Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast
by Mario Muñoz
Official podcast for the Rio Grande Guardian, the first online newspaper to launch on the South Texas border, starting out in July, 2005. The Rio Grande Guardian has an excellent reputation for accurate and thorough news reporting, with a specialty for border business, legislative, political, healthcare, environment, and education issues.
Episodes
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Morales: On a good day, Democrats can flip the Texas House
MCALLEN, Texas — State Rep. Christina Morales (D-Houston) believes that "on a good day," Democrats can flip the Texas House of Representatives in the upcoming Nov. 3 midterm elections. Speaking with the Rio Grande Guardian following a Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus "People's Hearing" at the...
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Remarks from the podium at Garver's ribbon-cutting ceremony
Civil engineering firm Garver joined forces with local community and business leaders on Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of its new regional office — a $5 million investment expected to spur further economic development across the Rio Grande Valley. City and regional officials, including...
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Morales: On a good day, Democrats can flip the Texas House
MCALLEN, Texas - Three members of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus held a “People’s Hearing” in McAllen on Sunday, October 11. It was held at the historic Cine El Rey. The group was on a fact-finding mission, looking to hear from community leaders and residents about the challenges the…
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New AEP Texas president testifies before Senate committee
Adrian Rodriguez, the new president of AEP Texas, testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Business & Commerce at the State Capitol in Austin in late July, 2026. Addressing state lawmakers, Rodriguez emphasized that rapid economic development across AEP Texas's 97,000-square-mile service...
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Previewing I-LinCP and Harlingen EDC's big event
HARLINGEN, Texas — As the Rio Grande Valley continues its rapid economic expansion, regional leaders are gathering this week to tackle two of the most critical factors underpinning future growth: infrastructure readiness and human capital development. The Institute for Leadership in Capital...
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Rick Salinas announces he is running for mayor of Mission
MISSION, Texas - Veteran trial attorney Ricardo “Rick” Salinas officially entered the race for mayor of Mission, Texas, filing his candidacy paperwork and outlining an ambitious campaign platform focused on City Hall transparency, urgent infrastructure repairs, and fiscal accountability ahead of...
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Saronic chooses Brownsville for its next generation Port Alpha shipyard
AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott and Dino Mavrookas, co-founder and CEO of Saronic Technologies, made an announcement about manufacturing investment at the company’s headquarters in Austin. Saronic was founded in 2022 and specializes in unmanned maritime vehicles. Mavrookas announced a $3.2…
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Harlingen city commissioners discuss naming a park in honor of Sgt. Arturo Treto Garza
HARLINGEN, Texas - The City of Harlingen is to name a new park after Arturo Treto Garza, an influential leader in the movement to bring a Veteran's Hospital to the Rio Grande Valley and longtime columnist for the Rio Grande Guardian. Garza, a decorated U.S. Marine who fought in the Vietnam War,...
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An interview with Region M Planning Group Chairman Jim Darling
WESLACO, Texas - The four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley have asked the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council to be part of a new water management plan for the region. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Management Plan aims to advance regional water solutions for the Valley. The plan...
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An interview with Judge Aurelio Guerra and LRGVDC Executive Director Manuel Cruz
WESLACO, Texas - The four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley have asked the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council to be part of a new water management plan for the region. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Management Plan aims to advance regional water solutions for the Valley. The plan...
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Garcia: McAllen EDC is being 'very strategic' with its visits
MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen Economic Development Corporation is being very strategic on the visits it is making to secure new opportunities for the region, the group’s chief operating officer has explained. Ralph Garcia gave a very brief update on MEDC’s work at their quarterly stakeholders…
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Howell: City of Mercedes to name a street after civil rights hero Hector P. Garcia
A few months ago, an idea sparked in my heart: to honor Dr. Hector P. Garcia with a street designation in his hometown of Mercedes. Tonight, I’m happy to share that the initiative has officially been approved. This effort has been a true community project. What began as a proposal grew into...
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New World screwworm has reached Texas. Agriculture Secretary Rollins responds.
