May / June 2019 - RGVision Magazine

M AY/J UN E 2 0 19 | VO LUM E 11 ISSUE 3

MOMS & DADS RGV residents share family memories ahead of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

LEAVING THE NEST

LIFE CHANGES

NATURE’S HEROES

Transition tips for both parents and students for the first year of college.

What do we do when new situations are too much to handle alone?

Texas Master Naturalists protect the Valley’s flora and fauna.

GONZALEZ AWARD WINNING LEGAL REPRESENTATION READY TO FIGHT FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED US

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The opinions and views expressed in the magazine don’t necessarily reflect those of our advertisers or collaborators. RGVision magazine is published bi-monthly and circulates 12,000 copies across the Rio Grande Valley in 420 locations with a direct mail distribution to major hospitals and Superintendents within Region 1. The RGVision office is located at 801 N. Bryan Road, Mission, TX 78572.

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Cristina Garcia James Wiseman Sergio Contreras Bill Martin Dr. Alfonso Mercado J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys Leonardo F. Chang Quinta Mazatlan

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Despite the way it is portrayed in national news, the Rio Grande Valley is flourishing. Progressive, likeminded individuals see our region as a prime location to launch new ventures and ideas. In this issue, you will read about these projects — a radio show giving voice to local musicians; volunteers donating their time to the environment and educating residents about it; a preteen taking the initiative to foster and re-home dozens of cats; renowned restaurateurs continuing to dazzle the RGV’s fine dining world; and many more.

This is true community building.

As Mother’s Day and Father’s Day approach, it is important to recognize those who have shown us what it means to be selfless. Many of our parents have overcome challenges to provide a brighter and better future for us. To show our utmost respect and love for them, we share a few stories that have inspired us to pay it forward, becoming role models for our future in the Rio Grande Valley. Thank you for reading! Please stay educated, informed, and inspired.

Danya Perez Marissa Soler Rod Santa Ana Karina Vargas Berenice Garcia Ana Karen Torres Roda Grubb Sofia Aleman

Omar Díaz Dominique Zmuda Gwyn Zubia James Hord Barbara Delgado Norma Hess Cathy Fonseca and Deanna Congo

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS 2 0 19

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VOLUME 11 ISSUE 3 RGVISION MAGAZINE d Da m&ing

Mo

64 ON THE COVER

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MOMS & DADS

RGV residents share family memories ahead of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

EDUCATION

Breaking Ground pg 8 A Global Economy pg 10 Eyes of Alumni pg 12 Adult Learning pg 16 Workforce Ready pg 18 STEM Summer Camp pg 24 College Ready pg 26

Wind Energy pg 28 Salomé on Main pg 30 Retirement pg 34 Dining Rolls In pg 36 Hub City pg 38 Texting While Driving pg 40 The Quality Life pg 42 David Calvillo pg 46 Financial Focus pg 48

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NAT U RE’ S HEROES

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LIFE C HA NG ES

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LEAVING T HE NES T

BUSINESS

Call

Texas Master Naturalists protect the Valley’s flora and fauna.

What do we do when new situations are too much to handle alone?

Transition tips for both parents and students for the first year of college.

HEALTH

QUALITY OF LIFE

Heart of the Matter

Amazing Focal Point in Nature

pg 50

pg 68

Spinach Pancakes

KIttens’ Safe Haven

pg 52

pg 72

Postpartum Depression

Ready for Landing

pg 54

pg 76

Practicing Proctology

Making Waves

pg 56

pg 80

Crash Course On Caffeine

Home Court Advantage

pg 62

pg 84

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BREAKING GROUND

for not only our district, but for our community and generations of college-bound students to come. I could not think of a better time or a better place for this to happen.”

This marks Phase 1 for UTRGV’s baccalaureate programming presence in Harlingen.

Through a partnership with an accredited university, ECHS students graduate high school with their academic core or are on a fast track towards careers in engineering, computer science, and education. By selecting collegiate pathways they are passionate about, students save time and money while developing successful study habits.

“We want UTRGV to be a university for the entire valley, and our partnership with Harlingen CISD is a great example of that,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey said. “We are excited about expanding our partnership with the Early College High School, and we look forward to other collaborations that will benefit Harlingen students and their families.”

UTRGV is working with the City of Harlingen to secure the building site of the campus, featuring classroom space and teaching labs.

“That’s a lot of help for us because a lot of students like to have a head start, and I think it’s really nice,” Benitez said of the contributions.

UTRGV and Harlingen CISD will each contribute for its construction,and the city committed to donating the land.

“A prosperous community is one that works together,” Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell said. “In Harlingen, we unite to support the youth of our community and equip them with the skills they need to be successful, which is in keeping with HCISD’s commitment to graduate students college, career, and community ready.”

Partnership Brings New UTRGV/ HCISD Campus to Harlingen

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by C ristina Ga rc i a

With a focus on expanding partnerships and educational opportunities for students, Harlingen CISD collaborated with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the city of Harlingen to construct an exciting new venture.

The three partners announced in February the opening of a new UTRGV Early College High School campus, spanning thousands of square feet, to be located near Camelot Drive and Hale Avenue.

Through the partnership, hundreds of early college high school students will attend the new campus where they will earn their high school diplomas as well as university credit hours.

“I’m excited because our freshman class is going to be the first class to graduate from the new campus, and I feel like it’s going to attract more students,” said Ximena Benitez, a freshman at the current ECHS campus.

ECHS provides students an authentic college learning experience. Under the guidance of UTRGV professors, ECHS students will earn up to 60 hours of college credit by the time they graduate high school.

“In Harlingen, we are committed to putting students at the front of the line of opportunities,” HCISD Superintendent Dr. Art Cavazos said. “This project defines the goals we have set

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PREPARING STUDENTS FOR

A GLOBAL ECONOMY

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PSJA ISD’s Dual Language Enrichment Program Promotes Global Awareness Among Students

In an effort to build bridges of understanding and expose students to different cultures from around the world at an early age, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley have partnered to promote international education in the area through a generous grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

UTRGV was awarded an Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program grant of $172,000 to promote global awareness throughout Hidalgo County. As part of the grant, about $16,000 will go toward conducting community outreach at PSJA ISD, especially to students and staff through the district's renowned Dual Language Enrichment Program.

First started in 1995, the PSJA Dual Language Enrichment Program’s mission is to help students develop biliteracy skills and maintain high levels of cognitive abilities. Since its creation, over 1,400 students have graduated with Dual Language Bi-Literacy Seals

on their high school diploma. This seal is given only to those students who complete the rigorous program helping them master both academic English and Spanish languages.

While this is a districtwide program, PSJA ISD is piloting a third language, Mandarin Chinese, at six campuses that are part of the PSJA Southwest Early College HS cluster. Recent studies show that English, Spanish, and Mandarin languages are not only among the top spoken in the world, but also the ones with the highest business demand.

For Linda Garcia, a parent of two PSJA ISD students enrolled in the Dual Language Enrichment Program, she is grateful and proud that her children will be trilingual by the time they graduate from high school.

“I am excited for them. It teaches them about different cultures and diversity,” said Garcia, whose kids attend Garcia Elementary School and Kennedy Middle School.

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“They are going from English to Spanish and now even Mandarin Chinese.”

According to UTRGV Associate Vice President of Global Engagement Dr. Dennis Hart, thanks to dual language programs like PSJA ISD’s, the Rio Grande Valley has the potential to show the world that it is a leader in bilingual education. Most recently, PSJA ISD, UTRGV, and the City of Pharr partnered to host International Week and the 2nd Annual Lunar Year Festival at PSJA Southwest ECHS on Feb. 8.

“We wanted to reach out to the community to build up international and foreign languages. That led us straight to PSJA ISD because their Dual Language Program is the best in the Valley,” Hart said. “PSJA ISD has hit the trifecta by teaching the most commonly spoken languages in the world: Chinese, Spanish, and English."

The week-long event included interactive workshops taught by UTRGV professors, and it was concluded with the 2nd Annual Lunar Year Festival in partnership with the City of Pharr, where more than 800 community members learned more about the Chinese culture.

According to Hart, some of the benefits of studying different cultures and foreign languages include students graduating with higher GPAs and communities having higher employment and college acceptance rates.

“These skills and aptitudes contribute to our young people’s global competency,” Hart said. “Employers today want recent graduates to have a better understanding of world cultures, languages, politics, and economics.

Those who do get better jobs.”

Over 15,000 students are currently enrolled in PSJA's Dual Language Enrichment Program. Of these, more than 500 elementary, middle, and high school students are learning the Chinese culture and language through the district’s pilot program.

According to PSJA Dual Language Enrichment Program Director Olivia Martinez, establishing a solid foundation at the elementary level is key to students’ growth, development, and overall success in the program.

“Our students are so well prepared that by the time they leave fifth grade, the teachers in middle school are able to take them to the next level, ” Martinez said. “We know that once you learn a first, second, and third language, you are ready to take on more than that. We want to give our children more because if three languages give them so much opportunities, can you imagine what four or even five languages would do?”

“PSJA ISD has hit the trifecta by teaching the most commonly spoken languages in the world: Chinese, Spanish, and English.”

RGVISION MAGAZINE

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Dr. D e n n i s H a r t , UT RGV associate vice presiden t of G lobal E n gagemen t

MAY/JUN 2019

E D U C A T I O N

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IDEA-U THROUGH THE

EYES OF ALUMNI

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b y D a n y a Pe r e z The goal was simple: Create a new college pathway for socalled non-traditional students. And so IDEA Public Schools embarked on their first college adventure over a year ago.

Today that endeavor has paid off for some who once thought it wasn’t in their cards to get a degree.

IDEA-U partnered with New Hampshire University over a year ago to offer college associate and bachelor’s degrees.

These are acquired solely online and at the student’s own pace. But students are also required to be advised in person on a weekly basis to make sure they are on track.

Through the partnership, the degree plans are offered with a flat rate tuition of $2,750 per six months, and students can take as many credits as they can handle.

IDEA-U has graduated 25 students so far. And their current cohort includes 158 students at the Weslaco campus, 54 in Brownsville, and about 60 in San Antonio. The goal is to serve a total of 400 students across all three sites by June 30.

Three current students and alumni — Miriam Salazar

Balleza, Nicholas Chapa, and Grace Hernandez — are perfect examples of life circumstances getting in the way of higher education.

For all of them, it wasn’t for lack of effort that a college degree wasn’t attained. It was a lack of a pathway that fit their needs.

Take Balleza, for example, who gave the program a new record by finishing her associate degree in threeand-a-half months. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in communications with a concentration in business through IDEA-U. “I never thought I would be able to get a degree this fast,” she said. “I didn’t think I would get this much support. … It’s just amazing what this program did for me, to be honest.”

Balleza graduated high school early. But rather than being able to quickly move on to college, she had to work full time to help support her family after her father was picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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Her father was a resident and would later get released, but Balleza faced another hurdle: financial aid.

Balleza, 24, is a DACA recipient — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. While that permit is meant to allow her to work and study in the country without fear of deportation, it doesn’t mean she enjoys the same financial aid or grant opportunities as U.S. residents or citizens.

So she kept her full-time job and only took a few classes at a time at a traditional college.

There was no time frame to finish, no set goal for Balleza, who said she played it by ear. But one day, her mother told her about this new program she heard about where DACA students could get a full scholarship.

“I thought, ‘no, there’s always a catch,’” she said. “But I went and that’s when I spoke with (advisers) who said it is absolutely free for DACA students, so that immediately caught me.”

And it was true — IDEA-U received a grant in 2018 to provide full tuition to DREAMers. And Balleza is now planning to finish her bachelor’s degree in one year.

Her classmate, Nicholas Chapa, 28, also put his education on hold after becoming a father at a young age. At that point, he had to prioritize work to support his family.

“I had tried to go to college right after high school — I went to then-UTPA (University of Texas-Pan American) for a couple of years — but I had a son in the meantime and dropped out,” Chapa said. “A few years later, I tried to go back to school and it just didn’t work out.”

For him it was more about scheduling issues. Juggling a full-time job, family, and school wasn’t easy, especially when trying to select courses at a traditional university. There also wasn’t much help he could get to find better options.

“I basically (had) no guidance before. But here I feel like they are always here to help,” he said. “We have to meet with (advisers) weekly, whether you want to or not, and they are with you as you go through the program.”

Chapa finished his associate degree in nine-and-ahalf months through IDEA-U, and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Management with a concentration in public administration.

The constant guidance gives him the tools needed to not only get these degrees, he said, but to see past it. Chapa is now planning to continue studying to pursue a master’s degree in computer science.

Perhaps one of the reasons why those advisers work hard to encourage students is because some of them have been in their shoes.

Grace Hernandez is currently a college completion adviser at IDEA-U, but her vast resume also includes working as a co-

“It’s really an amazing program. It’s ideal for any hard working individual.

If you already have a lot of things on your plate it’s totally flexible to where you can make your own schedule and dedicate your own time for school.”

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teacher at IDEA Mission, and eight years in law enforcement with the city of Mission as a dispatcher, police officer, and criminal investigator.

Hernandez, 41, was part of the first cohort of IDEA-U graduates. Her calling to go back to school came when she decided to make a career change in order to have a stable schedule for her and her family.

“Being in law enforcement is great work, but it’s long hours being away from your family,” she said. “So I found a way to still serve, but spend a lot of time with my family.”

She changed paths to education, and while working as a co-teacher she was made aware of a full teaching opening that would require her to get a degree in education.

That’s when she heard about IDEA-U. At that point she already had the equivalent of an associate degree and the flexibility of the program worked for her already busy schedule.

“I felt like it was the opportunity of a lifetime and I needed to be a part of it,” Hernandez said. “So I did.”

Hernandez received a bachelor’s degree in management with a concentration in public administration in one year, jumped on board as an adviser, and is now planning to seek a master’s degree through Our Lady of the Lake University in the fall.

“The way the program is designed, it is up to the individual.

As much as you want to put into your school work. As much as you dedicate your own time,” she said.

Now Hernandez mentors 40 students. And it helps, she said, that she can speak from experience and better understand the stages the students go through.

“It’s really different from other college paths,” she said.

“It’s really an amazing program. It’s ideal for any hardworking individual. If you already have a lot of things on your plate, it’s totally flexible to where you can make your own schedule and dedicate your own time for school.”

MAY/JUN 2019

G r a ce H e r n a n d e z , college completion adviser at I DEA -U

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E D U C A T I O N

ADULT LEARNING Opportunities Continue Evolving Throughout Valley

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b y D a n y a Pe r e z Whether it is to get a better job or change career paths, adult education courses are in constant demand and the offerings are evolving throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

When we hear adult education, it is easy to think of only GED certificate courses — General Education Development. And while these are still prevalent and needed, along with English as a second language and civic courses, there is growing emphasis on career pathways that lead to well-paying jobs.

“We want to ensure that we are connecting people at every opportunity,” said Shelly Sanchez, community engagement deputy director for Workforce Solutions.

“We want to ensure that if we do any type of investment in training, they are in these target occupations to give individuals the opportunity for jobs … and great projected salaries.”

Workforce Solutions receives applicants with all levels of education, Sanchez said. Some might need only English to put their skills in practice here in the U.S., while others need at least a GED to get started on a new career path.

“Our career counselors at the workforce centers give them that type of guidance,” she said. “We try to connect them with job readiness classes, with jobs through

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“We want to ensure that if we do any type of investment in training, they are in these target occupations to give individuals the opportunity for jobs … and great projected salaries.”

S helly Sa nchez, c o m m uni ty e ngage m e nt de p uty di r e ctor for Workforce Solu tion s

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phlebotomist, Microsoft specialist, or forklift operator,” Gonzalez said. “And STC is in the process of creating three or four new classes that will start in April and May.” The center also offers entrepreneurial courses for those who want to start their own business and it is starting a program called Integrated Education and Training.

