Gary Glick, president of the nonprofit group Friends of RGV Reef, said recreational red snapper fishing generates several times the economic force of commercial red snapper fishing. People who come to fish also spend money on food and lodging, gas, tackle, charter trips, etc. Glick estimates that Friends of RGV Reef has spent about $400,000 on deploying reef material so far. The group has managed to do it for roughly…
For the past five years, the local non-profit Friends of the RGV Reef has been working to restore and build up the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. They wanted to ensure that there was a habitat to create a thriving population of fish in the area. Due to the efforts, Friends of RGV Reef was named a 2019 Conservation Wrangler by the Texan by Nature conservation. The honor acknowledges…
The Valley Environmental Coalition hosts its 10th annual Valley Environmental Summit Oct. 18. The event features environmental updates, a trashion show, a video and art contest, and beach clean up. “Together We Can Positively Impact Our Environment” takes place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Brownsville Events Center. The day features legislative education updates, and environmental topics about the impact of debris in our oceans and waterways. Attendees will…
The sound-blasting golf carts seen along the streets of South Padre Island are as popular as they can be. The half dozen or so businesses that have the “rent me” signs have been adding newer and fancier rental vehicles to their fleet. Some of these vehicles look like fancy racing cars, called slingshots. Others resemble the smart cars seen on some roads these days. The demand for such vehicles decrease…
The 80th Texas International Fishing Tournament is now in the books. This annual event is much more than going after shallow or deep-water fish. In fact, it’s a family event in which everyone from toddlers to grandparents in their 90s get together for a weekend of fun. Rewarding volunteers TIFT gives out tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to students from throughout the Rio Grande Valley and the state as well. This…
Beachgoers using Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island are in for a surprise if they have not gotten the shock already. The rusty-looking facility most people have been going to over the years is becoming one of the most modern beach parks now rivaling similar venues found in Florida and California. Gone are the wooden pavilions, messy restroom and shower areas, and the dark net over the picnic sections. Replacing…
Although the Rio Grande Valley is one of the state and country’s best fertile regions to grow fruits, vegetables and livestock, consumers have not had the opportunity to get the best the land produces unless they go to a grocery store or to a fruit stand. Winter vegetables, for example, usually ship to many places in the United States. Goat cheese isn’t a supermarket staple in this part of the…
Two agents of the Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney’s Office – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force have top honors from the Texas Narcotic Officers Association. HIDTA Commander Juan Pablo Sifuentes is “Supervisor of the Year” and Agent Genovevo “Geno” Martinez III “Narcotic Officer of the Year” for the TNOA South Region. Both will receive recognition at the organization’s annual conference Aug. 19-22 in South Padre Island. Hidalgo County Criminal District…
Although food truck parks aren’t new to some cities in the Lone Star State like Austin, the Rio Grande Valley has literally been jumping on the bandwagon of these mobile facilities that offer food and music for nearly every taste and type. RGV cities with food trucks parks include Brownsville, McAllen and now South Padre Island. In Los Fresnos, city and economic development officials have been toying with the idea…
Now that summer has officially begun, head out to South Padre Island for some action. Try some different action, not the kind like windsurfing, paddle boarding, buggy riding, off-road driving or hopping on a boat to go after one’s favorite fish. The south and north end of the Island gets the most crowds, there is a facility near the end of Texas Highway 100 that provides plenty of things to…