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has responded to news that the New World screwworm has reached Texas. She said she has sent a strike team to the South Texas border to assist. The parasitic fly could put Texas’ $15 billion cattle industry in jeopardy. The USDA tested a...
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An interview with Dr. Bricia ElAwar, an environmental leader with Rotary International
WESLACO, Texas - The city of Rio Bravo in Tamaulipas has more than 250 illegal dumping sites, says an environmentalist with Rotary International. Dr. Bricia ElAwar, chairwoman of the environmental committee for Rotary District 5330 in Riverside, California, has led efforts to clear the dumps. She...
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RGV leaders educate the public about New World screwworm
WESLACO, Texas - In an effort to educate and inform the public, the county judges from Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy and Cameron counties held a joint press conference about the New World screwworm. The press conference took place Monday, May 18 at the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council…
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Allison: RGV Desal will be largest water infrastructure project ever built in South Texas
HARLINGEN, Texas - Doug Allison, a board member and regulatory counsel for US Desalination, has given an in-depth interview about plans for the largest water infrastructure project ever built in South Texas. “We’re partnering with communities, agencies, and industry to ensure a reliable water...
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Farris: If God had not put that tractor in front of me, we would never have seen the fire
HARLINGEN, Texas - Rio Grande Valley banker and philanthropist Bobby Farris has recalled an incident earlier this year where he and his wife Robin were referred to by the City of Rio Hondo as “good samaritans.” On Valentine’s Day, the couple rescued a six-year old girl and an elderly man from a...
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Fuentes: Unused flood repair monies should be used for flood mitigation
MONTE ALTO, Texas - Hidalgo County Commissioner David Fuentes says if federal money sent to the Rio Grande Valley to repair homes after a flooding event is not claimed, it should be made available for flood mitigation work. “We're not going to minimize that people need assistance when they...
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Torres discusses USMCA, tariffs, at McAllen EDC stakeholders committee meeting
MCALLEN, TEXAS - Hopefully, a revised USMCA will allow Mexico to avoid being impacted by the new tariffs President Trump is trying to impose - in which case the new tariffs on steel from Mexico would be eliminated. This is the view of Jorge Torres, president of Rio Grande Valley-based Interlink...
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Executives: At Saronic, our welders have the opportunity to become engineers
PORT ISABEL, Texas - Saronic Technologies, the Austin-based defense technology startup that is considering building a shipyard at the Port of Brownsville, places a big emphasis on developing a young workforce. So says Chris Johnson, director for the company’s shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana....
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La Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos anula los aranceles de la IEEPA, abriendo caminos inciertos
MCALLEN, Texas - Durante un seminario web el 4 de marzo, el presidente de Interlink Trade Services, Jorge Torres, explicó que la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos declaró ilegales los aranceles impuestos bajo la Ley de Poderes Económicos de Emergencia Internacional (IEEPA), lo que abre la puerta a...
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Hinojosa writes to Valley irrigation districts
EDINBURG, Texas - State Sen. Juan Hinojosa has urged Valley irrigation districts to work on plans to line their canals. And he welcomed new funding from NADBank, saying it augments the money the Legislature has committed through the Texas Water Development Board. “We (the Legislature) set aside a...
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Cornyn makes final campaign swing through the Valley
EDINBURG, TEXAS - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made his last campaign swing through the Rio Grande Valley in the company of the National Border Patrol Council. “The Border Patrol Council, they have become like brothers and sisters,” Cornyn said, as he acknowledged the council’s endorsement. “It was...
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U.S. Senate candidates make final campaign swing through the Valley
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The top Democrats running for U.S. Senate have made their final campaign swings through the Rio Grande Valley ahead of the Primary Election on March 3. U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett had an event at Brownsville Public Library. Texas state Rep. James Talarico appeared on...
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Willis reports on the manufacturing sector in the RGV and northern Tamaulipas
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - SpaceX will be hiring another 4,000 workers this year at its Starbase rocket launching facility at Boca Chica, says the executive director of South Texas Manufacturers Association. Mike Willis gave an overview of the manufacturing scene in the Rio Grande Valley and northern...
