LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar is predicting a great Christmas for border communities now that land ports of entry are being re-opened to tens of thousands of Mexican visa holders. Mexican nationals who do not work in so-called “essential” industries have been prevented from crossing via land ports into the United States since March 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, however, the international bridges between the U.S. and Mexico and the U.S. and Canada will be open to “non-essential” travelers from Nov. 8, provided they can prove they have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization. This decision was announced by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas last week.“Whether it is downtown Laredo or downtown in any part of the border, this basically means that they will get their shoppers back. Which means this will be a very good Christmas,” Cuellar said.Cuellar, D-Laredo, made his remarks in a webinar he hosted immediately following DHS’s reopening the bridges announcement.“First of all, I got a call from the White House last night. I got a call from the secretary of homeland security, Mayorkas, early this morning. I have a call with the acting commissioner, Troy Miller, about some of the details. But I can tell you the details are being worked out right now,” Cuellar said in his introduction to the webinar.Troy Miller is the acting commissioner for Customs and Border Protection. Cuellar said there are two aspects to the DHS decision or reopening the bridges. The first impacts so-called non-essential travelers from Mexico.“If they have proof of the (Covid-19) vaccine they will be able to come into the United States. That means tourism, family members can see their family members or come shop. That will open up,” Cuellar said.The second aspect of the new ruling kicks in in January, Cuellar said. “Anybody coming in to the U.S., any foreigner, which means, of course, Canadians, but for us, Mexicans, essential and non-essential, will have to show proof of (Covid-19) vaccines,” Cuellar said. Cuellar said the DHS decision is a huge boost for border communities.“What does this mean for us? It means (good news) on two fronts, economics and family. Before the pandemic we were getting 18 million Mexicans that would come in and spend $19 billion.”Editor&apos;s Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website. Editor&apos;s Note: The attached podcast includes comments made during the webinar by Congressman Henry Cuellar, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Rio Grande City public relations specialist Angelina Villarreal, and Starr-Camargo International Bridge owner Sam Vale. 

Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

Cuellar: Reopening of bridges means border communities can have a great Christmas

EDINBURG, Texas - Dr. Narciso Garcia, superintendent at Vanguard Academy, is pleased with the progress his charter school system has made in preparing students for collage, career and the military.Collage, career and military readiness (CCMR) is part of the accountability process expected of school systems under House Bill 3.In a recent podcast with the Rio Grande Guardian, Dr. Garcia pointed out that just a few short years ago Vanguard lagged behind neighboring school districts in this regard. But now, based upon data from the Texas Education Agency, Vanguard is often outperforming other school districts. “We wanted to make sure that our CCMR grew because it is part of our accountability to the state,” Garcia said. “We are very excited because CCMR has positively impacted a lot of families.”The data shows, pro rata, that Vanguard is top of the list or near the top for the Texas Success Initiative, Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, Industry Based Certification and Associate Degrees. “Making sure that our students are connected to college, to a career, to the military, are important. But most of all we want to them ready to succeed in life and succeed in helping the community,” Garcia said.“Four years ago when I arrived here, in 2017, we had zero percent of students graduating with industry-based certifications,” Garcia said “Fast forward to four years later and we have 55 percent of our students graduating with CCMR certifications, either in level one or level two.”Garcia pointed out that level two is more rigorous. “We have 11 percent of our students graduating with a level two certificate,” Garcia said proudly. “These certificates prepare students for the workforce.”The attached podcast has the full interview with Dr. Garcia. Editor&apos;s Note: To see a chart contrasting Vanguard Academy with other local school districts go to the story in the Rio Grande Guardian.

Garcia: Vanguard Academy's College, Career & Military Readiness scores keep on improving