This is intended to get these adults the skills they will need to hit the ground running in the workplace.

This works for companies that have a large amount of non-English speakers who require specialized training, or those who need added training to help their current employees grow with the company rather than seeking new hires.

“For example, if (a company) brings in a consultant to train employees on how to operate new machinery, but it’s in English, we can help you by providing an ESL instructor free of charge to help train your employees in this equipment,” Gonzalez said.

The overall goal is to help these adult learners not stop at a GED or English class for lack of resources, but to provide them tools to help them grow within their current job or in a new career.

Once somebody applies for even the most basic programs, they are also offered orientation to help channel them in a career path that fits their interest and that can help fill the demand in the area.

“We are here to help you change your life and go in the direction that you want to go,” Gonzalez said. “Whether it is to get an industry recognized certificate or go on to post-secondary education.”

@MCALLENPAC

RGVISION MAGAZINE

referrals, we create training opportunities … but if they are specifically trying to grow their education level and language acquisition, we rely heavily on our partners.”

One of these partners is Region One Education Services Center, which services Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties through 45 education sites.

Aside from GED and ESL courses — which are offered as either basic courses or for professionals — these sites offer the targeted courses mentioned by Sanchez.

There are more than 40 targeted occupations that are identified in biannual industry studies. These range from customer service to web developers and pharmacy technicians. The idea is to survey the needs of the industry and focus the resources in career paths that are in demand and that offer competitive pay.

“Personally speaking, as a former school administrator and working in rural communities, there is a great need out there,” said Maria Gonzalez, adult education program director at Region One. “We are here to help you change your mind and help you get where you want to go.”

Region One also relies on other partnerships to offer specialized certificates or degree-leading courses in these indemand areas.

Some of these degree-leading courses and certificates are offered through South Texas College, which has a wide array of career paths to fit students needs and go beyond a GED. “If you are taking a ESL class, or a GED preparation class, you can also train to be a

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R E A D Y Bachelor Programs at STC Key to Region’s Economic Needs

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by James Wiseman

For institutions of higher learning, providing an agile response to fast-changing workforce needs is like turning a ship: difficult and cumbersome for an aircraft carrier, but potentially faster and more graceful for a sleeker craft.

So, when it came to maneuvering the waters of the state’s churning tech industries in the early 2000s, the Texas Legislature chose three speedboats.

“Imagine: community colleges for the first time offering bachelor’s degrees,” said Dr. Ali Esmaeili, Dean of Math, Science and Bachelor’s Programs at South Texas College, one of just three two-year colleges in Texas to be given such authorization in 2003. “For almost two or three weeks, I couldn’t sleep … how to get this started?

“Finally, one night it clicked … the rest is history.”

From the maiden voyage of the initial program — the Bachelor of Applied Technology: Technology Management degree in 2005 — to the legislative launch of its fourth bachelor’s degree program in 2014, South Texas College’s bold experiment has kept a course of success. Between 2007 and 2017, more than 1,400 students earned bachelor’s degrees through the four available programs, with approximately 80 percent finding degree-relevant employment.

“It was like a tsunami,” says Esmaeili, who credits the “energy” of South Texas College, as well as the foresight and cooperation of the local business community for the success of that first program. “A lot of students really took that degree as a cost-effective way for them to move forward.”

With demand for tech-savvy professionals higher than ever, it’s hard to say who benefits more: the students building workforce-ready career skills, or the local economies that depend on them. STC’s bachelor’s degree programs are carefully curated to fill gaps in the workforce, usually in response to glaring regional need.

“We are obligated to our community,” Esmaeili said.

“The mayor of our city said to me, ‘as you graduate them, I’m going to hire them.’”

MASSIVE DEMAND FOR HEALTH SERVICES MANAGERS Opportunities are legion for graduates of the unique programs, with demand continuing to outpace supply of qualified professionals in critical sectors like health care. In a region bearing some of the highest levels of obesity in the U.S. (McAllen ranks No. 3, according to WalletHub’s 2018 report), the education and training of medical services managers has become a priority.

South Texas College’s Medical & Health Services Management program, launched in 2011, has seen its enrollment jump from 45 students that first year to 234 in 2017. Focusing on the career skills required by managers in the healthcare industry, the MHSM program covers the software and systems used in real-world medical billing, record-keeping, electronic storage, and other technological aspects of the industry.

“Wherever those students go, they'll have the preparation and skills to succeed and thrive,” said Dr. Hilaire Saint Pierre, Department Chair and faculty for the Medical Health Services Management program.

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only a sense of trust, but a commitment to cooperation.

Each of the four South Texas College bachelor’s degree programs is guided by an advisory committee, featuring education leaders and industry experts from the public and private sectors. By soliciting advice and information directly from the business community, STC is able to keep its coursework current, cutting-edge, and in line with regional demand.

“Our grads are really energizing us, with business and industry guiding us,” Esmaeili said.

South Texas College’s groundbreaking work, along with that of co-pioneers Midland and Brazosport, has helped bring community college bachelor programs in Texas from wild experiment to legitimate classroom-tocareer pathway. The passage of Senate Bill 2118 in June 2018 opened the door for more two-year colleges in the state to offer bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields like applied technology, applied science and nursing.

Meanwhile STC has cleared legislative hurdles to launch its fifth bachelor’s degree program — in nursing.

“It’s incredible what’s happening,” Esmaeili said. “No community college in Texas is doing what we do here.”

To find out more information about STC’s bachelor programs, visit bachelors.southtexascollege.edu/.

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“The need for medical and health services is one of the fastest-growing areas,” Esmaeili added. “[We’ve had] great success — we are ahead of our projection.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for health services managers is climbing at a staggering rate of 20 percent — far above the national average for all careers. Salaries are keeping pace, with the average bachelor’s degree-holding medical and health services manager earning $98,350 per year.

“The jobs are there,” said Saint Pierre, who fields calls relating to local industry staffing needs on a nearconstant basis. According to the professor, South Texas College’s reputation for producing qualified professionals puts his program at the top of call sheet for local healthcare businesses.

“The community and workforce reach out to us when they need help,” Saint Pierre said. “Last semester, the hospice needed help with its HR department — they hired one of our grads. Yesterday, I received a call from a local dentist.

“They know when they need healthcare managers, we’re here at South Texas College.”

STC’s close relationship with the community — and particularly its busiest industries — has engendered not

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NATURE’S HEROES Texas Master Naturalists Protect the Valley’s Flora and Fauna

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In late 2013, a bitter cold front blew in to South Texas and dropped temperatures so quickly that endangered sea turtles off South Padre Island didn’t have time to swim to deeper, warmer waters.

The cold snap put many of them in a comatose state, increasing their likelihood of drowning.

Fortunately, locally trained Texas Master Naturalists came to the rescue, wading into chilly waters to retrieve the stressed creatures. The volunteers gradually warmed up the sea turtles in indoor pools and eventually released them into deep waters.

This winter, strong north winds blowing across concrete road barriers forced hundreds of brown pelicans out of the air and crashing onto the pavement of State Highway 48, between Port Isabel and Brownsville.

Texas Master Naturalists, who volunteered as concerned citizens, and others risked their lives by dodging speeding traffic, day and night, to rescue the downed birds. Many pelicans were hit and killed by speeding cars, but brave volunteers have saved several hundred birds thus far.

The Texas Department of Transportation has now erected warning signs for drivers, and will redesign their barriers to prevent the bird-killing turbulence and downdrafts created by crosswinds.

And in yet another sign of a distressed species and habitat, populations of red-crowned parrots across the Rio Grande Valley are declining, experts say.

But once again to the rescue, Texas Master Naturalists are taking quarterly, coordinated counts of the native birds from McAllen to Brownsville. The documentation of their decline will hopefully land the birds on the endangered species list.

Protection by the federal government could mean the prosecution of poachers who pilfer eggs from roosting sites to sell the hatched birds as pets.

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VALLEY VOLUNTEERS GROWING There are over 400 Texas Master Naturalists across the Rio Grande Valley who have volunteered their time and services to protect and enhance local native species and habitat.

They are made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life, from retired locals to Winter Texans to area students studying science-related disciplines.

In 2018, Texas Master Naturalists in the Valley contributed almost a quarter million volunteer hours valued at nearly $600,000.

Tony Reisinger has overseen the program since its inception in South Texas in 2002. By 2009, he said, interest in the program had grown to such an extent that two chapters became necessary: the Rio Grande Valley Chapter in the Lower Valley, and the South Texas Border Chapter in the Mid- and Upper Valley.

Reisinger is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Sea Grant agent for coastal and marine resources in Cameron County and a Texas Master Naturalist adviser.

“Our doors are always open to people interested in learning more about our highly unique ecosystem we have here in South Texas, and who want to help us maintain and improve on what nature has already provided,” he said.

The program is supported by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Sea Grant and AgriLife Extension, he said.

fall classes."

Reisinger said over the years, more Hispanics and younger locals, as opposed to only Winter Texans, are becoming Texas Master Naturalists.

"The level of ecological awareness is growing among native Valley people," he said. "We're seeing more young and local students in our classes, and based on evaluations, they're coming in to our classes with increasingly higher knowledge levels of the local ecology."

After Learning, Action!

Once participants become certified as a Texas Master Naturalist, they volunteer for community projects, demonstrations, and educational activities that connect adults and children to the many facets of Mother Nature, he said.

Among their many efforts, volunteers provide youth education programs, and outreach and service to local nature centers and parks.

“Our mission is to provide education and outreach to the public to keep the destruction of native habitat at a minimum,” said Robert Hernandez, president of one of two chapters of TMN in the Valley, the South Texas Border chapter. "This is accomplished through participation in nature events and volunteering at nature sites throughout the RGV. “I’m proud to say we’re doing our part of that mission,” he said.

Ninety percent of the Rio Grande Valley’s native habitat has been destroyed over the years, largely through urbanization and agriculture, Hernandez said.

Saving the remaining 10 percent — and possibly increasing and enhancing it — is the mission of Texas Master Naturalists.

Among his many duties, Hernandez, now in his third oneyear term as president of his TMN chapter, assists in the efforts of the red-crowned parrot survey, and has overseen the landscape reconstruction at the Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic on Expressway 83 and Second Street in McAllen.

The landscaping is a project led by fellow chapter members

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HOW TO GET IN ON IT Becoming a Texas Master Naturalist begins with a 40hour training course that includes classes and field trips.

Lectures are taught by recognized experts and focus on the Rio Grande Valley’s native ecosystems.

The dozen or so field trips taken by students are very popular, Reisinger said. They can include studying the geology of rock formations in Starr County, exploring the coastline, a visit to the National Weather Service, or treks through the Valley's nature parks.

“Our students are exposed to everything from coastal ecology to birds and butterflies,” he said. “It encompasses a huge range in nature education and is highly rewarding and very interesting.”

Each of the two Valley chapters — one meets in San Benito and the other in Pharr — begin classes in January, end in March and graduate in April. The Lower Valley chapter will also have a class this fall.

Once graduates fulfill 40 hours of volunteer work of their choice, they become certified Texas Master Naturalists.

The popularity of the program is what's driving the expansion, Reisinger said.

"We try to limit classes to 25 students but may go up to as many as 28. We hate to do it, but we sometimes have to turn people away. That's why the second Valley chapter was created and why one of these chapters will now hold

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Becky Jones and Sylvia Casselman, Hernandez said.

“We're completely gutting and redoing the landscaping at Vannie E. Cook and replacing it with native plants, shrubs and trees," he said. "We're doing the project in three stages and so far have completed two of them."

Hernandez said that unlike many landscape plants found at big box stores, native vegetation attracts birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.

"In the end, patients and visitors will be able to enjoy a more natural setting as well as a few water features out there," he said.

efforts while working with state agencies alongside local partnership organizations.

“What makes the work of a Master Naturalist so important is they are not only individuals who love nature and offer their time, but they are trained naturalists with specialized knowledge of different ecosystems, species, habitats, and environmental demands,” Haggerty said.

Reisinger said that each trainee can select from a wide variety of approved local projects to volunteer their time.

These can include habitat restoration, native plant rescues, native seed collection, school habitats, and educational presentations, or they can design a project of their own.

"There is just so much to do and the interests of our Master Naturalists are so varied, that many branch off into projects where they see a need, and one thing leads to another," he said.

The brown pelican rescue, for example, has led a group of students to begin a formal study on the local habitat and life cycle of the brown pelicans to determine what attracts them to Highway 48.

Still others saw a need to rebuild eroding sand dunes along South Padre Island, which could have lasting effects.

"One group is planting new vegetation out there to help dunes re-establish themselves," Reisinger said. "This is a project that actually started with 4-H back in the 1970s and ’80s. They stacked old Christmas trees along the dunes to help them capture and build up sand. And it worked. To this day you can still see their really nice dune lines, especially at Andie Bowie Park and at Isla Blanca Park."

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SAVING THE PLANET CAN BE ENCHANTING M. Lee Brown, a Texas Master Naturalist from Laguna Vista, had an epiphany of sorts during her first of many boat rides in the Laguna Madre helping Stephanie Bilodeau, a conservation biologist with the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, survey bird populations.

"As we pulled up to one of the small spoils islands, there were thousands of birds of all kinds," she said. "I was just amazed, in awe. It's nice to be out in the bay, but this was phenomenal. Some birds were tending to babies, hundreds of them were feeding. All of them were talking to each other.

I was so enthralled, I'm afraid I wasn't much help that day in helping Stephanie count."

Brown said her "high" was long-lasting.

"I smiled for four or five days," she said. "I was just mesmerized. My feet were not quite touching the ground for days! My family actually saw it in me — it was physically visible."

Brown had been a Texas Master Naturalist in the Hays County area but after retiring and moving to South Texas in 2015, she decided joining a local TMN chapter would help her find her bearings.

Since then, in addition to the bay bird counts, Brown has helped in many projects, including sea turtle foot patrols, the brown pelican tracking study, and many Laguna Madre cleanups and habitat restoration projects.

GET OUT THERE AND MEET SOMEONE M. Lee Brown, who was mesmerized by the bay birds, said Texas Master Naturalists are "citizen scientists."

"Volunteering is powerful and engaging," she said. "It gives you a sense of community. Supporting nature is helping the community because in nature, we're all connected. We get pleasure from observing nature, but it's here for a reason.

There's the story of ranchers who had coyote problems, killed them off, then had rabbit problems. There's a delicate balance we need to preserve."

Brown has advice for young people.

"Texas Master Nwaturalists is a great way to meet people," she said. "It's amazing how many friends I've made since becoming a Master Naturalist. If you have an interest in nature, this is a great way to learn about it from the experts.

You'll find areas of special interest to you and meet others with similar interests. You benefit, nature benefits, we all benefit."

For more information, go to the lower Valley chapter's website of Texas Master Naturalists at RGVCTMN.org, and the upper Valley chapter at STBCTMN.org.

TWO DECADES AND COUNTING Statewide, the program began in 1998 and last year celebrated its 20th anniversary with a gala in Georgetown, near Austin.

At the time, Michelle Haggerty, the state program coordinator in Kerrville, said that in its two decades of existence, the Texas Master Naturalist program had trained more than 11,000 individuals who had contributed more than 4 million hours of volunteer service.

That statewide service, including the Rio Grande Valley, includes time spent restoring native habitats, creating outreach events to educate the public, building community awareness, and conducting research and citizen science

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2019-2020

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2019 STEM SUMMER CAMPS IN THE RGV

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As summer is quickly approaching, parents are planning on how their kids will spend the exciting three months. With an assortment of options available across the Rio Grande Valley, STEM summer programs not only provide students with an exciting way to spend summer, but also with enlightening opportunities. Each offers a variety of rewarding experiences focusing on science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics.

