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Exploring the Queen Isabella Causeway collapse

The Collapse Movie Poster WEBDiscover more about the Queen Isabella Causeway collapse during the Sunday Speaker Series Online presentation, “The Collapse: The True Story of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse,” at 2 p.m. on Oct. 3 on the Museum of South Texas History’s Facebook page.

In 2001, a tow boat pushing four fully loaded barges hit a pillar of the Queen Isabella Causeway, which connects South Padre Island and Port Isabel. On that day, four fishermen saved three people, but the tragedy ultimately claimed the lives of eight individuals. During the presentation, guest speakers Joshua Moroles and Robert Espericueta will discuss how they have documented that fateful day.

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Food Bank RGV Joins Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month Campaign

RGVFoodBankFor Hunger Action Month® this September, the Food Bank RGV will join Feeding America and other network member food banks to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of people facing the impossible choice of hunger. Food banks around the country are working to make an effective and lasting impact on food insecurity in their communities and they are asking for the public’s support.

Read more: Food Bank RGV Joins Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month Campaign

Humane society of Harlingen at capacity

The Humane Society of Harlingen’s kennels are completely full. The busy season is upon us at HSH and every single kennel and cage is occupied. We need adopters and fosters right now!

The Humane Society of Harlingen is offering a free spay/neuter surgery for anyone able to foster a cat or dog for at least 2 weeks. Additionally, anyone adopting a pet from today until Friday, August 6th will receive free vaccines and medications for one year for that adopted pet at our monthly clinics.

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Save our pollinators, save our world

20210414 The Gardens LM 0037Written by Laura Muntean, TAMU

Pollinators serve a great purpose in the agriculture world. Without them, humans and animals would have little to no food at all.

Texas A&M AgriLife researcher Juliana Rangel, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Honey Bee Lab and associate professor of apiculture in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, explains the incredible impact that such typically small animals and insects play in the role of our food supply.

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Gladys Porter Zoo Debuts Two New Babies

Baby Camel 1Gladys Porter Zoo staff are excited to introduce two new babies at the Zoo: a dromedary camel and a reticulated giraffe. Both babies made their debut on exhibit this week.

The healthy male giraffe was born to parents Priscilla and CJ on June 14, 2021. Now one month old, he joins another calf in the giraffe yard that was born just a few months ago.

Reticulated giraffes, like the ones at the Zoo, are listed as Endangered with an estimate of less than 10,000 remaining in the wild. Their numbers have decreased by 50% in the last three decades.

Read more: Gladys Porter Zoo Debuts Two New Babies

Begin to birdwatch class offered

thumbnail Begin to Birdwatch ps July 2021Learn about the world of birds and birdwatching, full of colorful birds with interesting lives. After a fun-filled introduction to the diversity of birds, we will focus on the tips and tricks to identifying birds. The Rio Grande Valley is one of the best regions in the country for birdwatching - all we need is to look outside!

Join John Brush, urban ecologist from Quinta Mazatlan, for a presentation on how to begin birdwatching! The class will be available on Saturday, July 31 from 2-3 p.m. at the McAllen Public Library (Main Library, meeting room A, 4001 N. 23rd St.)

Register here: https://mcallenlibrary.libnet.info/event/5268889 . For more information, contact Grace or Nicole at (956) 681-3060.

Join Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt (GOSH) returns for another year of summer fun across Texas. Travel to various locations regionally or statewide, take a selfie and post it with the hashtag #GOSH2021. Discover history, wildlife, parks, waterways and quirky attractions — plus iconic Texas food stops as a “bonus” to enjoy along the way. The GOSH 2021 challenge ends at midnight on Labor Day, Sept. 6.

Select from six regions, including Dallas, Central Texas, Houston, Panhandle, South Texas and West Texas. Register on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine website or the TPWD Facebook Page, then find the spot, take a smiling selfie and tag it on Twitter or Instagram. Participants can also post and tag it on the TPWD Facebook Page with #GOSH2021. Partakers can visit locations regionally or statewide and complete one or all GOSH activities.

Read more: Join Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

New Monarch Butterfly Conservation license plate available for Texas drivers

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will be launching the long-awaited Monarch Butterfly conservation license plate on June 21 that will raise money to help conserve monarch butterflies and other native Texas, non-game, at-risk species.

