Tag Archives: Brownsville

Teachers Find Sweet Spot With Supply Store

August 1, 2020

Patrick Alvarez walks into big-box stores and their rows of school supplies and his trained teacher eye makes an astute observation. “A lot of the inventory doesn’t move,” said Alvarez, a social studies teacher at a Brownsville charter school. “It’s not what teachers really need.” The dollar stores offer discounts on inexpensive items like glitter and markers, but what about the more specific supplies and decorations teachers commonly need to…

TSC Offers Fall Tuition Reduction Scholarships

July 25, 2020

VBR

Education Featured News Comments

All students enrolled in Texas Southmost College’s fall 2020 semester will receive an automatic 20-percent tuition reduction scholarship. “The Scorpion family continues to be relentless in making higher education affordable for our community,” said TSC President Dr. Jesús Roberto Rodríguez. “The TSC Board of Trustees and leaders across campus unequivocally agreed our number one priority when budgeting for the fall semester should be providing direct support for students.” The scholarship,…

TSC Extends Remote Learning Through Fall

July 6, 2020

VBR

Education Featured News Comments

Texas Southmost College will extend remote learning using various online technologies and alternate operations through the fall 2020 semester. The announcement comes at an unanimous agreement by the college’s board of trustees. “With a robust on-campus student population and hundreds of employees each fall, we strongly believe it is in the community’s best interest to take this measure to help slow the spread of the coronavirus,” said TSC Board Chair…

Lineworker Finds New Adventure as Instructor

July 5, 2020

VBR

e-Brief Features Education Featured News Comments

After spending 22 years with the Brownsville Public Utilities Board as a certified lineworker, Candelario Deanda is ready to climb to new heights. His new role is an Electrical Lineworker Technology instructor when Texas State Technical College introduces the program at its Harlingen campus this fall. “We are still in the process of getting everything ready,” Deanda said. “I will be an instructor for courses in obtaining the certificate, as…

Port of Brownsville Excels Amid Challenge

June 13, 2020

VBR

Featured Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

The Port of Brownsville ranks third among U.S. ports for “strong financial resilience” surveyed in a new report from Moody’s Investor Services. The ranking underscores the ongoing value of the port’s prudent financial stewardship in light of economic impacts from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Moody’s analysis evaluated American ports on a range of key factors surrounding financial responsibility. This includes the ability to handle the impact of a significant decline…

Keppel AmFELS Readies Delivery

June 11, 2020

VBR

e-Brief Features Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

The construction of two 774-foot-long container ships for Pasha Hawaii continues on schedule at the Port of Brownsville. On June 5, Keppel AmFELS hosted a presentation and tour for port and city of Brownsville officials. Here, they presented an update of construction for the M/V George III and the M/V Janet Marie. Delivery of the M/V George III to Pasha is set for this summer. The twin U.S. Jones Act…

Port of Brownsville Awards High School Graduates Scholarships

June 4, 2020

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e-Brief Features Giving Back Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

Thirty-two local high school graduating seniors will receive $1,000 scholarships from the Brownsville Navigation District. The inaugural Port of Brownsville program helps deserving students pursue their education and career dreams. “On behalf of the entire Port of Brownsville organization, we are proud to support these local students and families at this time,” said John Reed, chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. “We are excited for the students as they continue…

TSC Virtual Art Show Showcases Innovation

June 4, 2020

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Arts e-Brief Features Education Events News Comments

For the first time ever, the Department of Fine Arts at Texas Southmost College is hosting a virtual art show to replace the program’s annual art show. It just comes to show that nothing, not even a pandemic, can stop the department from showcasing its students’ artwork. TSC Art Instructor Robert Andes said he is thankful for the support the department has received with the TSC Fine Arts Show. “Naturally…

Solidarity & Unity Needed to Contain COVID

June 1, 2020

Ricardo D. Cavazos, VBR content editor

Community Giving Back News Comments

Yolanda Carrillo and her staff of chaplains at hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley have seen heartache and felt its pain in recent months. The outbreak of COVID-19 has consequently separated the sick from their loved ones with the denial of hospital visitations. Hospital chaplains have stepped in best they can. They are waving hellos and also making signs of prayer through windows looking into intensive care units. The Valley…

Getting Stuff Done To Help Those In Need

June 1, 2020

Ricardo D. Cavazos, VBR content editor

Community Featured Giving Back News Comments

A nonprofit executive like Traci Wickett has connections everywhere in a community. The president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Southern Cameron County heard from Brownsville’s Good Neighbor Settlement House about growing needs they were seeing as furloughs and unemployment set in with the outbreak of COVID-19. The demand for served meals and emergency pantry items doubled in less than one week in early April. “Unemployment sent…