Verturo Construction owner Joey Holand wanted to help veterans. In 2016, Holand and his wife donated a hunting trip that reunited two combat-wounded veterans. The pair had been separated after their tours of duty. “That weekend changed me as a person,” Holand said. “It changed me on how we look at our veterans.” Holand’s company and other contractors, in partnership with H-E-B’s Operation Appreciation and the nonprofit Operation Finally Home,…
Many historians contend that Brownsville is the second most historic city in Texas, ranking behind only San Antonio. Facts to back up that claim abound, with the Brownsville Historical Association acting as a primary resource to discover that story. With a valuable arsenal of facts, information and buildings that open doors to the past, the association offers a look back to the original city founders, battles fought in this part…
Timing is everything. If one needed even more reasons to visit South Padre Island, they are here. This summer, why not combine fun and education for the entire family? The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary now also boasts an alligator sanctuary, where visitors of all ages can discover something new and visit 50 contained alligators. The new home for what some consider nature’s most interesting and beautiful reptiles held a public event in…
The last Thursday of each month, a little slice of Nashville comes to the Rio Grande Valley city known for its country western roots. Mercedes is the home of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and with a renowned history of boot-making. The city also hosts Little Nashville, now in its third year, on the corner of Fourth and Ohio streets in its downtown the last Thursday of each month.…
An ambitious five-day festival coming to McAllen in July will celebrate the past, present and future of Latino culture and its influence on the Rio Grande Valley. “We see the need to create a destination festival in the summer,” said Luis Cantu, vice president for international business and community development with the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. “It’s kind of a compilation of a lot of events we have done, but…
The new $17.6 million Harlingen Convention Center is open for business. The 44,436-square-foot facility was dedicated in May with great fanfare. Soon after, construction started on a $25-million five-story Hilton Garden Inn with 149 rooms adjacent to the convention center. That project is expected to be complete in 12 to 14 months. The hotel is being developed by BC Lynd, which will also manage the convention center. Advance bookings for…
One local college and four independent school districts are the recipients of $850,892 in grants from the Texas Workforce Commission. The funds are for programs that focus on supporting high-demand occupations through the Jobs and Education for Texans grant program. The award total for 27 JET grants is $5,718,073 in 27 grants. Funds go to multiple public community colleges, technical institutes, state colleges and ISDs for programs. “I congratulate these JET recipients as…
The UTRGV School of Nursing recently welcomed eight students from the Project HEAL2 program. The students hail from the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and are prospective UTRGV nursing students Project HEAL2 is a program from the Region One Education Service Center. The program provides high school students with an interest in a nursing career educational opportunities and experiences to kick start their career. Students who successfully complete the program can graduate with an associate…
Manufacturing company Poly SACHI Polymers LLC will soon be relocating its operations from Taylor, Texas, to Harlingen. The announcement came with an agreement on May 17. The company will occupy the 35,000-square-foot building at 1314 Industrial Way by summer’s end. The building is one of the few remaining vacant industrial buildings in Harlingen. This $1 million investment will also create 20 new jobs. Poly SACHI Polymers is the parent company…
PeopleFund and Certified Development Corporation of the Southwest are merging. Under the terms of the merger, PeopleFund will be the successor organization. The merger comes with the approval of both the Small Business Administration and the State of Texas. The merger will create an economy of scale beneficial to Texas small businesses in delivering the SBA 504 loan program. According to CDCSW President/Managing Director Mike Mora, “The benefit of this merger is…