Category Archives: News

Study Goes Beyond Yearly Mammograms

Healthcare News Comments
Patricia Padilla, nurse practitioner at DHR Health, looks over a brochure with another hospital employee. Padilla runs the hospital’s innovative Breast Cancer Risk Evaluation Clinic. (photo DHR Health)

Dr. Lisa Chapa wholeheartedly encourages women in the Rio Grande Valley to enroll in a groundbreaking national study that measures the risk of women getting breast cancer. The WISDOM Study (Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk) can “revolutionize the way breast cancer is detected and risk is reduced,” Chapa said. This multi-institutional trial includes the DHR Health Institute for Research and Development, which serves as the primary…

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Alliance Gives South Texas Higher Profile

e-Brief Features Government News Comments
Palmview Mayor Ricardo Villarreal says he is picking up ideas from larger cities in attending meetings of the South Texas Alliance of Cities. (Courtesy)

The South Texas Alliance of Cities launched in 2023 with the goal of fostering greater cooperation and collaboration among communities in addressing key issues. The partnership appears to be off to a good start. The majority of the communities in the pact are in the Rio Grande Valley although it does extend to San Antonio. That city’s mayor, Ron Nirenberg, has attended some of the alliance’s quarterly meetings. The focus…

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McAllen Lauded In Top Business Listing

Community Government News Comments
McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says his city’s pro-business policies are benefitting small businesses in the community. (Courtesy)

McAllen’s inclusion on a national top-20 list for small businesses reaffirms the city’s long-standing support for entrepreneurship and development. McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos made that assessment after learning of CoworkingCafe listing his city as the ninth best place for small businesses among 136 southern U.S. cities surveyed. Coworking Café is a listing service for flex workplace solutions in supporting remote workers, freelancers and employees from all fields seeking user-friendly platforms.…

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UTRGV Opens Center for Human Genetics Building

e-Brief Features Education Healthcare News Comments

The UTRGV School of Medicine has opened of its new, state-of-the-art Center for Human Genetics, headquartered on the Brownsville Campus. The new facility is dedicated to cutting-edge research that addresses major public health concerns in the Rio Grande Valley, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. The 17,246-square-foot facility, funded by a Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation grant and support from the UT System Permanent University Fund, will…

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Texas Master Naturalist Program Begins Pollinators for Texas

Community e-Brief Features News Comments
Pollinators for Texas 

The Texas Master Naturalist program is teaming up with H-E-B for a new Pollinators for Texas initiative. As part of this new partnership, H-E-B is providing $50,000 to the TMN program to fund the initiative. TMN chapters across the state will have the opportunity to apply for project awards of up to $3,000 each to support large-scale community-based projects that enhance native pollinator populations and their habitats. “We are proud to partner…

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New Bookstore Proving A Point

Featured News Retail Comments

Gilbert Hernandez had 500 books and a $5,000 loan when taking his business from markets and pop-ups to a storefront in downtown Brownsville.  It was the first days of January 2022. His new bookstore Buho now had a physical location in a historic downtown building that got its start in 1921 as a pharmacy on Washington Street. The 29-year-old Hernandez was out to prove a point. His research revealed that…

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Texas Civilian Labor Force Exceeds 15.4 Million

e-Brief Features News Comments
Texas added 10,500 Professional and Business Services jobs in September, registering the industry as the largest over-the-month increase.

Texas’ labor market achieved new record highs in September in terms of the job count and number of people in the civilian labor force. Texas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased to 14,289,900 after 29,200 jobs were added over the month. Texas added 327,400 jobs from Sept. 2023 to Sept. 2024. Texas’ annual nonfarm growth rate currently sits at 2.3 percent, outpacing the U.S. growth rate by 0.7 percentage points.…

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IMAS Launches Adults-Only After-Hours Program

Arts Community Events e-Brief Features Featured News Comments
IMAS After Dark

The International Museum of Art & Science is launching its new IMAS After Dark with “Fright Night” on Oct. 31, providing a new way for adults to take in the museum. With themed evening events throughout the year, the series provides an exclusive opportunity for adults (21+) to explore the museum’s art and science exhibits in a lively atmosphere. Each night features complimentary beverages, interactive activities and social experiences that…

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DHR Health to Host Behavioral Medicine Conference

e-Brief Features Healthcare News Comments

DHR Health will host its 14th annual International Behavioral Medicine Conference on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9, focusing on various mental health issues while providing informational access to leading authorities in the field of behavioral medicine. The conference will take place at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance and is open to all medical professionals. This includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, licensed professional counselors, psychologists and mental…

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Utility Conference to Connect Local Professionals

Community Events e-Brief Features News Comments
Rio Grande Valley Utility Conference

The McAllen Public Utility will host the first-ever Rio Grande Valley Utility Conference at the McAllen Convention Center from Nov. 6-8, bringing together utility professionals, industry leaders and exhibitors from across the region. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with key stakeholders, engage with industry experts, and explore the latest in utility technology and solutions. The conference, while open to the general public, focuses mainly to individuals in the…

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