“The monarch butterfly is a species that is beautiful and iconic in that it is one of nature’s great migration stories,” said John Davis, TPWD’s Wildlife Diversity Program Director. “This species migrates through Texas from Mexico in the spring making its way to the northern extremes of the U.S. and into Canada, then reverses that feat in the fall to overwinter in Mexico. This great migratory story is in jeopardy with the overwintering population experiencing steep declines in the last decade. By adding the monarch to our family of plates, we hope to increase support for this beautiful migration event and through our conservation efforts, brighten the future for this, and many other species.”

Read more: New Monarch Butterfly Conservation license plate available for Texas drivers

Humane Society of Harlingen At Capacity for Cats, Calling Community to Help

Harlingen, Texas – The Humane Society of Harlingen’s cat spaces are completely full. Yesterday, someone reached out to HSH looking for help rehoming 13 cats, as their living space was increasingly unsafe and unsustainable. HSH answered the call, and this morning HSH took in all 13 cats. HSH is asking the community to help us find foster or forever homes for our feline friends!

All adoption fees are completely waived. All adopted pets will go home up to date on vaccinations, dewormed, on preventatives for fleas/ticks/heartworms, microchipped and either already spayed/neutered, or with an appointment to spay/neuter at no cost to the adoptive family.

Read more: Humane Society of Harlingen At Capacity for Cats, Calling Community to Help

Humane Society of Harlingen hosting low-cost community clinic

The Humane Society of Harlingen will be hosting a community clinic on Saturday, May 29th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This will be a pre-registration only clinic. During this clinic, HSH will be providing discounted vaccinations and medications. Pets must be present in order for medications to be distributed or vaccinations administered.

This will be a drive-thru clinic with the entrance on the 77 Sunshine Strip side of the building. To protect the health and safety of our staff and the community, we require that anyone coming to the clinic wear a mask covering their nose and mouth.

Spots are filling up quickly, register your pet today! More information and registration can be found at hshtx.org/monthly-clinic.

For more information, please contact the shelter at info@hshtx.org or (956) 425-7297.

Oak trees still recovering from winter storms

Oak Trees 3Written by Stephen O'Shea, TAMU

Driving across Texas has been an interesting occupation for foresters and arborists these past few weeks. Many trees appear as healthy and vibrant as they have ever been, but littered in among the growing green are an equal – and seemingly arbitrary – population of barren oak trees.

Oak trees remain stressed after Winter Storm Uri. Homeowners are advised to be patient through their recovery. 

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IMAS Expanding Open Hours to the Community

Couple in Frida HQBeginning May 2, 2021, the IMAS has expanded their hours for visitors. The new hours will include Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. Visitors to the museum can enjoy the splendor of exhibits including “The World of Frida” featuring work by both national and international artists inspired by the late Frida Kahlo, “Spectrum Dynamic”, “Mexican and Latin American Folk Art”, and upcoming photography exhibit “Stillness” by Carlos Limas which will open on May 8.

Read more: IMAS Expanding Open Hours to the Community

Palm Valley Animal Society introduces thrift store

Palm Valley Animal Society will be a hosting a ribbon cutting and grand opening event at Nine Lives Thrift, a retail store in McAllen that will sell gently used items to the public such as household essentials, furniture, and decor, as well as vintage, new and used clothing, and accessories.

The event will be held Thursday evening on May 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the store’s location in McAllen (2901 N. 10th St. Suite M.).

Read more: Palm Valley Animal Society introduces thrift store

STC Library looks at history of the Rio Grande Valley in new Civil War exhibit

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery continues its monthly spring semester series, “Parallels”, with a traveling exhibit on the Civil War and its impact on the border region.

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery and History department proudly presents UTRGV’s CHAPS traveling exhibit “War & Peace on the Rio Grande, 1861-1867” at STC’s Mid-Valley Library, which began on April 5, and will be on view until June 30. The Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery is located at 400 N. Border in Weslaco.

Author Marianne Monson is slated to speak on her book “Women of the Blue and Gray: True Civil War Stories of Mothers, Medics, Soldiers, and Spies,” on April 27 at 3 p.m., covering those diverse women who defied norms to participate in the war as abolitionists, teachers, and soldiers.

Read more: STC Library looks at history of the Rio Grande Valley in new Civil War exhibit

TCF sets date for parade and more

The Texas Citrus Fiesta, a nearly 90-year tradition for the City of Mission that pays homage to the influence of the citrus industry and the citrus growers of the area, has announced its rescheduled dates for the parade, fun fair and cook off. Originally scheduled for January, the events will now take place on Saturday, May 15.

Read more: TCF sets date for parade and more

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