PHARR, Texas - The start of the fresh produce season 2021-22 was celebrated at the Pharr International Bridge on Oct. 7.Produce growers, importers, distributors, and consumers from the United States and Mexico were in attendance for the annual event.The Pharr International Bridge is No. 1 in the nation for moving fresh produce. It averages 200,000 fresh produce shipments per year. It is No. 1 in the nation for the importation of pineapples and avocados. It is No. 2 in the nation for the importation of berries. And it is No. 3 in the nation for the importation of tomatoes.This information was provided by Ken Roberts of World City, a publication that tracks imports and exports U.S. Census data.“The Pharr International Bridge continues to remain the #1 Produce gateway in the nation,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, ahead of the event. “Our bridge director, board, and staff continue to do an outstanding job working with all our partners to continue to expand growth and access through our bridge and we look forward to another record-setting season.”At the event, Hernandez said the “unsung heroes” of the Pharr International Bridge were the consumers that use the port of entry.Pharr International Bridge Director Luis Bazan pointed out that the U.S. has consistently remained Mexico&apos;s No. 1 trading partner for produce and goods. He said Pharr&apos;s ideal geographical location has resulted in not only a great partnership between the two countries, but also in the growth of their produce trading capacity. “The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge has evolved into the largest land port for fruits and vegetables in the nation,” Bazan told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service. “Currently, the Pharr International Bridge crosses more than 65 percent of all the fresh produce coming from Mexico through Texas land ports of entry.”Ken Roberts and World City reported that the U.S. imported $355.10 million worth of lemons and other citrus produce through the bridge. The value of peppers, asparagus, and squash, etc., crossing into the U.S. via the bridge was $428.01.71 million. The value of tomatoes crossing into the U.S. via the bridge was $592.72 million. The value of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries crossing into the U.S. via the bridge was $954.71 million. And the value of avocados, dates, figs and pineapples crossing the same bridge was worth $1.43 billion. The attached podcast features all the comments made from the podium by Mayor Hernandez and Bridge Director Bazan at the season kickoff event.

Hernandez: Pharr International Bridge remains No. 1 Fresh Produce gateway in nation

HARLINGEN, Texas - As a regular feature in the Rio Grande Guardian, audio editor Mario Muñoz talks to Rev Torres of the Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project.The TTAP is part of the nonprofit community group Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.In this podcast, Torres explains what the TTAP is all about. Among the questions he answers are: what is the mission of TTAP; how do you qualify for assistance from TTAP; and how do you contact the nonprofit to get answers to tax-related issues. 

Torres explains the work of the Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project

PHARR, Texas - The City of Pharr, the Texas Department of Transportation, and Dragados-Pulice Joint Venture (DPJV) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, to celebrate the ongoing construction of the I-2/I-69C Interchange Project in Pharr.The $303 million dollar project, which has been years in the making, will be eight miles long, consist of new connectors to expand the interchange and its capacity (four lanes in each direction), and will provide for enhanced safety and traffic flow. The three-year project is slated to be completed in the Fall of 2023.Notable guests and dignitaries included Texas Transportation Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg, Pharr Mayor and Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairman Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., state Senator and Senate Transportation Committee Member Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, state Representative and Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Terry Canales, and state Representative Sergio Muñoz, Jr.Here is a podcast featuring all the remarks made from the podium at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Groundbreaking ceremony for $303 million Pharr Interchange Project

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez has outlined a way in which the Rio Grande Valley can benefit from the bottleneck faced by dozens of containers ships waiting to unload their cargo at Long Beach, California. Cortez has suggested the ships dock at Mexico’s west coast ports and transport shipments destined for the east coast of the United States via truck through the Valley.Cortez explained his idea during a recent roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership and held at the Port of Brownsville.“Right now I learn that one third of all the imports coming in from the west side, from Asia, are coming in through Los Angeles and the Long Beach corridor,” Cortez said.“Today, if you read the news there are going to be 57 container ships out in the ocean that have been there for five days because they can’t come in - either because of lack of personnel or other problems that they have.”Cortez said the Port of Brownsville cannot compete for container ships headed to California for the Far East. But, he said, the Valley can, via land crossings.“We are not going to compete with those ports on the Pacific Ocean because we are on the wrong side. How can we do it? Well, we have a neighbor called Mexico that does have a Pacific side port. If we were able to work with them and be able to bring product from them to us, now we are in the middle of the United States. We can now distribute everything, I think more efficiently and effectively through our area. Especially when you know and these demographers are telling me, that the majority of the people are going to be east of the middle of the United States.”Editor&apos;s Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.

