Savanah Arellano of San Benito had a job as a mental-health technician earning $10 an hour. While Arellano knew she wanted to stay in the healthcare arena, she also knew she needed to earn a much better salary if she wanted to be self-sufficient and not struggle just to pay her bills. Because Arellano’s parents divorced and her father passed away, she had seen those struggles firsthand. Arellano enrolled in…
The Associate Degree of Nursing program at Texas Southmost College now has full approval and accreditation by the Texas Board of Nursing. The milestone has been a goal since the program’s inception at the college in 2019. To receive this status from the Texas Board of Nursing, the program had to meet all rules, regulations and stipulations set by the board of nursing. This includes a National Council Licensure Examination…
Joseph Duenas sought new experiences after graduating from Mercedes High School in 2006. He joined the Marines. Duenas trained to become an infantryman and did multiple combat tours in Iraq. He would stay on after his military service, working for a security firm contracted by the State Department. “I spent most of my 20s over there,” Duenas said of Iraq. The skills and training learned overseas were put to good…
McAllen resident Rebecca Gutierrez always had career goals, but barricades kept getting in her way. “It was always financial challenges of either paying bills or paying for school,” Gutierrez said. “I was not able to do both, at times.” Gutierrez is a Valley native. She is also one of six children who witnessed their parents perform the grueling labor only migrant farm workers know. “My parents both worked hard for…
The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal water opens June 1 with new federal regulations via the DESCEND Act now in effect as of January 2022. The DESCEND Act requires all commercial and recreational anglers to possess a venting tool or a rigged descending device on their boat while fishing for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Research shows…
Valley International Airport is experiencing its best growth numbers since 2008 as longstanding airlines return daily flights and new international flights to Mexico have been established. Marv Easterly, VIA’s director of aviation, provided that overview recently during a commercial and investment tour hosted by the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. The Harlingen-based regional airport has gotten through the worst of the cutbacks brought on by…
UTRGV has been included in The Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine’s first-ever list of the top 10 schools in the country for Hispanics/Latinos in STEM careers. The ranking is based on the number of graduate degrees granted to Hispanics/Latinos in the eight STEM fields. These degrees include all master’s and Ph.D. degrees. Hispanic Outlook ranks UTRGV: No. 5 – Top 10 Schools for Mathematics and Statistics (Graduate Degrees, 2019-20). No. 7…
5×5 Brewing Co. will host a Border Security Appreciation Benefit Concert on May 13, featuring the Creed Fisher Band. The evening, complete with live music, cold beer and a food truck park, benefits the Javier Vega Jr. Foundation Inc. Doors open at 6 p.m. at brewery, located at 801 Bryan Road in Mission. Citing recent events moral, organizers paired up with Veturo Intrest LLC and Longhorn Services to put on…
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the Customer Service Award. The purpose is to recognize a special individual(s) or business for going above and beyond in providing superior customer service or an unmatched humanitarian act. Past examples include: A dry cleaner’s employees returned money and multiple gift cards left in a jacket by the owner. A teacher took care of a student whose glucose was dropping to…
Killam Development of Laredo broke ground recently on a 175-acre business park at Anzalduas International Bridge that is part of a 3,400-acre project south of Mission. Cliffe Killam, the president of the development company, was among the dignitaries and community leaders at a May 2 groundbreaking. It marked the official beginning of an industrial park that hopes to attract manufacturing, logistics, cold storage and distribution facilities to the Sharyland Business…