The executive board of the Texas International Fishing Tournament has chosen Caroline Miller, daughter of James and Becky Miller of Harlingen, as the 2022 T.I.F.T. Hostess. Miller is a fourth-generation T.I.F.T. participant and has been involved with the tournament since she was an infant. She attended her first tournament at two-and-a-half months old and took part for the first time at 15 months. “When I think of the Texas International…
The South Padre Island spring breaks of most recent years were quite different from those that came before them. There were lower numbers but some good came out of the leaner seasons of 2020 and 2021. The imagery of rollicking college-aged students was replaced by the more mature demographic family groups. There were fewer crowds to get through with the temporary decline of college youth on semester breaks. The pandemic…
A walk into Quinta Mazatlan takes patrons into a visual and architectural history of McAllen. It was on this 80-acre site over eight decades ago that adventurer and writer Jason Chilton Matthews built one of the larger adobe homes in Texas. The 10,000-square-foot home stands tall today with a regal dignity overlooking an estate of lush green habitat. Quinta Mazatlan is one part an architectural wonder in how the Spanish…
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved proposed rule changes to bag and size limits for spotted seatrout on the middle and lower Texas coast during the January 2022 meeting. The new rules take effect on March 16 in many bays, including the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre Bay systems. From March 16 to Aug. 31, 2023, the spotted seatrout bag and size limits south of FM 457 will be:…
A 30-foot ramp angles upward toward a setting sun and a sweeping view of the Bahia Grande plains of coastal South Texas. It’s the high point of the South Texas Ecotourism Center in Laguna Vista. From there, the view stretches eastward toward the Port of Brownsville. SpaceX is off in that direction as well at Boca Chica Beach. The rectangular-shaped ecotourism center lays behind the soaring ramp. In all, there’s…
The origins of Weslaco read much like the beginnings of the Rio Grande Valley’s narrative of the early 20th century. It includes railroads, canals, irrigation and agriculture, with U.S. troops at the border to chase and capture Pancho Villa should he cross the river. The latter did not happen. There are no indications Villa and his riders ever ventured close to the South Texas border with Mexico. About 12,000 troops…
The Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce’s is rescheduling its Jan. 8 Longest Causeway Run and Fitness Walk to April 9, 2022. “Unfortunately, an ongoing five month maintenance project on the causeway has forced us to change our dates,” said Chamber President Betty Wells. “We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause for our participants and hope to return to our normal schedule in 2023.” Online registration is still available on…
South Padre Island’s last movie house closed recently, leaving an entertainment void for tourists and local residents alike. Robert Gallagher’s Nana’s 7D Cinema isn’t a movie theater, but it does aim to provide visual entertainment along those lines. It opened earlier this year – with its official ribbon cutting and grand opening celebrated late last week – and the 3D cinema experience it provides is proving to be a hit. …
In honor of both active and retired military, Texas State Parks will wave daily entrance fees for all day-use visitors Nov. 14. “The dedication, sacrifice and service displayed by the women and men that serve in our country’s military is unparalleled and is a source of pride throughout the country,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “Their commitment to service undoubtedly inspires us at the Texas Parks and…
Marisa Oliva recalls walking a group of local high school students through the Edinburg World Birding Center when they came across a visiting birder. He told the students about the wide array of migratory and native birds they have to enjoy in their native Rio Grande Valley. The group moved on, leaving the birder to his pastime. Oliva said a girl in the group then remarked, “How does a guy…