Rio Grande Guardian
2025 South Texas Summit - Building South Texas: Jobs, Education & Health Panel
- Title
- 2025 South Texas Summit - Building South Texas: Jobs, Education & Health Panel
- Runtime
- 38:49
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The South Texas Business Partnership recently held its 2025 South Texas Summit in San Antonio. One of the panels discussed the evolving role of education and training in meeting industry needs. The title of the panel was: “Building South Texas: Jobs, Education & Health.” The panel comprised: Ron Garza, associate vice president of economic development for UT-Rio Grande Valley; Mike Ramsey, executive director of San Antonio Ready to Work; and Dr. Lyssa Ochoa, CEO and president of The SAVE Clinic. Here is a video recording of the entire discussion.
- Title
- City of McAllen - Stormwater detention
- Runtime
- 6:02
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The City of McAllen held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 16, 2025, for its $1.5 million Northwest Blueline Regional Detention Facility. The project is the last of 18 designated projects that came about thanks to a $22 million bond election for drainage improvement projects in 2018. The project adds a new stormwater detention facility with space to hold about 97,000 cubic yards of runoff. Under the project, crews improved 5,500 feet of the Northwest Blueline Ditch and cleared another 2,400 feet downstream. They also stabilized the area with permanent vegetation. City leaders predict the upgrades will greatly reduce flooding risks in northwest McAllen and nearby neighborhoods. Speakers at the ceremony included City Commissioner Rolando Rios, McAllen Deputy City Manager Michelle Rivera, and City Engineer Eduardo Mendoza.
- Title
- 2025 South Texas Summit - Emerging Industries & Economic Growth Panel
- Runtime
- 36:09
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The South Texas Business Partnership recently held its 2025 South Texas Summit in San Antonio. One of the panels explored how new sectors are shaping South Texas’ future economy. The title of the panel was: “Emergency Industries & Economic Growth Panel.” The panel comprised: Nathan Burkhart, vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation; John B. Dickson, CEO of Bytewhispher Security; William Rafferty, regional director of Southwest Research Institute; and William Steele, CEO and co-founder of Supply Pay. Here is a video recording of the entire discussion.
- Title
- RGV Mayors meet with next governor of Tamaulipas, Francisco Cabeza de Vaca
- Runtime
- 21:45
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- A Rio Grande Guardian video from June 15, 2016.
- Title
- Texas Lyceum
- Runtime
- 25:06
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Texas Lyceum is a non-profit, non-partisan organization in Texas dedicated to identifying and developing future leaders by fostering civil discourse on important state issues. The group is hosting a three-day conference in Mexico City, July 9-11, titled “Beyond Borders: Immigration & the Texas Economy.” To preview the conference, the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service sat down for an in-depth conversation with one of the Lyceum’s directors, Rio Grande Valley-based marketing specialist Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat.
- Title
- Futuro RGV
- Runtime
- 21:15
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Civics group Futuro RGV held its 2025 Community and Emerging Leaders Award Ceremony at the Casa De Palmas Hotel in McAllen on June 11. The emcee was Mark R. Murray, Futuro’s president. Banker Ford Sasser was awarded the 2025 Community Leader Award “for his outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to the Rio Grande Valley.” Students Alexandria Garza and Andrea Garcia were recipients of the 2025 Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk Emerging Leaders Scholarship. And a special acknowledgment went to the group’s co-founder and president emerita, the late Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk for her legacy and inspiration. Kinerk’s children, Karen and Steve were there to receive the award.
- Title
- LULAC San Benito (Part Two)
- Runtime
- 1:58
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The San Benito chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, otherwise known as the LULAC Juan Rivera & Veterans Council, held a protest outside San Benito city hall on Saturday, June 14, 2025. LULAC members and supporters were protesting the recent ICE raids in the Rio Grande Valley. Here is a video showing the signs they were carrying.
