April is Second Chance Month, and Harlingen resident Miguel Martinez III knows all about second chances. Dec. 5, 2024 is a day he will never forget. Martinez was released from prison after serving three years for burglary of habitation and theft of a motor vehicle. According to cleanslataeinitiative.org, Second Chance Month is “a nationally recognized celebration of second chances, fresh starts and breaking barriers for people who have been impacted…
South Texas College has been awarded a $100,000 Safety Education Grant from Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, to support the college’s workplace safety training. Texas Mutual has given the college over $300,000 in grants over the last few years to expand trainings that reskill and upskill regional employees. Since 1999, Texas Mutual has awarded over $14 million in safety education grants to Texas…
The City of Pharr’s Grants Management & Community Development Department is now accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant Program for Program Years 2025–2026. This funding opportunity is open to nonprofits, public agencies and other eligible organizations working to improve the quality of life for Pharr residents. The CDBG Program supports projects that address community needs, such as housing and public services. Interested organizations can pick up an application…
Food manufacturer Westa Inc., the first tenant of the Port of Brownsville’s 118-acre business park, is finalizing the layout for its $20 million facilities at the port. Taking advantage of the port’s maritime access, Westa Inc. will receive grains via barge from the Midwest, enhancing the company’s supply chain operations for its high-capacity flour mill and sunflower seed processing plant set to employ 120 people. Last April, the company celebrated a…
Quinta Mazatlán hosts a celebration of the spring migration of monarch butterflies with the ninth annual Monarch Fest on April 26. The festival offers family-friendly fun with live music, cultural performances, arts and crafts, educational booths and youth activities. Admission to the 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. event is free with the donation of a recyclable plastic bottle or plastic bag. Kids can join the festival favorite, the Mayors Bug…
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce and the City of McAllen will host their annual Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon on April 23 at the McAllen Convention Center. The event, which sold out last year, is expected to welcome over 400 attendees to celebrate the contributions of administrative professionals. “We host this event to recognize the invaluable contributions of administrative professionals,” said Xiomara Mier, VP of Membership at the McAllen Chamber of…
The City of Pharr welcomes back its Easter signature events of the Easter EggStravaganza and the Easter Scavenger Hunt on April 12 at the Pharr Sports Complex Park. Easter EggStravaganza, hosted by the Pharr Memorial Library, will feature an Easter egg hunt with more than 15,000 eggs, games, prizes and snacks. Registration for the egg hunt will take place on-site at the park at 201 East Moore Road, beginning at 9 a.m.…
South Texas College Biology faculty member and lead Microbiology instructor Elizabeth Gonzalez is one of seven who were selected nationwide for the Community College Presidents’ Initiative in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fellows Program. CCPI-STEM is a national initiative to strengthen leadership skills among community college faculty and administrators to support the growth and diversification of the STEM technician workforce. Gonzalez will join a cohort of seven fellows who are…
According to the website moveBuddha.com’s recent analysis of mover search data, McAllen ranks 14th among U.S. cities with the highest inbound-to-outbound move ratios for 2025. The study, which analyzed data from thousands of searches conducted on the moveBuddha.com moving cost calculator, found that for every person leaving McAllen, almost two are arriving. McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos highlighted the city’s continued growth, saying “McAllen’s affordability, safety and quality of life make…
Keep McAllen Beautiful hosts its annual Greatest American Clean-Up & Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-off on April 12, inviting the community to help clean up the streets, trails, schools and parks of McAllen. The event takes place from 8 a.m. to noon at McAllen Municipal Park. Volunteers who participate will receive safety vests, gloves, trash bags and a free t-shirt, and then be assigned a designated area to pick up litter.…