RGV Business Journal

How much does it take to earn a living wage in the Rio Grande Valley? Julio Salinas, communication specialist for Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley, says recent figures put it at about $65,000 a year for a single person.In Episode 51 of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza kicks off a miniseries on workforce development with Salinas, whose board serves Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties. They talk about rising rent, why workers are leaving city jobs for fast food and side gigs, entry-level postings that demand years of experience, subsidized child care, free training grants for small businesses and the high-wage employers arriving at the Port of Brownsville.CHAPTERS0:00 Preview0:58 Meet Julio Salinas, Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley3:44 Valley wages and poverty, then and now4:27 Agriculture roots, H-2A workers and seasonal job training6:14 Out-of-state seasonal work: Iowa corn and Alaska fisheries7:26 When cities compete with Panda Express9:47 What is a living wage in the Valley?11:53 Landscaping vs. construction pay12:56 Rent, housing and the generational disconnect14:03 Labor market data for employers moving to the Valley15:19 Entry-level jobs that require experience17:10 Job descriptions and WorkInTexas19:22 Target occupations and worker shortages21:31 The soft skills employers say are missing23:13 Call center jobs and work from home24:15 Child care and the workforce ecosystem25:59 Training grants for small businesses27:17 Job fairs and 200-plus hiring events a year29:18 When will Valley wages catch up?30:36 Take-home pay vs. total compensation33:17 Port of Brownsville, SpaceX and new high-wage jobs38:46 H-1B visas and the construction skills gap41:39 Holiday hiring and consumer spending44:31 How job seekers and employers can connect46:36 Why Workforce Solutions is not a staffing agencyGUESTJulio Salinas, communication specialist, Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande ValleyHOSTKristen Mosbrucker-Garza, reporter, Rio Grande Valley Business JournalRead more:

https://tinyurl.com/8xbxw88eSubscribe to the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal for news on business, economic development and the border economy in South Texas.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has revoked the 2025 order that canceled Aeroméxico's nonstop flight between McAllen and Mexico City. RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza talks with McAllen International Airport Aviation Director Jeremy Santoscoy about what comes next: how long it takes to restart a route, which Mexico City airport it could serve, how fuel costs are shaping airline decisions and why the flight matters to the Rio Grande Valley economy.Read the full story at the Rio Grande Valley Business JournalChapters0:00 Following up on the DOT order1:06 DOT revokes the cancellation1:52 How long it takes to restart a route2:50 Federal approval for Mexican carriers4:10 Other airports and airlines affected5:26 Demand and how the route performed7:30 Travelers rerouting through Reynosa8:59 Which Mexico City airport?11:12 70% to 80% load factors12:27 Fuel costs and airline pullbacks13:55 Timeline: about six months15:09 $1.2 billion economic impact17:04 Connecting McAllen to Mexico City and beyondSubscribe for more on the South Texas and U.S.-Mexico border economy.Rio Grande Valley Business Journal | rgvbusinessjournal.com#McAllen #RGV #MexicoCity #Aeromexico #Aviation

Starbase is about a year and a half old and has grown from roughly 1,000 acres to about 8,000.

On Episode 49 of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, host Naxiely Lopez Puente talks with RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza about how SpaceX and its company town are reshaping Cameron County.

They cover the Starbase EDC's $3 billion municipal bond strategy, SpaceX's $220 million water deal with Brownsville, a 45-year development agreement for 166 acres near the test launch pad, newly converted Rio Grande water rights, a lawsuit from property owners over launch-related damage, the Starpipe natural gas pipeline and what higher-wage jobs could mean for Valley workers.

Read the full transcript and our SpaceX coverage.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Preview

1:09 Introduction

1:49 Starbase: a brand-new city takes shape

3:13 Highway 4 widening and a new city hall

6:22 What's public and what's private

8:11 The Launch Point, Starbase's first public business

11:26 SpaceX's 54 acres on South Padre Island

13:30 The second causeway and the 700-acre land swap

6:03 A 45-year deal for 166 acres

17:47 Annexation to 8,000 acres

20:15 The Starbase EDC's $3 billion bond deal

21:19 Who can live in Starbase?25:21 Brownsville's $220 million water deal

31:23 Community benefits agreements and Harlingen's data center

33:30 SpaceX's Rio Grande water rights

39:49 Night construction and a private trucking road

42:54 Rocket launches, sonic booms and insurance

48:20 Powering Starbase: internet, natural gas and Starpipe

55:53 Jobs and wages

59:37 Wrap-up

Subscribe for weekly conversations on the business and economy of South Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border.

#SpaceX #Starbase #RioGrandeValley

How much more will Americans pay for products made in the U.S.? About 5%, according to survey research discussed by Michigan State University professor Jason Miller.On this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza talks with Jason Miller about consumer willingness to pay for U.S.-made goods, why younger buyers want both American products and fast delivery, and what it all means for reshoring, nearshoring and small businesses along the Texas-Mexico border.CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction: The Made in America survey1:03 Americans will pay about 5% more2:02 Younger buyers: More willing, less patient3:27 Walmart and “assembled in America”4:53 One in every $6 of exports uses foreign inputs5:55 Cotton, reshoring and the border7:22 Why there’s no fully American-made car8:27 Supply chain advice for RGV small businesses11:13 Tariffs, trade and the construction boom13:08 Why tariffs haven’t spurred domestic production14:17 The AI build-out and Texas15:04 Will preferences hold as costs rise?Rio Grande Valley Business Journal covers business, trade and economic development in South Texas and along the U.S.-Mexico border.#MadeInAmerica #SupplyChain #RioGrandeValley