- Title
- Praise on Padre
- Runtime
- 2:24
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Pastors from various denominations across the Rio Grande Valley met on South Padre Island on Saturday, June 14, 2025, for their 3rd Annual baptism event, titled "Praise on Padre." The host was Beach Water Park. Clark Ortiz, lead pastor of Pharr-based Center Church, said the event allows believers and even non-believers to be “born again.” He explained: “It is not just about going into the water and dipping in. Anybody can do that. It’s about a complete conversion, a conversion of the old man to the new man, receiving Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and then your public proclamation of salvation to the world. When you go into the water, you're that old man, but when you come out of the water, it's like a rebirth.”
- Title
- STAC Mayors Panel
- Runtime
- 48:41
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The South Texas Business Partnership recently held its 2025 South Texas Summit in San Antonio. One of the panel discussions comprised four mayors from the South Texas Alliance of Cities (STAC). The four were: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda, and McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. The title of the panel was: “South Texas Alliance of Cities: A Collective Voice.” The discussion centered on regional collaboration, shared challenges, and opportunities for coordinated growth. Here is a video recording of the entire discussion.
- Title
- LULAC San Benito
- Runtime
- 7:55
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The San Benito chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, otherwise known as the LULAC Juan Rivera & Veterans Council, held a protest outside San Benito city hall on Saturday, June 14, 2025. LULAC members and supporters were protesting the recent ICE raids in the Rio Grande Valley. LULAC Juan Rivera & Veterans Council Communications Director Elias Cantu said the raids were not only separating families, with workers being deported without due process, but also hurting the local economy.
- Title
- Port of Brownsville
- Runtime
- 10:36
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- In a series of six new videos promoting their port, the leaders of Brownsville Navigation District say the Port of Brownsville is where growth meets opportunity. The leaders comprise the five commissioners: Chairman Esteban Guerra, Vice Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez, Secretary John Reed, John Wood, and Ernesto Gutierrez, along with Port Director and CEO William Dietrich. Among the topics discussed in the videos are the deepening of the ship channel, the construction of liquefied natural gas export terminals, developing a new industrial park, workforce training, and the economic impact of the port. Here is a video that combines the six videos.
- Title
- William Steele
- Runtime
- 8:08
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- William Steele, co-founder and CEO of Weslaco-based Supply Pay, was panelist at South Texas Business Partnership’s 2025 South Texas Summit. Starting with the fresh produce industry, Supply Pay aims to streamline international supply chains. In his remarks, Steele said there is no reason his company could not be scaled to operate at all terrestrial borders. He also bemoaned the lack of venture capitalists operating along the South Texas border region. And he gave a shout out to the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville and the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation. He acknowledged that that is where he got his first start in business. Steele concluded his remarks by urging importers and exporters to get in touch with him.
- Title
- Rose Benavidez
- Runtime
- 3:37
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Starr County leaders have long said that the county’s economic fortunes improved dramatically once South Texas College opened its campus in Rio Grande City. One of those leaders is Rose Benavidez, a board trustee at STC. Benavidez gave the Rio Grande Guardian an interview at the conclusion of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a brand-new, $2.5 million, 3,272 square-foot Automotive Lab at STC’s Starr County Campus. The lab will allow STC to offer more automotive, HVAC, welding and electrician programs. “I think the one thing that the college has always stood for in this area is prosperity and progress,” Benavidez said. She said Starr County leaders must “never lose sight of the fact that these students are the future of this community.” She said the students “have demonstrated that if given the opportunity, they will always seize those opportunities.” Benavidez added: “We will not stop until everyone in this community has the same access to fulfill their educational goals....
- Title
- Dr. Ricardo Solis
- Runtime
- 8:27
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- South Texas College is accelerating the programs it offers students in Hidalgo and Starr counties. This was confirmed by President Dr. Ricardo Solis in an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian in Rio Grande City. Solis had just participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a brand-new, $2.5 million, 3,272 square-foot Automotive Lab at STC’s Starr County Campus. In the interview, Solis spoke about the automotive, HVAC, welding and electrician programs that would be housed in the new lab. But he also spoke about an expansion of programs at the Pecan Campus in McAllen and the Mid-Valley Campus in Weslaco. He also provided some breaking news by revealing STC will be establishing a greater presence in the Delta area.
