Tag Archives: McAllen

The City of McAllen is adding to its Women’s History Month celebrations with a recognition of trailblazing women in the community. The focus in previous years was honoring women working in McAllen city government. This year, recognition expands to include female community leaders and their contributions. The women receiving honors this month are: Paula Gonzalez, athletic director, McAllen Independent School District. Alma Johnson, region bank president for Wells Fargo Bank/South…

Serving Brings McAllen CPA Joy

March 1, 2020

Chris Ardis

Finance/Banking News Comments

Born and raised in McAllen, Lorena Castillo-Saldaña loved visiting her maternal grandmother’s corner store in Reynosa. She would watch her grandma, her mom and her aunts as they worked. “I would see my mom tallying up lines of numbers,” Castillo- Saldaña said. “And I would think, ‘I want to do that!’” That desire did not wane. After graduating from McAllen High School, Castillo-Saldaña enrolled at the University of Texas-Pan American…

McAllen Airport Director Earned Her Wings

March 1, 2020

Ricardo D. Cavazos, VBR content editor

News Transportation & Travel Comments

Elizabeth Suarez was well on her way to law school before deciding to take an interview with the City of McAllen on Christmas Eve 1999. Suarez was a graduate student at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio when a human resources manager from McAllen’s city government made a recruiting visit to the campus. A transit manager job opportunity was available. A political science undergraduate degree to go with graduate-level studies…

McAllen International Airport Flying High

February 27, 2020

VBR

e-Brief Features News Transportation & Travel Comments

In 2019, record growth hit McAllen International Airport with 432,178 passenger boardings. This is a 20 percent increase from 2018 and also the highest number of enplanements in MFE’s history. Over the last 20 years, MFE’s compounded annual growth rate in passenger enplanements has trended progressively steady at 1.4 percent. This steady growth has MFE as the leading airport in the Rio Grande Valley, capturing the majority of market share…

New Leadership Joins Hidalgo County

February 25, 2020

VBR

Featured Government Comments

Laura Matamoros is the new economic development director for Hidalgo County. The news came from County Judge Richard F. Cortez today as he also announced Hilda Escochea Salinas as assistant chief of staff. Matamoros’s previous service includes director of business research and strategy for the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. She was also the director of operations for the United Brownsville Coordinating Board. She is a graduate from the University of…

Indiana Jones Comes to the Symphony

February 20, 2020

VBR

Arts e-Brief Features News Comments

Indiana Jones and the Wild West both come to the area Feb. 28 as the Valley Symphony Orchestra presents music from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Big Country,” a classic Western film. The concert will feature Soloist and VSO Principal Trumpet Jared Broussard with Maestro Peter Dabrowski as conductor. Broussard will perform Alexander Arutunian’s trumpet concerto. The piece showcases the sound and character of the trumpet. The concerto…

McAllen Student is National Merit Finalist

February 19, 2020

VBR

Education Featured News Comments

McAllen ISD student David Li is now part of a prestigious group of national scholars. Li is one of approximately 15,000 finalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The honor places him in the top one percent of students nationwide who took part in the program. Li is a student in the International Baccalaureate Programme based at Lamar Academy. His home campus is McAllen Memorial High. He is…

STC Ranks Among Most Innovative Online Schools

February 13, 2020

VBR

e-Brief Features Education News Comments

South Texas College is among the most innovative online schools for students seeking associate degrees, according to a new nationwide ranking. The acknowledgement comes from Online Schools Center. The website is an online resource for students seeking an online option for college apart from traditional institutions. STC was the only institution in Texas to receive the recognition being among the “30 most innovative online colleges” in the nation. The college…

Lemonade Day Is Coming to McAllen

February 13, 2020

VBR

Community Events e-Brief Features Featured News Comments

Lemonade Day McAllen takes place May 16, and organizers are currently seeking sponsors and McAllen businesses to provide safe stand locations. This event is a community-wide educational program. The process teaches youth the entrepreneurial skills necessary to start, own and operate their own business — a lemonade stand. Additionally, everyone in the community may participate. Lemonade Day takes place form 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Participating businesses must be open during those…

IMAS Empty Barrels Supports Food Bank RGV

February 6, 2020

VBR

Arts Community Events e-Brief Features Giving Back News Comments

The International Museum of Art and Science will soon host its first-ever Empty Barrels: A Food and Fund Drive to benefit the Food Bank RGV Inc. Empty Barrels is a collaborative project that aims to bring artists and communities together to raise awareness and funds to fight hunger in the RGV. A donation of six wine and whiskey barrels from 5×5 Brewing Co. in Mission and Hilmy Cellars in Fredericksburg…