If you would like more information about this enriching opportunity and eligibility, visit utrgv.edu/texprep/.

VALLEYWIDE PROGRAMS

Mission locations will provide pupils with an irreplaceable

• Mathnasium

Students of all ages are encouraged to participate in

Mathnasium’s summer programs that aim to strengthen performance in mathematic disciplines such as calculus, physics, and even in SAT/ACT math preparation. During these programs, top-tier instructors of the McAllen and experience through customized coursework. Prices vary

• UTRGV Texas Pre-Freshman Engineering Camp

depending on grade level and program length.

UTRGV will continue hosting the Texas Pre-Freshman Engineering Camp this summer from June 3 through July 17. Students in grades 6 through 11 who are eligible to participate in this rewarding experience will strengthen skills in problem solving, logical reasoning, and engineering. A fee of $425 will be required to be paid by campers or their school district to attend the camp Monday through Friday from 1 to 5:50 p.m. at the Edinburg campus. Transportation will be provided by certain schools throughout the RGV.

For additional information, visit mathnasium.com — or call the McAllen location at (956) 467-4773, or the Mission location at (956) 467-4422.

SYLVAN LEARNING CENTER

• Robotics 101 Camp

Kids in grades 1 through 6 can participate in this

rewarding program that will introduce them to robotic technology. By using Legos and the noteworthy WeDo

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• Engineering Camp

Children in grades 1 through 8 can strengthen their knowledge of engineering through Mission and Harlingen’s Engineering Camp. The Mission program is being offered for $199 during June 3-13 and July 1-12 while Harlingen’s will be held from July 15-19 for $150.

•

Python Coding Sign your child up for Python Coding,

where they will experience the excitement of solving puzzles and inventing their own games and projects. This innovative opportunity is offered to students in grades 6 through 10 at the McAllen location from June 17-20 and July 15-18 for a $199 registration fee and at the Harlingen center from July 2226 for $150.

If you would like additional information about the listed programs, please visit sylvanlearning.com and review the camps under your preferred location.

McALLEN PROGRAMS Sylvan Learning Center

• Space Challenge

Sylvan Learning Center in McAllen is offering a Space Challenge for students in grades 4 through 8 for $199. During this fulfilling program, students will expand their

• Operation Imagine IMAS Summer Camp

McAllen’s International Museum of Art & Science is hosting Operation Imagination camps this summer. Students in grades 3 to 5 will be able to be apart of a compelling experience where they will learn about science disciplines such as physics, chemistry, and biology. Prices vary depending on your desired schedule.

To participate in this exciting experience and learn about the additional camps being offered, visit theimasonline.org or call (956) 681-2800.

MISSION PROGRAMS Sylvan Learning Center

• Coding Camp

If interested in learning the aspects of coding, this camp is for you. From June 3-13 and/or July 1-11, campers will be awarded the unique opportunity of creating video games by learning basic programming skills. The registration deadline for the June program is on June 2 and on June 30 for the July program.

Find additional information on the camp by visiting sylvanlearning.com or calling (956) 682-9800.

HARLINGEN PROGRAMS Sylvan Learning Center

• Algebra Edge Camp

Campers in grades 6 through 12 will embark on an enjoyable experience where they will develop skills for pre-algebra, algebra, algebra 2, and geometry. It is offered June 3-27, July 1-29, and July 29-Aug. 8 and requires a registration fee of $199.

If you would like more information, visit sylvanlearning.com or call (956) 622-4847.

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The Sylvan Learning Centers of both Harlingen and Brownsville will be hosting the Math Edge Camp from June 3-27, July 1-29, and July 29-Aug. 8. For $199, campers from grades 1 through 5 will be offered a chance to strengthen their mathematics skills through a fun and fulfilling outlet. The camp will be held Monday through Thursday during each program period.

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• Math Edge Camp

knowledge on robotics by learning about pulleys and gears. It will be held during certain dates in June, July, and August.

For specific deadlines, dates, and information regarding the program, visit sylvanlearning. com or call (956) 467-0187.

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software, they will learn how to build and program robots. This is offered at all Sylvan locations around the RGV in Harlingen, McAllen, Mission, and Brownsville.

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COLLEGE READY THE GAME

Educator Crafts Fun Approach to Post-secondary Prep

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For years leading up to high school graduation, many students begin the college preparation process by taking part in test taking, improving their class rankings, and of course, applying to community college and/or universities. Although college is known as the traditional step taken after high school, it is seen as a mere fantasy to a large number of students who simply lack the knowledge of higher education. Due to this, Cissy Perez, an educator for over 20 years, created a way for these students to become familiar with the college process with both an iOs app for .99 cents and board game for $24.99.

College Ready-The Game was designed in December 2014 with the sole purpose of providing students of ages 9-19 with an understanding of what a college education is as well as how to pursue one. To participate, students use cards and a die to advance around a board, either hard copy or digital, eventually finishing at the graduation square.

The object of the game is simple. Students earn scholarships by understanding vocabulary words such as ACT, SAT, and AP, and whoever earns the most scholarship money wins the game. While earning these scholarships, students become familiar with a college-ready vocabulary and develop a deeper understanding of how to pursue their education through a fun, competitive outlet. Not only

does College Ready-The Game provide an informative experience for its participants, but according to Perez, it also combats an unfairness that first-generation students traditionally face.

“I saw an injustice happening with students who did not have parents that already knew the college process and how to navigate through that system,” said Perez, a first-generation college graduate. “So for those students who did not learn the college ready vocabulary early in life, this was a way to create awareness for them. That way they won’t be left behind and can have a chance to compete.”

Along with students becoming aware of what the college process consists of, Perez explained that they are also provided with knowledge of opportunities that will even the playing field between them and those with an upper-hand on college awareness.

“Many kids do not take certain classes that could give them bonus points on their GPA or improve their class rank because they aren’t even familiar with what a GPA or a class rank is,” she continued. “This unfamiliarity puts them behind and the gap widens between the lower socioeconomic student who has never been exposed to college and those students who have. It allows them to compete for the same scholarships and colleges because

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know it was going to be so expensive and they realized that there are so many things to think about.”

But aside from teaching players different ways that they could afford to attend school, the game also widens a student’s outlook on other opportunities outside of the college classroom. Whether it is concerning a college education, career and technology schools, apprenticeships, welding, or cosmetology, students are educated about options after high school in all spectrums. College ReadyThe Game provides these insights along with more rewarding information. By simply learning new vocabulary words, students from 32 states ranging as far as Hawaii have been able to become educated on multiple aspects of college, including how to afford it and how they should go about increasing chances of acceptance. Furthermore, this has shined a light for students that have been kept in the dark about available opportunities.

For more information regarding College Ready- The Game or if interested in purchasing, please visit www.CollegeReady-TheGame.com.

MKD-8652B-A

it gives them the realization that it is possible to do so.”

The game is designed to build college awareness, and also shows opportunities that are available to students upon completing high school. Attending a college or university is pricey, which has led students across the U.S. to not consider it an option. With the game defining vocabulary words such as FAFSA, a free application for federal student aid, and Pell Grant, money for college given by the government that does not have to be repaid, Perez has seen students become aware that attending college is immensely possible.

“There were several middle school and high school kids that I interviewed during my dissertation that had been using the game.

Many said that they wouldn’t have known some of the words had it not been that they had been playing the game,” said Perez, who earned her doctorate in educational leadership at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi. “Based on the testimonials and things they were telling me, it helped them look at the bigger picture because they didn’t

When it Comes to Your To-do List, Put Your Future First.

B U S I N E S S ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Sergio Contreras President/CEO RGV Partnership

WIND ENERGY We have a lot of pride here in South Texas — from our culture, to our food, our Texan entrepreneurial spirit, and the economic investment we attract from across the globe. Recently, we’ve found something new to take pride in: wind energy. All around us, the wind energy industry has added a new dimension to our economic portfolio, sparking a wave of job creation and investment that is fueling opportunity and growth.

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BOOMING IN SOUTH TEXAS

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As many have reported, South Texas is becoming a hotspot for wind energy, and that’s true for more than the wind turbines you see dotting the Valley’s landscape.

From Brownsville to Roma, our ports of entry have seen a boon in the shipment of wind energy components. In 2019, that number is expected to increase as Texas ports become the gateway for importing wind energy farm components across the “wind energy corridor” running from New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and across the border into Mexico.

Texas is the nation’s leading wind energy producer, producing more electricity from not just than any other state in the union, but more than all but five countries in the world. Our state’s wind industry produces over 23 gigawatts of clean, affordable, renewable electricity — enough to power 6,235,000 homes. Nearly 15 percent of the power produced in Texas in 2017 came from wind — and that number is on track to grow steadily as the economics of older, traditional power sources like coal continue to erode relative to efficient new wind power infrastructure.

Close to 25,000 Texans currently work in support of the wind industry. Opportunities range from the fastestgrowing middle-wage position in Texas, wind turbine technician, to the construction workers and suppliers that support continued growth of the state’s wind industry. Development in the wind sector also drives growth in manufacturing, with 46 active manufacturing facilities that produce the blades, towers, and more that keep Texas turbines in operation.

The impact of these thousands of jobs can be felt statewide, including right here in the Rio Grande Valley.

In fact, Texas State Technical College-Harlingen has seen participation in its two-year Wind Energy Technician Program increase significantly, where graduates are

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earning an annual average salary of $53,000 — which can go up to $90,000.

The Los Mirasoles Wind Farm, for instance, represented a capital investment of more than $425 million and created hundreds of construction jobs — lucrative, permanent positions — $5 million in lease payments to local landowners, and more than $16 million in spending in the communities that surround the development. Los Mirasoles alone also generates enough electricity to power 55,000 Texas homes.

In Starr and Willacy counties, Duke Energy’s Los Vientos Projects has made over $50 million in local economic impact through partnerships with schools, landowners, and local spending.

Facilities like Los Mirasoles and Los Vientos are just the beginning. Other developments — like the San Roman and Palmas Altas wind farms — will continue to create jobs and opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley for years to come.

Wind is driving significant economic growth across the state of Texas, and our community has an opportunity to benefit from that growth in a potentially transformative way. We need to continue investing in smart policy, like the Texas Economic Development Act (Chapter 313) and the Texas Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act (Chapter 312), that help our region — and state — stay competitive.

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SALOMÉ ON MAIN New Authentic Mexican Restaurant Brings Old Traditions Back

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b y Ka r i na Va r ga s | p h o to s b y B a r b a r a D e l g a d o

Beloved Valley restaurateurs Larry and Jessica Delgado are back doing what they do best: opening a new restaurant. Located on Main Street, just south of Pecan, Salomé on Main opened its doors for the first time March 8.

“We opened very quietly and didn’t do any sort of advertising or ribbon cutting. We’ve just had word of mouth spread the news,” Larry Delgado said. “So far, business has been great.”

Salomé has been visited by many of the Delgados’ customers from house. wine. & bistro. and SALT – New American Table who are looking for authentic and rustic Mexican cuisine.

The historic white building the restaurant is housed in hasn’t changed much from the outside, but once you step inside, you can see the inspiration from old Mexico with a clean, modern twist.

Unlike the vast majority of brightly colored Mexican restaurants, Salomé’s interior design palette is neutral and clean with antique vibes.

“All of our furniture is imported from Mexico,” Delgado said. “Our tables are made of worn eucalyptus wood, our bar top is a cypress slab and we have macramé wall art pieces to bring it all together.”

When it comes to the restaurant’s unique name, the Delgados’ inspiration has a local historic significance behind it.

“Salomé Ballí was one of the most prominent landowners in South Texas in the mid-1800s when she married John McAllen,”

Delgado said. “What they left behind was the McAllen Ranch. To this day, the McAllen Ranch is initialed S.M.” Delgado said he and Jessica wanted to pay homage to the city’s historic roots when they were naming the restaurant.

“We want to continue to continue to represent the past, present, and future while sharing a little bit of history,” Delgado said.

The inspiration for the restaurant’s menu comes from the Delgados’ travels to Mexico and California, as well as influences from Larry’s upbringing in the kitchen.

“In 2013 while visiting Napa Valley, we went to a Mexican restaurant and it was totally different than anything we had ever had before,” Delgado said. “I came to find out that 70 percent of Napa Valley was Mexican. It was an introduction to [foods from] Guadalajara and Oaxaca.”

Delgado said the experience made him eager to get back to his Mexican roots and share traditional, rustic, and elegant Mexican cuisine with his home town.

“My mom and my grandma were the best cooks ever and both crushed their spices in the molcajete,” he said. “I learned how to cook from watching them and that drove me to research how we could incorporate Mexican food in a different, modern approach to traditional interior Mexican flavors.”

Delgado explained that Salomé utilizes preHispanic cooking tools to create their dishes.

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“We want to continue to continue to represent the past, present, and future while sharing a little bit of history.”

La r r y a n d J e s s i ca De l g a d o,

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Valley restau rateu rs

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One of the cooking techniques the restaurant uses to make its corn masa is called nixtamalization, or nixtamal in Spanish.

“We start with corn and cook it with calcium hydroxide,” he said. “It’s the process of cooking corn in this alkaline solution and letting it steep overnight to begin making masa.”

The homemade corn tortillas are made with non-GMO blue, white, and red corn sourced from local growers, which are ground with a molino, or corn grinder.

Delgado shared his personal favorite menu item: Estofado.

“It’s the Spanish word for braised,” he explained. “It’s a braised beef short rib, served in a pool of Oaxacan mole negro. It’s like no mole you’ve ever tasted before.

It’s served with smashed poblano potatoes and heirloom baby carrots,” he said. “It’s rustic and elegant at the same time.”

On the opposite side of the savory food spectrum, Salomé on Main’s desserts have been a fast favorite with their customers, according to head pastry chef Lyzette Alanis.

“A lot of our customers are coming back for the desserts,” she said. “One of our most popular desserts right now is the Cocorayado.”

The Cocorayado is a coconut mousse covered in dark chocolate shaped like a coconut, filled with a passion fruit gel, garnished with macadamia nuts, and topped

with coconut granita (similar to a raspada) on a bed of brown sugar that’s reminiscent of sand.

Alanis started out at house. wine. & bistro. as a server after graduating from culinary school and later was given the opportunity to do pastry work by the Delgados. She is now the head pastry chef at all three of the Delgados’ restaurants, currently spending much of her time at Salomé.

“I try to do a fun, playful take on Mexican ingredients with our dessert menu,” Alanis said. “I was influenced when I got to travel to Mexico City and it’s been fun to incorporate those flavors in our desserts.”

Delgado explained that a big component of the restaurant experience at Salomé is its outdoor seating area.

“We have a huge patio, it’s probably more than half our seating,” he said. “We have a chalk wall and a play pit to keep kids entertained while their parents can enjoy an exceptional dining experience.”

In addition to being kid-friendly, Delgado said that Salomé’s patio seating is pet-friendly, as well, which is great news for pet parents.

Salomé on Main is located at 1409 N. Main St. in McAllen.

Its hours of operation are 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday. The restaurant’s phone number is (956) 267-1150. To make reservations, see the menu, or for more information, visit salomeonmain.com.

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B U S I N E S S ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Bill MARTIN, CFP® Vice President, Investments 1845 Capital of Raymond James, 1400 N. McColl Road, Suite 101 | McAllen 956-331-2777

becomes more full and fun. You also don’t have to worry about icebreakers and conversation starters with potential new friends. Pets love doing that work, which means all you have to do is watch your social circle grow. ... MOST OF THE TIME Negative thinking is practically impossible when your face is being licked. But the fact is pets of all ages take work. Puppies and kittens, in particular, require tons of effort and, perhaps most important, patience. And any pet, with just one minor or major incident, can throw your day off-kilter. Whatever type of pet you consider, be aware of its requirements and make sure you’re up for the task.

