Links of Interest

Arts

• Arts in the RGV 
  A comprehensive calendar of art events, including nature-oriented activities, in the Rio Grande Valley! 
  
  
• RGV Arts Council 
  Investing in the future of the development of the arts in our community. 
  
  
• Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale 
  Request tickets and view concert schedules. 
  
  

Business

• Business Law from the SBA 
  Legal and regulatory information for America's small business. 
  
  
• Lenders 
  List of SBA Participating Lenders and Certified Development Companies in the Rio Grande Valley. 
  
  
• SBA Hub zone 
  Historically underutilized business zones. Are you in a HUB zone? 
  
  
• Small Business Administration 
  Programs and services to help you start, grow, and make your business successful. 
  
  
• Small Business Development Center
  Designed to provide the business owner with training, counseling, research, and other specialized, technical assistance.
  
  

International Relations

• Center for Border Economic Studies 
  A public policy research unit dedicated to the study of problems unique to the U.S./Mexico border economy. 
  
  
• The Border Trade Alliance 
  Addresses key issues that affect trade and economic development in North America. 

• Mexican Nationals Report  
  The Spending Patterns and Economic Impacts of Mexican Nationals in A Twenty-County Reigon of South and Central Texas.

• Impact of Cross-Border Retail Activity on the Rio Grande Valley Economy

Jobs

• Find a job in the RGV 
  Use this database to find the job you want at the pay you need in any local zip code. http://www.workintexas.com
  
  

Law

• Rio Grande Valley Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
  Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is working hard to make the public better aware of the cost and consequences of lawsuit abuse. As the leading grassroots legal watchdog in Texas, CALA believes our courts should be used for fairness and balanced justice, not greed.
  
  
• Texans Against Lawsuit Abuse 
  Citizen's Against Lawsuit Abuse is now a nation-wide grassroots campaign that started in the Rio Grande Valley. 
  
  

Legislature

• Political Action Database 
  Use this online database to search legislation, elections, and media as well as local, state, and federal officials. 
  
  
• Texas Legislature Online 
  Current districts and members of the Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives, and the State Board of Education. 
  
  

Media

• El Nuevo Heraldo
  Based in Brownsville, El Nuevo Heraldo emphasizes regional coverage of the Valley's other cities and towns, including Harlingen and Weslaco. El Nuevo Heraldo also produces the weekly El Extra, a Friday publication that emphasizes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
  
  
• La Frontera - Noticias del Valle
  Serves the McAllen area six days a week: weekdays, roughly 4,000 copies are distributed, a figure that rises to 8,000 on Sundays.
  
  
• Texas Border Business
  Texas Border Business is the definitive local commerce news source on every aspect of business, covering the entire spectrum, including emerging technologies, and is the single most reliable source of industry news and information available for the area.
  
  
• The Brownsville Herald
  The Brownsville Herald is a newspaper based in Brownsville
  
  
• The Monitor
  The largest and leading newspaper in South Texas, McAllen, Mission, Edinburg, Mexico.
  
  
• The Rio Grande Guardian
  The original online news service for South Texas and the Texas-Mexico border region, the Rio Grande Guardian was launched in July 2005.
  
  
• Valley Business Report
  Your connection to local pro-business news
  
  
• Valley Morning Star
  Valley Morning Star, established in 1911, is a newspaper published out of Harlingen
  
  

Nature

• North American Butterfly Association of South Texas 
  Checklists, Events, Sites, and Contacts. 
  
  
• South Texas Nature 
  Birding and Butterfly website. 
  
  
• Texas Parks and Wildlife 
  Locate information on the Rio Grande Valley's Parks and Sites. 
  
  
• Valley Agriculture 
  The Texas cooperative extension in Weslaco provides marketing and economic information on the local horticulture industry. 
  
  
• World Birding Center 
  Locate information on the Rio Grande Valley's best birding spots. 
  
  

Statistics

• 2010 Labor Market Report
  A Report about the evolving labor market in Texas' Rio Grande Valley
  
  
• Bureau of Labor Statistics 
  Monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services. 
  
  
• Cost of Living Calculator 
  Check how much further your money will go when you spend it in Brownsville, Harlingen, or McAllen! 
  
  
• Federal Procurement Contracts 
  Commercial vendors ccan seek federal markets for their products and services and can search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire federal contracting community. 
  
  
• State Sales and Use Tax Analysis 
  Research the Valley MSA from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. 
  
  
• Texas Cares Online 
  Labor Market Data 
  
  
• Texas Real Estate Market Reports 
  Census data, employment and unemployment, major industries, business climate, education, transportation and infrastructure issues, growth patterns and much more. 
  
  
• United States Census Bureau 
  County quickfacts form the Department of Commerce. 
  
  
• Winter Texan Statistics
  Statistics on Winter Texans such as age, health, income, and spending.

• 2012 Superintendent's Regional Report 
  Publication by RGV Lead (Linking Economic & Academic Development).

Transportation

• I69 Information 
  Information and progress on the I69 project from the Texas alliance. 
  
  
• Texas Department of Transportation 
  Find out about registering a vehicle, road conditions, or driver's license requirements. 
  
  
• Transportation Association 
  The TGR/TZ is committed to protecting and enhancing our Texas highway system. 
  
  

Travel

• Border Crossing Requirements
  Starting June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, by land or sea, are required to present one of the travel documents listed here.
  
  
• Texas Travel Information Center 
  Use our tools to get to know the state, find things to do and keep track of all the destinations you love. 

• http://wintertexaninfo.com/
  
  

Volunteer

• Family Crisis Center of RGV
  The Family Crisis Center provides free and confidential services to Victims of Family Violence and Sexual Assault in Northern Cameron County and all of Willacy County.
  
  
• Food Bank RGV 
  Where to donate food, time or money to the food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.