SpaceX‘s Starship rocket is ready for its second launch, awaiting federal approvals, and eager to improve over an April launch that successfully lifted off but disintegrated over the Gulf of Mexico four minutes into flight. Kathryn Lueders, the new executive general manager at Starbase on Boca Chica Beach, gave that assessment on Thursday at an event hosted by the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce at the Holiday Inn Resort.…
Rio Grande Regional Hospital recently conducted its first TransCarotid Artery Revascularization procedure to treat carotid artery disease and prevent future strokes. Before TCAR, the main treatment option for severe carotid artery disease was an open surgical procedure, carotid endarterectomy. CEA removes plaque from inside the carotid artery to restore normal blood flow to the brain, but the large incision leaves a visible scar the length of the neck. It carries…
The City of McAllen Passport Division Facility will host a Passport Fair on Sept. 23 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the City of McAllen Passport Facility, located in the Downtown Parking Garage at 221 S. 15th Street. “Passport processing times have been extended and we want to make sure that anyone wishing to travel has their required documents in time,” said Administrator Norma Rodriguez. Appointments are not required…
The Port of Brownsville‘s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 saw a boost in the value of goods transported in 2022, reaching a record total of $13.9 billion in exports and imports. It is a notable increase from the $9.7 billion recorded in 2021. The U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board’s 2022 recent report to Congress revealed that FTZ No. 62 held its position as the second highest-ranking FTZ in the country for…
Thanks to a recent bill passed during the last legislative session, active-duty military, honorably discharged veterans and the immediate family members of a service member who died while serving now qualify for one of three new Parklands Passports. These passports are available at no cost and grant the cardholder free entry to all Texas State Parks. The new categories of Parklands Passports, which can be obtained at any state park,…
Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco, a member of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, is the only hospital in the Rio Grande Valley to receive a five-star rating in the latest hospital ratings report from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The five-star rating is the highest possible rating (on a scale of one to five). It reflects exceptional quality care being provided to Valley patients by physicians, nurses and…
A fast-growing sport is expanding in the Rio Grande Valley with plans to construct a 21,500-square-foot venue for padel ball and pickleball players. The RGV Padel Club is making a $2.7 million investment to construct the new facility at 2513 Victoria Drive in Mission. Construction is projected to start within three months and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024. Estimates are the RGV Padel Club will support 52…
Mohamed Sharaf’s initial business visit to the Rio Grande Valley was one of getting a feel for a region where he wanted to build and open a travel center. The concept is one of a modern-day truck stop with lots of floor space for food, snacks and beverages with extra-large bathrooms. Think Buc-ee’s with a different variation of a similar template as designed by Sharaf’s Victron Energy Corporation. One of…
A freshly surfaced pocket parking lot by Boggus Ford in Harlingen offers a clue of something new afoot by the Arroyo Colorado. Take a left from an existing trail of two decades into a new section of the Arroyo Colorado Hike and Bike Trail. It descends to the arroyo and then back toward Expressway 77. The new extension runs 1.6 miles, going under an expressway bridge on a trail lined…
Amanda Nolan grew up the daughter of a small business owner, a mother who set a template to follow. Sure enough, Nolan started young with an artsy bent in making trinkets and homemade jewelry popular with her classmates. It gave her the first indications of what it’s like to make your own money. “It was something I was around,” she said of the entrepreneurial spirit. “I followed the momentum.” The…