PET PRACTICALITIES It may not be easy to find your next pet pal, but it will be worth it — if you take the time to find the right match. It will take a bit of research to figure out which type and size of pet would be ideal for the way you live now and the way you’ll live later.

The right match: Consider your age, health, and personality traits and the temperament and life expectancy of the animal you want to adopt. You’ll also want to select your new friend, in part, based on your anticipated lifestyle five to 10 years down the line.

The size factor: Many retirees choose smaller dogs or cats, which require less food compared to a larger animal, but may also require more attention and care. Choosing your pet pal carefully is important so you don’t find yourself having to surrender a pet you can no longer care for. Who knows?

Maybe your ideal pal ends up being a bird, fish, turtle or iguana. Depending on your physical and mental needs, a service pet could be a great choice, too.

Road buddies: If you like to travel in retirement, be sure to plan accordingly and pack favorite blankets and toys for the trip. Consider transport crates or pet seat belts to keep your companion safe. And of course, integrate plenty of stops.

Helping hands: Even the most capable pet owners can get caught off guard. If your pet gets sick or has an emergency, it’s good to have someone you can call for assistance. In some situations, you and a leash may not be enough.

Info within reach: Keep important paperwork (vaccination records, microchip information, etc.) handy in case you need it quickly. It’s also good to have necessary contact numbers (vet and emergency clinic) in plain sight.

RETIREMENT WITH YOUR

NEW BEST FRIEND Pets Can Bring Incredible Joy to Retirement – and Responsibility

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Oh, the joy of coming home, enthusiastically welcomed by your darling labradoodle or greeted by the soft purr of your rescued tabby. You just can’t put a price on that unconditional love and steadfast companionship or the value that adds to your life. Cuddling, purring, and playtime, for example, and silly antics ripe for sharing hilarious videos. And of course, the emotional bond. It’s not hard to understand why many people see a pet when they picture their retirement years.

BECAUSE PETS RULE …

Sure, we might grumble when Fido begs to be let out in the morning or Kitty meows impatiently for breakfast, but caring for them can actually translate into caring for ourselves.

Walking the dog, for example, can improve your overall health. Petting a kitten can help reduce blood pressure and stress. In fact, owning a pet has been shown to increase your brain’s serotonin and dopamine, reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, and give you a sense of purpose. Your pet benefits, too. Adopting one of the millions of pets in shelters can save a life even as it improves yours. Two other amazing gifts come in the forms of structure and friendships. When you care for a pet, routine is practically required. From feeding and walks, to attention and playtime, your day

FURRY FINANCES The love is priceless; the responsibility is not. If you’re considering adopting an animal, be sure to budget for the recurring costs. Puppies, for example, can add more than $800 in total expenses during the first year alone. So along with a ton of effort and training, deeper pockets may also be required.

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B U S I N E S S

Category

2017 estimate (in billions)

Food

$29.07

Veterinary care/pet insurance

$17.07

Supplies and over-thecounter medications

$15.11

Grooming & boarding

$6.16

Live animal purchases

$2.10

Total

$69.51

SATURDAY MAY 11 + Sunset Live + UTRGV Graduation

SATURDAY JUNE 1

+ McAllen ISD Graduation

SATURDAY JUNE 8

+ Sunset Live + The 21st Annual Home Buyer's Fair

SATURDAY JUNE 29 + Pride in the Park

SUNDAY JULY 7

+ 9th Annual Poke Fest

FRI-SUN JULY 19-21

+ 29th Annual Texas Hunters & Sportsman’s Expo

SAT-SUN AUGUST 17-18 + Saxet Gun Show

WED-SUN JULY 24- 28 + MXLAN

Sources: agingcare.com; aginginplace.org; caninejournal. com; forbes.com; mnn.com; nature.com; nytimes.com; pettraveltales.com;

thepetgazette.com;

American

Pet

Products Association As featured in WORTHWHILE, a quarterly periodical dedicated to serving the clients of Raymond James advisors and aligned advisory firms. © 2018 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC © 2018 Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC Investment products are: not deposits, not FDIC/NCUA insured, not insured by any government agency, not bank guaranteed, subject to risk and may lose value. 17-WorthWhile-0028 CW 11/18

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For More Info:

MC AC ON VE N T I O

NS

MCALLEN CONVENTION CENTER

700 Convention Center B McAllen, Texas 78501 Phone: (956) 681-3800 Fax: (956) 681-3840

MAY/JUN 2019

A PRETTY PENNY Americans, collectively, spend billions on our pets. Take a look at where our money went in 2017.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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The average American pet owner spends $1,549 per year on a dog and $988 on a cat, most of it on food, vet care, grooming, and boarding. Unforeseen medical costs add to the expenses, especially as an animal ages. In recent years, pet owners have had the option to purchase health insurance to ensure their animal gets the care they need without adding financial stress on the family.

For a small monthly premium, you could save big on the unexpected. Depending on the deductible you choose, premiums can be as low as $50.

HIGH AFFECTION, NO MAINTENANCE For those who can’t commit to caring for an animal companion, there are options.

Several researchers and tech companies have introduced lifelike, socially assistive robo-pets for use in elder care or special needs environments. These amazingly realistic pals are making a mark in the medical field as much as they do on hearts.

Studies have shown that robo-pets can have a calming effect on people suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementias. From puppies and kittens, to otters and many more, these “pets” help soothe anxiety and reduce isolation. Many nursing facilities are now incorporating robo-pets into their animal therapy programs, particularly helpful if someone becomes agitated in the middle of the night.

It may seem odd at first, but anecdotal reports show that those who interact with robotic therapy pets seem to receive rewards that are as real as it gets. If you still want the real deal, consider fostering or borrowing a pet for a day or two. Several apps and nonprofits help connect animal lovers with shelter animals that need companionship, too.

With just a little research, retirees who would like the perfect buddy can enjoy one of the most priceless bonds imaginable, without breaking the bank. The key is finding the pet that is right for you and your family.

So if you’re ready for some licking, laughter and tail wagging, get digging!

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For people between ages 40 and 80 who live alone, owning a dog can increase your lifespan by 33 percent and decrease your risk of cardiovascular-related death by 36 percent.

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DINING ROLLS IN Mission EDC Spearheading Food Truck Park at CEED Building

by Amy Casebier

tenants an outlet for lunchtime dining, Silva also sees the

Soon, Mission’s Center for Education and Economic

park benefiting the Mission community.

Development will be home to diverse eating options

“We have a large, well-lit establishment with plenty of

outside the building — just like it plays host to diverse

outdoor seating and space for multiple venders,” he said.

business tenants inside.

“Our vision is that this becomes an area for families to

The Mission Food Park is slated to become operational

experience food vendors in a very casual way.”

by late April or early May, according to Mission Economic

Silva says he has traveled to many similar areas in

Development Corporation CEO Daniel Silva at the time

cities in and around the state of Texas — food truck

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this article was published.

“Everyone is excited and keeps asking when we are

parks that cater to families. Seeing the success of those

going to open,” he said. “We are going through the final

operations and the way they benefited the communities

processes with permits and council approval, so we hope

they were located in was another factor that went into

to be able to officially open soon.”

establishing the Mission Food Park.

To keep the culinary offerings unique, one food

“I am most excited about the potential for a family-

truck per food type will be allowed onsite, which is

friendly environment that you can experience in a lot of

the parking lot on the north side of the CEED building,

the cities up north,” Silva said. “We are also excited to see

alongside Business 83. The idea is to have the food

new startup food vendors hopefully gain enough loyal

trucks open for lunch, and then until 10 p.m. Thursdays

customers and become profitable enough that they one

through Sundays.

day open a brick and mortar restaurant in Mission.” that

The new food park is just one of many ways Mission

complimented the CEED building in general,” Silva said.

EDC is looking to enhance Mission and the Rio

“We wanted for tenants of the building to benefit from

Grande Valley through programs and initiatives at the

having a variety of food options in close proximity to the

CEED building.

“We

wanted

to

create

an

environment

building. We also hope that by having the food trucks on

“The CEED building will always evolve to try and

site, our local tenants, such as 5x5 and Jitterz Coffee,

serve needs that we see in the community,” Silva said.

will see new customers experience their brew and

“We feel that our location is in close proximity to a lot

become regulars.”

of people and it has a safe environment for these type

5x5 Brewing Company opens its taproom Thursdays

of establishments. We will continue to offer training and

and Fridays from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays

educational programs and having food venders in close

from 2 to 10 p.m., and often hosts rotating food trucks.

proximity, we hope will add to the energy that we are

The Jitterz Coffee Bar inside of the CEED building is open

trying to establish.”

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Learn more about the Center for Education and Economic

While the fleet of food trucks will give hungry CEED

Development by visiting missionceed.org.

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HUB CITY Airport, International Bridge, Port, Location Make Harlingen the RGV’s Heart b y Amy Ca s e b i e r | p h ot os b y O m a r Dí a z from a geographical standpoint and from a population standpoint, Harlingen is located smack dab in the middle of the Rio Grande Valley,” said Marvin “Marv” Esterly, director of aviation for Valley International Airport.

Walker Smith, executive port director of the Port of Harlingen Authority, agrees.

“Harlingen is a hub city — it’s the center of the Rio Grande Valley,” he said. “It has access to all four modes of transportation by rail, road through I-69, U.S. 77 and 83, by air, and also by water through the Port of Harlingen.”

According to the Port of Harlingen Authority’s website, the port occupies more than 2,000 acres of land that includes 650 feet of dry cargo wharf, 100 feet of dry bulk wharf, and five docks. The port has seen growth recently, particularly in its role to aid the trade of petroleum.

“There’s been a significant increase in demand for fuels in the area and we’ve been a part of that supplying most of the fuel for the region,” Smith said.

That growth translates to a boost for Harlingen itself, a recent economic impact study found.

MAY/JUN 2019

A port with an annual cargo tonnage of 1 million each year. An international bridge with expert personnel and facilities ideal for protecting produce from the Texas heat. An airport with six carriers to connect people to anywhere in the world.

Exciting growth and an ideal location make Harlingen not only the hub city of the Rio Grande Valley, but also the region’s vibrant heart.

“By definition alone, a hub is the center of the wheel and really when you look at the Rio Grande Valley both

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“Harlingen is a hub city — it’s the center of the Rio Grande Valley.

It has access to all four modes of transportation by rail, road through I-69, U.S. 77 and 83, by air and also by water through the Port of Harlingen.”

Wa l ke r S m i t h , execu tive port director of th e Port of Harlin gen Au th ority

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or requires and CBP [Customers and Border Protection] requires,” Garcia said.

That includes the cold storage facility at the crossing, which has been in operation for about a year.

“Since the cold storage room opened up, we have seen a 15 to 20 percent increase in our commercial traffic,” Garcia said, adding that the increase was seen in produce. “The users have commented that they really like this one in particular because the storage maintains the degree of the temperatures that are required for the produce to stay frozen, so they’re using our port more and more because it’s a good service that we’re providing.”

Garcia looks to the future, knowing that the bridge has room to grow. Bids will soon be opened on adding a third northbound lane specifically for commercial traffic.

“This will greatly enhance the wait times to almost no wait time for commercial traffic coming north,” he said.

With all of the vital commerce flowing through Harlingen’s various veins — roads, flights, rails, and waterways — the city is poised for an even brighter future.

“Residents, businesses, business owners should be excited about what’s going on in Harlingen,” Smith said.

“We’re getting a lot of looks from industries outside of Texas wanting to come into the Rio Grande Valley and Harlingen specifically because of the connectivity that we provide as well as the multimodal infrastructure that we can provide.”

Learn more about the Free Trade Bridge at Los Indios by visiting www.co.cameron.tx.us/bridge/free-tradeinternational-bridge/. Read more about the Port of Harlingen Authority at portofharlingen.com/the-port/.

To learn more about Valley International Airport, go to www.flythevalley.com/.

“It shows 525 direct jobs, a total of 1,200 jobs,” Smith said. “Close to $100 million in revenue for the businesses in and around Harlingen, as well, so the port’s had a significant impact on Harlingen.”

Valley International Airport’s growth has also positively affected Harlingen, a Texas Department of Transportation survey shows.

“It had an impact of 4,500 jobs that equaled $150 million in salaries,” Esterly said. “The total output of Valley International Airport: around $430 million.”

The airport recently added Frontier Airlines, which has direct flights to Chicago and Denver, as well as a direct American Airlines flight to the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

“Boy, it’s pretty staggering the growth that’s going on at Valley International Airport right now both from a passenger standpoint and also a cargo standpoint,” Esterly said, adding that passenger traffic had increased 19 percent in the past few months. “With the growth that we’re seeing at the airport, that again is a direct indication that the economy of the Harlingen area is doing pretty good.”

Josue Garcia Jr., the Cameron County bridge system director, has seen traffic pick up at the Free Trade International Bridge at Los Indios in the last year for both commercial and vehicular traffic, likely due to the improvements that have been completed on the crossing.

The bridge has two USDA entomologists and one plant pathologist to keep an eye on harmful insects and plant diseases, respectively, that might be present in produce crossed into the United States. It’s the only port in the country to have that kind of scientific oversight, Garcia said.

“We’re considered a full-service bridge because we have everything that is needed for the consumer to use

MAY/JUN 2019

B U S I N E S S

B U S I N E S S ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys jgonzalezlawfirm.com 1-800-CAR-CRASH

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING A Very Real Danger

WHAT CONSTITUTES TEXTING AND DRIVING? Texting while driving is a huge part of what the law considers “distracted driving.” Texas is now one of 47 other states to ban texting while driving.

As per the Texas Department of Transportation, the law aims to “prohibit motorists from reading, writing, or sending electronic messages while driving.” First-time offenders can pay a fine of up to $99 while multiple offenses can result in fines of up to $200.

To keep our children safe, those under 18 cannot use a cellphone or hands-free device while behind the wheel unless it is an emergency. All drivers are also banned from using a cellphone in a school zone.

These laws were enacted to ensure everyone’s safety on the road, and it is up to us to act in good faith to prevent a serious accident from happening. However, should you be involved in a car accident where a driver was texting, there are ways to prove that they were distracted and at fault, including:

RGVISION MAGAZINE

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MAY/JUN 2019

It is important that we all follow the rules of the road to ensure our safety as we travel, but it requires the participation of everyone on the road to work. However, when a negligent motorist decides to drive and text, their actions can lead to a tragedy.

At J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys, we’ve seen firsthand the devastation these types of accidents can cause. From catastrophic property damage to life-changing injuries — and even death — it’s never worth it to use your phone when you are behind the wheel.

That being said, let us look at the dangers of texting while driving, and explore what legal options you have available if you are injured by a distracted driver.

THE FACTS REVEAL A SCARY TRUTH Since the advent of the cellphone, distracted driving accidents have increased at a huge rate.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every day, approximately nine people die in accidents involving distracted drivers, including those who were texting while driving. The organization also notes that over 1,000 people suffer injuries in these types of

• Obtaining records from the driver’s phone company.

• Obtaining video from nearby traffic cameras.

• Securing testimony from witnesses who saw the

accidents daily.

In 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded 3,450 fatalities in distracted driving accidents. The National Safety Council also states that there are 390,000 injuries that occur in texting while driving accidents on a yearly basis.

Lastly, the National Occupant Protection Use Survey points out that handheld device usage, including cellphones, smartphones, tablets, etc., is highest among 16- to 24-yearold drivers — a group that already faces high rates of car accidents.

negligent driver using a cellphone.

• Obtaining admission from the responsible party that they were texting while driving.

For more information on what your legal options are, visit www.jgonzalezlawfirm.com.

Your health and your recovery should be your main priority.

