Up in his son’s second floor office, Francisco Pulido pulls out a book of family photos. He then smiles at the sight of a skinny 19-year-old youth. “That’s me,” he said, pointing to himself in the late 1970s, standing in front of a record store in Nuevo Progreso. He was a young entrepreneur then. He was the son of Tamaulipas farmers, opening up a record shop in a town already…
Living in Harlingen these days means having access to as much parkland and hike-and-bike trails as can be found in the Rio Grande Valley. It’s a point that Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell likes to make, as he did recently when the city marked the official opening of the Lon C. Hill Destination Park. The $3.3-million project transformed what was an ordinary green space. It is now over 50 acres of…
The headline atop the easel paper pad was in all caps and featured “SIGNIFICANT SIGHTINGS.” Underneath the big letters there were 23 bird species listed that had been seen across the Rio Grande Valley over the first three weeks of April. Next to that column were another 13 bird species spotted at South Padre Island. “It has been an exceptional year,” said Keith Hackland, who owns and operates the Alamo…
The owners of Reserva Coffee Roasters began a new chapter recently when they opened their doors at the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Team-Based Learning Center in Edinburg. Owners Michelle and Danny Quiroz are two legacy UTRGV alumni. The construction planning for the Team-Based Learning Center started in 2018 and included a space for a potential café. UTRGV officials explored different service operators but settled on teaming up with a locally owned…
Hidalgo County has launched ConsiderMe, an online vendor enrollment solution, offering an equal opportunity for all providers of goods and services to adequately fulfill the needs of county government. The new tool is a development by the county to help fulfill the need to secure qualified vendors and allows potential vendors consideration for Hidalgo County projects. Local, state and national vendors can apply by using the online registration form. The…
Texas law now lets customers and businesses safely partake in alcohol-to-go options. Temporary waivers to provide relief to businesses have been updated and made permanent due to recent action by Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas legislature. The change comes as part of House Bill 1024. The bill was recently approved by the legislature on April 28 and signed into law by Gov. Abbott on May 12. The law, which…
Starting June 10, Aeromar will add nonstop service from McAllen International Airport to both Guadalajara International and Puerto Vallarta International airports. The routes will fly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. “These new routes expand our connectivity from McAllen to four important destinations in Mexico: Mexico City, Monterrey, and now Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta,” said Danilo Correa, Aeromar CEO. “Our strong alliance with the City of McAllen positions us to…
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is urging members of the alcoholic beverage industry to prepare now for a month-long pause from TABC in accepting applications for new licenses or permits. The pause begins Aug. 1 and will remain in place until Sept. 1 for new primary licenses, subordinate licenses and supplemental changes. The licensing pause will affect any industry member looking to apply for an original permit, TABC Executive Director…
When the staff at Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement think of Eva Alvarado, two words come to mind: perseverance and resilience. Alvarado is a divorced mother of three, two who are adults and now live on their own. Her youngest, a 14-year-old son, lives with her in Brownsville. Two years ago, her youngest was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, dyslexia and autism. Alvarado quit working because he required all…
As aviation continues to grow in the Rio Grande Valley, so does the need for more mechanics and technicians. “We have had more students applying and expressing interest in the program than I have ever seen,” said Leo Guajardo, lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance program, which encompasses Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology. Guajardo said some credit for increasing program curiosity can be given to…