Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spoke at a press conference held at the Border Patrol Station in Brownsville on Feb. 29, 2024. Mayorkas accompanied President Biden on a visit to the border, receiving a briefing from the Border Patrol, as well as immigration, law enforcement and asylum officers. He said he and the president learned a lot. Mayorkas said they heard...

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - President Biden spoke at a press conference held at the Border Patrol Station in Brownsville on Feb. 29, 2024. He said he had just received a briefing from the Border Patrol at the border, as well as immigration, law enforcement and asylum officers.  “They're all doing incredible work under really tough conditions, really tough conditions. They each told me what you alrea...

MCALLEN, Texas - Among the sponsors of the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s “RGV Intergovernmental Update” luncheon were two top internet service providers in the region - AT&T and VTX1. As such, both were given the opportunity to have representatives speak from the podium at the start of the program.  Mario Barragan, director of external and legislative affairs for AT&T in...

SANTA ROSA, Texas - Although Rio Grande Valley sugar growers are upset that a 1944 US-Mexico water sharing treaty has been adhered to, they do not blame the head of the US section IBWC. IBWC stands for the International Boundary and Water Commission. It is a binational entity that, among other things, governs the distribution of water along the Rio Grande. “I would like to point out that the IBWC...

WESLACO, Texas - Three Weslaco leaders have spoken about their first time visit to the International Council of Shopping Centers conference in Dallas. Mayor Adrian Gonzalez, City Manager Martin Garza, and Weslaco Economic Development Corporation Vice President Sandra Charlton gave remarks at a press conference hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership.  ICSC holds conferences around the country...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas Southmost College and Texas A&M University Kingsville have signed a memorandum of understanding to solidify their collaboration and enhance educational opportunities for students. The MOU was signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr. and TSC president Jesus Rodriguez at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Monday, February 12. The two presidents sa...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas Southmost College and Texas A&M University Kingsville have signed a memorandum of understanding to solidify their collaboration and enhance educational opportunities for students. The MOU was signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr. and TSC president Jesus Rodriguez at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Monday, February 12. The two presidents sa...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas Southmost College and Texas A&M University Kingsville have signed a memorandum of understanding to solidify their collaboration and enhance educational opportunities for students. The MOU was signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr. and TSC president Jesus Rodriguez at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Monday, February 12. The two presidents sa...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas Southmost College and Texas A&M University Kingsville have signed a memorandum of understanding to solidify their collaboration and enhance educational opportunities for students. The MOU was signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr. and TSC president Jesus Rodriguez at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Monday, February 12. The two presidents sa...

HARLINGEN, Texas - The City of Harlingen has to reignite its relationships in Mexico and in particular those in Matamoros. That is the message from Harlingen Economic Development Corporation CEO Orlando Campos. Campos and his EDC team recently accepted an invitation to meet with Index, the maquiladora industry trade association, in Matamoros. Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda joined the delegation....

MCALLEN, Texas - Dr. Nolan Perez, MD, a Harlingen native and University of Texas System regent, spoke at the official opening of the state-of-the-art Jackson Medical Plaza on N. Jackson in McAllen.  Texas Digestive Specialists (TDS), a company Perez heads, is situated on the second floor. TDS offers a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for diseases of the digestive tract, liver, and...

WESLACO, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Partnership will allow all the smaller cites in the region to use its booth at future ICSC trade shows. RGVP President Daniel Silva made the announcement at a press conference the Partnership hosted to discuss ICSC@Red River, which was held a couple of weeks ago in Dallas. “Small cities may not have a budget to go to ICSC Vegas or ICSC Dallas. But we still wa...

MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos has received lots of plaudits for his 2024 State of the City Address. Many of those in attendance liked both the dynamic nature of the event and the remarks the mayor gave. Here are some of the plaudits: McAllen City Commissioner Seby Haddad said: “Such an energizing McAllen State of the City 2024! There are so many projects on the ground and initia...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - At a recent ceremony at the Cameron County courthouse, County Judge Eddie Treviño and VTX1 CEO Patrick McDonnell signed an MOU to bridge the digital divide that exists in the county by expanding broadband services At the signing ceremony, Cameron County leaders were asked why those chose to partner with VTX1 rather than another internet service provider. The other ISPs that ma...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - At a recent ceremony at the Cameron County courthouse, County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., and VTX1 CEO Patrick McDonnell signed an MOU to bridge the digital divide that exists in the county by expanding broadband services At the signing ceremony, Cameron County leaders were asked why those chose to partner with VTX1 rather than another internet service provider. The other ISPs t...

LAREDO, Texas - The Port of Laredo was the busiest port - be it maritime, air, or land - in the United States in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The value of imports and exports passing through Laredo in 2023 topped $300 billion, a record for the port. The news was not a surprise to Gene Lindgren, president and CEO of Laredo Economic Development Corporation. The Rio Grande Guardian Inte...

LAREDO, Texas - LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez participated in a virtual press conference to respond to what they say is “Republican-led extremist chaos and obstruction at the U.S. Mexico border.” The event was hosted by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and also featured Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, Sylvia Garcia of Houston, Greg Casar of Austin and Jasmine...

ROMA, Texas - The North American Development Bank and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar recently hosted a press conference to announce new federal funding for Roma, Texas. In total, NADBank is providing $835,000 for Roma. Some of the funds will help in the restoration of Roma’s historic suspension bridge and some will be used for the acquisition of a new compactor for the city’s landfill site. Before the pr...

ROMA, Texas - The North American Development Bank and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar recently hosted a press conference to announce new federal funding for Roma, Texas. In total, NADBank is providing $835,000 for Roma. Some of the funds will help in the restoration of Roma’s historic suspension bridge and some will be used for the acquisition of a new compactor for the city’s landfill site. Before the pr...

MCALLEN, Texas - Kevin Marti, president of Wisconsiin-based Intelligent Video Solutions, says the simulation hospital South Texas College has built for its nursing students is “world class.” Marti was present for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at STC’s Nursing and Allied Health campus in McAllen. His company designs cutting-edge video simulation software that enhances and creates virtual training oppor...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas had the 12th largest economy in the world when the state’s comptroller, Glenn Hegar, took office. Now, Texas has the eighth largest economy. “That is hard to imagine,” Hegar said, in a speech in Brownsville on Jan. 30. He said the state’s budget is roughly $150 billion. The event was titled “Texas Talks: A Luncheon with Comptroller Glenn Hegar – Navigating Fiscal Frontie...

AUSTIN – The Texas oil and natural gas industry paid $26.3 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties in fiscal year (FY) 2023 – the highest total in Texas history. This shattered last year’s record by more than $1.5 billion.  The information comes from newly released data from the Texas Oil & Gas Association. TXOGA President Todd Staples spoke about his group’s Annual Energy & E...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Leaders in the world of education in the Rio Grande Valley pitched questions to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar at an event in Brownsville on Dec. 30. Those leaders included Texas Southmost College President Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, UT-Rio Grande Valley Vice President Veronica Gonzales, and Brownsville ISD interim Superintendent Jesús H. Chavez. Hegar spoke at a Brownsville Cham...

PHARR, Texas - Victor Perez, president of Pharr Economic Development Corporation, is expecting another great year for his city. Perez gave Ron Whitlock Reports an exclusive interview immediately following a groundbreaking ceremony for a new warehouse at Capote International Business Park in south Pharr. In the interview, Perez spoke about all the new warehouses springing up near the Pharr Internat...

ELSA, Texas - It may be hard to believe when Elsa’s population is 5,680, but the city’s biggest store, Walmart, pulls in two million visits a year.  This is the point Elsa Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Daniel Rivera wants potential investors to know. Rivera gave a powerpoint presentation on current and future plans for Elsa at a Rio Grande Valley Partnership Commercialization...