Let the J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys fight on your behalf.

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Relax.

We’ve got this.

We can help your business properly dispose of documents, efficiently organize and retrieve your records, and easily convert documents to electronic format. The records management experts at Lone Star Shredding can help organize your records, secure your customers’ data, and protect your business’s reputation so you don‘t have to.

www.lonestarshredding.com

B U S I N E S S

TheQuality

Life

The Bridges at Mission’s Services Woven into Fabric of Community

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MAY/JUN 2019

b y RGVi s i on | p h ot os b y O m a r Dí a z The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce’s featured Member of the Month, John Beaman, general partner for the Bridges at Mission spoke with RGVision about his business’ services and how it has impacted the Mission community.

JB: Our mission statement is to provide safe, affordable care to the elderly and in particular those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease — all of it in a safe, nurturing environment. We try to provide a quality lifestyle for the elderly.

RGVision: What moved you to start your own business?

R: Tell us a little about your business and how it has contributed to the economy.

John Beaman: I was always interested in long-term care from when I was young. I used to go visit nursing homes and then when I became a banker, I used to lend money to long-term care. It was retirement communities, nursing homes, assisted living homes nationwide. So what happened eventually is that I got tired of traveling and I decided I wanted to start my own business in long-term care and I had seen assisted living homes in Wisconsin and I really loved the concept and I thought, this is where I would have my mother live. So I wanted to bring the concept down to the Valley. And we were the first licensed assisted living home, I think, in the Valley.

JB: We take care of the elderly who can no longer live alone, or shouldn’t, but don’t need skilled nursing care. My mother’s a great example. She’s a retired school teacher, she’s 90 years old, but she doesn’t cook anymore, so we provide those three meals a day, we provide assistance with daily activities, but of all of it, the most important thing we provide to the elderly is socialization. That’s what makes people well. That’s what enhances a quality of their life: being with other people. So the Bridges make a great effort to do activities. We have art classes twice a month, we have music therapy, our drum circle is twice a month, and this is on top of the daily activities which are

R: What is the mission of your business?

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61 beds.

R: How do you help your employees develop their skills?

R: In what ways has your business given back to

JB: We make a big effort at the Bridges to provide stable employment to our staff. If sometimes when we have residents who pass away and our occupancy might drop, we don’t cut the hours of our staff. We maintain a stable work environment for them. We also continually ask them: What do you need? What can we do to help you do

It’s contributed [to the economy] by, number one, we’ve created jobs locally .since we have something like 60 full-time employees between both of our assisted living homes, we pay a lot of money in taxes. By creating jobs and by bringing assisted living to the Valley, by bringing something new. At the time, it was brand new.

R: How long have you been in operation?

JB: 20 years. We started out in 1997-98 January 2000 is when we opened the doors to the Bridges at Mission.

We just now have finally completed an expansion, where

the community?

JB: By providing quality life for the elderly, we also have Alzheimer’s support groups for the public, which is free and open to the public. It helps caregivers understand how to provide care to their loved ones, what they’re

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we’ve increased the size of our services from 40 beds to

facing, gives them contacts in the community. We also have stress busters classes here. It’s a specialized class for caregivers. All of this is free and open to the public.

We also provide respite care. Respite care is where people can bring their loved ones here from one day to one month, where they can take a break or a vacation from care. We provide day care, which does the same thing.

The Bridges has created jobs in the local community, and we’ve made a big attempt to teach the community about what it is to provide quality care for the elderly who’ve worked all their lives, and we want to make sure that in their last years that they’re happy, and they’re happy to be around others.

bring to our residents.

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done all day long. So this is the quality of lifestyle that we

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B U S I N E S S

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a better job for the residents? Because we want you, the staff, to spend time with the residents. If you have any extra time, spend it with the residents.

And then, of course, we have ongoing training. We train all the time we have a specialized training once a month, in behaviors — how to deal with aggressive behaviors — and feeding, how to do activities, how to transfer so we spend a lot of time training our staff and we feel that training is paramount toward providing, again, quality life for our residence. Quality care.

through music, we give residents a language a means to express themselves.

R: How does the partnership with the Mission Chamber and the Bridges make sense?

JB: What I have found here is that almost all of our residents come from the Mission area. Very few residents are from McAllen or Edinburg. Almost everybody is local.

And so it’s like we’ve woven into the community of Mission and I think that we provide a terrific product for the city of Mission. It’s something they seem to be proud of. Because we’re proud of what we do. And we love what we do when people think of the Bridges, they do it with a smile.

One of the key benefits of the Bridges at Mission is that we get to know our residents and by getting to know our residents, we know their likes, we know their dislikes, and we tailor everything we do to help the residents.

We love what we do. We try to spend as much time with them, we actively engage them, whether we sit down with them one-on-one or we do group activities, everything at the Bridges revolves around the residents. All of it. And we do it all! Believe me. From taking care of our residents, to medication management, the socialization aspect — all of it is how can we take care of Mrs. Jones or Mrs. García. Everything revolves around them and that’s our mission.

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R: What has been your greatest business accomplishment so far?

JB: My greatest business accomplishment has been building the Bridges, because we built it from scratch.

And we had to learn as we went along. And we had to make adjustments in everything we did. And it’s been a continual education of how to treat the elderly with Alzheimer’s in a dignified environment. The goal of the Bridges is not to make people relearn things they have forgotten. It’s to help them keep what they still can do.

And that is what the Bridges tries to do. We compensate the elderly in what they cannot do and support the elderly in what they can do. That’s really where our best efforts lie.

We give persons with Alzheimer’s a way to express themselves; whether it’s through art, whether it’s

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MODERN INTERIOR MEXICAN

1409 N. MAIN STREET McALLEN, TX 78501 956.267.1150 www.salomeonmain.com

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David Calvillo Weslaco Native Marks 30 Years Practicing Law

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Reflecting on his career in law, what he remembers most are the clients he was able to help as well as the attorneys and staff he worked with.

“That’s what it’s about,” he said. “It’s about those relationships and the opportunity to help people.”

Throughout his career, Calvillo received his fair share of accolades, including being named to the “Texas Super Lawyers” list for 12 years in a row. Super Lawyers is a rating service that partners with Texas Monthly.

“What I like about it is that to me, it reflects what a good team of people I’ve been able to work with over the years,” he said.

“From attorneys that worked with me on matters that were successful to legal assistants and receptionists that took care of me and took care of my clients.”

But it was also a reflection of his family, he said, who stick with him, pray for him, and wish him well.

Most recently, he and his partners were awarded the Pete Torres Jr. Community Service Award by the Hispanic Issues Section of the Texas State Bar, according to Gina M. Benavides, chair of the section. The award is given to individuals or organizations who demonstrated a history of service and commitment to the Hispanic Community, according to information from the Hispanic Issues Section's website.

Calvillo and his partners at Chamberlain Hrdlicka represented a man from El Salvador who was facing deportation and thus separation from his wife and children. They will be honored for their work on the case in June when they will be presented with the award at the annual meeting of the Hispanic Issues Section in Austin.

Tying everything together from his family to his career in law, accounting and teaching, is his faith. In 2009, he had a different kind of “9/11 experience.” On Sept. 11, 2009, he participated in an ACTS retreat — evangelical, four-day-long getaways held throughout the country.

“It saved my life and it changed my life,” Calvillo said of the experience. “It revealed to me that what my mother had been telling me all these years was absolutely right,” he said, “and that was that I should make my Catholic faith the most important thing in my life.”

Everything he does, Calvillo said, has to be in service to God. “I don’t always follow that because I’m a sinner and I need God’s help,” he said, “but I try to keep that message essential to what I do.”

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With more than 30 years practicing law, attorney David Calvillo shows no signs of letting up, continuing to push further in his career with support of his family and his faith.

A business trial lawyer, Calvillo graduated from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and is now senior counsel for Chamberlain Hrdlicka, a law firm based in Houston. But as if that weren’t enough, he is pursuing an advanced law degree at Georgetown University Law Center, specializing in tax law.

“My parents say that I always wanted to be a lawyer,” Calvillo said, a Weslaco native. “I don’t remember that.”

What he does recall, he said, was wanting to attend law school after watching “The Paper Chase,” a 1970s film about a Harvard law student.

“I relished the opportunity to do that, to be involved in that kind of endeavor,” Calvillo said.

And although he was accepted into the prestigious Ivy League school, his dream was attend the law school at the University of Texas, so that is where he enrolled.

During law school, he got the opportunity to work in all three branches government at the state level: he worked in the Legislature as a legislative aide, he worked at the Texas Supreme Court as a judicial intern, and he worked in the Texas Attorney General’s office as an auditor.

Following his graduation, he worked at a large San Antonio law firm called Dykema Cox Smith Law Firm, known as Cox and Smith at the time. He later taught commercial law at St. Mary’s Law School until he and his wife started having children. At that point, in the early 1990s, they moved back to “God’s country” — also known as the Rio Grande Valley.

“So that my now-older children would have the benefit of growing up with their extended family in ‘God’s country,’” he said, using his nickname for the Valley.

He now has eight children who range from 28 to 4 years old.

They provide plenty of motivation to work, he said, but are still a blessing.

However, he couldn’t afford to go straight to law school after college so Calvillo became a certified public accountant, a career path his father — then a director of career education in Weslaco — had told him was stable because accountants were always in demand.

Now, 30 years after graduating from school school, he has managed to merge the two careers as a business trial lawyer and his tax practice.

MAY/JUN 2019

b y B e r e n i ce G a r ci a

B U S I N E S S ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Leonardo F. Chang Financial Advisor Edward Jones 4500 N. 10th St. Suite 40 | McAllen 956-630-0241

FINANCIAL FOCUS

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MAY/JUN 2019

What Should You Look for in an Annual Financial Review?

Given the complexities of the investment world, you might consider working with a financial professional to help you move toward your goals, such as a comfortable retirement.

You’ll want to establish good communication with whomever you choose, and you should meet in person at least once a year to discuss your situation. At these annual reviews, you’ll want to cover a variety of topics, including these: • Your portfolio’s progress: Obviously, you will want to discuss how well your investments are doing. Of course, you can follow their performance from month to month, or even day to day, by reviewing your investment statements and online information, but at your annual meeting, your financial professional can sum up the past year’s results, highlight areas that have done well or lagged, and show you how closely your portfolio is tracking the results you need to achieve your long-term goals.

• Your investment mix: Your mix of investments — stocks, bonds, government securities, and so on — helps determine your success as an investor. But in looking at the various investments in your portfolio, you’ll want to go beyond individual gains and losses to see if your overall mix is still appropriate for your needs. For example, is the ratio of stocks to bonds still suitable for your risk tolerance? Over time, and sometimes without you taking any action, this ratio can shift, as often happens when stocks appreciate so much that they now take up a larger percentage of your portfolio than you intended — with a correspondingly higher risk level. If these unexpected movements occur, your financial professional may recommend you rebalance your portfolio to align it more closely with your goals and risk tolerance.

• Changes in your family situation: A lot can happen in a

single year. You could have gotten married, divorced or remarried, added a child to your family, or moved to a new, more expensive house — the list can go on and on. And some, if not all, of these moves could certainly involve your financial and investment pictures, so it’s important to discuss them with your financial professional.

• Changes in your goals: Since your last annual review, you may have decided to change some of your long-term goals. Perhaps you no longer want to retire early, or you’ve ruled out that vacation home. In any case, these choices may well affect your investment strategies, so it’s wise to discuss them.

• Changes in the investment environment: Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to establish a long-term investment strategy based on your individual goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon, and stick with this basic strategy regardless of the movements of the financial markets or changes in the economy. Still, this doesn’t mean you should never adjust your portfolio in response to external forces. For instance, if interest rates were to rise steadily over a year’s time, you might want to consider some changes to your fixed-income investments, such as bonds, whose value will be affected by rising rates. In any case, it’s another thing to talk about during your annual review.

These aren’t the only elements you may want to bring up in your yearly review with your financial professional — but they can prove to be quite helpful as you chart your course toward the future.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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HEART OF THE MATTER Rio Grande Valley Cardiologist Discusses Wellness, Prevention Tips

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by Amy Casebier

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death in the United States, but for many, it doesn’t have to be.

“It’s all in patients’ hands,” Dr. Swarnalatha Kanneganti said. “Ninety percent of the time, it is preventable because of risk factor modification and appropriate medical therapy, like regular physical exercise.”

Dr. Kanneganti is the Rio Grande Valley’s only female cardiologist — an advantage for women who might be more comfortable discussing their health and any potential procedures with female doctors. Dr. Kanneganti is also the director of the Chest Pain Center at McAllen Heart Hospital, Edinburg Regional Medical Center, and three freestanding South Texas Health System emergency rooms.

Dr. Kanneganti was born and raised in India, and attended medical school there. India was also where she discovered her passion for cardiology while responding to cardiac emergencies in a hospital there. Dr. Kanneganti moved to the United States and completed her internal medicine residency in Pennsylvania. After her cardiology fellowship in Ohio, she moved to the Rio Grande Valley.

“The best thing I liked about the Valley is the weather,” she said. “That made us move. After coming here, I realized there is a lot of need in health care. We have a lot of hospitals but still there’s a lot of necessity.”

Cardiology encompasses much more than focusing on diseases related to the heart. The “vascular” element of cardiovascular disease includes all arteries and veins from the neck down. Cardiologists like Dr. Kanneganti also address varicose veins, blood clots in the legs, lungs, or other places, and arterial blockages in legs and additional locations in the body. And for people with blood clots in their legs and lungs,

cardiologists now have more than just blood thinners in their arsenal of approaches in the appropriate patients.

“We have technology to retrieve the clot and quicken the recovery process,” Dr. Kanneganti said.

Her favorite area of cardiology includes addressing arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeats.

“Dealing with arrhythmia is very interesting, especially finding out from which focus the abnormal heart rhythm is arising in the heart,” she said. “It’s like a great voyage going through the electrical conduction system of the heart. I feel proud to say that South Texas Health System is going to start an arrhythmia clinic, as well.”

South Texas Health System will also soon be opening vascular and valve clinics, Dr. Kanneganti added.

“I would strongly encourage people to make use of those services and stay healthy,” she said.

This particularly includes women, Dr. Kanneganti said, pointing out that mothers tend to put others’ health concerns before theirs. “If a husband or kids have health issues, right away they’re going to be sent to the doctor. But if she gets it, she tends to neglect it and wait for a long time.”

Men are more susceptible to heart attacks at a younger age than women, but around the age of 65, the risks become more even, Dr. Kanneganti said. Symptoms for both genders are different.

“Men tend to get classic symptoms like chest pain and breathing difficulty, where they can identify easily and go to the doctor,” she said. “In women, symptoms are more atypical. It can be just sweating, or trouble breathing, or vague abdominal pain, or tiredness, fatigue.”

Prevention is the key in most cases, including managing

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“We extended our services to outpatient cardiology. We opened a clinic in Edinburg Regional Medical Center for the convenience of patients, and we do see patients every day.

We are accepting new patients now.”

D r. Sw a r na l a th a Ka nne g a n t i , Valley Care Clin ics cardiologist

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“I see a lot of gyms are here and people are very motivated — they’re all full all the time,” she said. “That is a good thing.”

If a person is experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, swelling of the legs, weight gain, or fatigue, they shouldn’t ignore it.

“I would like to tell people that rarely heart pain can even come like gastritis, so don’t neglect it — get it checked out,” Dr. Kanneganti said.

Primary care physicians will diagnose any underlying problems that could be causing those symptoms. If necessary, patients will be referred to a cardiologist like Dr. Kanneganti.

“We extended our services to outpatient cardiology,” she said. “We opened a clinic in Edinburg Regional Medical Center for the convenience of patients, and we do see patients every day. We are accepting new patients now.”

