During the holiday season, the Food Bank RGV launched a new initiative allowing the general public to give directly in order to “Adopt a Family” and sponsor a family’s meals for an entire month or for the full year.
The City of McAllen Public Works Department has opened a newly constructed Recycling Center Citizen Drop-Off Facility, with services for both the public at large and those specifically available to McAllen residents. Hours of operation for the facility are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Written by Adam Russell
In Texas, late-fall and early winter is the perfect time to plant shade trees.
Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offer some expert advice to help you get your sapling out of the container, into the ground and off to a good start.
Transplanting and establishing container trees is a relatively easy process if you follow Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recommendations. Now is a good time to apply these tips and get shade trees in the ground.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas —Texas A&M Forest Service launched an application today to help users quickly identify the root of a tree’s problem, whether it be caused by insects, diseases or other factors.
The TreeMD application is part of the Texas Forest Information Portal, and its main feature is a diagnosis tool which allows users to quickly find results from TreeMD’s vast database. Users are prompted to enter the tree species, prominent symptoms exhibited or even the specific part of the tree that is being affected to help diagnose the problem. In the event there are still questions on the actual cause, users can upload pictures and connect with a professional.
Read more: Texas A&M Forest Service launches TreeMD application
By Adam Russell, TAMU
Establishing fruit trees in Texas takes some effort, but these time-tested tips from a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert can guide the way from transplant to production.
Peaches are the most universally planted fruit tree in Texas.
When it comes to fruit trees, Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension fruit specialist, Uvalde, said to plant in late December through February. The key is that trees be totally dormant at planting.
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) presents “Guided by Curiosity,” an exhibition featuring items from the museum’s permanent collection that will pique the viewer’s interest and fuel the imagination. It will be on exhibit now through March 6, 2021.
“Guided by Curiosity” is the result of four exhibitions curated by members of the museum’s education staff that debuted online earlier this year as individual virtual exhibits. At a time when most museums are focusing their efforts on putting more content online, IMAS saw the popularity of these virtual exhibitions as a compelling reason to “buck the trend” by bringing the works of art together in the gallery as “Guided by Curiosity.”
The Pharr Community Theater will present the popular Charles Dickens adaptation, A Tejano Christmas Carol 2019, on the Pharr Community Theater FB page. The two-act play will be screened live and free of charge starting December 20, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. until January 4, 2021. To watch the show, find The Pharr Community Theater FB page and give it a like and you can watch it with your family at home.
Read more: A Tejano Christmas Carol plays on PCT Facebook, Dec 20-Jan 4
By Colleen Hook, Executive Director, Quinta Mazatlán
Amazing things happen in nature in the wintertime, and everyone senses that change is coming. Many cultures around the world have winter festivals that involve celebrations of light, including Christmas with tree lights, Hanukkah with the nine-branched Menorah, Kwanzaa with the seven-candle Kinara, Las Posadas with children lighting the way with candles, and many more.
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS—Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and leaders from the City of Brownsville, the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, and across Cameron County, Texas, marked the opening of the Historic Battlefield Trail Extension at a private ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Palo Alto Battlefield last month.
The City of McAllen, in conjunction with the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization, is encouraging residents to take advantage of the many hike and bike trails in the community and to post the information on their social media, utilizing the hash tag #TrailMoments. The effort is part of the Rails to Trails Conservancy Trail Moment initiative, in hopes to capture moments of joy, solitude, exercise and self-care.
Join the Center for Urban Ecology at Quinta Mazatlán for a journey into the world of rare birds on Saturday morning, December 12. The program will deepen your understanding of who our rare birds are, what makes them rare, and puts them in the context of a changing bird community in the Rio Grande Valley. Visitors will get to share in the excitement and mystery of rare birds of the past, speculation on which ones may show up next, and will leave knowing more about the birds that secret away in the Rio Grande Valley’s forests, marshes, and even yards.
The Edinburg World Birding Center is delighted to have local raptor expert, Bill Clark, present virtually a Basic Raptor ID course. Build up your hawk watching skills in this program as you learn helpful tips to identify raptors. He will provide an ID overview of vultures, osprey, harrier, and falcons. He will then go into detail about buteos, accipiters, and others.
Bill Clark is a photographer, author, researcher, and lecturer and has over 50 years of experience working with birds of prey, including five years as Director of NWF's Raptor Information Center.
This is a six-hour course consisting of three two-hour sessions. The first session will begin on Friday, December 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The last two sessions are on Saturday, December 12 at 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Registration deadline is two days prior to the program. This program will be delivered via zoom. Register at the EWBC website: www.EdinburgWBC.org or call them at (956) 381-9922. Payment can be taken by phone or in-person.
You can visit holiday themed sandcastles at South Padre Island. The sandcastles are an ongoing thing and this year the sculptors have worked hard to get things done. The Christmas village is currently open for visitors.
The Christmas Extravaganza is now on display at Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum featuring the creative ways people decorate Christmas trees. The exhibit runs through December 31.
The trails of Quinta Mazatlán in McAllen will be lined with thousands of candle luminarias to celebrate the winter holidays around the world. Presented by SpawGlass, ILLUMINA Fest 2020 takes place on December 16, 17, 18, and 19 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets go fast and can only be purchased online at www.ticketleap.com, search for Quinta Mazatlán.
