupid question” before he would go on to his next task of day.…
The Texas Workforce Commission has a new website, TexasLMI.com, that makes accessing the agency’s statistics easier. The new site allows business and workers to monitor staffing trends and annual growth rate. Latest economic indicators for the state are also accessible. “Our new LMI website ensures the most up-to-date labor market data is readily available to employers throughout the state, and creates a simplified platform to find this information,” said TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing…