A nondescript metal building with a faded sign along an industrial/commercial stretch of Wilson Road in Harlingen houses Texas Thread, a manufacturing enterprise that is unique in the Rio Grande Valley. “We are the only thread maker in the Valley,” owner Kavanaugh Francis said. “Actually, we are the only one west of the Mississippi because most of our competitors are in the east in states like the Carolinas. And, being…
Ashley Vasquez knows what it’s like to start small. “We started with a shack,” Vasquez said of Iced Cube, the millennial-inspired version of a raspa stand she and her husband, Jonathan Segura, started in Elsa in June 2018. “It was the most humble beginnings you can think of.” Iced Cube didn’t stay humble for long. Tapping into pop culture, social media and offering flamboyant creations that transform old-school raspas into…
Donna ISD, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Raymondville ISD are all recent recipients of Jobs and Education for Texas grants fro the Texas Workforce Commission. The schools will use the grants to purchase and install equipment necessary to train 779 students for careers in high-demand occupations. These include welding fabrication and emergency medical services. Grant totals include $271,472 to Raymondville ISD, $208,383 to Donna ISD and $280,630 to Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. The grants will benefit students in the Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande…
South Texas Health System is now providing a $49,000 scholarship to student of South Texas College’s Nursing and Allied Health Division. The announcement came Jan. 10 at a check presentation of the funds meant to help reduce financials burden and provide assistance upon continuing education. “South Texas Health System is always here to support us. They’re providing scholarships to help our students graduate and become registered nurses. They’re hiring our nurses, so it’s…
Hundreds gathered for the Rio Bank “Topping Out” lunch on Jan. 17 to celebrate the final beam addition to the new corporate headquarters in McAllen. Signing the beam were contractor workers and Rio Bank directors and employees, as well as other business leaders. The beam then made its way to its destination atop the sixth floor of the building on the north side of the Interstate near McColl. With roughly…
Hidalgo County will soon have a Human Trafficking Unit created by Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez Jr. The unit will address forced labor in the agricultural sector, being the first of its kind in the United States. The unit is possible due to funding via a Buffett-McCain Institute Initiative to Combat Modern Slavery grant of $356,783. “In forced labor, workers are often tied to the employers who hold them hostage to the job…
Due to the extended period of the government shutdown, nonprofit and social service organizations in need of emergency bridge loans are eligible for up to $50,000 in low-interest capital from PeopleFund. The loans are designed to help nonprofits with government subsidies that rely on federal funding to provide vital community services. Organizations will need to provide proof of federal contract (NOFA or reimbursement agreement), financial statements, recent 990s and other documentation. The…
On Jan. 11, South Texas College had a “million-dollar morning” with three Texas Workforce Commission grants totaling more than $1.3 million. The award includes a $249,096 Job and Education for Texas grant, as well as $655,153 to STC’s Healthcare and Social Assistance Consortium. The consortium will create and upgrade 1,167 jobs. Additionally, a $409,890 grant goes to the college’s Manufacturing Consortium to create and upgrade 205 jobs. Guest speakers in…
According to Airbnb, properties in its Rio Grande Valley host community took in earnings of $11.5 million in supplemental income in 2018. Approximately 80,000 visitors used the service while staying in the region. Cameron County hosts took in $10.5 million with 70,000 guests, while Hidalgo County hosts earned $947,000 with 9,500 guests. Willacy and Starr counties pulled in the final figures and guests. According to the most recent state-commissioned Texas…
Powering Texas. a coalition to promote sustainable electricity generation throughout Texas, recently launched, focusing on educating Texans on wind energy. According to a press release from the organization, Texas is the number one energy consumer in the country. In 2017, wind energy supplied nearly 15 percent of all Texas electricity as well as 1/4 of the national total. Additionally, if a country, Texas would rank eighth in the world in total…