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STBA: Construction loans in RGV down 30 percent in January
MCALLEN, Texas - There was a 30 percent decrease in loans for construction companies in the Rio Grande Valley in January, the executive director of the South Texas Builders Association reports. Mario Guerrero visited Washington, D.C., recently to urge the White House and the Department of…
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I-LinCP to host mixer in Brownsville
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley chapter of the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects is hosting a mixer in Brownsville on the evening of February 18. It is titled: “Downtown Brownsville - A Master Plan Revitalization Mixer. It is being held at Boqueron Food & Wine Bar on E....
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Astrid Salazar gives Prosperity Task Force an update on RioPlex's current workload
MCALLEN, Texas - RioPlex is planning to visit Asia and Europe later this year in order to drum up business for the region. The trade missions will likely take in the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Japan. There will also be a number of visits to Mexico and different parts of the United States. A...
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Cortez: RGV cities are stores within a mall. They are not the mall itself.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez today begins a charm offensive as he seeks to bring the larger cities and economic development organizations in the Rio Grande Valley under the RioPlex umbrella. Cortez plans to meet with all the EDCs, both individually and collectively. The first meeting takes...
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VAMOS is celebrating its 30th Anniversary
EDINBURG, Texas - The Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarships (VAMOS) is celebrating 30 years of service to first-generation, low-income students across the Rio Grande Valley. In recognition of this year’s anniversary, VAMOS has a goal of raising $1 million in scholarship...
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Everything Cameron County Commissioner Joey Lopez said at the State of the County Address
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Cameron County held its State of the County Luncheon in Harlingen last month and Precinct 2 Commissioner Joey Lopez spoke about La Esperanza Community Park’s all-inclusive renovations. The park reopened in July 2025, with the addition of an inclusive splash pad for children....
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An interview with Dr. Rashmi Chandran, president of AltaCair
MISSION, Texas - AltaCair Foundation’s top event of 2025 was its Accelerator Conference. This was the third year in a row AltaCair has held an Accelerator Conference. It was billed as the largest health summit in South Texas. During the conference, the group’s president, Dr. Rashmi Chandran, gave…
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RioPlex Executive Director Mario Reyna gives presentation
MCALLEN, Texas - RioPlex plans to hold meetings every month across the region to explain to communities what the group is doing to bring in more investment and better paying jobs. Mario Reyna, RioPlex’s executive director, spoke about the group’s vision, mission statement, core values, and...
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Cómo el Departamento de Policía de Pharr ayuda a las víctimas de delitos
Josie Arellano es enlace para víctimas de delitos en el Departamento de Desarrollo Policial de Pharr. Arellano conversó a fondo con la presentadora del Rio Grande Guardian, Mari Regalado, para hablar sobre su trabajo. Regalado comentó que es importante que las víctimas de delitos se presenten y...
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How Pharr Police Department assists the victims of crime
Josie Arellano is crime victims liaison for Pharr Police Development. Arellano sat down for an in-depth interview with Rio Grande Guardian anchor Mari Regalado to discuss her work. She said it is important for the victims of crime to come forward and report a crime, no matter what their legal...
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Cuellar, South Texas builders strategize over ICE raids at construction sites
PHARR, Texas - Mario Guerrero, CEO of the South Texas Builders Association, says the region’s banks are also being impacted ICE’s raids on construction sites in the Rio Grande Valley. Guerrero called a meeting recently with U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar to discuss the economic impact the raids are…
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Lucio celebrates his 25th anniversary giving away turkeys for Thanksgiving
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Former state Sen. Eddie Lucioo, Jr., has not been able to give away as many turkeys to the less fortunate this year, in part because federal funding to the food banks has been cut. Normally, Lucio would purchase the turkeys at a competitive price from local food banks and...
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Garcia gives update on McAllen EDC's current projects
MCALLEN, Texas - Ralph Garcia, interim chief operating officer for McAllen Economic Development Corporation, has given a brief update on the various projects the group is working on. “Right now, the EDC is working with about 25 active projects. This represents a total of about three million…
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Santoscoy gives update on McAllen International Airport passenger numbers
MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen International Airport continues to capture the biggest share of the passenger market in the Rio Grande Valley, the city’s director of aviation reports. Jeremy Santoscoy gave an update on airport activity at a recent McAllen Economic Development Corporation stakeholders...
