As the sun goes down, an eerie feeling falls across the dimly lit streets of Downtown Harlingen. The buildings of the past have a different feel to them. One can almost feel the rush and excitement of the Roaring Twenties in Harlingen. “Some of these buildings have a different feel to them, almost like they’re living,” Downtown Harlingen manager Edward Meza said. “We hear things here in our building and…
Robert Sanders rolls open the huge doors of a World War II-era hanger. He walks onto a floor of Learjets and other turbo prop business and civilian jets. It’s TIA Aeronautics at the Valley International Airport in Harlingen. Sanders, the business owner, and Orlando Cano, the company’s general manager, begin to point out the various state of repairs on the planes. Sanders was born in Germany as the son of…
The bays of a brand new 82,500-square-foot warehouse swing open. Truck trailers stand ready to receive freshly packaged 500-pound bales of Rio Grande Valley cotton. “The gins are working 24/7, so we have to be ready,” said Laura Salazar, the general manager of Commodities Integrated Logistics. Salazar walks through the warehouse in Weslaco. Forklift operators are busy transporting packages of cotton to and from the trailers. It’s the cotton season…
For Christopher Wycoco, business isn’t just about making money. It’s also about helping the community. That’s why this young entrepreneur and owner of Wycotax is hosting regular free seminars for business owners who want to learn more about running their companies, whether it is a store, restaurant, doctor’s office or insurance agency. Wycoco has been holding seminars called “Business Made Easier” throughout the Valley for several months and he will continue…
For nearly four years, the Elks Lodge #1889 in Harlingen has supported Texas State Technical College student veterans with contributions for scholarships. This year is no different. TSTC was recently presented with a check for $2,500, the first of two contributions for 2019. The total amount the Elks Lodge is expected to give toward veteran scholarships this year is $5,000. “The Elks Lodge is an organization that invests in helping…
The scent of coffee is noticeable as you walk through the door of this bright, colorful and modern-looking open space. There’s a kitchen area with inviting bar-height seating and a pair of large stainless refrigerators. A popcorn maker and top-of-the-line coffee machine both sit on the countertop. People in business casual attire meander from there to one of the three high-tech meeting rooms, their own office areas or what are…
The Rio Grande Valley of the post-World War II era was still new and open for possibilities. The four-county region as it is known today was less than 50 years old in its collective identity. Two young architects – Alan Taniguchi and John York — came to the Valley in that era, the late 1940s to early 1950s. They would then leave their imprint on the region over the next…
Eighty years ago, the Rio Grande Valley was a rural, agriculturally based economy with little growth happening. Fast forward to 10 years ago, and the RGV was quickly becoming a thriving metropolitan area as development intensified. Today, the region has completely transformed economically. It has become an area developed by improving and increasing commercial, retail, industrial, entertainment, medical and higher education institutions. Education In 2013, the transformation of the RGV’s…
Nearly six weeks later, water-damaged loveseats, bathroom cabinets, piles of floor tiles and black bags full of damp and mildewed photo albums still pepper the curb along Lago Drive on the west side of Harlingen just south of the Interstate. This is the result of a rainstorm that poured down 12 inches during a span of about four hours on June 24. Reportedly, more than 4,000 homes in the Harlingen…
Some teachers, parents and students waited eight years for this. On Aug. 9, three days before the official first school day, they beamed with pride and happiness as they walked through the halls of their brand new 43,000-square-foot Jubilee Academies Harlingen. “This is the best-built facility at Jubilee,” said Daniel Amador, Jubilee Academies RGV district superintendent. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the parents who stayed with us.…