- Title
- Mayors Sepulveda and Villalobos
- Runtime
- 6:28
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The current raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs officers in the Rio Grande Valley was discussed at the 2025 South Texas Summit. The summit was hosted by the South Texas Business Partnership and held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks Hotel & Spa on June 9. The ICE raids were discussed by two RGV mayors, Norma Sepulveda of Harlingen and Javier Villalobos of McAllen. Both mayors criticized the raids, saying they would hurt local businesses and negatively impact the economy. Also on the panel were outgoing San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, and Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr. Here are the remarks of Sepulveda and Villalobos about the ICE raids.
- Title
- Peter Sakai
- Runtime
- 22:30
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai gave the welcome remarks at the South Texas Business Partnership’s 2025 South Texas Summit. The event took place at the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks Hotel & Spa on June 9, 2025. In his remarks, Sakai spoke about his upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley, regional collaboration, and his support for passenger rail between San Antonio and the South Texas border region. Here are his remarks.
- Title
- Vanessa Pardo
- Runtime
- 4:50
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- On June 10, 2025, South Texas Vocational Technical Institute McAllen broke ground on a brand new electrical lab. The lab is part of the group’s electrical technician program, a ten-month program that combines traditional classroom education with real-world, hands-on training. At the groundbreaking, the Rio Grande Guardian secured an exclusive interview with Vanessa Pardo, STVT McAllen’s executive director. Pardo said students in the electrical technician program gain the technical skills needed to install, maintain, and repair residential and commercial electrical systems. Just as importantly, she said, students gain the confidence to thrive in a high-demand field.
- Title
- STEM NATION 2025
- Runtime
- 2:19
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The RGV Philanthropic Foundation recently hosted its first ever STEM Nation summit at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. The event was put on for thousands of Rio Grande Valley high school students interested in the STEM field. The Foundation has created this video as a review of the summit.
- Title
- Rebecca Viagran
- Runtime
- 8:05
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The South Texas Business Partnership (STBP) used to be called the South San Antonio Chamber. It rebranded in 2022 and realigned its focus to take a proactive approach within what it calls the South Texas Triangle. This region includes South San Antonio, Laredo, the Rio Grande Valley, and the Coastal Bend. The group strives to be a catalyst for bringing the region’s business leaders together. STBP held its 2025 South Texas Summit at the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Brooks Hotel & Spa on June 9, 2025. At the conclusion of the summit, the group’s president and CEO, Rebecca Viagran, gave an interview to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.
- Title
- Dr. Daniel Covarrubias
- Runtime
- 7:37
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Dr. Daniel Covarrubias is director of the Texas Center for Border Economic & Enterprise Development at the A.R. Sanchez School of Business at Texas A&M International University in Laredo. Covarrubias was a panelist at a recent forum hosted by the Mexican Consulate’s Office and held at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville. The forum was titled “Brainstorming Dialogue: Navigating the New Era of U.S.-Mexico Trade in the RGV Border.” After the panel concluded, Covarrubias gave an interview to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service. Here is the interview.
- Title
- Dr. Salvador Contreras
- Runtime
- 2:40
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Dr. Salvador Contreras is professor of economics at the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship and Associate Dean of the Graduate College at UT-Rio Grande Valley. Contreras was a panelist at a recent forum hosted by the Mexican Consulate’s Office and held at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville. The forum was titled “Brainstorming Dialogue: Navigating the New Era of U.S.-Mexico Trade in the RGV Border.” After the panel concluded, Contreras gave an interview to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service. Here is the interview.
- Title
- Othal Brand, Jr.
