Erica De la Garza Lopez got right to work when she took over as president of Friends of IB for the 2021-2022 school year. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization brings awareness about the McAllen ISD International Baccalaureate school at Lamar Academy. It also develops partnerships between IB parents, local businesses and the community. Additionally, members raise money and provide other means of support to the school and its students. McAllen ISD…
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Eddie Mirza is a survivor of job layoffs, illness and economic upheavals, but there’s one thing he could always depend on. His talents as an artist, teacher and soccer coach have served him well, as has the multiple languages he speaks, giving him a versatility to make a living when buffeted by misfortunes. Mirza has worked at newspapers, advertising agencies, and printing and telecommunications companies. These days, he is up…
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Javier Villalobos settles into the chair of his mayor’s office on the third floor of McAllen’s City Hall. From there, he has a view of Main Street heading into downtown McAllen. Twenty months passed since downtown and the rest of McAllen had last seen its revenue lifeline of Mexican shoppers stream into their stores. That finally came to an end on Nov. 9, the day the U.S. government allowed Mexican…
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The Office of Hidalgo County Commissioner Everardo “Ever” Villarreal is currently collecting donations of new unwrapped toys to distribute to children 12 years of age or younger. The new toy collection will continue through Dec. 6. All toys collected will be distributed to children throughout the Precinct 3 community on Dec. 10. “We know some families are having a tough time and the need for Christmas assistance is even greater…
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The McAllen Chamber of Commerce hosts its GoodPitch Competition Nov. 17 with a first-place cash prize of $250. The competition gives participants an opportunity to polish and/or prepare two-minute elevator speeches to a potential business opportunity. GoodPitch simulates the real-world process of promoting, selling or soliciting buy-into an idea, product, service or request. The judges will qualify the capacity of the speaker depending on how well the speaker takes them…
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Food Park Unplugged takes place Nov. 19 at McAllen Food Park. Every third Friday of the month, enjoy the sounds of local crooners while feasting on dishes by Food Truck chefs. Take a stroll and do some shopping from local craft and collectibles vendors. This event is family- and pet-friendly. Free admission into the park.
Liam Arney decided to become a Cub Scout after hearing about it at Garza Elementary School in McAllen. Five years later, he crossed over from Cub Scout to Boy Scout. Now a senior at McAllen High School, Liam looks back on the past 12 years and how they have prepared him for Scouting’s pinnacle, the rank of Eagle Scout. “I’ve been in Scouts since I was 6,” Liam said. “I…
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McAllen ranks 15 in the United States in the Best Places to Celebrate Halloween according to SmartAsset.com. In 2019, McAllen ranked 17. SmartAsset.com compared 210 cities across the country, looking at 10 metrics in four overall categories. Metrics include Family Friendly, Safety, Halloween Weather, and Candy and Costume. Those categories are further broken down into aspects such as the percentage of children in the population, violent and property crime rates,…
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Jennifer Han, a product of McAllen ISD and a current fourth-grade teacher at Seguin Elementary, is the 2022 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is the third teacher in McAllen ISD history to win this prestigious award, the most in the Valley. On Oct. 22, Han was surprised with the news by many of her fellow teachers plus officials representing the city, county and state. Students from the James…
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The McAllen Chamber of Commerce hosts a Lunch & Learn Nov. 5 on difficult conversations and why they are needed for organizational success. of the E Bite Project discusses the need for difficult conversations for organizationaDr. Alexandra Hughesl success in this ever changing and diverse world. Participants will learn: Why we struggle in having hard conversations and how our diverse individual identities impact understanding. How to reframe our personal negative…
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