Cortez: RGV can benefit from container ships from Asia docking at Mexican ports

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The Rio South Texas Economic Council is a nonprofit membership organization that brings together the economic development interests of the cities, counties, chambers and educational institutions, workforce boards, ports, businesses and other stakeholders working towards regionally prosperity. Our mission is to successfully promote the economic expansion and diversification of communities in the Rio South Texas region by enhancing the knowledge of the area’s many assets among potential investors, fostering growth of the local economy and enhancing competitiveness to attract capital investment and jobs. RSTEC aims to transform the economic reality of the region by facilitating the expansion of value-added industries to the attraction of foreign direct investments or FDI, with the goal of proving the region’s residents with economic opportunities. We hope to accomplish by serving as the tip of the spear for the region’s economic development marketing efforts, filling existing white space by developing relationships, value added industry thought leaders, decision influencers and decision-makers from global markets under-represented in the region. RSTEC develops these relationships by engaging them in their organizations, conferences, trade shows, in other words on their home turf. RSTEC builds their understanding of the region through one-on-one conversations as well as by bringing them into the region for tours and site visits, where they in turn are connected with RSTEC council members. Founded in 2008 and continuously evolving since, RSTEC activities have made significant strides since it adopted its current strategic direction in 2016 which is focused on developing a platform for the attraction of foreign direct investment, which has in itself evolved with each successful annual program of work. And RSTEC plans to build on it for the remainder of 2021. Editor&apos;s Note: The above commentary was given by René Xavier González, executive director of the Rio South Texas Economic Council during a webinar that featured a virtual tour of the Rio Grande Valley&apos;s industrial parks. The attached podcast features the webinar. Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website to read the full story.

González: RSTEC aims to transform the economic reality of the RGV

WESLACO, Texas - Nine new retail projects are coming to Weslaco, with six of them on the frontage of I-2/US 83. Steve Valdez, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco, announced the projects in an exclusive Zoom/podcast with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service. Valdez said the demand for more retail establishments in his city is great, with the number of visitors frequenting existing stores and restaurants greater than the average for the Rio Grand Valley as a whole.“What I can talk about are developments and a certain amount of acreage that is going to be dedicated to retail. So, we have nine different properties in Weslaco that are being considered for commercial development to bring more retail to Weslaco,” Valdez said.“Six of them are located along the expressway and three of them are either north or south of the expressway within a mile or two. And so, to be able to have nine projects, nine different companies, nine developers that are looking at Weslaco (is exciting).”Valdez said the developers are calling the city’s permitting offices and doing their due diligence. "Some of them have actually turned in master plans to the city engineering department and city planning for review. And then some of them are at that phase where they are having conversations with planning to understand what the codes might be with regards to them bringing in this type of development.”Valdez was not in a position to say what new retail stores and restaurants will be coming in. “Give me a year from now, Steve, and you will see at the very least those six locations along the expressway that have been sitting quietly for many years. One that I am allowed to talk about is right next to the (Valley Baptist) micro hospital and a smaller strip center there. Domain Development has purchased all of that land. I want to say there is probably about 12 to 15 acres within that space. And so he is in the process of recruiting companies.”Valdez said he face of the expressway is going to continue to evolve as it has in Weslaco over the last 15 to 20, years. “We are going to continue to see that. At some point we are going to be like some of the other cities: there’s no more land along the frontage and we are going to have to grow north, we are going to have to grow south,” Valdez said.Valdez said praise should go to Maria Cisneros, who handles retail development for the economic development corporation. He said that the EDC received good feedback at a recent trade show for retailers.“What was exciting to us was the numbers they would give us back. They would tell us, your retail numbers in Weslaco are over the top,” Valdez said. “Ours are well above the average. Weslaco’s numbers are really, really impressive.”In addition to commercial development, the Zoom/podcast also focused on a new industrial park for Weslaco, the importance of the Progreso International Bridge, the importance of Mid Valley Airport, higher education in the area, and Census 2020. Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part Zoom/podcast series with Steve Valdez and the Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco. Part Two, focusing the Mid Valley International Industrial Park, will air in our next broadcast. 

