Category Archives: News

McAllen Adds Flights, Sets Passenger Records

News Transportation & Travel Comments
McAllen International Airport opened in the mid-1990s and its growth in passenger traffic has led to a study looking at facility expansion. (Courtesy)

The McAllen International Airport is looking to build out its 150,000-square-foot-plus terminal during a time when the airfield is setting all-time total traveler records on a monthly basis. In July, 114,694 passengers utilized the McAllen airport, which set an all-time monthly traveler record. The July traveler number marked an eight percent improvement over June, which at the time with 105,508 passengers represented a new monthly record. In all, for 2024,…

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Zoo Doubling In Size With Land Buy

News Recreation & Tourism Comments
The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville houses a diversity of animals and attractions and will be expanding over the next five years. (Courtesy)

The Gladys Porter Zoo opened in 1971 as a gift from a foundation to the city of Brownsville.  The Earl C. Sams Foundation envisioned the only zoo south of San Antonio as a place to feature endangered species and to give Brownsville a distinction of its own. The 31-acre site on Ringgold Street in central Brownsville has more than proven its worth to the city. It has become a prime…

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TSTC Program Meeting Mechatronics Demand

Education News Comments
Mechatronics program team lead Carlos Reyes views a completed electrical box that is a requirement to complete the TSTC Program.

Carlos Reyes opens an empty electrical box in one of the labs of the mechatronics technology program at Texas State Technical College. The box represents something of a starting point for students in the program. As the program progresses, students will be tasked with filling those empty boxes with the circuits, sensors and other components to make it a fully functional electrical unit.  “We build them up from scratch,” said…

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UTRGV Named ‘2024 Great College to Work For’

e-Brief Features Education News Comments
UTRGV

UTRGV is one of the best places to work in higher education, according to the prestigious Great Colleges to Work For program. The results are based on a survey of 216 colleges and universities. Only 75 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies, placing UTRGV among a select group of top-performing schools in the country. UTRGV competes in the large university (more than…

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McAllen Police Department Seeks Officers

e-Brief Features Government News Comments
McAllen Police Department

The McAllen Police Department is looking to hire motivated individuals who desire a career in public safety and want to make a difference in their community as police officers. Individuals looking for an opportunity to earn a competitive salary with benefits and are able to perform at a professional level should apply at the City of McAllen website. Benefits include a retirement system, paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave,…

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STISD & TSTC Partner for Welding Program

e-Brief Features Education Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
TSTC Welding Technology

Thanks to a new partnership, high school students from South Texas Independent School District’s Science Academy in Mercedes can now participate in a dual credit program in Welding Technology with Texas State Technical College. “The dual credit program pairs well with our hands-on approach to the engineering program of study,” said Vanessa Rivera, the school district’s career and technical education director. “We encourage our students to learn and earn stackable credentials…

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TSTC Electrical Lineworker Program Ranks Best in U.S.

e-Brief Features Education News Comments
TSTC Electrical Lineworker program

According to College Factual, Texas State Technical College has the Best Lineworker Associate Degree School in the United States for 2024.  College Factual, according to its website, was created to help students research colleges and careers. It gathers data from public and private sources, including the U.S. Department of Education.  “TSTC’s Abilene campus is home to the newest Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology program, offering students a top-tier education with…

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McAllen Hires New Finance Director

e-Brief Features Government News Comments
David R. Vasquez

The City of McAllen has hired David R. Vasquez as its new director of finance. The Rio Grande Valley native has 13 years of experience in municipal work, serving most recently as the finance director for the City of Donna. Vasquez has a broad range of expertise in finance, including both serving as a senior finance analyst for Valley Baptist Health System and an accounting supervisor for Amigos del Valle…

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VIDA Helps Create New Life for Mom of Six

Community e-Brief Features Featured Healthcare News Non-Profit Comments
Clarissa Magaña

When friends of Weslaco resident Clarissa Magaña told her about the Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement, her goal suddenly seemed more viable. Acceptance into VIDA would allow her to obtain the degree she always wanted. Earning an associate degree in nursing would also be an important lesson for this single mother’s six children. Already a licensed vocational nurse, Magaña longed to return to school to become a registered nurse. …

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Port’s FTZ Ranks Top 3 in Exports Nationwide

e-Brief Features Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
The Port of Brownsville’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 (photo Port of Brownsville)

In its 85th Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to Congress, published Aug. 28, the Port of Brownsville’s FTZ No. 62 ranked third in the nation marking a 12-year-consecutive streak the value of exports at $7 billion. For the first time, FTZ No. 62 broke through the Top 20 list for the value of imports, ranking 14th with $3.2 billion worth of commodities imported. “Our foreign trade zone is an…

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