Downtown Brownsville is a happening place again. The once thriving central business district is undergoing a major transformation, and much of the credit is going to the city’s leadership and to the progressive vision of some of its residents. Brownsville’s downtown used to be a place bustling with people shopping for a variety of merchandise, ranging from fashionable clothes to ropa usada to household goods to furniture to gadgets of…
From the moment people walked into the Brownsville Event Center for the Business to Botana Expo on Sept. 19, they were surrounded by the sights and smells this event was showcasing. There was no shortage of food booths with everything ranging from Taco Palenque to Bara Exotic Food to Vita Zumo. Free to the public, this popular event drew crowds of all ages. Babies in strollers ate pieces of fruit…
The Texas economy added 32,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in August, which marked 26 consecutive months of employment growth. Over the year, Texas added 394,500 jobs for an annual employment growth rate of 3.2 percent. Private-sector employers added 32,800 positions over the month. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent in August, down slightly from 4.0 in July 2018. Locally, unemployment rates are also down in Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Brownsville-Harlingen…
Making smart, healthy dietary choices is challenging when combined with modern, fast-paced, hectic work schedules. With the usual fast food options, it’s difficult to make consistent, nutritious choices while trying to follow a meal plan. Imagine a meal delivery service, with expertly created, restaurant-quality weekly meal plans, prepared by a certified executive chef. For the Rio Grande Valley, this is a local reality via Made. Chef Prepared Meals To Go,…
The U.S. Small Business Administration is an invaluable resource for any new entrepreneur. The 8(a) Business Development Program began as a public law and was named after Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act of 1953 (Section 204 of Public Law 100-656). The program’s incorporation took place in 1984 in Part 19, Small Business Program of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). Specifically, the program is a creation for businesses to work…
For the third consecutive year, the Port of Brownsville joins the entire U.S. trucking industry in celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Sept. 9-14. The event highlights the efforts of professional truck drivers who deliver the nation’s freight safely and securely every day. In 2017, the Port of Brownsville recorded more than 300,000 truck movements at the port. According to the American Trucking Association, there are more than 3.5…
When his mother bought a goldfish in a bowl at a carnival, a young Isaac Ramirez found his future. “I went back the next day and got a couple more and I was hooked.” Beginning with that day, his youthful curiosity grew into a hobby and eventually his livelihood. With as many as seven aquariums in his home at one time, hobby aquarist Ramirez was making his living as a…
Are you interested in owning your own business or improving your existing venture but are not willing to take the risk because of financial roadblocks or other uncertainties? A San Antonio-based company with two offices in the Rio Grande Valley can offer advice for start-ups and existing businesses, and loans of anywhere from $500 to $50,000. Called LiftFund, the company makes loans at interest rates ranging from 9 percent to…
The Women’s Business Center of Cameron County and the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce are currently accepting applications for DreamBuilder Academy. The 12-module program is a step-by-step framework for starting a business. Throughout the program, participants learn if they should start a business and what a business plan is as well as how much it costs to start a business. Facilitated by small business consultant Luis Urquieta, DreamBuilder is designed specifically…
The Port of Brownsville has a new director of finance as well as a new director of special projects. CPA Lorena Hernandez now serves as the port’s new finance director following the retirement of Steve Fitzgibbons. Hernandez manages the port’s nine-member financial team. Her previous service to the port is in the role of assistant finance director. Jose Herrera also joins the Port of Brownsville staff as special projects director. In his new…