Nine new retail projects coming to Weslaco, six of which will be on the I-2 frontage

MCALLEN, Texas - A discussion took place at a recent McAllen Economic Development Corporation board meeting on whether McAllen International Airport could become a major hub or a mini hub for flights into Mexico.McAllen EDC President Keith Patridge said an excellent partnership being developed between Aeromar and the City of McAllen could just catapult McAllen International Airport to mini-hub status.Fabricio Cojuc, executive director for network strategy and alliances at Aeromar, was more bold. He said there is no reason the airport could not be a major hub. Before the discussion took place, Cojuc gave a powerpoint presentation about the growth of Aeromar and its plans for McAllen. Aeromar currently flies directly from McAllen to Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. Cojuc said he is currently looking at three more direct flight destinations in Mexico but did not name them.“We really want to support Liz, and the City, and Aeromar,” said Patridge.“What they are doing in Mexico is really going to be a strategic advantage for us because, in effect, what we are doing and forgive me, Fabricio, I kind of throw this out there: I think what we are basically doing is creating a mini-hub into Mexico.”The “Liz” Patridge was referring to was Liz Suarez, aviation director for McAllen International Airport. In her report to the MEDC board, Suarez said passenger traffic is up 100 percent, year-to-date. “That is good. We have load factors up about 17 percent and flights to market are up about 45 percent. We are currently capturing 49 percent of the RGV market share, as well,” Suarez said.In his discussion about Aeromar, Patridge said the direct and one-stop network the airline is developing out of McAllen is great news for maquiladora companies and their suppliers in Reynosa and McAllen.Editor&apos;s Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service&apos;s website. 

Cojuc: McAllen International Airport can become a major hub for Mexico

HARLINGEN, Texas - As a regular feature in the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Podcast Editor Mario Munos talks to Rev Torres of the Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project about tax issues.The Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project is hosted by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.What will you do if you expect to receive a tax refund from the Internal Revenue Service, but receive a letter instead? In this podcast, paralegal Rev  Torres explains what you should do… and what you should not do when you receive a letter from the IRS.

Torres: What to do if you receive a letter not a tax refund from the IRS

WESLACO, Texas - Dr. Michael B. Hocker, recently appointed dean of UTRGV School of Medicine, has given an overview of the college’s work to a local council of government.Hocker spoke about securing full accreditation for UTRGV SOM within the next 12 to 18 months, bringing more health research funds to the region, and expanding the college’s community clinics.“We are looking at expanding and growing our residency and fellowship training programs to bring more specialties to the Valley. We know that if we have students come here and our residents and fellows train here that they are likely to stay here,” Hocker told the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council’s board of directors.“I think it is all important because we need those folks to look like our community and we are seeing that in our medical school class but also our residency and fellowship programs.On the subject of bringing more medical research dollars to the Valley, Hocker noted the UTRGV SOM had recently been awarded two major federal grants to conduct cancer research.One of these - worth $2.5 million - was from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute. The funding will go towards establishing an Integrated Cancer Research Core facility that will serve as a foundation for building the Rio Grande Valley’s growing cancer research network. The core also will support the established South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research to address disproportionate, cancer-related health issues in the area. It is the first time UTRGV SOM has received a CPRIT grant. “I think this is monumental as this is the first time that that kind of research funding has come to The Rio Grande Valley and it is really going to help us improve both the identification and early detection and treatment of cancers in the Valley,” Hocker told the LRGVDC.On the subject of community clinics,” Hocker said: “From a clinical care perspective, we continue to expand our programs and provide specialty level care for the citizens of the Rio Grande Valley. We will continue to expand on that.”Hocker said the medical school continues to partner with local and regional hospitals. “We want to continue to foster those relationships as we continue to grow in all three of these missions.”

New dean of UTRGV School of Medicine give update to LRGVDC

Nina Perales, vice president of litigation for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, recently spoke about the implications of the 2020 Census on redistricting for South Texas and the border region.Perales, who has litigated on behalf of Latino communities in two previous redistricting cycles, spoke at a board meeting of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council.Perales said the loss of population in rural parts of Texas and the growth in its urban and suburban parts, as shown by Census 2020, was incredible.Perales said: “We have a new and very different picture of Texas than we had before, even a decade before. The population changes are quite stunning, in fact. There is widespread and consistent loss of population in rural areas in Texas and at the same time really extraordinary population gain in Texas in large cities and suburbs. I have never seen a pattern like this and this is my third round of redistricting with MALDEF.”Editor&apos;s Note: The attached podcast features Perales’ remarks at the LRGVDC meeting. To read the full story in the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, click here. 

Perales: Population changes in Texas are quite stunning

Official podcast for the Rio Grande Guardian, the first online newspaper to launch on the South Texas border, starting out in July, 2005. The Rio Grande Guardian has an excellent reputation for accurate and thorough news reporting, with a specialty for border business, legislative, political, healthcare, environment, and education issues.