The U.S.-Mexico border region is a hotbed of global competition that began with the creation of the maquiladora program in 1964. In the past 40-plus years, the twin-plant concept has certainly pumped enormous amounts of money. It has also led to the creation of thousands of jobs benefiting both countries, and there is no sign it will slow down. Established by Mexico as the Border Industrialization Program, a maquiladora is…
It’s time for the 80th edition of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, as the iconic event continues to showcase its connections to area communities. “Ask anyone who has grown up in Mercedes and the Rio Grande Valley, and they will name the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo as one of the best-known and attended events of each year,’’ said Beatrice de Leon Edwards, a local historian and…
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the McAllen Top 5 Small Business Awards. Winning nominees receive recognition from the chamber as the best of the best businesses in McAllen. In order to compete, a business must complete a Top 5 Small Business Awards application, as well as provide documentation supporting their claim as one of McAllen’s finest businesses. Businesses must also be a member of the…
The Texas Workforce Commission has a new website, TexasLMI.com, that makes accessing the agency’s statistics easier. The new site allows business and workers to monitor staffing trends and annual growth rate. Latest economic indicators for the state are also accessible. “Our new LMI website ensures the most up-to-date labor market data is readily available to employers throughout the state, and creates a simplified platform to find this information,” said TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing…
Deep South Texas is expected to see economic growth again this year, although the increases in activity may be a little smaller than the numbers for 2018, according to an economic forecast compiled by Salvador Contreras, director of the Center for Border Economic Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. “Texas had a strong 2018,” Contreras said. “This year may not be as strong but we will have…
As American Airlines prepares to begin daily service to Dallas-Fort Worth to and from Valley International Airport in March, airline representative Dale Morris made a visit to Harlingen last week to meet with city officials and business leaders, as well as take a tour of the airport. Dale Morris, senior consultant for special projects and government affairs for American, met with community leaders for lunch at Frankie Flav’z before heading…
The Texas Board of Nursing unanimously granted Texas Southmost College initial approval to establish a new Associate Degree Nursing education program. The program will begin with the upcoming fall semester. “The re-opening of TSC’s ADN program was one of the priorities of the college and the board of trustees, and we’re excited to have achieved it,” said TSC Board of Trustees Chair Adela Garza. “TSC’s nursing program has a long…
The Lone Star State is the nation’s number one producer of cattle, with Nebraska and Kansas following. Texas had an estimated 12.5 million heads of cattle in 2018, according to latest statistics issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And beef consumption per capita is at nearly 80 pounds in the United States. With that said, the portions of meat a person consumes at a dinner or at a restaurant…
Due to the extended period of the government shutdown, nonprofit and social service organizations in need of emergency bridge loans are eligible for up to $50,000 in low-interest capital from PeopleFund. The loans are designed to help nonprofits with government subsidies that rely on federal funding to provide vital community services. Organizations will need to provide proof of federal contract (NOFA or reimbursement agreement), financial statements, recent 990s and other documentation. The…
Powering Texas. a coalition to promote sustainable electricity generation throughout Texas, recently launched, focusing on educating Texans on wind energy. According to a press release from the organization, Texas is the number one energy consumer in the country. In 2017, wind energy supplied nearly 15 percent of all Texas electricity as well as 1/4 of the national total. Additionally, if a country, Texas would rank eighth in the world in total…