Category Archives: Industry

McAllen Festival Lights Up Holidays

Community Events News Recreation & Tourism Comments
The nation’s tallest digital Christmas tree is a centerpiece attraction at South Pole Illuminated Festival. (Courtesy)

The McAllen Holiday Parade with its towering balloons and lighted extravaganza of features attracts tens of thousands of spectators. The massive event headlines Christmas celebrations in the city.  Yet, there is another holiday event in McAllen that quietly but surely has developed a following of its own. The South Pole Illuminated Festival, with its month-long run on the grounds of the McAllen Convention Center, now attracts 128,000 visitors annually. It…

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Winter Texans Host Global Tourney

News Recreation & Tourism Comments
Chalkboards keep track of scores at the World Shuffleboard Championship.

The facts and figures of the Winter Texan industry in the Rio Grande Valley are well-researched with data and statistics released every few years to gauge where things stand. The latest figures from the UTRGV Business and Tourism Research Center show there are just under 100,000 Winter Texans in the region. They provide a nearly $2 billion economic impact and support 10,000 jobs in the Valley. What can go unnoticed…

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New CEO Finds Harbor In Brownsville

Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
William Dietrich came to Brownsville in the mid-1990s to work as a police officer and today finds himself at the Port of Brownsville as the harbor’s chief executive officer.

William Dietrich was fresh out of college after serving in the U.S. Army when deciding he wanted to be a police officer.  That ambition brought him to Brownsville. The city’s police department was hiring and Dietrich went to where the job was being offered. Starting as a police officer, he saw the job as a stepping stone that would soon enough take him out of Brownsville. The first scenario may…

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DHR Health Building New Behavioral Health Hospital

e-Brief Features Healthcare News Comments
DHR Health behavioral health hospital groundbreaking

DHR Health has been awarded a $85-million grant from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to construct 100 beds at a new behavioral health hospital in Pharr. The new facility will help address the need for additional inpatient mental health beds. DHR Health currently operates an 87-bed inpatient behavioral hospital. The new campus at 4800 North Jackson Road will include a new 161,000-square-foot facility. It will have a total…

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Shop The Island to Win

News Retail Comments
Shop the Island, Christmas presents

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce‘s “Shop the Island” initiative is back through Dec. 17. For every $20 spent with any Island businesses, shoppers may register for a $500 shopping spree. Every dollar spent locally also ensures a healthy and growing South Padre Island economy. Original receipts may be dropped off at the following SPI Chamber member businesses: Cactus Flower Calypso Friends of Animal Rescue Padre Island Brewing Co. Renee’s…

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Finding New Hope with VIDA

e-Brief Features Featured News Non-Profit Comments

Aida Meza had a job as a phlebotomist, earning $12 an hour. She felt fulfilled, but making ends meet proved challenging for this single mother. In July 2023, she applied for acceptance into the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Texas Southmost College. One month later, she received an acceptance letter. Meza felt a sense of excitement and trepidation.  As she prepared to start the program, a barrier appeared along her…

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McAllen Launches Website to Attract Developers

e-Brief Features Government News Comments
McAllenMeansBusiness.com

The City of McAllen leadership recently launched McAllenMeansBusiness.com, an online resource specifically for local, state and international developers seeking to expand in McAllen. The platform showcases McAllen’s position as an international gateway, supplying current data, analytics and other useful information to support informed decision making as McAllen’s economy continues to attract interest in investment opportunities. “We are thrilled to unveil our new website to the public and provide an enhanced…

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Port of Brownsville Leads the Valley’s Economy

e-Brief Features Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
Port of Brownsville

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Annual Report features the Port of Brownsville’s ascension to 50th position among 150 U.S. maritime ports for waterborne cargo. In 2022, the port handled 9.1 million tons of cargo, up from 8.9 million tons in 2021, moving from 55th to 50th place. The port’s comprehensive logistical network comprised of rail, trucking lines, vessel and barge services and pipeline connectivity are key to the transportation…

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Businesswoman Builds Brands & Learning

Education News Professional Services Comments
Susan Valverde formerly worked for the McAllen Economic Development Corporation and is now the brand president for Sylvan Center. (Courtesy)

Susan Valverde’s background was in business and going to trade shows to attract jobs to McAllen. Working in business development, Valverde was on the staff of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. It was a six-year stint that ran from 1997 to 2002. She began to understand that bringing in jobs to her community was dependent on having a better trained and educated workforce. That fact became even more apparent in…

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Barber Passes ‘Goodness’ Back To Community

News Professional Services Comments
James Horta had a varied working background before opening his barber shop in downtown Mercedes.

James Horta is a barber with a flair and a commitment in giving back to his community. Horta’s glow-in-the-dark shop in downtown Mercedes is adorned with deco-style posters that illuminate and feature a cast of characters from Albert Einstein and Albert Hitchcock to racecar driver Jeff Gordon. There’s also plenty of memorabilia to be found, especially items featuring his beloved Dallas Cowboys. The barber’s affinity for pop culture is reflected…

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