- Runtime
- 9:52
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- With his late father, the former mayor of McAllen, Othal Brand, Sr., Othal Brand, Jr., farmed in Mexico and Central America for decades. He says that experience helped shape his opinion of how to interact with the Mexican government. When it comes to the US-Mexico Water Treaty, the U.S. must leverage any advantages it possesses in order to get Mexico to comply, Brand says.
- Title
- William Steele
- Runtime
- 34:11
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- In a wide-ranging interview, Weslaco entrepreneur William Steele recalls his chess match with Richard Branson, on the British business magnate’s private Caribbean island, his success at Stanford University, the statewide award he won at the Texas Venture Gala and Forum, and his ambitious plans to streamline the supply chain through his startup company, Supply Pay.
- Title
- Dr. Guy Bailey
- Runtime
- 8:20
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) hosted a forum titled “Classroom to Commerce: The Economic Power of Education in the Rio Grande Valley.” The title sponsor was ERO Architects. The event was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center. One of the two keynote speakers was Dr. Guy Bailey, president of UT-Rio Grande Valley. Here are his remarks.
- Title
- Dr. Ricardo Solis
- Runtime
- 14:56
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) hosted a forum titled “Classroom to Commerce: The Economic Power of Education in the Rio Grande Valley.” The title sponsor was ERO Architects. The event was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center. One of the two keynote speakers was Dr. Ricardo Solis, president of South Texas College. Here are his remarks.
- Title
- I-LinCP panel discussion
- Runtime
- 29:45
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) hosted a forum titled “Classroom to Commerce: The Economic Power of Education in the Rio Grande Valley.” The title sponsor was ERO Architects. The event was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center. The top panel discussion featured: Region One Education Service Center Executive Director Daniel P. King, UT-Rio Grande Valley Associate Vice President Ron Garza, and South Texas College Trustee Paul Rodriguez. The panel was moderated by ERO's CEO Brian Godinez. Here is a video recording of the panel discussion.
- Title
- Othal Brand, Jr.
- Runtime
- 27:50
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Two irrigation districts in the Rio Grande Valley have merged. The two are: Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District No. 3, and Santa Cruz Water Control and Improvement District No. 15. The new name for the combined districts is: Hidalgo County Consolidated Water Control and Improvement District. In order to learn why the merger took place and what it means for local farmers and cities, Rio Grande Guardian editor Steve Taylor sat down for a podcast with the district's president, Othal Brand, Jr.
- Title
- Jack Moore White, Jr. - Part Two
- Runtime
- 27:57
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Famed humanitarian Jack White passed away recently, having provided decades of service to help the less fortunate. “His leadership was instrumental in establishing programs that continue to serve as a beacon of hope for many,” said Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville. White was a volunteer director at Good Neighbor for many years. One of White’s last major interviews was with the Rio Grande Guardian’s media partner, Non-Profit TV News. The interview was so long it was split in two. Here is Part Two, which focuses on White’s career in Brownsville. He says the most rewarding part of his long career was helping the less fortunate in Brownsville.
- Title
- Eloy Garza
- Runtime
- 8:35
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) hosted a forum titled “Classroom to Commerce: The Economic Power of Education in the Rio Grande Valley.” The event was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center. One of the top speakers was Eloy Garza, founder and CEO of Career-Bridge and a lecturer at the Robert C. Vackar College & Entrepreneurship at UT-Rio Grande Valley. In a passionate speech, he encouraged employers to give students a chance in their business, either through mentorships, internships, or apprenticeships. Here are Garza’s remarks.
- Title
- D. Dale Fowler
- Runtime
- 38:50
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Council for South Texas Economic Progress hosted a lunch and learn event titled “Electricity 101: How Texas Powers Economic Development." A flyer from CoSTEP promoting the event was geared towards economic development organizations in the Rio Grande Valley. It said: “Come learn how the Texas electric grid works along with its various components so that you can communicate with your industrial and commercial clients regarding their electricity needs.” The event was held at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in McAllen. One of the two electricity experts to speak at the event was D. Dale Fowler, economic and bus development manager for AEP Texas. This video features Fowler’s presentation.
