The Weslaco Chamber of Commerce has kicked off its Love Local campaign through Nov. 27. The weekly drawing will reward those supporting Weslaco businesses by making purchases of at least $20. In order to be eligible for drawings, customers must send the chamber a photo of their receipt(s) through Facebook messenger. The more people shop, the more entries they receive. Customers may also receive extra entries by uploading a picture…
Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Texas businesses and residents affected by Hurricane Hanna July 25-28. The U.S. Small Business Administration declared a disaster and is making assistance available in Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Starr and Willacy counties. This is in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 28. “Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations,…
A produce distribution drive-through takes place Sept. 10 to provide free fruits and vegetables to veterans. The event is made possible via a partnership between VA Texas Valley Costal Bend Health Care System and the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. Food insecurity is a serious issue affecting many Americans either daily or at the end of the month when financial resources are exhausted. Food insecurity is especially prevalent…
The Edinburg Chamber and its business members donated school supplies to the Boys & Girls Club of the Rio Grande Valley after hosting a two-week-long school supply drive. The start of the 2020-2021 school year may look very different but many students must still purchase school supplies. The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce made the decision to help parents alleviate this stress. Distribution of the supplies took place at the club…
The Rio Grande Valley is facing the double whammy with the 2020 hurricane season and the continuing pandemic as the region heads into the fall months. Area residents shouldn’t let their guard down to other factors that could impact their lives. Bee swarms are an example of that. These flying insects can appear unexpectedly either ganged up on the limb of one’s favorite backyard tree. They can be crawling up and down,…
Juan Rosales started out small, buying used books, figurines and old music albums. He called it “Just Trying To Make A Buck” back then in 2012, declining his wife’s suggestion of “Juan’s Junk” for his nascent surplus business. “I bought a few Just Trying To Make A Buck things and I got hooked,” said Rosales, a retired manager of the cigarette distribution business. He then began attending government and school auctions. His…
The usual formula to fuel economic development focuses on manufacturing, transportation and distribution. At South Padre Island, the path to boosting the economy has branched out to also include art and how creative endeavors can lead to growth. The Art Business Incubator South Padre Island seeks to give both new and existing art businesses support to establish a presence in the local economy. Its program director Alexa Ocean Ray is…
The front lines of hospitals and nursing homes are under severe duress – and help isn’t coming just from universities and nursing schools. Employers are in need of nurse assistants, medical assistants and phlebotomists in caring for surging numbers of patients. Career schools with licenses from the Texas Workforce Commission are training and educating these essential workers. Schools such as Careers Unlimited and South Texas Training Center are working to…
The MS community in the Rio Grande Valley is abuzz with the news of a new doctor in town. Multiple sclerosis is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. It causes the immune system to attack the myelin, or protective sheath, around nerve fibers. This makes it difficult for the brain to properly communicate with the rest of the body. As nerves…
Hometown pharmacies in Mercedes mean featuring orange-and-white themes and a community’s love for high school football. At Mid-Valley Pharmacy, a Mercedes Tiger football helmet sits up high on a main counter. Around the corner at Coach’s Pharmacy on Texas Avenue, the pharmacist is a former football coach. He also wears something orange to work every day. The down-home connections are especially pertinent these days. Customers throughout the Mid-Valley depend on…