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…
The former Toys R Us site adjacent to La Plaza Mall in McAllen will soon undergo redevelopment by Houston-based Murdoch Capital LLC and Parkway Partners. Property plans have not reached finalization, but the partners report positive feedback in the preliminary stages of its marketing. “McAllen has a strong reputation for high retail sales volume, so we jumped at the opportunity to purchase this site as soon as it became available,” said…
Topgolf is not so much about golf as it is a technology-driven entertainment experience. In fact, more than half of the people who visit Topgolf venues are non-golfers. And only eight percent classify themselves as avid players of the game. The new Topgolf in Pharr, the 50th location in the franchise, features three levels with 72 stations from which to whack balls out into a large area filled with targets.…
Linda McMahon and her husband took a small regional business and built it into a multinational powerhouse brand known as WWE. For non-wrestling fans, that stands for World Wrestling Entertainment, a media and entertainment company primarily known for professional wrestling. Active in WWE from 1980 to 2009, serving as president and CEO, McMahon left the company to mount two unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate in her home state of…
Years spent in the media business made clear to Vanessa Sarabia that there is no lack of abundant young talent looking to make their mark, if only someone would give them a chance. Sarabia has a deep background in the media business that includes photography, magazines, event promotions and production of commercials. She used those platforms of experience to create a niche business that would connect to young talent in…