- Title
- Bradley Schwarz
- Runtime
- 20:51
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Council for South Texas Economic Progress hosted a lunch and learn event titled “Electricity 101: How Texas Powers Economic Development." A flyer from CoSTEP promoting the event was geared towards economic development organizations in the Rio Grande Valley. It said: “Come learn how the Texas electric grid works along with its various components so that you can communicate with your industrial and commercial clients regarding their electricity needs.” The event was held at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in McAllen. One of the two electricity experts to speak at the event was Bradley Schwarz, director of transmission planning for Hunt Utility Services. This video features Schwarz’s presentation.
- Title
- Jack Moore White, Jr.
- Runtime
- 14:32
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Famed humanitarian Jack White passed away recently, having provided decades of service to help the less fortunate. “His leadership was instrumental in establishing programs that continue to serve as a beacon of hope for many,” said Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville. White was a volunteer director at Good Neighbor for many years. One of White’s last major interviews was with the Rio Grande Guardian’s media partner, Non-Profit TV News. The interview was so lengthy it has been split in two. Here is Part One, which focuses on White’s career before he arrived in Brownsville.
- Title
- Rolando Ortiz
- Runtime
- 15:15
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Rolando Ortiz is chief operating officer for Killam Development. He was recently a panelist at an event held at the Center for Education & Economic Development in Mission, Texas. The event was titled "Commercial & Investment Tour" and was co-hosted by Mission Economic Development Corporation and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. The panel was moderated by Teclo Garcia, CEO of Mission EDC. In his remarks, Ortiz spoke about a huge master-planned development Killam is working on in south Mission. The project includes industrial, commercial, retail, and residential development. This video recording features everything Ortiz said during the panel discussion.
- Title
- Roman Palomares
- Runtime
- 7:54
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States of America, having been founded in 1929. Its first ever convention was held in Corpus Christi that same year. LULAC’s national president, Roman Palomares, visited the Rio Grande Valley this week to speak at a meeting of the Juan Rivera, Sr., and Veteran’s LULAC Council based in San Benito. After the meeting had concluded, Palomares gave the Rio Grande Guardian an exclusive interview. Here it is.
- Title
- Teclo Garcia
- Runtime
- 4:26
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) is a tool used by municipalities and counties to stimulate economic development by reinvesting tax revenue generated by new development within the zone into public improvements and projects. Essentially, a TIRZ freezes the property tax values of properties within the zone at their current levels, and then dedicates a portion of the increased tax revenue generated by new development and increased property values within the zone to a special fund for public improvements. Mission Economic Development Corporation created the very first TIRZ in the Rio Grande Valley. At a recent Commercial & Investment Tour event, Mission EDC CEO Teclo Garcia explained how the Mission TIRZ is performing.
- Title
- Norma Sepulveda
- Runtime
- 1:33:18
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda delivered her 2025 State of the City Address on May 29 at the Harlingen Convention Center. The theme was titled, “A City Working Together, Working for You.” In her remarks, Sepulveda spoke about the recent floods, the Port of Harlingen, and Valley International Airport. And she said Harlingen’s economy is strong, pointing out the city has added 2,454 new housing and commercial development lots since 2022. Sepuleveda said the city’s fund balance has increased to $38.1 million. “Through smart planning, conservative budgeting, and bold leadership, we have built the strongest financial foundation in our city’s history,” Sepulveda said. Here is a video recording of her remarks.
- Title
- Javier Solis
- Runtime
- 4:38
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Javier Solis is assistant director of public safety for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. Thanks to his connections with the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association, Solis has been able to secure a training program for canines and their handlers attached to local law enforcement agencies whereby they learn how to sniff fentanyl. At the moment, in the RGV, only Customs and Border Patrol have canines with this capability. Solis said this training will be invaluable. “The most important thing about this training is that it provides the officers attending that training an opportunity to come away with a certification for them and their canines to be able to provide testimonial evidence that their dogs are trained to actually detect the odor of fentanyl,” Solis said. The training will take place in Brownsville between the 16th and 18th of August.
