Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

MCALLEN, Texas - The law firm of Atlas, Hall & Rodriguez in McAllen, which celebrates its 70th Anniversary later this year, recently hosted a luncheon with two guest speakers. Salvador Contreras discussed the local banking industry. Contreras is a professor and associate dean for graduate and professional programs UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneursh...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Social media has facilitated the spread of misinformation, eroding trust in democratic institutions and making it difficult for citizens to make informed decisions. This is the view of William Steele, CEO of Represent, a new civic media platform that has just launched in Brownsville. He believes his company can counter the misinformation by connecting citizens more effectively...

MISSION, Texas - It was Mission activist Irma Flores Lopez who first noticed a demolition crew preparing to tear down the historic Roosevelt Auditorium, a building placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. She called friends and then the media and the protests began. Flores Lopez and others are hoping Mission CISD's board of trustees will reverse course and understand that p...

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has provided the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service more information on his Land Port of Entry (LPOE) Modernization Trust Fund Act .  The bipartisan legislation has secured the support of the Border Trade Alliance and the Texas Trucking Association.  U.S. Representatives Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen, Tony Gonzales of San Antonio, Veronica...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreement with Index Matamoros. Index is the trade association for the maquiladora industry in Mexico. The MOU was signed by GBIC Chairman John Cowen and Index Matamoros Chairman Rolando González Barrón. According to Cowen, the MOU with Index Matamoros memorializes a collaborative rela...

HARLINGEN, Texas - Of the 5,000 workers needed to construct a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville, 1,750 will be local hires. That is the pledge from NextDecade, the company building Rio Grande LNG. “We are anticipating that during peak construction, we're going to have up to 5,000 people working on the project. And we're really aiming to have at least 35% of...

WESLACO, Texas - Steven M. Valdez, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco, says he and his team are not just trying to pull in new businesses along I-2, or Expressway 83 as it is more popularly known. Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for Dutch Bros Coffee, he said it is important that he and his team focus also on areas north and south of the expressway. The Dut...

MCALLEN, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley added 2,000 new manufacturing jobs over the last five years, according to data collated by the South Texas Manufacturers Association.  Mike Willis, executive director of STMA, said most of the growth is in Cameron County. He puts much of it down to the shipbuilding Keppel AmFELS is doing at the Port of Brownsville, and SpaceX. Willis has worked for Workforce...

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Hiring 5,000 construction workers to build a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville will lead to increased wage rates across the lower Rio Grande Valley.  That is the view of Pat Hobbs, executive director of Workforce Solutions Cameron. In a wide-ranging interview that also included news of big developments at SpaceX, Hobbs said he expects a decision...

EDINBURG, Texas - Francisco Guajardo, CEO of the Museum of South Texas History, says there is plenty of data to show that working families do not have enough exposure to museums. “Not only our museum, but with museums across the board, families, especially working families, you know, working-class families, just do not have enough exposure to the museum,” Guajardo told the Rio Grande Guardian Inte...

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar says his office can help cities in the Rio Grande Valley access funding for broadband infrastructure. Or, more specifically, the Texas Broadband Development Office can. The Comptroller’s office oversees the TBDO. On Tuesday of this week I was able to secure an exclusive interview with the Comptroller about broadband. In the interview, Hegar confirmed t...

MISSION, Texas – The CEO of Mission Economic Development Corporation has taken to LinkedIn to sound the alarm bell about a lack of available industrial warehouse space in the Rio Grande Valley. “We need more industrial and logistics warehousing in Hidalgo County but it’s not getting built,” said Teclo Garcia. In an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service , Garcia said he...

LA JOYA, Texas - State Rep. Oscar Longoria has responded to criticism from a local teachers group about his votes this legislative session. The La Joya chapter of the American Federation of Teachers went public with their disappointment in the hopes that the lawmaker would not support a school vouchers bill. The bill could be heard on the House floor as early as today. Longoria, D-La Joya, gave hi...

ALAMO, Texas - While listening to an incredible story from North Alamo Water Supply Corporation board member Anna Flores, Rio Grande Guardian reporter Steve Taylor stopped his interviewee to ask if she had heard of the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force. Flores said, “no.” Taylor responded, “I think this group will want to hear from you.” The Prosperity Task Force, set up by Hidalgo County Judge...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - On Wednesday, April 19,  Mayor Trey Mendez hosted his final State of the City Address.  In his fourth State of the City Address, Mendez shared an update on the accomplishments of the City of Brownsville, including the practical strategies taken towards new innovation and growth for the future of the City. The event, held at the Brownsville Events Center, was hosted by the City...

HARLINGEN, Texas - Dr. Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, president of Texas Southmost College, recently spoke at a Greater Chamber of Harlingen ‘Business Over Breakfast’ event. Rodríguez made headlines when he announced talks were underway to bring TSC to Harlingen, with courses and programs potentially being offered in either the classrooms of Harlingen CISD campuses or at the mall. But, Rodríguez discuss...

MCALLEN, Texas - Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp and Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks visited the Rio Grande Valley on Monday, April 10, to announce updates for the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen.  The top update announced was the appointment of Manny Vela as COO of Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen....

MCALLEN, Texas - Retired former U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa had a front row seat in the audience for the announcement that Manny Vela will be the new chief operating officer of Texas A&M Higher Education Center at McAllen. This was fitting as Hinojosa played a key role in the discussions that led to the establishment of the center in 2018. Along with his wife Marty, an A&M alum, Hinojosa dona...

SAN BENITO, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Partnership hosted its most recent “Commercialization and Investment” tour in San Benito. There, land developers and real estate agents learned about new projects coming to the city, as well as which parcels of land are available for purchase. The event was held at the offices of San Benito Economic Development Corporation.  Here is a podcast from the even...

EDINBURG, TEXAS - DHR Health and Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) have announced an expansion of their lcollaboration in clinical research and graduate medical education.  Under the new agreement, the Texas A&M School of Medicine will become the academic affiliate for the DHR Health Graduate Medical Education residency and fellowship programs. Leaders at DH...

LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has shed more light on the recent meeting 12 members of Congress had with Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his entire Cabinet. The visit to Mexico City took place last weekend. It included members of the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats alike. From the Senate there was John Cornyn of Texas, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Mike Lee of Utah,...

MCALLEN, Texas - Futuro RGV President Nedra Kinerk is urging Rio Grande Valley residents to get behind a Texas House resolution that favors geothermal energy production. House Concurrent Resolution 30 was filed by state Rep. R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra of McAllen.  “Supporting geothermal energy production in Texas is one of my top priorities this session. It’s time to think outside the box and that’s why...

AUSTIN, Texas - Valley Interfaith and other groups that make up the Industrial Areas Foundation in Texas are strongly opposed to tax giveaways to large corporations. In Austin, IAF is mobilizing opposition to House Bill 5, which supporters argue will boost economic development.  In the attached audio interview, Rosalie Tristan and Joe Hinojosa, both organizers with Valley Interfaith, Joe Higgs fro...

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service obtained a number of interviews at the grand opening of the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville. More than 400 people from across South Texas were in attendance to tour what is being dubbed the largest startup incubator and entrepreneurial resource center in the Rio Grande Valley. Concei...

RANCHO VIEJO, TEXAS - Tony Bennett, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Manufacturers, recently spoke at a monthly meeting of the South Texas Manufacturers Association.  The meeting was held at Rancho Viejo Conference Center. Bennett spoke about some of the key bills manufacturers are supporting this legislative session. The main topic discussed was Texas House Bill 5, otherwise known as...