By Herb Moering
The lumber and hardware business legacy the Kautsch family created in Alamo is living on through new owner Lance Gilivancz. And it is a legacy that most Winter Texans apparently have appreciated over the decades by remaining returning customers.
On April 19, 1970, the “doors to the past” were opened to the 1910 Jail and the rest is history. From that momentous day on, the museum grew from a small county museum (Hidalgo County Historical Museum) to an American Alliance of Museums accredited museum (Museum of South Texas History) with state-of-the-art exhibitions set on a campus encompassing more than a city block. For 50 years, MOSTHistory has had an incredible history of its own, independent of the many stories its on-going exhibits tell. “Golden Memories: Fifty Years of Preserving the Borderland Heritage of the Rio Grande Valley” highlights some of that history and is waiting for visitors to enjoy. This exhibit will close on May 1, 2021.
The Rio Grande Valley has a lot of talented songwriters, some with published songs, some performing their originals in local shows, and some who have yet to showcase their own material. Now, 5X5 Brewing will host a series of singer/songwriter sessions, creating a unique and audience-interactive venue for artists to showcase their own original songs and the inspirations behind them.
Read more: Singer/Songwriter sessions being held at 5X5 Brewing Co.
The Mission Chamber of Commerce will hold two Market Winter Texan Appreciation Days. The events will be held today, Wednesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 14. They will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
There will be complimentary swag while supplies last, free health screenings, vendors, and live music. The event will be held at the Mission Chamber Placita at 202 W. Tom Landry.
For more information, or for vendor opportunities, call (956) 585-2727, or email vicepresident@missionchamber.com.
It is with great pleasure the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) announces a series of fundraising events in celebration of A Night at the Brew-seum. The festival could not occur without generous participation of local businesses and individuals throughout the region. IMAS extends a deep heartfelt thanks to title sponsors Clark Chevrolet and Clark Knapp Honda and presenting sponsor L&F Distributors for their participation in making the 13th Annual “Brew-seum” Craft Beer Festival one to remember.
Read more: IMAS announces series of Brew-seum events, dinner, virtual 5K, yoga
All Veterans Affairs Valley Coastal Bend Clinics, including Harlingen and McAllen locations, will now begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to all enrolled Veterans. After conducting directed outreach to Veterans according to CDC prioritization, they are now opening vaccination appointments to enrolled Veterans of all ages.
Designated caregivers enrolled in VA’s program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Support may also receive the vaccine with the Veteran for whom they care. If you are a Veteran and have not enrolled in VA healthcare, now is the perfect time to explore your earned benefits.
Those interested in scheduling a vaccine are asked to contact the call center at (855) 864-0516, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments will continue to be made based on supply availability.
SAN DIEGO, CA – COVIDShotFinder.com, a website connecting U.S. residents to COVID-19 vaccine appointment availability information nationwide, has fully launched. Residents can check vaccine eligibility, find links to appointment assistance (including hyperlocal vaccine hunter volunteer groups and waitlist details) and sign up to be alerted when more vaccine appointments and information becomes available.
Read more: Site connects residents to vaccine appointment information
McAllen, TX – Starting April 22, 2021, Aeromar, Mexico’s foremost regional airline, will provide scheduled nonstop service from McAllen International Airport (MFE) to Monterrey International Airport (MTY). Along with the new route announcement, Aeromar commemorates its eight‐year anniversary of operating nonstop service from McAllen to Mexico City.
Read more: Aeromar offers nonstop McAllen to Monterrey flight
Quinta Mazatlán is delighted to host Texas muralist, Lupe Hernandez on Thursday, April 8th from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on The Back Porch in McAllen. Hernandez’s’ presentation, “Street Art in the Park”, is a workshop on the contemporary art style known as graffiti, and the unveiling of his latest mural ‘heART of Quinta Mazatlán’ painted at Quinta Mazatlán. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the history of three graffiti styles and participate in an art activity.
Read more: Texas Muralist Lupe Hernandez presents at Quinta Mazatlán
The Rio Grande Valley is full of nature centers and birding sites. These parks are continuing to have activities. For those that stay a little longer, or are full time residents, these are some of the activities you can still catch in the wonderful outdoors of the Rio Grande Valley.
The Valley Nature Center will hold their first annual fishing tournament, Rock the Dock, at Lobo Del Mar on South Padre Island. The event will take place on June 5 from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration is currently open and closes on May 30. Cost is $350 per team. For more information, visit valleynaturecenter.org.
Quinta Mazatlán is hosting presenter Sandra Villegas on Thursday, March 25, starting at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on The Back Porch at Quinta Mazatlán. Villegas, who has her Master’s in Public Health, is the Nutrition Education Manager at the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. Here, Villegas will demonstrate and prepare two recipes using the native plants prickly pear and mesquite flour as well as discuss the benefits of eating and using native plants, how to start a small container garden, what the best herbs are to start with, and how healthy lifestyles overall are the foundations to a healthy self.
The first traveling exhibit for the City of Alamo Museum has opened featuring the history of Fort Brown, the first military border post in Texas.
The Museum of South Texas History welcomes Martin Salinas for his bilingual presentation, “Entorno, arqueología y el primer poblamiento del bajo Río Grande o Bravo,” at 2 p.m. on March 28 on Facebook Live.
This presentation will feature the details on the physiographic and environmental changes of South Texas and northeastern Mexico in the last millenia, and the first peoples’ adaptations to the environment as understood through archaeological work. Museum CEO Francisco Guajardo will moderate the presentation. This presentation is part of a series, which is scheduled quarterly, that will explore the life and culture of the first peoples of the Rio Grande as observed through archaeological findings and analysis of Spanish documents. Continue to check the museum’s social media and website for announcements on the next presentations.
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) announces the opening of a new exhibit, The World of Frida, on Saturday, March 27, with a special IMAS member preview on Friday evening, March 26.
The World of Frida celebrates the culture, style, and persona of visionary painter Frida Kahlo, an artist who continues to inspire with her story of love, adventure, and pain. Featuring a variety of national and international artists working in a wide array of media, the exhibition includes Frida Kahlo as the subject, as well as artworks inspired by her life and art, her beautiful garden, Mexican culture and fashion, vibrant colors, surrealism, and more.
Written by Laura Muntean, TAMU
Even though we are not seeing many just yet, be patient, Texas bluebonnets and wildflowers will come. According to a Texas A&M AgriLife expert, the freeze likely had minimal effects on both the Texas bluebonnets and wildflowers.