- Title
- Jose Peña
- Runtime
- 8:42
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Pharr Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 28, 2025, for the Pharr Connect Innovation Center. This facility, located at 104 W Polk Ave in Pharr, used to be home to the Pharr Housing Authority but has now been completely renovated to handle Pharr’s IT department. It now serves as the centralized location for Pharr Connect, Pharr’s blazing fast and fiber internet service. Soon, the Innovation Center will boast a showroom where residents and local businesses can stop by and experience the power of Pharr’s internet firsthand. Pharr IT Director Jose Peña gave the Rio Grande Guardian an interview at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
- Title
- Belinda Vargas
- Runtime
- 4:38
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Pharr Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 28, 2025, for the Pharr Connect Innovation Center. This facility, located at 104 W Polk Ave in Pharr, used to be home to the Pharr Housing Authority but has now been completely renovated to handle Pharr’s IT department. It now serves as the centralized location for Pharr Connect, Pharr’s blazing fast and fiber internet service. Students attending Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD high schools have the opportunity to become interns at the Innovation Center. In an interview at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Belinda Vargas, PSJA’s director of career and technical education, explained the value of the internship program.
- Title
- U.S., China, and Open AI
- Runtime
- 9:10
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Who is winning the race in Open AI, the United States or China? That was the question posed by Nathan Burkhart, vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation at Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, during a panel discussion at RGV StartUp Week. Burkhart posed the question to panelists Eduardo Cerda, founder of Future SQC Software, Rolando Gonzalez, an executive for Gobar Systems, Jerry Briones, deputy executive director of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, and UT-Rio Grande Valley professor Mostafa Malki. This video features that discussion.
- Title
- Mission EDC and Data Centers
- Runtime
- 6:15
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Mission Economic Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, hosted a Commercial & Investment Tour event at the Center for Education & Economic Development on May 28, 2025. Part of the event included a panel discussion on real estate development. It was hosted by Mission EDC CEO Teclo Garcia. The panelists were Rolando Ortiz, COO of Killam Development, attorney and real estate developer Luis Rodrigo Castillo, Eddie Silva, director of marketing and sales at Domain Development Corporation, and Ernesto Gonzalez, founder and CEO of TEKNA Impact, LLC, and Arch Renati. During the panel discussion, Garcia brought up the subject of data centers. Here is a video recording of that discussion.
- Title
- Vicente Gonzalez
- Runtime
- 1:42
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced $17.5 million in federal funding to build a state-of-the art desalination treatment plant to be built in Port Isabel. The project is being developed by Laguna Madre Water District, with funding coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Congressman Gonzalez has given an update on the project, along with efforts to ensure Mexico pays its water debt to the United States. Here is the interview.
- Title
- Mark Hanna
- Runtime
- 9:28
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Rio Grande Valley Partnership held a Commercial & Investment Tour event in the city of Mission on May 28, 2025. The event was co-hosted by the Mission Economic Development Corporation and held at the Center for Education & Economic Development. Realtors SVN Hanna Solutions sponsored the breakfast part. Mark Hanna, managing director of the company, gave an overview of the Mission real estate market. Here it is.
- Title
- Previewing the Classroom to Commerce forum
- Runtime
- 20:44
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- A forum titled “Classroom to Commerce: The Economic Power of Education in the Rio Grande Valley” will take place at the Embassy Suites in McAllen on June 4, 2025. It is being hosted by the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects and sponsored by ERO Architects. The keynote speakers will be UT-Rio Grande Valley President Guy Bailey and Ricardo Solis, president of South Texas College. To preview the forum, Rio Grande Guardian editor Steve Taylor interviewed I-LinCP founder and CVO Carol Warkoczewski and ERO CEO Brian Godinez. Here is the interview.
