The Texas A&M University System and two of its state engineering agencies recently announced a new initiative to invigorate an important Rio Grande Valley industry sector, advanced manufacturing. Together with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, the system will provide workforce development programs that will prepare people for high-need jobs. The Texas A&M RGV Advanced Manufacturing/Training Innovation Now program gathers community input, creates…
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The intersection of FM 802/Ruben Torres and I-69C is among Brownsville’s busiest corners. An old-school filling station with gas pumps and cars jacked up on lifts stood on that location for years. Even as Sunrise Mall’s renovation and rebirth loomed behind it, the 1970s-era gas station lingered, a holdout to the past with new developments all around it. The pressure to sell such a coveted corner of real estate finally…
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Everything is coming up golden for Iselle Perez. It shows in her smile and a new boutique gaining a footing in Brownsville. Golden Girl Boutique is tucked next to the Vermillion, an iconic Brownsville restaurant and watering hole she co-owns with her husband, George. Golden Girl is Iselle’s enterprise. It’s a business she launched in spring 2020. Those were perilous months to start anything new given all of the public…
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Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport recently passed the Federal Aviation Administration Part 139-Certification Inspection with no discrepancies. Commercial Service Airports like BRO undergo an intense, three-day long certification and compliance inspection by the FAA annually. This inspection is to ensure airports are following national safety standards. Included in a FAA Part 139 – Certification and Operations Inspection is a review of: Airport rescue/firefighting equipment, training and response times. Airport Emergency…
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The Rotary Club of Historic Brownsville hosts its annual Ride for Rotary-Queen Isabella Causeway Cross Benefit Ride Oct. 3. The ride crosses over the Queen Isabella Causeway and onto South Padre Island, ending at Longboard Bar & Grill. The ride draws participation from cyclists of all levels and ages. All proceeds support Rotary’s local projects, which include providing free eye exams and eyeglasses to children, hosting Rotary’s Annual Heart Gallery…
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Two elementary schools in the Brownsville Independent School District now hold the distinction of National Blue Ribbon Schools. Dr. Ruben Gallegos Elementary and Mittie A. Pullam Elementary received the honors from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools receive recognition in one of two performance categories. These are on the basis of all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates: Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing…
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Brownsville native and entrepreneur Steven De La Garza understands, firsthand, the vital role community colleges have in developing the next generation workforce. To ensure students have access to high-quality education that will connect them with careers that are in demand, he is funding scholarships at Texas Southmost College. His first donation of $30,000 will go toward full student scholarships for workforce training programs. This includes welding, industrial scaffolding, plumbing…
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Access to the Carl “Joe” Gayman Channel is closed to the public as of Aug. 28 as work continues to increase tidal exchange and restore the Bahia Grande as a major fish, wildlife and waterfowl nursery. The closure occurs south of SH 48, limiting public parking and access to the channel. The current 34-foot-wide half-mile Gayman channel connects the Bahia Grande and the Brownsville Ship Channel. It is widening to…
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Brownsville needed to send out a different kind of message that fit with the times of a city that sees itself as the state’s new space city. City leaders wanted to accelerate the process of getting business prospects through the grind of meeting building codes and ordinances. Every city has those measures in place, but it doesn’t mean they have to be overly cumbersome in the process of getting a…
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The Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and its Connect BTX Committee host a focus group Sept. 2 to determine the needs of the Brownsville area business community related to digital literacy. Attendees can also meet like-minded people. Topics for discussion include: Your experience with high-speed internet access and its impact on your organization. What obstacles your organization is facing in becoming digitally empowered. Thoughts and feedback on the current state of…
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