Shrimping in the Gulf of Mexico has been a way of life for thousands from the Brownsville/Port Isabel area to the Texas upper coast. It’s also been the livelihood for hundreds of others who come from as far as Mexico and Central America. Each new shrimp season usually starts on July 15, or a month and a half after hurricane season begins. But just as the farmers of the land face…
Mission earned All-America City recognition for the first time in its history on the same weekend that it lost a local hero, police Cpl. Jose Luis “Speedy” Espericueta. The weekend of June 22-23 was a joyous one. City leaders were in Denver to compete for and eventually gain the All-America recognition. Earning the award came after months of preparation to go with the years of work that went into the…
The Starr County Economic Development Summit: Shaping the Future, a strategic planning summit, takes place July 12. The event will focus on developing a roadmap for Starr County. This will allow for economic and community development that is “driven, transparent, adaptable and whose shared success is measurable.” In late 2018, South Texas College and the Starr County Industrial Foundation received a $100,000 federal planning grant to assist in updating the…
For many years, downtown Brownsville looked like a ghost town, particularly during evening hours. The only exception was an H-E-B supermarket on East Elizabeth Street. Here, shoppers from south of the border stopped by to buy goods before going across the Rio Grande into Matamoros. After a group of concerned citizens began looking into how to revive the city’s oldest business district several years ago, the area started coming alive. New…
The Harlingen Economic Development Corporation has sold its interest in the University Center building on the Texas State Technical College for $4.4 million. The 38,000-square-foot building first opened its doors in August 2011. Since then, Harlingen residents and the region the opportunity have had opportunities to attend major universities without leaving the area. Currently the center partners with four universities: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas A&M…
A virtual assistant is an employee who supports various business operations from a remote location. Startups can use VAs to help with inbox management, social media content, online customer support and basically any task that doesn’t require them to show up in person. Some VAs specialize in a specific task or industry. For example, there are VAs that focus specifically on marketing, and others that work only in the tech…
Elizabeth Davis grew up with the curiosity of a child who wanted to figure out how things work. She dreamed of someday owning her own business. “I was that kind of kid,” she said. It takes imagination and ambition to start and maintain a successful business. Davis would add other qualities are essential as well. “Tenacity, solving problems and being open-minded to options,’’ said Davis, who owns and runs Mi…
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will offer a new master degree program this fall. The Master of Science degree program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will allow students to pursue an advanced degree that will prepare them for jobs in the biotechnology industry. This includes biomedical, pharmaceutical and agricultural biotechnology, as well as health and environmental sciences. Dr. Parwinder Grewal is the UTRGV executive vice president for Research, Graduate Studies…
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for its 21th annual McAllen Business Expo and is currently inviting local businesses to participate as sponsors and exhibitors. The chamber is expecting the event to draw more than 3,000 attendees and 150 exhibitors. The Business Expo takes place Sept. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center. The chamber calls the event “the perfect event to showcase, advertise, and sell…
The 2019 Commemorative Air Force Air Show will happen this weekend at the Port Isabel/Cameron County Airport. Locals and tourists alike can head out to enjoy aerobatic flybys and war-like aerobatic displays above the wide skies of this part of South Texas. Some 20 vintage aircraft will participate in the two-day event on June 22-23 at the airport located between the Towns of Bayview and Laguna Vista on West FM…