- Title
- Aurelio 'Keter' Guerra
- Runtime
- 8:11
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Soluna Holdings, Inc., is a developer of green data centers for intensive computing applications including Bitcoin mining and AI. It plans to build a 166-megawatt data center on the site of the Las Majadas Wind Farm in the southeast corner of Willacy County. The data center would be powered by the excess electricity produced by nearby wind farms. Willacy County Judge Aurelio ‘Keter’ Guerra is a big supporter of the project. He argues that having data centers in his county will improve the tax base and spur other industrial development. The Rio Grande Guardian caught up with Judge Guerra in Raymondville recently and asked if he could provide an update on Soluna’s “Project Kati.”
- Title
- John Cowen, Jr.
- Runtime
- 2:23
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 22, 2025, for the eagerly anticipated Greater Brownsville Tech District. The huge new industrial park is located on FM 511 between Old Alice Road and Paredes Line Road in Brownsville, Texas. When fully built out the park will cover 770 acres. But the build-out will be completed in phases. The first phase, covering 86 acres, will see 13 lots built, which, combined, will provide 1.3 million square feet of industrial space. Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., says the project will create a higher tax base for the City of Brownsville, which in turn will help city leaders develop a better quality of life for its residents. He said the district is also about jobs - jobs for the children and grandchildren of today’s city residents. Here are the remarks Cowen made from the podium.
- Title
- Vicente Gonzalez
- Runtime
- 2:49
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Remittance is the name given to the money sent by migrants to support their families in their countries of origin. They are a critical economic lifeline for many countries. Remittances make up 4.5% of Mexico’s GDP and support millions of families. Indeed in 2024, Mexico received a record $64.7 billion in remittances. In Nicaragua and Honduras remittances represent 25% of gross domestic product. In El Salvador it is 23.5%, and in Guatemala it is 19.5 percent. President Trump proposed a five percent tax on remittances The Republican leadership in the U.S. House has reduced the proposed tax to 3.5 percent. The Senate has yet to agree to this. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen says there should be no tax on remittances. He says if a tax is imposed it will spur an underground economy whereby the money is transferred without payment of the tax. Here is an interview the Rio Grande Guardian secured with Gonzalez on the topic.
- Title
- Gilberto Salinas
- Runtime
- 10:11
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 22, 2025, for the eagerly anticipated Greater Brownsville Tech District. The huge new industrial park is located on FM 511 between Old Alice Road and Paredes Line Road in Brownsville, Texas. When fully built out the park will cover 770 acres. But the build-out will be completed in phases. The first phase, covering 86 acres, will see 13 lots built, which, combined, will provide 1.3 million square feet of industrial space. Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation CEO Gilberto Salinas says he expects the park to be of interest to the Space sector, along with Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, and even, potentially, AI companies. Here are the remarks Salinas made from the podium.
- Title
- Eleazar Rodriguez
- Runtime
- 1:58
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Eleazar Rodriguez is director of industrial park development and special projects for the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. He was praised recently for being the “brains” behind the eagerly anticipated Greater Brownsville Tech District, a 770-acre property that GBIC is developing in phases to attract manufacturing in the space, energy and high tech sectors. At a groundbreaking ceremony for the first 86 acres of the project, GBIC CEO Gilberto Salinas said of Rodriguez: “He's the brainchild behind this. He is the one that's made this happen.” This video features the remarks Rodriguez made from the podium at the groundbreaking ceremony.
- Title
- Elva M. Cerda
- Runtime
- 7:15
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Rio Grande Guardian secured an exclusive interview with Elva M. Cerda, director of the McAllen Heritage Center, at a recent McAllen Citizens League event. Cerda spoke about the expansion plans the center has and urged more McAllen residents to view its exhibits. The Guardian asked Cerda why the City of McAllen does not promote its history more at its various festivals. Cerda responded that the best festival for this would be Fiesta de Palmas. The Guardian also asked why the City does not partner with Hidalgo on tourism, given that that city has more historical buildings than McAllen.