Learn more about Dr. Swarnalatha Kanneganti at valleycareclinics.com/find-a-doctor/swarnalatha-kanneganti.

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a healthy diet and exercising at least 30 minutes five days per week — the American Heart Association’s minimum recommendation.

In the Rio Grande Valley, risk factors for heart disease are prevalent — much more so here than in other areas of the country.

“Sedentary lifestyle, and the risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity — they’re all high compared to other places,” Dr. Kanneganti said.

“And on top of it, the incidence of many diseases are the same but the morbidity level and prevalence of the problems is enormous in this community. If I was looking at echocardiograms, for example, in other places maybe 60 percent or 50 percent are abnormal and the rest are normal, but here, 97 percent of them are abnormal.”

Socioeconomic considerations have a role, too. Some people might not be able to go to a doctor’s office because of financial considerations. Still, Dr. Kanneganti sees efforts throughout the Valley to lead healthier lives.

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FIVE INGREDIENT SPINACH PANCAKES pho to by Oma r D í a z

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup of oat flakes 1 cup of spinach 4 egg whites 1 sachet or teaspoon of stevia and vanilla to taste 1 tablespoon of sugar-free coconut milk

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Blend everything and place the mixture in a pan with a little bit of non-stick olive oil and voila! Your pancakes are so easy and ready to enjoy.

2. Accompany with sugar-free peanut butter

Surprise mom with an incredibly easy and healthy breakfast this Mother’s Day!

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without hydrogenated oils, homemade jam, or lowcalorie agave syrup.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY

Ana Karen Torres Bachelor of Science (BS): Nutrition More recipes can be found on Facebook: @anakarentorresonlinenutrition

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POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION The Numbers, Symptoms, and Seeking Help

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p h o to b y Dom i n i q u e Z m u d a after delivery or does not meet the full criteria for a major depressive episode could still cause detrimental consequences not only on the mother but also for the mother’s children and family (Stewart & Vigod, 2016).

These risks increase when PPD remains untreated after childbirth. The most severe adverse outcomes of PPD include increased risk of marital disruption and divorce, child abuse and neglect, and even maternal suicide or infanticide (McCoy, 2011).

DEFINING POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION When a couple finds out they are expecting, it can be one of the greatest news they receive. They patiently wait months for the new member of their family to arrive. During the time a woman is pregnant, she may experience several emotional changes. When the baby is finally born, it all seems to go as they expected. Even though a newborn can bring so much joy to their parents, there is a possibility postpartum depression can develop in both parents.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is included in the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 as a major depressive episode “with peripartum onset if onset of mood symptoms occurs during pregnancy or within 4 weeks following delivery” (Rai et al., 2015; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Nonetheless, a depressive episode that initiates later than four weeks

STATISTICS The national and state statistics reveal that:

• In the U.S., 1 in every 9 women experience postpartum depression (CDC, 2017).

• Worldwide, rates of PPD range from 6.5 percent to 12.9 percent with lower rates seen in lower SES countries (Stewart & Vigod, 2016).

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The most powerful risk factors for PPD are a previous history of mood and anxiety problems as well as untreated depression and anxiety during the prenatal period (Stewart & Vigod, 2016).

Furthermore, fathers can also experience similar symptoms like mothers with PPD. According to Mayo Clinic, “Fathers who are young, have a history of depression, experience relationship problems or are struggling financially are most at risk of postpartum depression” (Mayo Clinic, 2019).

• In Texas, about 14 percent of women experience

PPD (America’s Health Ranking Analysis of CDC et al., 2019).

• In the U.S., 50 percent of the women diagnosed with PPD have had a previous history of depression (APA, 2017).

• In the U.S., 50 percent of the women experienced symptoms of depression during pregnancy (APA, 2017).

• About 20 percent of women experience symptoms six months after childbirth (De Bartoli et al., 2013).

TREATMENT Forms of treatment for PPD can include counseling and/or medication in some cases. Individual psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy and intrapersonal therapy, have been effective in treating PPD, as per the National Institutes of Mental Health. Also, some hospitals provide support groups for new mothers.

Although most commonly among women, PPD can also occur in men.

As per the Centers for Disease Control,

• About 4 percent of men experience PPD after the birth of first child • 1 in every 5 men experience depression by the time the first child is 12 years old • Previous history depression and financial stress are risk factors to PPD among men

FOR THE PUBLIC Although postpartum depression can affect parents negatively, there a number of organizations available to help out. Some of the organizations include Postpartum Support International (SPI), Postpartum Health Alliance, and Wings for Wellness. It can also be helpful to seek services from a mental health professional in the community.

SYMPTOMS The National Institute of Mental Health identify additional symptoms a woman may experience that include:

FOR MORE INFORMATION Postpartum Support International postpartum.net/ Talk to Someone (Disponible en Español): 1-800-944-4773 SPI Text: 503-894-9453 (24 hours)

• Feeling sad, fatigued, or hopeless • Experiencing sleep problems even as the baby is

asleep • Doubting one’s own ability to care for the baby • Difficulties bonding with the baby • Thinking about harming the baby

CAUSES There has not been a clear, established explanation for PPD. Nonetheless, numerous theories have been suggested etiological risk factors. Following childbirth, mothers tend to suffer a decline of their estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormone levels. Studies have demonstrated that such a drastic drop may contribute as a triggering factor for PPD, since its low levels have been longly related to depressive symptomatology.

Additionally, studies considering the social and environmental variables contributing to a PPD diagnosis have been highly suggested. Prevalent factors include poor or lack of social support, poor socioeconomic status, marital difficulties, poverty, and young maternal age.

(Co-authors include Dr. Mercado’s Mental Health Lab at UTRGV: Stephanie Arellano, Abigail Nunez-Saenz, Andy Torres, Jose Garcia, Paola Salazar, Maria Sevilla-Matos and

ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Alfonso Mercado, PH.D., Licensed Psychologist Valley Psychological Services - assistant professor Department of Psychology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | www.utpa.edu/psychology

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Veronica Ramirez.)

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Postpartum Health Alliance Postpartumhealthalliance.org Talk to Someone (Disponible en Español): 619-254-0023

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PRACTICING PROCTOLOGY Providing Colorectal Health Care for the Upper Valley

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by Ka rina Va rga s | p h o to b y Ja mes Ho r d

Colorectal surgeons, or proctologists, are doctors who specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of conditions that affect the anus, rectum, or colon. These physicians perform colonoscopies and other diagnostic procedures so that they can identify any issues that require surgical intervention. They then determine what type of surgical procedure would be best. The specialists also care for these patients postoperatively to ensure proper healing and recovery.

Dr. Alberto Peña, the sole practicing colorectal surgeon in Hidalgo County, offers these and other healthcare services to his patients.

“I take care of all kinds of issues ranging from diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis to cancers like colorectal or rectal cancer,” Peña said. “I do minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery, and colorectal surgery treating benign (non-cancerous) to malignant (cancerous) conditions.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, cdc.gov, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that beginning at age 50

“I do minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery, and colorectal surgery treating benign (noncancerous) to malignant (cancerous) conditions.”

Dr. Al b er to Peña , c o l o r e ctal s ur ge o n

and until age 75, patients should be screened for colorectal cancer by their doctor. The CDC also states those with increased risk of getting colorectal cancer such as individuals who have a “familial colon cancer history, inflammatory bowel disease or certain lifestyle factors” need to check with their doctor to see if they should be screened earlier than age 50.

Colonoscopy screenings consist of using a “long, thin, flexible lighted tube with a camera to check for polyps (abnormal bump-like tissue growths) or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon,” according to cdc.gov. “During the test, the doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers.”

Another type of screening test is called a fecal occult blood test, which detects blood in the stool. Your doctor will provide you with a test kit, which you will use with the included stick or small brush to collect a small amount of stool. You’ll then return the completed kit to the doctor or lab, where your stool samples will be checked for the presence of blood.

Your doctor will advise which test is right for you.

CDC.gov warns that colorectal cancer doesn’t always show symptoms at first. This makes getting checked all the more vital to your health. However, if you do have symptoms, they may include “blood in or on your stool, persistent stomach aches or cramps and weight loss without knowing why you are losing weight.”

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“After my general surgery residency from 2002 to 2007, I completed my fellowship from 2007 to 2008,” he said.

Since then, Peña has been in practice for 11 years and currently affiliates with Doctors Hospital at Renaissance.

Peña said his favorite part of his job is simply taking care of patients in their time of need.

“Being able to help them in their darkest hour, when they’re scared, is something I’m glad to be able to do,” he said.

Dr. Alberto Peña’s office is located at 1100 E. Dove Ave., Suite 300 in McAllen. His office’s hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. His office is closed Saturdays and Sundays. Call the office at (956) 362-8170 for more information or to book an appointment.

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If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor.

According to Peña, with regular colorectal checkups, an individual has the best likelihood of catching the cancer early enough to have less severe treatment options.

“If we catch [the cancer] early, we may just need to cut out the affected part of the bowel without needing radiation or chemotherapy,” he said.

Peña, a Valley native, was born and raised in Edinburg.

“I was actually the first to graduate from high school in my family,” he said. “During my training, I knew I wanted to specialize and come back to the Valley and offer this service that at the time was not being offered.”

Peña graduated with honors from the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio in 2002.

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LIFE CHANGES What Do We Do When New Situations Are Too Much to Handle Alone? b y Da n y a Pe r e z

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wound, we know that we have to leave the area open in order for healing to take place. The body knows how to immediately invest our physical resources in that place.

And emotionally speaking, it’s the same thing.”

The more we try to run away from the issue or ignore it, the greater the symptoms become because these are a coping mechanism, Pacheco said. But if we allow ourselves to heal, those symptoms are no longer necessary.

“Most people tend to say, ‘You are depressed,’ or ‘You are anxious.’ However, the way I put it to my patients is, ‘You have symptoms of depression or anxiety, but that’s not who you are,’” she said.

Extreme life changes such as illness, a death of a loved one, career change or even breakups, can lead to an avalanche of stress and mental health issues.

These issues can linger and change overall behaviors to the point that it erases the desire to interact with others, therefore hindering the person’s ability to reach out to much needed support systems.

Roxanne Pacheco, a licenced therapist and certified trauma professional based out of the Rio Grande Valley, shared some tips on how to deal with consequences of such changes, both for those experiencing the change and those around them.

WE ALL EXPERIENCE LOSS

REACH OUT TO YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEMS Another important aspect is understanding that support systems are important.

Those dealing with emotional traumas or wounds shy away from seeking help out of not wanting to appear “crazy” or “damaged” to others. But Pacheco said its important to understand that when the core issues are dealt with it correctly and fully, these symptoms will not last forever.

“Nobody wants to be told that there’s something wrong with you, especially if that will shame you into feeling worse than you already feel,” she said.

Becoming easily irritable acts as two things: an early symptom and a cause of isolation. Most people become reactive rather than responsive to loved ones expressing concern, causing further distance.

So for those trying to help a friend or loved one, the lesson is: Don’t give up. If the person seems different or estranged, these are symptoms of the core issue.

And for those dealing with the emotional wound, the lesson is not being afraid to seek help — as hard as that sounds.

The first thing to understand is that everyone at one point or another throughout our lives will experience loss.

“Whether there was a loss of a job, a loss of your identity, the loss of a child or of a parent. There is so many ways to look at it,” Pacheco said. “But ultimately it goes down to the core that something in you is missing.

Something has been displaced and you are left with the consequences of it, which usually manifest in depression or anxiety.”

Whatever the core issue is, if it goes unacknowledged and untreated, symptoms of depression and anxiety will continue to arise and even worsen.

These symptoms can range from excessive crying, loss of interest in what you previously enjoyed doing, isolation, changes of eating habits, and ultimately suicidal thoughts, as a way to escape the problem.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EMOTIONS The second lesson is learning to acknowledge and treat these emotional wounds properly.

“Emotional wounds are no different than physical

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wounds,” Pacheco said. “When we get a physical

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KNOW YOUR OPTIONS So what should you look for when seeking help?

A holistic approach to the core issue is important, Pacheco said. In her practice, she uses preventive medicine and natural solutions rather than immediately prescribing medications.

“Medication is a Band Aid that will mask the symptoms.

That’s all it does,” she said. “But the pain is still there … there’s a lot of other things that can be done.”

Sometimes simple practices make a huge difference, she said. For example she encourages individuals to get at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day — maybe not directly under the sun but in a space where their body will absorb the light. This as a way to help their body release the mood-boosting hormone known as serotonin.

Something as simple as watching videos of puppies or babies, and laughing, helps our body release chemicals like endorphins, which make us feel better.

A holistic approach means you find ways to not only mask the symptoms but to combat the root of the issue with constant exercises and awareness.

Our bodies are built to react to chemical imbalances,

“That connection of mind and body is crucial for people to be aware of, because they seek help when they are already physically sick and what they don’t recognize is that they’ve been emotionally sick for a long time.”

Rox a n n e Pa ch e co, a licen ced th erapist an d certifie d

trau ma profession al based ou t of th e Rio G ran de Valle y

she said. So it’s also important to understand that anxiety and stress can cause physical pain and other health issues that could worsen if left untreated.

“That connection of mind and body is crucial for people to be aware of, because they seek help when they are already physically sick and what they don’t recognize is that they’ve been emotionally sick for a long time,” Pacheco said.

For any questions, Pacheco can be reached at (956) 4460236 or at rpachecolcsw@gmail.com.

“I’D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU! To God, my family, my staff, and clients who have helped me practice in this profession. Totus Tuus.

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CRASH COURSE

ON CAFFEINE Energy Drink, Coffee Consumption has Pros and Cons

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by Ber enice G a r c i a | p h o to b y Oma r D í a z a n d D om i n i q u e Z m u d a

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amount taken, size and health, and whether a person is used to taking it, according to the Drug and Alcohol Foundation.

Other factors can include genetics and medications being taken, according to Princeton University’s University Health Services.

They state the short-term effects of caffeine take effect as soon as five to 30 minutes after consumption and reiterate that it can lead to feeling more alert and active, restlessness and dizziness, anxiety, dehydration, increased urination, higher body temperature, a faster heart rate, headaches, and difficulty concentrating.

Those effects are generally caused by the increase in metabolic rate, according to Princeton University information.

They state caffeine is also a diuretic, which causes the increased urination and thus leads to dehydration.

The long-term effects, the foundation states, usually occur after consistent, heavy use which they describe as more than four cups of coffee a day.

The effects that can lead to include nervousness, difficulty sleeping, restlessness, irritability and headaches, dizziness and ringing in the ears, development of a muscle tremor, rapid heart rate, quickened breathing rate, decrease in appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, frequent urination, and irregular heart rhythm.

Information from the university affirms that the longterm consumption can lead to nervousness, insomnia, dehydration, stomach irritation and fatigue.

A safe amount of caffeine consumption is considered to be 400 milligrams, or four cups of coffee, per day.

However, it is recommendation to reconsider intake when experiencing adverse effects.

Caffeine is a drug and therefore comes with symptoms when opting to withdraw from it. Those symptoms, according to the Foundation, can begin to manifest 24 hours after the last dose and can last approximately 36 hours. However, it can last longer for individuals who typically consume a high volume.

Those withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, marked fatigue or drowsiness, dysphoric depressed mood or irritability, and difficulty concentrating. It can also include flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain/stiffness.

What remains clear is that caffeine consumption comes with both benefits and drawbacks, many of which require more studies to be definitive.

Health professionals continue to advocated for moderate use, which is about no more than four cups of coffee per day.

However, if hoping to eliminate caffeine intake completely, it is recommended to so gradually.

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The immediate effects of caffeine to a person’s body are universally understood, which is why people tend to consume it in the first place.

