Growing up, Cristina Martinez witnessed her mom’s financial struggle and her resilience every day. Martinez’ mom did not graduate from high school, and yet, as a single mother with three children, she had to find a way to provide for them. “She worked as a custodian for many years to be able to provide,” Martinez said. In January 2020, Martinez, a resident of Pharr, was earning $10.50 an hour working…
The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for the 2022 National Small Business Week Awards. The NSBW Awards recognize the achievements of SBA-assisted small businesses as well as the contributions they have made to their communities and the nation’s economy. The deadline for nomination submission is 3 p.m. EST Jan. 11, 2022. Award presentations will take place during the NSBW Awards ceremony in the first week of May…
The Office of Hidalgo County Commissioner Everardo “Ever” Villarreal is currently collecting donations of new unwrapped toys to distribute to children 12 years of age or younger. The new toy collection will continue through Dec. 6. All toys collected will be distributed to children throughout the Precinct 3 community on Dec. 10. “We know some families are having a tough time and the need for Christmas assistance is even greater…
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. …
McAllen ranks 15 in the United States in the Best Places to Celebrate Halloween according to SmartAsset.com. In 2019, McAllen ranked 17. SmartAsset.com compared 210 cities across the country, looking at 10 metrics in four overall categories. Metrics include Family Friendly, Safety, Halloween Weather, and Candy and Costume. Those categories are further broken down into aspects such as the percentage of children in the population, violent and property crime rates,…
Rafael Tapia believes in the steady-but-sure approach to economic development, or as much as is possible in a field where competition is the norm and falling short on prospects happens more often than landing successes. Tapia is the executive director of the Alamo Economic Development Corporation. Both of the cities to his immediate west – Pharr and San Juan – have seen surges of growth along their expressway corridor as…
Texas Southmost College will celebrate 95 years of service to the Lower Rio Grande Valley with a free community event Oct. 30 at the TSC Performing Arts Center. The TSC Board of Trustees will treat guests to food, live music and a fireworks show from 5:30-8:30 p.m. TSC Board of Trustee Chair and TSC alumnus Ruben Herrera said the event will celebrate the milestones of the past 95 years as…
Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center‘s Sticks and Bones Trail opens Oct. 23 and a Halloween party will follow one week later on Oct. 30. The trail will be up through mid-November. Guests can stop by Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. The trail is free with park admission. The Halloween Party in the Park takes place from 9 a.m. to 1…
Families facing financial hardships can now access required construction trade skills training for employment at Texas Southmost College. Funding for the training comes from the Texas Workforce Commission via a $351,794 Self Sufficiency Fund Grant. The grant will help provide training in welding, plumbing, insulation, scaffolding, forklift driving and electrical work. The grant, the first of its kind for TSC, will allow the college to provide training to adult Temporary…
Brownsville Interim City Attorney Victor Flores was elected to serve on the Texas City Attorneys Association‘s board of directors during the association’s fall meeting in Houston Oct. 7. Flores is one of only two attorneys who have been appointed to the board from the Rio Grande Valley since TCAA’s inception in 1928. Directors on the TCAA Board will attend numerous TCAA board meetings a year. TCAA is an affiliate of…