Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) hosted their second annual Rally in the Valley Conference. The networking event, held at the Brownsville Events Center, connected high school students from Brownsville ISD with prominent industry partners offering student internship opportunities.  The Texas Workforce Commission participated, in...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation hosted their 2nd Annual Rally in the Valley. The networking event connected high school students from Brownsville ISD with prominent industry partners offering student internship opportunities. The Texas Workforce Commission participated.  Rally in the Valley was held at the Brownsville Events Center. ...

MCALLEN, Texas - Francisco J. Peña-Valdés is an attorney with Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton, a company that has, for over 25 years, provided integrated legal services to international businesses. In an in-depth audio and video interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service , Peña-Valdés discussed the work of Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton, the other international trader associati...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The always newsworthy entrepreneur Joaquin Spamer says he is heading to China to look for more customers. Spamer is president and founder of McAllen-based CIL Group, which, among things, exports U.S. cotton around the world. He departs for China on a business trip on Sept. 17. Founded in 1991, CIL offers integrated logistic services along the Mexico-US border, including the im...

EDINBURG, Texas - Region One Education Service Center’s director for partnerships and career pathways says the group is working on a plan to develop stronger links between education and industry. Dr. Eliza Alvarado said to make this happen the group has set up the Tri-Agency Regional Convener.  In an in-depth audio interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service , Alvarado said t...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Jon Barela, CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, says anti-Mexico rhetoric could hurt international trade between the U.S. and its southern neighbor. The Borderplex Alliance handles economic development for El Paso, Las Cruces and Ciudad Juarez. Barela was a panelist at the recent 2023 NADBank Summit, sharing the stage with Rio Grande Valley entrepreneur Joaquin Spamer. The panel w...

MCALLEN, Texas - When South Texas College’s dean of math and science, Dr. Ali Esmaeili, taught at Roma High School many years ago he was saddened by the lack of ambition of his students. When he asked them what they wanted to do, they would say, “graduate from high school and then help my parents in the field.” Determined to change the life trajectory of his students and their families, Esmaeili s...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - State Sen. Morgan LaMantia believes homeowners and businesses based along the Texas Gulf Coast are having to pay too much for property insurance. Because of the threat of hurricanes and severe storms, regular insurance premiums are very high. So, the Sate of Texas provided an alternative way to have property along the coast insured.  The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Despite its women’s team losing 5-0 to Navarro College last Friday, the future is still bright for soccer at Texas Southmost College.  This is the view of TSC President Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, who watched the home game with other members in the college leadership team. Rodríguez pointed out that this is the first season for soccer at TSC and the women’s team was mostly compri...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - State Rep. Erin Gamez said the regular session of the 88th Legislature was “incredible.” The Brownsville Democrat said she and her staff “did a lot of amazing things.” In remarks at Brownsville Chamber of Commerce’s 88th Legislative Update Luncheon, Gamez highlighted her work to help Brownsville keep more of its hotel occupancy taxes for the purpose of redevelopment of its dow...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Although Cameron County had a relatively new slate of legislators going into the 88th legislative session, it did not suffer from inexperience. That is the view of state Rep. Oscar Longoria of La Joya. Longoria represents District 35, which is the only constituency in the Rio Grande Valley that straddles both Cameron and Hidalgo County. Indeed, it stretches all the way from La...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - State Rep. Janie Lopez says that when appearing at legislative wrap-up events, there is a good reason she does not talk as much as her colleagues in the Rio Grande Valley Legislative delegation. Appearing at the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce’s 88th Legislative Update Luncheon, Lopez apologized for having to read her speech. “I’m the non-attorney here. They can talk forever,...

EDINBURG, Texas - Former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling says placing razor wire and buoys on the Rio Grande gives Mexico a good excuse not to repay its water debt to the United States. Darling is recognized as an expert on water issues and is a member of Region M Water Planning Group, a state appointed board. He is concerned about the long-term viability of the Rio Grande Valley’s growth trajectory sho...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Ramiro A. Cavazos, who hails from the Rio Grande Valley and is president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber or Commerce, was one of the keynote speakers at the 2023 NADBank Summit. His presentation was titled, Near-shoring and the Impact for Hispanic Business in the Border States. The event was held at The Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio. During his remarks, Cavazos rattled...