Whether from coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soda, many people get their caffeine fix for the energy boost it gives.

However, there are other effects‚ both short and long term, both negative and positive, that are less well-known.

A report published in May 2017 titled, “The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review,” looked at what those effects might be.

As expected, caffeine was shown to boost cognitive performance, by increasing alertness and wakefulness.

Additionally, it can improve memory and reaction time.

Caffeine also has cardiovascular effects, which include a small increase in blood pressure.

As far as long-term effects, caffeine consumption has been shown to improve memory, according to the 2017 report.

It stated that several clinical studies in different countries found an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and memory decline during “normal aging.”

However, it is noted that in one study of 4,200 women and 1,800 men, the reduction of cognitive decline only occurred in women and a more recent study with a small group of women was not able to replicate those findings, “demonstrating that more work is needed to understand the relationship between habitual caffeine consumption and cognitive performance.”

Additionally, there have also been studies, consisting of men and women, that have also found an inverse relationship between caffeine consumption and the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

The relationship between caffeine consumption and congenital anomalies — those present at birth — still remains unclear.

The report cites the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, which had inconclusive, varying results. It also states that other studies found that the frequency of congenital malformations, including heart defects, was not higher than expected among women who drank between four and eight cups of coffee per day during their pregnancy.

Animal studies, however, have found caffeine exposure during pregnancy could hurt the offspring: puppies were more susceptible to seizures and mice had cognitive deficits when they reached adulthood.

The report notes, however, that it would be speculative to generalize animal study results to humans.

It’s important to note that caffeine also affects every person differently depending on factors which include: the

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MOMS & DADS RGV Residents Share Family Memories Ahead of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

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I THINK ON THESE SPECIAL DAYS IS WHEN EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE TIME TO AT LEAST TALK TO THEIR PARENTS, LET THEM KNOW YOU LOVE THEM.” Gilberto Villanueva

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“He would play records and we would listen while he was reading the paper.”

Her father was also the most adventuresome of his six siblings, taking his kids deep into Mexico to experience and learn.

“We know basically all about the different states in Mexico because he taught us the history and traditions of each state as we went,” she said. “All the states were totally different in their food and music. We visited a lot of churches and saw a lot paintings and learned their history, also. I would always take a little notepad and those times stuck with us. It was inspiring and I’m grateful he shared that with us.”

Fonseca also learned everything from archery and football to how to change the brakes and fluids on a vehicle from her father.

“My dad could do just about everything, in my opinion,” she said. “He was the jack-of-all-trades and the master of none, so to speak. He knew a little bit about everything.

Anything I would have issues with or talk to him about he knew something about it. I was like, wow, for growing up on a ranch with a dirt floor, no running water, no electricity, he’s got smarts.”

Eddie Borrego, a multimedia sales executive at

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Most people know the idiom “he’d give you the shirt off his back,” but Cathy Fonseca’s father embodied it literally.

“I’ve actually seen him do that more than one time,” she said. “I’ve seen him take off a brand new coat he’d just gotten for Christmas a few days earlier and give it to some man on the side of the street that he’d stopped to talk to with all of us in the car.”

Her parents met on Fonseca’s father’s family ranch in Pharr. Her mother’s horse got away from her, and her father ran it down — “her knight in shining armor,” Fonseca said, laughing. They married and lived in an adobe house with dirt floors and had neither electricity nor running water until Fonseca was about 1 1/2 years old. That was when, they moved to Ohio — where Fonseca’s mother’s family was from.

The transition from the Valley to their new home was hard on everyone. Fonseca and her two siblings were the only Hispanic students in their school, and it was Fonseca, the middle child, who would deal with her brother and sister’s bullies. Her father told her to take care of her siblings.

“I never started a fight, but I finished every one of them,” she said. “I was always in the principal’s office.”

Looking out for others was just one lesson Fonseca’s father instilled in all three of his children.

“We would give somebody if they needed something and that was all because of him,” she said. “Growing up, he didn’t have much, and he wanted us to have everything, but he didn’t spoil us. He always kept us grounded.”

Rebeca Femat Velasco’s father gave his children a lasting gift: a love for music and culture.

“My dad was instrumental in teaching us about classical music, flamingo music,” said Femat Velasco, the box office manager for Valley Symphony Orchestra.

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ph ot o by C at h y F on sec a an d De anna Cong o

Gatehouse Media, learned his strong work ethic from responsibilities, Fonseca’s father still tried to support her his mom, Victoria Cantu, who raised her two children during extracurricular activities. by herself.

“I remember one day we were playing basketball. The “Watching my mom work three jobs made me coach just pulled me out, we were in a timeout, and one understand responsibility pretty early,” he said. “What of my friends goes, ‘hey, look, your dad’s here’ — which he I really learned from her is hard never, ever made a game,” Fonseca work — what it takes — and to said. “So the coach looked and he realize I do not want my kids to goes, ‘OK, you’re going back in so be in that scenario. I learned so your dad could see you.’ I don’t know HE REPRESENTED much from her. She’s a very smart EVERYTHING I WANTED how long I played until I got a chance lady and started her own notary to look up, but he was gone. I don’t TO BE — EVERYONE business a couple of years ago.” know how long he got to watch me, LOVED HIM, HE Fonseca’s father worked hard, but he got to watch me, and that just KNEW HOW TO DO too, taking shifts at two or three meant the world to me. I knew it was jobs at a time to provide for his in between shifts — he still had to go EVERYTHING, HE WAS family. home and eat, take a nap, and go to KIND TO PEOPLE, “And it’s not like we ever went the next shift or the next job.”

PEOPLE WANTED TO without,” she remembered. “We Gilberto Villanueva, the owner of BE AROUND HIM, AND weren’t poor. He made sure of Team Tiger Martial Arts, remembers I WANTED TO BE LIKE that. He always made sure we had his mother for her kindness — and what we needed and if that meant for the time she spent with him.

HIM.” he had to work an extra shift or “My mother had a love and Ca t h y F on s e ca another part-time job, he would. passion for every single person,” He was working at the meat market, he was working with Villanueva said. “She always told me, ‘When you first a friend of his that was a mechanic, and then he would meet someone, give them an opportunity because you work with another friend of his that did construction.” don’t know what kind of day they’ve had or what they’ve Even with all of his work commitments and lived through. It’s also better to have a friend than to have

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presence would affect her job. She packed up everything that would fit — her father included — in her rental car and drove south. She found him Valley doctors and arranged for hospice workers to check on him while she was working.

“We just continued to bond through all this because I was his only child who could afford to drop everything and go be by his side as long as he needed — which meant a lot to me because he worked two or three jobs at a time when we were growing up,” Fonseca said. “I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to drop my life and go be there for him and show him how important he was to me because he was everything. He represented everything I wanted to be — everyone loved him, he knew how to do everything, he was kind to people, people wanted to be around him, and I wanted to be like him.

“And lo and behold, everybody says I am just like him.

That’s a blessing because I admired him so much just because he had such a big heart and was so giving.”

He died in June 2015, just after Father’s Day. “One of the things he taught me was sometimes, what you do for other people is more important than what you do for yourself,” Fonseca said. “His life, to me, demonstrated that.”

That’s why Fonseca uses Father’s Day — and other days, too — to volunteer her time to help people in honor and remembrance of her father. She participates in groups that feed and clothe the homeless, visits patients in the hospital, helps single parents, and more.

“Father’s Day is not what it used to be, but I always reach out to somebody to let them how much I care about them,” she said. “I’m sure he would be proud.”

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an enemy.’”

Villanueva’s mother died at 48, though the impact she had on her son still resonates.

“I don’t know anyone who met her that didn’t care for her,” he said. “They felt the love that emanated from her and the kindness she felt toward everyone.”

The youngest of three siblings, Villanueva cherished his time with her while shopping, sharing a shake at Kip’s Big Boy, and watching holiday movies.

“My mother made me who I am today. She gave me a lot of life lessons and I’ve tried to follow them as best as possible,” he said. “I think on these special days is when everyone should take time to at least talk to their parents, let them know you love them. Personally, I think parents would enjoy having their children with them more than presents. Having that exclusive contact — that’s what makes these days meaningful.”

Fonseca understood the importance of being physically present in her father’s life when he had a heart attack that required a triple bypass. She was in the Rio Grande Valley running her school photography business when she got the call that he’d had surgery. She rushed up to Ohio to be by his side. He recovered, but for five years in a row, he became ill around the same time each year — eventually diagnosed with congestive heart failure. By that time, he was divorced, and only had a few family members and friends in Ohio.

“The last time, in 2014, when this happened, I dropped everything,” she said. “I stayed up there for three months and I just said, ‘I’m not leaving without you this time. I’m taking you home with me. That’s it.’”

Fonseca shook off her father’s concerns that his

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THE MOST

AMAZING FOCAL POINT IN NATURE Have you ever stopped to take a close look at the seeds on the cone inside of a Mexican Hat flower?

Or the amazing colors in a Strawberry Pitaya cactus patch? Look through a mini-microscope and you can see all kinds of little hooks in between each vein of a bird feather. They act like Velcro when a bird needs to “zip” its feathers back together after the tearing they get flying through our Thorn Forest. There are an unlimited number of focal points in nature, all with one thing in common: You have to stop what you are doing … and notice them.

Which is what we need to do occasionally to see this “focal point” in nature: human volunteerism. For the past year, every month, every day, our community has gotten up in the morning, and instead of doing something for themselves, went out of their way to contribute their time and energy to the Earth. They are a brigade of caregivers without whom no nature park in the Valley could sustain itself. They are as diverse as the animal and plant life they tend, coming from families, scout groups, schools, and businesses. In total, last year, nearly 3,000 people came to volunteer at Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center.

“Volunteers contribute in so many different ways,” said

Colleen Hook, the director at Quinta Mazatlán. “People help with photography, education, administrative support, special events, public relations, tree maintenance, and trails.” Without volunteers, our wildflowers would not have been collected and spread. Without volunteers, the beauty inside a Strawberry Pitaya cactus may have gone unnoticed. Without volunteers, birds might not have the Thorn Forest habitat they fly through that unzips their feathers.

According to one university student taking a break from volunteering recently, “I never spent much time in nature when I was growing up. But I love being here. I just want to keep coming back.” It is worth stopping what you are doing to focus on the face of someone who just spent the morning pulling weeds in a nature park.

Because what you see on that face is pure, clear, and simple: human happiness.

And perhaps that is the most amazing focal point ever to be seen in nature.

Earn your community service hours this summer at Quinta Mazatlán by calling (956) 681-3370 and asking for Kassandra Rodriguez for more information. .

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s to r y a nd p h o to s cou r t e s y of Q u i n t a M a z a t l á n

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• UTRGV helping to reforest Ebony Grove.

• Lifelong Board Members of Quinta Mazatlán Bob Simpson and Jane Kittleman • The striking Strawberry Pitaya with 55 Blooms. Investing in nature is worth your time and talent!

• High school volunteers planting one tree at a time.

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LEAVING THE NEST Transition Tips For the First Year of College

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b y Ka r i n a Va r g a s PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR LIVING ON THEIR OWN. This will be the first time your kid will be living on their own, without Mom or Dad to help them or remind them to do day-to-day tasks. Make sure they have experience doing necessary things like laundry, cooking, cleaning, managing money, writing checks, sending mail, scheduling their own appointments, going grocery shopping, knowing basic car maintenance, and other grown-up realities.

Margaret Marshall, an educator and mom of three daughters in college, said she created a checklist of life skills she covered with her girls before they left for

As parents everywhere gear up to send their children off to college this fall, there are inevitable to-do lists swirling around their brains: figuring out travel logistics, choosing housing, shopping for the new living space, and so much more.

But two lists take top priority: One will help students cope with the reality of being on their own for the first time. The other will help parents prepare for this momentous milestone.

Here are a few tried and true tips to make the transition into this major life event as smooth as possible for both students and parents.

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school. “I wanted to be sure they knew how to do laundry, manage finances, clean, eat well, manage time, cook, etc.”

Monica Ditto, a teacher and mom of a college freshman, added that she tells both her kids they “will need people.”

“No matter how self-reliant you are, making connections and soliciting help is essential to your success,” Ditto said. “I made sure both my kids could introduce themselves confidently in a social setting and could easily ask for assistance when they needed it.”

“I made sure both my kids could introduce themselves confidently in a social setting and could easily ask for assistance when they needed it.”

START LOOSENING THE REINS BEFORE THEY GO. Giving gradual liberties before your child leaves for college will help ease them into living independently.

They’ll already be accustomed to self-regulating, taking responsibility for themselves, and not having to rely on a parent to make decisions for them by the time they go.

“By their senior year, you need to start ‘cutting the cord.’ Let them start making decisions on their own,” said DeeDee Lopez, an educator and mom of a college freshman. “Maybe take a little trip somewhere with friends, start driving a car and going to parties. It's better to make mistakes while they are here to help walk them through it and offer advice.”

Ditto agrees.

“As hard as it may be to accept, the best thing you can do for your college student is let them go so they can find their own place in this world,” Ditto said. “They need to know they can be independent, make good choices, and succeed as adults. You have to trust that they can do it!”

M on i ca Di t t o, a teach er an d

SOAK UP YOUR TIME TOGETHER. You have one last summer before your child is college bound — enjoy every moment! It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it’s fun and memorable. Take a little road trip, head to the beach, enjoy a nice meal together, or just catch a movie you’ve been wanting to see — whatever suits your family. The memories you make will last a lifetime.

SET UP REGULAR CYBER DATES. Depending on your norm for communication with your child, it may be slightly more or less. The important thing is that they feel confident enough to not have to reach out to you for every little thing and that you don’t feel anxiety if you don’t hear from them for a little while.

“I started with phone calls every other night the first

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DON’T HESITATE TO ASK SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH IT FOR ADVICE. There is no one better to ask than someone who has recently gone through a similar experience. They will have valuable information to share and may be able to help you avoid any oversights or unnecessary problems.

“Talk to parents who have been through the process,” Marshall said. “They will have good advice to offer!”

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week, then started to taper off the second week,” Lopez said. “I am proud to say that I am down to one phone call or text a week minimum.”

For some families, group chats may be a more convenient means of communication for everyone.

“It has been great to have a family group chat,” Marshall said. “We stay connected daily.”

In the meantime, try to have something to look forward to, such as a holiday or break when they will be visiting home.

“It has helped me to calendar the next time I will see my child. If I know that they have a plane ticket purchased for three months in the future, it helps me to look forward,” Marshall said.

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Kittens’ S A F E H AV E N 12-Year-Old Opens Arms to RGV Felines

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After school, the arduous work continues, but this time she takes extra time to sanitize the kennels to avoid additional illnesses. They also take care of visits to the vet and tracking the kittens’ growth and health before being rehomed or transported.

And on any school breaks, she takes in what they call “bottle babies,” which are kittens too young to eat on their own, so they must be bottle fed and cared for around the clock.

“It is time consuming, but the work does pay off as you see the kittens enter their new journey in their lives and how they got saved,” Audrey said.

Her mother, Liz Wulf, said she was at first worried that a few cats turned into four, five, and even more. But she said along the process, she saw her daughter handle the situation with maturity and responsibility, so that encouraged her and her husband, Tyler Wulf, to support her project.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot about my daughter,” Liz Wulf said. “It comes with a big responsibility like cleaning up, and some of them do need medicine, so she has their schedule for daily intakes of medicine. As a 12-year-old, I was never this composed.”

Her father was the one to instill a sense of learning in Audrey by asking her to research any animal she was interested in having as a pet, they said. As if writing an essay on the animal, Audrey would learn all she could about it. This led to her learning about the massive overpopulation of cats in the region and about the importance of spaying and neutering pets.

Her fostering began out of her room, fitting them wherever she could find space to place a kennel, she said.

