The City of Pharr has seen a lot of growth and revitalization in recent years. As seen in other downtown areas I have been in this season, Pharr’s downtown is welcoming and features its history. Its historic buildings add to the character while newer buildings are revitalizing the area and making room for more commerce and entertainment. If you travel the Valley along Business 83, you will likely see the epicenter of each of the Valley’s cities.
If you drive around the City of Mission you might notice something a little special. Every once in a while, you might just see a beautiful butterfly sculpture. Being home to the National Butterfly Center, it just seemed fitting for there to be butterflies of giant size around town to celebrate. These butterflies represent some of the 200 or more species that can be found in the area.
The city-block complex of the Museum of South Texas History (MOSTH) was once housed in the 1910 Jail, an artifact that has captured the attention and curiosity of the community. The jail, which was closed between 2012 and 2020, is the oldest standing historic structure in the city of Edinburg. It will open sometime in 2021 with all-new permanent and temporary exhibits. Hear more about the renovation of the building and installation of the exhibits during the Sunday Speaker Series Online presentation, “The 1910 Jail: Behind the Scenes,” at 2 p.m. on January 24 on Facebook Live.
Mission Historical Museum will host their 15th Annual Mission Quilt Show online this year. The exhibit opened on Monday, January 18 and is available for viewing until January 29th.
UTRGV Patron of the Arts has several performances planned this season. The performances are held virtually. They also have a YouTube channel to view previous shows.
Their first performance available online is a tribute by the UTRGV Mariachi Program to one of the most popular Mexican actors and ranchera singers of all time, Pedro Infante.
Pedro Infante, a star during the golden age of Mexican cinema, is an icon of Latin America who appeared in about 60 films and recorded over 350 songs.
The City of McAllen has once again partnered with the Juneteenth community leaders, this time, to participate in a month-long list of activities in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They started celebration on Monday, January 18, and are continuing through Black History Month.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. was truly an inspirational man,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “In light of recent events, the celebration of MLK’s non-violent methods of protest are more important than ever, as is this quote by him: ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.’”
This year’s observation will feature events throughout the Rio Grande Valley, celebrating the theme “Building a Stronger CommUNITY Through Service.”
According to Dr. Ray Howard, one of the organizing members of the celebration, the activities will focus on the historical roots of the African-American community in the Rio Grande Valley, the cultural contributions throughout the country, as well as examining the political impact of MLK and its relevance today.
Read more: McAllen celebrate MLK Day with community activities
The Texas Master Gardener Volunteer Training application deadline is today. The classes will be presented by the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension and will be a combination of online and in person training.
This class series is for those who want to volunteer for the Texas AgriLIFE County Extension Service. Master Gardeners provide educational programs for community groups and schools regarding horticulture. They are also involved in plant research and provide educational booths at festivals & events. Classes are typically held annually.
