As a boy growing up in Harlingen, Pat Reilly was enchanted by the sights and sounds of the Confederate Air Force show featured annually at the city’s airport. Reilly’s home was located just a few miles away from the airport. Looking up to the skies, he could see the vintage World War II airplanes fly overhead during the CAF’s hey days at the Harlingen airport in the 1960s and 1970s.…
A battle-worn firefighter’s helmet rests on a shelf over the bar at Chris Cuellar’s restaurant in Weslaco. The rigors of the job he held for over 10 years in service to his community would take a physical toll. Injury problems would compel him to leave the Weslaco Police Department and bring a need to reinvent himself while still being a young man. Being a restaurateur is a thought that had…
The City of McAllen has shattered its all-time sales tax record, receiving an unprecedented $11.9 million in February’s sales tax allocation for the same month of December (2024 vs 2023). This is a 12.3 percent increase over last year’s collection for the same period. The milestone surpasses the previous high of $10.6 million collected last year. “McAllen’s long-term strategy of becoming a destination city, encouraging booming residential and commercial development, facilitating international…
San Juan resident Rosa I. Diaz describes life as a single mother with four children as both challenging and rewarding. Working full time as a provider, she earned above minimum wage; however, stretching her $11-per-hour earnings proved to be no small task. “While I was grateful for my job, I knew I wanted more for myself and my family,” Diaz said. She saw an advertisement for the Valley Initiative for…
McAllen International Airport achieved a historic milestone for commercial air service in the Rio Grande Valley in 2024 with more than 1.2 million travelers. This achievement marks a 25 percent increase in year-over-year total passengers. “Thanks to McAllen International Airport’s expanding air service, reaching 1.2 million flyers marks one of the many achievements for McAllen in 2024,” said City of McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, “Non-stop service to key domestic and…
The Dallas Cowboys recently concluded another disappointing season but the lack of success will hardly lessen the devout following the NFL franchise enjoys in the Rio Grande Valley. George Dunn, a senior retail manager for the Cowboys, says the RGV ranks third in Texas for sale of team merchandise, T-shirts, caps and all manner of gear with the familiar blue star. The third-best market ranking (only Dallas-Fort Worth and San…
Annelise Rosas’ growing-up years in Monterrey and Austin left a yearning for another city of her youth. Brownsville is the place where Rosas feels the most comfortable. The Rio Grande Valley’s largest city is the best fit for the interchange of languages she speaks. In Monterrey, Rosas was seen as an American and a bit of an outcast despite being the daughter of Mexican-born parents. The view of her in…
Felida Villarreal worked in the private sector as an accountant and financial analyst and developed an interest in the work of non-profit organizations focused on community service. In the early 2020s, that interest led to a job as the director of finance for VIDA, the acronym for Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement. The Mercedes-based organization was founded in 1995 and serves residents in the four-county Rio Grande Valley. The…
Flying kites on the beach can bring a sense of wonderment in looking up and seeing your handmade craft sway with the gusty seaside winds. Susie and Bill Doan are Ohio natives and kite aficionados who during visits to the South Padre Island became smitten with the beach. In their late 40s, the couple moved to the Island and turned a hobby into a business. B&S Kites opened in 1998.…
The City of McAllen’s Parks & Recreation Department is seeking public input to name a new 23-acre nature park located at 8701 N. 23rd Street. This addition to McAllen’s extensive park system will offer activities such as kayaking, canoeing, fishing, walking trails, an archery range and a campsite. Other features include boating and fishing piers, a gazebo and a multi-purpose meadow. “The ‘Name Our New Park’ survey represents a unique…