Category Archives: Industry

Take a First Day Hike at a Texas State Park

Texas First Day Hike

Texas State Parks is inviting citizens to kick off resolutions to explore the outdoors in 2024 with a First Day Hike at a state park. Various parks will host ranger-guided and self-guided walks, bike rides, paddling trips and polar plunges in honor of the national initiative aimed at getting people outdoors. Last year, nearly 8,000 participants shattered the previous attendance record New Year’s Day by ringing in Texas State Parks’…

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Port of Brownsville Recognizes Norma Torres

Former Brownsville and Rio Grande International Railway President and COO Norma Torres recently received the prestigious 2023 Chairman’s Award in recognition of her exemplary career. The presentation took place during the Port of Brownsville’s Annual Customer Appreciation Luncheon on Dec. 14 at the Ambassador Event Center. The event highlights the achievements of port tenants and customers throughout the year. Torres has played a pivotal role in the short line’s success,…

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VIDA Changes Setbacks to Comebacks

Samuel Arguelles

Samuel Arguelles had excellent role models and grew up witnessing the importance of higher education. Unfortunately, that provides no guarantee. “I am a second-generation college student; however, I lost my parents at a very young age and have been trying so hard to make them proud,” Arguellas said. His parents passed away from different forms of cancer, his dad while working on a PhD and his mom while working on…

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MFE Receives Nonstop Service to Austin

Delta Air Lines is now selling tickets for three daily nonstop flights from McAllen International Airport to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport beginning April 22. The new year-round route will operate three daily flights connecting McAllen via MFE with an essential destination for business and education. With the addition of this new route, McAllen International Airport will now serve seven nonstops. In Delta’s recent announcement, Joe Esposito, Delta’s S.V.P. – Network Planning,…

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Two Hotels Coming to Mission Event Center Grounds

A leading developer in the hospitality industry will invest nearly $25 million to construct two hotels next to the Mission Event Center. The new additions can draw tourism, spur economic development and will significantly increase the city’s lodging.   Nitin Kasan, the operations manager for Ocean Gate Hospitality, announced the developments on Dec. 13 during a groundbreaking ceremony alongside the Mission Economic Development  Corporation, the City of Mission and the Greater…

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RGV Sees High Demand for Healthcare Careers

A panel of STC students at the “Building Health Care Leaders of Tomorrow" conference allow attendees to receive direct feedback on key success elements when pursuing a medical degree. (Courtesy)

In response to an ongoing shortage of health care professionals in the Rio Grande Valley, 80 industry representatives and school districts recently gathered at South Texas College to discuss how to support and encourage students to pursue careers in the medical field. Currently, health care is a field that occupies more than 25 percent of the region’s total employment. As the first institution in the nation to offer a registered…

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Santoscoy Is New MFE Aviation Director

Jeremy Santoscoy

The City of McAllen has hired Jeremy Santoscoy as its new director of Aviation of McAllen International Airport. The Rio Grande Valley native has 18 years of experience with the City of McAllen, serving most recently as the deputy director for the airport and previously as transportation engineer. Santoscoy is a licensed engineer with experience in strategic planning, leading infrastructure development, governmental affairs as well as finance and federal compliance.…

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UTRGV Researcher Warns Against Excessive Smartphone Use

Dr. Murad Moqbel, assistant professor in the UTRGV Department of Information Systems

Smartphones have evolved into all-in-one devices, replacing calendars, navigation systems, music players and entertainment consoles. But UTRGV’s Dr. Murad Moqbel warns there can be harmful effects as excessive smartphone use becomes normalized. “The first thing many people do when they wake up is get on their phone, and they’re on it until the last moment that they go to bed,” said Moqbel, assistant professor in the UTRGV Department of Information Systems. “Excessive, or…

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Wind Energy Gives Students New Challenges

Dolores Delgado has left behind being a dental assistant for new opportunities in the wind energy industry.

Andrew Garza spent over a decade in the fast-food industry, rising to management positions at Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut. He enjoys working in teams and helping to lead them. Garza figured there was another industry where his experience would prove valuable. “The green energy field is growing, here in the Valley and around the world,” Garza said. “I see really good opportunities in wind energy technology. Hopefully, at some point,…

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SPI Hopes Spurs Link Builds Brand

Promotional materials were plentiful during an event announcing a marketing partnership between SPI and the Spurs.

Blake Henry had his fingers crossed last summer when the NBA held its annual player draft. Henry, as the chief executive officer of the South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, was seeing the draft more as a marketing professional than a sports fan. In his just over a year on the job, Henry has been active in seeking partnerships to build greater state and national awareness of the Island.…

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