Tag Archives: Brownsville

Bagging it by the Billions

Duro Bag operations manager Carlos Vela shows some of the many paper bags the company produces for restaurants and other businesses. (VBR)

That familiar orange and white paper bag filled with your favorite Whataburger sandwich and sides has Texas roots as deep as the hamburger chain itself; it was manufactured in Brownsville. The same goes for bags bearing the logos of Dairy Queen, Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s, Popeye’s and Laredo Taco Company at neighborhood Stripes stores, to name just a few. Duro Bag, the only non-marine manufacturer at the Port of Brownsville, is also…

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Entrepreneurial Enthusiasm

WycoTax owner Christopher Wycoco, second from right, with his team at the company’s Harlingen office. (VBR)

Christopher Wycoco was the first man to graduate from the Entrepreneur Boot Camp at the Women’s Business Center of Cameron County. This year, the Women’s Business Center nominated him for, and he received, the 2018 Minority Business of the Year Award from the Small Business Administration. A native of the Philippines, Wycoco came to the Rio Grande Valley to pursue a career as a registered nurse, taking a position at…

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Sesame Seeds Grow a Business

Romi Cordova, a veteran worker at Dipasa, arranges bags of roasted sesame seeds. (VBR)

The Rio Grande Valley’s ubiquitous tortillerias and tamale factories are well known as producers of popular food products that are staples to Mexican food fans throughout South Texas. But for more than three decades, a Brownsville company has earned distinction as a manufacturer of a food product more familiar in another part of the world. Since 1985, Dipasa USA Inc. has been processing roasted sesame seeds into tahini, a paste…

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Relief is Spelled W-A-T-E-R

As South Texans look for cool freshwater relief to beat the heat, thousands travel to South Padre Island to enjoy the massive Schlitterbahn water park complex. Open since 2001, Schlitterbahn operates its summer-seasonal outdoor park with churning wave pools, water slides with varying thrill levels and calmer waters more suited for a relaxing tube float. In 2012, Schlitterbahn opened its year-round indoor water park and resort hotel. But elsewhere in…

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Grubhub Comes to Brownsville

Grubhub

Grubhub Inc. is now servicing Brownsville and is actively looking to continue recruiting “share economy” technology companies in the area. The result, according to the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, is to “to increase job creation, and improve commerce and the city’s quality of life.” “Tech companies, such as Grubhub, not only provide our local and chain businesses with expanded services but also provide an alternative form of income for those who…

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“All In” for Interns

The All In Internship Program connects Brownsville employers with students via paid internship programs.

The Brownsville Chamber of Commerce hosts an information session for area employers July 11 from 9-11 a.m. on the All In Internship Program. The innovative local program connects Brownsville employers with students from both UTRGV and Texas Southmost College for paid internship programs. All In aims to fill high-demand jobs while meeting Brownsville employer’s needs via ninety new paid internships. For students, the program looks to have students obtain living…

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Brownsville’s Burger History

A burger and fries basket served at The Palm Lounge. (VBR)

When it comes to having a burger, most people think about fast-food joints like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s or Jack in the Box. Others favor chains known for having some of the best hamburgers in the country, like Corpus Christi-based Whataburger and In-and-Out Burgers of Irvine, Calif. Some people might say that all beef patties placed inside a bun or roll are basically the same, but three of the oldest…

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TSC Launches Industrial Scaffolding

Texas Southmost College announces the launch of an Industrial Scaffolding program during a press conference on June 7 at the TSC Performing Arts Center. (photo STC)

Texas Southmost College has recently announced the launch of the new Industrial Scaffolding Committee Basic Access program in response to a shortage of skilled industrial scaffold builders in Texas and the Gulf Coast region. The Industrial Scaffolding Committee Basic Access program is a two-week, 80-hour Workforce Training program that will prepare students for the Industrial Scaffolding Committee certification. Students who complete the Industrial Scaffolding Committee Basic Access program will learn…

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Local Leaders Take Part in RGV2DC Fly-In

Community leaders and stakeholders from the Rio Grande Valley gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2nd Annual RGV2DC fly-in.

Forty community leaders and stakeholders from the Rio Grande Valley recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for the second annual RGV2DC fly-in. During their time in D.C., attendees met with members of Congress, including senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Congressman Beto O’Rourke. Mayor of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling; elected officials from Mission, Pharr, and Brownsville; as well as senior leadership from the RGV Partnership, University of Texas at Rio Grande…

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Brownsville Navigation District Elects Board

John Reed (photo Port of Brownsville)

John Reed has unanimously been elected to serve as chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. Reed has served as chairman prior from 2010-2012. His new appointment is also for two years. He continues to serve alongside BND Vice Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez and Secretary Ralph Cowen. Both men were also unanimously elected to the serve as part of the executive board. Local businessman Esteban Guerra also was sworn in as…

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