Winter Texan Times

Port Isabel Historical Museum hosts special exhibit

Details: Published: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 17:07

20241030 SPI Port Isabel Museum of History KO 0086 web The Port Isabel Historical Museum will host a special exhibit through December 15. The exhibit is called Ancient Landscapes of South Texas, Hiding in Plain Sight.

Explore 50 million years of natural history and 15,000 years of cultural history of the Rio Grande Valley. From Pleistocene hunters to Spanish rancheros, to the construction of dams, and wind turbines discover how human adaptations were shaped and in turn are shaping the region’s natural history.

A new ocelot joins the Gladys Porter Zoo family

Details: Published: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 16:41

Gladys Porter Zoo staff are inviting the public to come out and meet our newest resident, Ignacio, a seven-year-old ocelot. Iggy, as he is affectionately called, joins a female ocelot that currently resides at the Zoo, Leeloo.

Iggy arrived at the Zoo in early August from the Palm Beach Zoo in Florida. After completing the mandatory quarantine period, he is now slowly being introduced to Leeloo. To ensure a safe and easy transition for both cats, zookeepers are gradually allowing them to get acquainted with one another.

Zookeepers are working hard on acclimating the pair. As of now, the pair are becoming familiar with one another’s scent behind the scenes and taking turns spending time in their shared outdoor habitat. This is an important process that must take place in order to ensure the safety and comfort of both animals.

A celebration of Monarch Migration at HalloWings

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:25

South Padre Island is thrilled to announce the annual HalloWings Across South Padre Island Monarch Migration Celebration. The event will take place on Sunday, October 27, at the South Padre Island Birding Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary.

The fall season is a gorgeous time of year on South Padre Island. Monarchs are unique due to their two-way migration. Celebrate the beautiful and spectacular fall migration as they travel down the Texas coastal flyway to their winter home in central Mexico.

MPL announces South Texas Book festival

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:23

20241023 Picture2 web McAllen Public Library will be kicking off its 11th annual international-award winning book festival with an extensive slew of authors for readers of every age. Go find out who’s coming and all the exciting and fun activities taking place during the event, including storytelling, book sales, author signings and other special guest appearances. Visitors can also meet the new mascot, Marty the Library Cat.

The South Texas Book Festival will take place from October 29, through Saturday, November 2, at the McAllen Public Library, 4001 N. 23rd Street. The event will be free and open to the public.

Arbor Day Celebration registration open

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:20

20241023 Picture1 web Keep McAllen Beautiful (KMB) is hosting its 13th annual Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Westside Park, 1000 S. Ware Rd. The Arbor Day Celebration is a run, bike, and walk event that benefits everyone interested in personal health and the environment. Registration for the event is now open. This fundraiser will also benefit Keep McAllen Beautiful, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and will help increase awareness of the importance of planting and caring for trees in McAllen.

All events are open to everyone from amateurs to professionals. The day will begin with a 25 Mile/100K Bike Ride; 5K Run; 10K Run; a Kids’ Fun Run; and an ongoing Tree Workshop. This new location will feature exciting experiences for participants.

New shop empowers special needs students through real-world experience

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:18

20241023 IMG 7342 web The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) celebrated a groundbreaking moment with the grand opening of the PSJA Family Shop on Friday, October 18. This unique store, the first of its kind in the district, is not only a place to purchase exclusive PSJA ISD merchandise, but it also serves as an essential job training site for special needs students ages 18-21 from the PSJA Pathways Toward Independence (PTI) and LIFE Programs.

The PSJA Family Shop exemplifies the district’s commitment to creating opportunities for all students. By operating this retail space, students gain hands-on experience in retail management, customer service, and other essential workplace skills that prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

Registration open for Texas Master Naturalist training program

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:13

20241023 Workday at chapter project garden web Registration is open to join the 2025 South Texas Border Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist training class. Training will be in-person. Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr County residents over the age of 18 and Winter Texans are welcome.

As a chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program, the group develops well-informed volunteers to educate, outreach, and serve in the beneficial management of natural resources and areas in the Rio Grande Valley. Texas Master Naturalist is a unique educational volunteer program sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Sea Grant Program, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Local community will walk to help defeat ALS®

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 22:06

20241023 ALS Logo web On October 26, people living with ALS, family members, friends, caregivers, and others affected by ALS will gather at Bannworth Park Pavilion for the 2024 Walk to Defeat ALS Rio Grande Valley. ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It gradually robs people of the ability to walk, move, talk, swallow, and eventually breathe. ALS has no known cause or cure, and the community is coming together to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere.

Texas’ Reigning Monarchs

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 21:56

By: U.S. Senator John Cornyn

Monarch butterflies have captured the hearts of Texans for generations, from students in grade school classrooms growing them from caterpillars to full-grown adults to the Texas legislature designating the Monarch butterfly as our official state insect in 1995. What many Texans may not know is that these seemingly delicate creatures share our same grit and steadfast determination to survive.

Each year, Monarchs embark on a journey that spans thousands of miles, one of the most impressive migrations in the animal kingdom. This incredible voyage transcends borders, cultures, and time.

You may have spotted the Monarch migration, which can cover up to 3,000 miles from Canada to Mexico, passing through Texas. This 300-mile wide path stretches from Wichita Falls in the North to Eagle Pass in the South, making Texas a waypoint for these beautiful butterflies. During their migration, the Monarchs face numerous challenges, including extreme weather conditions, habitat loss, and a shrinking food supply, but in true Texas fashion, they face these challenges head—or antennae—first.

Three ways to protect migratory birds this fall

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 October 2024 21:48

20231101 Amarillo MM 2156 web For Texans, saving millions of migratory birds could be as simple as flipping a switch.

Each year, nearly two billion birds migrate through the Lone Star State. Many of the migratory species use the night sky as a tool to navigate through the state and back to their homes and breeding grounds.

However, nighttime light pollution has become a growing challenge for many birds, leading to high rates of building strikes and migratory bird deaths. Lights Out, Texas! is an initiative focused on reducing bird losses to building strikes by enlisting the help of Texans.