PHARR, Texas - Jose Peña is IT director for the City of Pharr. He recently gave a presentation at IWS2. IWS is a series of industrial warehouse summits hosted recently by the Pharr Bridge Board and held at the Pharr Development and Research Center. The “2” signifies that this was the second in the series. Peña’s presentation focused on TeamPharr.net , the City of Pharr’s city-wide, blazing fast in...

EDINBURG, Texas - FIRST in Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring K- 12 students in the STEM fields, has teamed up with MathWorks to help FIRST students develop advanced computing skills. MathWorks is an American privately held corporation that specializes in mathematical computing software. Its major products include MATLAB and Simulink, which support data analysis and simulation....

PHARR, Texas - Steve Valdez executive director of Weslaco Economic Development Corporation, says plans are being developed to bury a canal so that the runway of Mid-Valley Airport can be extended by 1,000 feet. According to Weslaco Mid-Valley Airport website, the airport currently has a 6,000 x 80 foot lighted runway. Valdez announced the plans when he spoke at IWS2, the industrial warehouse summi...

PHARR, Texas - Arturo Gomez, deputy port director of operations for Brownsville Navigation District, has given more details about a new 118-acre shovel-ready business park being built at the Port of Brownsville. In a speech at IWS2, Gomez said the new industrial project will leverage the Port’s logistical advantages to support manufacturing companies and industry clusters with a base of operations...

PHARR, Texas - Pharr Bridge Director Luis Bazan spoke about plans for a second span for the bridge when he gave remarks at IWS2. IWS2 was an industrial warehouse summit hosted recently by the Pharr Bridge Board and held at Pharr Development and Research Center. The theme for the summit was, “Building a Competitive Border Region for Near-Shoring and Industrial Growth.” Here are his remarks.  Go to...

PHARR, Texas - Pharr Economic Development Corporation leaders have given a presentation on the land the EDC has for industrial development. President Victor Perez and Property and Business Manager Janie Cavazos spoke at IWS2, the industrial warehouse summit recently hosted by Pharr Bridge Board and held at Pharr Development and Research Center. The theme for the summit was, “Building a Competitive...

PHARR, Texas - As an example of how he supports regional economic development, Teclo Garcia says that on a recent trip to the interior of Mexico he not only promoted Anzalduas International Bridge but also the Pharr International Bridge. Garcia, CEO of Mission Economic Development Corporation, was part of a trade delegation that visited San Luis Potosí. In his meetings there he pointed out that th...

PHARR, Texas - Jorge Torres, president and founder of Interlink Trade Services, kicked off IWS2 with a discussion about near-shoring. IWS2 was the second in a series of productions by the Pharr Bridge Board that focus on the lack of industrial warehouse space in the upper Rio Grande Valley. The event drew land developers, realtors, economic development leaders, and those in the import-export busin...

PHARR, TEXAS - Dennis A. McKenzie, deputy executive director, cargo and conveyance security for US Custom and Border Protection, was the keynote speaker at the recent Pharr Bridge Board Industrial Warehouse Summit 2. The title of the event was IWS2. The subheading: “Building a Competitive Border Region for Near-Shoring and Industrial Growth.” It took place at the Pharr Development & Research C...

MCALLEN, Texas - Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority has a lot of consequential  highway projects going on. That is the only conclusion one can draw based on a power point presentation its executive director, Pete Sepulveda, made at a recent meeting of TxDOT’s Border Trade Advisory Committee. The group met at the McAllen Convention Center. "We have developed about a $1.3 billion system...

MCALLEN, Texas - The City of McAllen’s superintendent of bridges says Customs and Border Protection is set to use state-of-the-art inspection equipment at Anzalduas International Bridge.  The equipment will be in use when Anzalduas starts crossing fully-loaded trucks carrying dry goods north- and south-bound, said Juan Olaguibel. This should be happening by next summer, the superintendent said. “W...