“I did have to move a lot of things out of my room to

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A brief conversation with Audrey Wulf will more than likely lead to at least one conclusion: She is by far not your typical tween.

The 12-year-old has a lesson or two in responsibility and passion for most of us.

Audrey has made it her passion project to foster, rehome, and relocate cats. She takes in mostly kittens found on the streets, or being sold at flea markets or online throughout the Rio Grande Valley, where the overpopulation of cats is undeniably worrisome.

“Once I learned that over half of the cats are euthanized, that’s when I had to figure out what I wanted to do with the cats, and I began with three,” she said about cats in shelters.

Her Instagram is dedicated to one of those first initial foster kittens — Murphy, who died weeks after being taken in. Audrey was completely heartbroken, she said.

But rather than giving up, it inspired her to jumpstart Murphy’s Safe Haven, which at this point has helped rehome hundreds of cats.

Social media was the first and only tool the young philanthropist used to kickstart her efforts, and she now has close to 11,000 followers. It also helped her connect with other rescuers in the Valley and across the state who help her transport the cats to other areas with less overpopulation. “’I’ve mainly based myself off of Instagram and I use it as a platform to educate and inspire others,” Audrey said.

These days, Audrey is on a very tight schedule. It consists of waking up extra early to give medication to any of the 20 to 30 cats she usually takes in at her home.

She then replaces any bandages or casts on injured cats, cleans up their kennels, feeds them, and then she is off to getting ready for school.

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“ONCE I LEARNED THAT OVER HALF OF THE CATS ARE EUTHANIZED, THAT’S WHEN I HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THE CATS, AND I BEGAN WITH THREE.”

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make space at first,” Audrey said. “Any little small area I could find in my room, you would see kennels there.”

But as she ran out of nooks and crannies inside the house, she decided to raise funds to build a shed in her patio to house more cats, keep them safe, and regain her room. She raised about $1,500, which paid for about half the cost of the shed. And it went up, allowing her to house up to 30 cats at once.

“Now that she has her little kitten nursery, it’s so much better because she’s able to control everything inside there and not have to do it out of her bedroom,” Liz Wulf said.

Now that she has a dedicated space, Audrey said the experience has been a lot better, which encourages her to do this long term.

This also helps her keep some division between fostering and being a child, as she said she can now have friends over without having cats all over the place.

Audrey said she tries to keep her school social life separate from her rescue work as much as she can.

“At school I try not to talk about the cats, only for the

fact that middle school kids can be a lot different,” she said. “But a lot of the kids do end up finding out about the cats and stuff.”

She doesn’t get too much free time to socialize now, but she said it is definitely worth it.

“I don’t really do much other than rescue cats,” Audrey said. “And honestly, I prefer cats over people, so it’s fine, I don’t really mind.”

She does see a future as a veterinarian, she said, and hopes some of this experience will help her along the way. But for now, the plan is to keep fostering and keep spreading the word of the importance and impact of spaying and neutering pets, and adopting, not buying.

For those interested in fostering, Audrey said one of the main lessons she learned is that you can use any space you have. Big or small, it will make the same impact on that animal’s life.

“This did help me understand that in order to foster you don’t need a huge space,” Audrey said. “You can foster out of a little tiny shed, or you can foster in a huge mansion. It doesn’t make a difference.”

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READY FOR

LANDING Victory Cup Brings Hot Air Balloons, Polo Matches to McAllen

though, the wind kicked up, grounding the balloons for the rest of the day.

The hot air balloons were here as a part of the Victory Cup, a traveling polo tournament. Many attendees dressed to impress with Kentucky Derby-style sundresses, suits, and hats. Food, games, and retail vendors, as well as airy tents that provided shady respite from the sun, made it a family-friendly experience.

Attendees received a crash course in polo during the three matches played throughout the day. Chukkers, for example, are seven-minute periods in which polo is played. Mallets are made from bamboo and can be customized for length and weight. And when spectators are stomping out divots on the field between matches, if

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Just before dawn on April 13, hot air balloons swelled above the trees at Springfest Park in McAllen, rising from the fog that brushed the neatly clipped grass.

For Lynette, a Winter Texan who splits her year between the Rio Grande Valley and Minnesota, it was an opportunity she, her partner, and their friend couldn’t resist.

“We all three had this on our bucket list,” she said after taking a tethered ride. “This was a good thing to go to.

I have this extreme fear of heights, but this one didn’t really bother me.”

As the sun rose and burned off the fog, three tethered balloons took dozens of participants up for a bird’s eye view of the surrounding land. After a couple of hours,

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b y Amy Ca s eb i er | p h o tos b y Dom i n i q u e Z m u d a a n d G wy n Z u b i a

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“We get so much support from the city. Other cities don’t do this.

We’re real lucky. It’s something to be proud of that we have this.

It’s a gem.”

it’s brown, go around.

But for people already familiar with the sport of polo, the Victory Cup event offered an opportunity to raise awareness of a thriving polo scene in the Rio Grande Valley.

Celina Gonzales is a part of the McAllen Polo Club, and was excited that the Victory Cup chose McAllen to host the event.

“Polo’s been around here in the Valley and it’s a hidden treasure,” she said. “I just look forward to the seed that’s planted today and how it’s going to grow from here.”

When it’s not the scene of hot air balloons and Victory Cup-level celebrations, McAllen’s Springfest Park hosts spring and fall polo matches during most weekends of the two seasons.

“It is a lot of fun,” Gonzales said. “It’s like a tailgate party. We don’t charge to come in during the weekend.”

Morgan Tennant has been playing polo off and on for 10 years, beginning in college. Playing with men can be challenging, she said.

“You have to be really, really mentally tough,” she said.

“It’s hard and it’s scary sometimes.”

She invites residents to come watch regular polo matches at Springfest Park, adding that the casual atmosphere and opportunity to picnic was ideal. The caliber of the field at the park is also something to admire, she said.

“In polo, the terrain is super, super critical,” she said.

“This field is one of the best in Texas. It is significantly better than Austin, San Antonio. Taking care of the field

F a b i a n Ve l a , presiden t of th e M cAllen Polo Clu b

takes a full-time crew. It’s like a piece of McAllen history.”

Fabian Vela, president of the McAllen Polo Club, agrees.

“We get so much support from the city,” he said. “Other cities don’t do this. We’re real lucky. It’s something to be proud of that we have this. It’s a gem.”

you’re separated from life and you’re separated from all your problems. Exact same thing that happens when you get on a horse. You get out there and it relieves your stress. It’s just you and that animal.”

Learn more about the McAllen Polo Club by going to mcallenpolo.com or on Facebook at @McAllenPoloClub. For more about the Victory Cup, find the event on Facebook at @VictoryCup.

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everything for a little while?” he asked. “Those two hours,

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“To get on a horse — you ever been to the movies and you get involved in the movie and you forget about

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Like Tennant, Vela played three matches during the day’s round robin tournament.

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MAKING WAVES IN THE VALLEY MUSIC SCENE b y So fi a Al em a n | p h ot os b y N or m a H e s s

Every famous band can identify with the tremendous amount of struggle and exertion it took for them to finally become critically acclaimed, and the excitement they must have felt to first hear their songs on the airwaves.

Now, mediums like YouTube and online podcasts make it very possible for aspiring musicians to share their music with the world — and, more importantly, make it

very possible for listeners to tune in at any time. There is a brand new online radio station that allows for all of the Valley’s local artists to be found in one place minus the fervent searching and navigating multiple avenues to keep up to date with new local bands. What was once almost a miraculous sound to hear yourself on the radio can now be achieved by anyone in the Valley — for both

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their own beliefs. And I've always said personally, ‘I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death for you to say it,’” said Fredward Drefington, CEO and co-founder of RGV Titan Radio. “We want everyone and anyone to be able to say whatever they want and we will not censor. We don't edit any of our shows, it's all raw.

And that's one thing that we don't want to change.”

Vinny Dee, local audio personality and program director for RGV Titan Radio, currently facilitates two radio shows at the station, including “First Round’s on Me,” which airs at 8 p.m. every Thursday. The show was originally developed by Dee as an outlet for bands to talk about their music and share their personal journeys, and possibly even play live in the studio. There is currently a wait list of about two months to appear on the show.

When bands arrive at the studio, they're greeted with a round of local beer currently sponsored by 5x5 Brewing Company — located at the CEED building in Mission.

Dee also hosts “Taco-Host Tuesday,” a show created to feature local entrepreneurs and professionals. The show airs at 8 p.m. every Tuesday and has already had appearances by George Rice of 5x5 Brewing, local author and motivational speaker Shawn Elliott Russell, and Jorge Banda Owner of Luna Coffee House.

“I want people to know that there are locals down here that do anything and everything possible for their small business to work right here in the 956, and they do it all for the locals,” Dee said. “I want people to start taking notice of that, and basically shopping small, listening to local bands and taking notes of all the arts and everything available to you here in the RGV. I think we get overlooked and there's so much culture here and it's just ridiculous.

Like you really cannot find another spot like this.”

People who are truly impacting and fostering improvement in the Valley are making their way to RGV Titan Radio. And unlike any radio talk show in the area, Octavio Perales, together with Abby Bot, hosts a poetry program called “The Human Condition.” The show airs

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a Valleywide and national audience. RGV Titan Radio is making it possible for Valley bands to hear their music and other local bands all in one place. The online radio station can be accessed by going to rgvtitanradio.com.

With 24-hour live broadcasting, listeners can access some of the Valley’s hidden and most prized musical gems at any point throughout their day — with no predetermined loop of music.

Any band from the Valley is welcomed to submit their music to RGV Titan Radio, and, in fact, encouraged to seek recording right in the studio if they don’t already have something pre-recorded. All of the sound equipment was donated by Matthew Rios, owner and head audio engineer of Concert Culture, and chief audio engineer of RGV Titan Radio. Rios decided to donate his time and talents to the radio station in hopes that it would bring about a more tight-knit community in the Valley among musicians and help get their band names recognized.

“RGV Titan Radio, if they wanted to, could get some corporate sponsors and put up only bigger named bands or bands that are big in Texas,” Rios said. “But these guys are there for the underdog and there's a lot more underdogs. Their reach will be far greater and more impactful because they're helping everybody out, and now everyone's got a level playing field. I have a feeling that the radio station is on a wave going up and it's gonna really push the local scene a little further and tighter together.”

Currently run entirely by a volunteer staff from the Valley, RGV Titan Radio also acts as a collaborative that brings locally owned businesses, professionals, and people in the poetry and art community to the spotlight with three radio talk shows that serve as an outlet to promote “local.” The highlight of these shows is that the powerful dialogue between the show host and the interviewee is never censored or modified.

“We don't have opinions and we don't take stances.

We don't judge or discriminate. Everyone's entitled to

”

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What was once almost a miraculous sound to hear yourself on the radio can now be achieved by anyone in the Valley.

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Rex Lara and Drefington in 2010 with the idea of how it would be nice to hear local music through an online radio station. However, being ahead of their time in the podcast realm, the radio station could not sustain itself. It became dormant after an eight-month period since people in the Valley still relied heavily on listening to their music via FM radio. Now, RGV Titan Radio is thriving, and is offering every musician to be part of a community of like-minded artists supporting one another and discovering hidden musical gems.

RGV Titan Radio is focused on boosting the Valley’s local businesses.

“Our ultimate goal is to spread like wildfire. We got local bands down here, we've got local shops down here, it’s great! You know, we're a diversity of people and we want everyone to get to know each other because ‘we are the 956,’” Drefington said. “You know, we’re all in the same boat. Let’s act like it and keep this boat from sinking.”

If you would like to submit your music to be played on RGV Titan Radio, please visit rgvtitanradio.com, send an email to frdref@rgvtitanradio.com or call Fredward Drefington at (956) 821-3644. Visit their Facebook @RGVTitanRadio.

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at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and features Valley poets sharing their work live on air. The hosts hope to later include segments with artists and discuss mindfulness issues.

“It's an honor to be pushing something such as poetry or spoken word and local artists on radio stations. I want to give them a place to project their voice,” Perales said.

Also delving into the food and culture aspect of our region, the crew is promoting remote broadcasts at local food venues and offering not only to radio broadcast, but film it with virtual reality technology. Derek Rangel, Founder of Your Life VR, video production manager of RGV Titan Radio, and operator of Valley Food Review, now offers the listener a more inclusive and behind-thescenes view of what goes on at remote broadcasts, and hopes to introduce the same concept inside the radio studio during talk shows.

Rangel hopes the viewer would “feel like you can reach out and touch the person sitting next to you in virtual reality so that we can have people sit in the studio with us and feel like they're part of the RGV Titan Radio production team,” he said.

RGV Titan Radio was originally co-founded by Seve

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Vipers Make History with Third Title During Inaugural Season at New Arena

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by Amy Casebier The Rio Grande Valley Vipers have new hardware to put in their new home: a historic third NBA G-League championship trophy. They’re the first in the league to win three titles — icing on the cake of their inaugural season at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg.

So how is the new arena treating the Vipers?

“Damn good,” Coach Joseph Blair said, speaking ahead of the finals. The Vipers fell to the Long Island Nets in Game 1, but overcame them at home for Game 2. Game 3 was held April 12 in New York — where the Vipers secured the championship.

Blair took the helm as head coach for the Vipers this past season, but he was no stranger to the team. He

was an assistant coach since 2015, when the Vipers still played at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo. The team made great memories in that facility, Blair said, but life at Bert Ogden Arena has been amazing for both the team and its fans.

“We’re setting the standard for the league,” Blair said.

“It’s the nicest arena in the league so far.”

The Bert Ogden Arena is the Vipers’ true home court, right down to the red and black in the locker room and the stitching on the seats. A wraparound LED Ribbon Board, a 40-by-20-foot scoreboard, sound and lighting effects, and other technology give arena staff the support they need to organize world-class entertainment during timeouts

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and halftimes.

“We’ve had absolutely a great year,” said Vipers President and CEO Rene Borrego. “Everybody’s worked real hard, from the people who run the arena — the ticket takers, the ushers, the concessions people — they’ve just done a phenomenal job. And then our sports staff put on a hell of a show.”

The Snake Charmers dance team performs choreographed routines multiple times during a game.

The new Hype Squad break dance and toss souvenirs to the crowd. And when the Vipers beat the Santa Cruz Warriors at home on April 3 to net the Western Conference championship, there was a baby race at half court.

“We finally have the tools to make our show presentation NBA quality with great lighting and sound,” Borrego said. “Anyone that’s been out, they can see it’s quite a show.”

As it turns out, quite a few people have been to games at Bert Ogden Arena. In fact, attendance is up more than 80 percent over last year. Borrego attributes the boost to the arena’s ideal location — right on Interstate 2 — and how affordable it is to attend a game.

“I think word got out that this is a great family experience,” he said. “You can come out there, the

prices are reasonable, the location is reasonable, it’s a great team, they play well on the court, they’re great role models. This is an alternative for other things to do in the community.”

The focus on families is apparent at the Kids Zone, an area with games and activities for children ages 3 to 12 — supervised by their parents. There will be even more programming for the Kids Zone next season, Borrego said.

“I’ve raised two boys and I know what kids like,” he said. “They see some athletes shooting the ball, they want to do it themselves. Kids are inquisitive — they can’t sit there sometimes for a whole two-hour game.”

Next season, the Vipers will be settled into their home court even more, said Hondo Candelaria, director of ticketing.

“I think they feel it, too, especially with the crowd,” he said. “They just feed off that energy knowing that they’re home, and that’s all they talk about.”

Coach Blair agreed.

“The enjoyment that fans receive — we also feel that down on the basketball court,” he said.

Read more about the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at riograndevalley.gleague.nba.com/. For more on the Bert Ogden Arena, visit bertogdenarena.com/.

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