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Alfaro gives presentation on Hidalgo County RMA projects to McAllen EDC
MCALLEN, Texas - Ruben Alfaro, development engineer for Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority, gave an update on the group’s strategic plan when he spoke at a McAllen Economic Development Corporation stakeholders meeting. That strategic plan includes the long-awaited Hidalgo County Loop....
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Todo lo que se dijo en la cena de La Bonanza
PHARR, TEXAS – RioPlex fu eel anfitrion de una ceremonia de colocacion para La Bonanza Avocados, una compañia familiar de aguacates proveniente de Uruapan, Michoacán el 14 de Nov. Invitados de la ceremonia incluyeron mas de 20 lideres de Negocios de Michoacán, que se encontraban en una mission...
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Todo lo que se hablo en la ceremonia de colocacion de La Bonanza en la ciudad de Pharr
PHARR, TEXAS – RioPlex fu eel anfitrion de una ceremonia de colocacion para La Bonanza Avocados, una compañia familiar de aguacates proveniente de Uruapan, Michoacán el 14 de Nov. Invitados de la ceremonia incluyeron mas de 20 lideres de Negocios de Michoacán, que se encontraban en una mission...
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Cortez gives his view on the impact ICE raids are having on school attendance
EDINBURG, Texas - Ruben Cortez is vice president of the Texas Association of Education Service Centers. In a recent interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Cortez spoke about a larger than average drop off in school attendance by students living in heavily Hispanic areas. Cortez was reticent…
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NADBank launches first call for projects under its Water Resiliency Fund
MCALLEN, Texas - The North American Development Bank is to allocate up to $100 million from its retained earnings over the next five years for urgent water conservation projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. NADBank Managing Director John Beckham made the announcement at the two-day Rio…
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Everything that was said at the Richmond Hills Drainage Project ribbon-cutting ceremony
PRIMERA, Texas - The City of Primera recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Richmond Hills Drainage Project. Cameron County Drainage District No. 5 played a key role in the project. CCDD5 provided a timeline of the events: Developer Julio Carranza required CCDD5 to use five acres on his...
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Aleman: Los Indios is the crown jewel of Cameron County's international bridges
HARLINGEN, Texas - The Free Trade Bridge at Los Indios is the crown jewel of Cameron County’s international bridge system, according to the county’s economic development director, Ramiro Aleman. The bridge is also known as “Los Indios-Lucio Blanco Bridge”, “Puente Lucio Blanco-Los Indios”…
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Carrera gives update on COSTEP's Binational Autocluster project
HARLINGEN, Texas - Rick Carrera, COSTEP's economic development director, gave an update on a project his group is working on to map all the automotive companies in the Rio South Texas region. COSTEP stands for Council for South Texas Economic Progress. The Rio South Texas region comprises…
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Cuellar: District 28 is a Powerhouse for Clean Energy
LAREDO, Texas - Webb and Starr are leading South Texas in clean energy growth with new solar panels, wind power, and battery storage, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar reports. The Laredo Democrat released a new update showing that Texas’ 28th Congressional District - his district - is a powerhouse in…
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Cameron County to purchase ownership interest in Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Cameron County Commissioners Court is moving ahead with plans to purchase an ownership interest in the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company from Union Pacific Railroad. Brownsville & Matamoras Bridge Company co-owns Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge with the government of...
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Luis Bazan gives his August 2025 Bridge Crossings Report
PHARR, Texas - The wild fluctuations in bridge crossing numbers have made it hard to analyze longterm trends, says Pharr International Bridge Director Luis Bazan. In his most recent report to the Pharr Bridge Board, Bazan said he will likely not have a clear picture of how things are going until...
About this show
Official podcast for the Rio Grande Guardian, the first online newspaper to launch on the South Texas border, starting out in July, 2005. The Rio Grande Guardian has an excellent reputation for accurate and thorough news reporting, with a specialty for border business, legislative, political, healthcare, environment, and education issues.
Hosted by
Mario Muñoz