Edinburg has logged more than $1 billion in construction permits in three years, and the city's economic development chief says the growth isn't slowing down.RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza talks with Raudel Garza, executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corp., about Zoho's redevelopment of the former Echo Hotel, the new Workforce Resource Center at Ebony Hills Golf Course, Las Almas Food Hall and downtown revitalization, new hotels tied to UTRGV Vaqueros football, industrial and airport growth, how the EDC uses AI to target companies, and a LiftFund program that helps small businesses borrow at 2.5%.Chapters0:00 Preview0:58 Introduction2:15 What is an EDC?2:46 The IT and STEM job fair8:16 Zoho and the Echo Hotel13:07 Workforce Resource Center and Ebony Hills17:23 Las Almas Food Hall and downtown20:49 The old courthouse site21:35 Downtown drainage and University Drive25:05 UTRGV, Midtown and student life29:09 Vaqueros football and new hotels32:16 Residential growth and $1B in permits35:02 Sales tax outlook38:22 Manufacturing, industrial parks and the airport41:00 AI and the workforce47:19 From logistics algorithms to data centers51:32 What's next for Edinburg54:49 The LiftFund interest buy-downSubscribe to the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal for more on the South Texas and border economy: https://rgvbusinessjournal.com#Edinburg #RGV #EconomicDevelopment

Caminos Institute executive producer Andrik Gonzalez sits down with RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza to break down a new report quantifying the economic impact of immigration enforcement on the Rio Grande Valley — from construction and health care to restaurants and remittances.

Using FOIA'd federal data from the Deportation Data Project, the Caminos Institute tracked 13,377 apprehensions and 10,142 deportations across the four-county RGV between October 2022 and March 2025, then modeled the direct labor income lost when workers are removed from the local economy. The total: roughly $180 million, with the bulk of that loss concentrated in 2025.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction & series overview

2:58 Meet Andrik Gonzalez & the Caminos Institute

17:41 The data set: Deportation Data Project & FOIA requests

19:52 Apprehensions vs. deportations, by year and administration

22:48 Visa categories: H-2A, H-1B, EB-5 explained

25:38 Civil offense vs. felony: the legal history of border crossing

31:50 Sizing the undocumented workforce in the RGV

33:27 Construction industry impact

34:52 Health care & social assistance industry impact

35:46 Food & accommodation industry impact

38:12 The total economic loss: $180 million

42:59 What "Caminos" means

45:51 Responding to the "right-sizing" argument

49:00 The workforce skills gap: Saronic Technologies & welding aluminum

50:21 Key takeaways

About the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal: RGVBJ covers the businesses, policy decisions and economic trends shaping South Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border region.

#RioGrandeValley #Immigration #SouthTexas #RGVBJ #BorderEconomy #CaminosInstitute

After nearly two decades of public service in the Rio Grande Valley — including roles in McAllen, Laredo and Mission — Teclo Garcia is retiring as CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation.RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza sits down with Garcia to talk about his path from newspaper newsrooms to economic development, what he learned about trade while working in Laredo, and how Mission landed a $50 million Zerluma aluminum plant — the largest private investment in the city's history. Garcia also reflects on the $400 million in investment and roughly 2,000 jobs brought to Mission during his tenure, and shares what's next for him in retirement.Chapters:00:00 Introduction & retirement announcement00:37 Retirement details and TMRS eligibility01:54 Reflecting on his first interview and the Border Trade Alliance02:44 What drew him to a career on the border03:11 Moving to the Rio Grande Valley in 199504:35 From newspapers to City Hall to Mission EDC06:35 Comparing Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley09:47 Applying Laredo's trade lessons to RGV economic development11:59 Logistics wages and job quality16:41 Port of Brownsville workforce training and the welding skills gap20:17 Mission's economic development approach22:55 Retail competition with McAllen24:25 Recent wins: Black & Decker, call centers and Zerluma25:13 Marketing Mission: board support and FDI conferences26:38 Homegrown businesses expanding26:58 Landing the Zerluma aluminum plant deal28:50 Legacy by the numbers: $400M and 2,000 jobs30:14 What's next for GarciaRead more from the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal.#RioGrandeValley #EconomicDevelopment #MissionTX #BorderEconomy #RGVBJ

Reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza breaks down the six-hour Brownsville City Commission vote that let SpaceX de-annex land near the Brownsville landfill for Starbase, then sits down with Southmost Regional Water Authority board member Joseph Hollmann to unpack the two water projects the deal will help fund. SpaceX's own pitch to the council — delivered by Sheila McCorkle — is included in full.

What's in this episode:

- Why SpaceX asked Brownsville to de-annex 444 acres, and what the city gave up in zoning control

- The two water projects behind the deal: indirect potable reuse and an expanded brackish desalination plant

- Why brackish desalination costs a fraction of ocean desalination

- SpaceX's $220 million pledge, in its own words, from the council floor

- What Brownsville Public Utilities says ratepayers will save — and what's still uncertain

#SpaceX #Starbase #Brownsville #RioGrandeValley #SouthTexas #WaterInfrastructure #Desalination #BorderEconomy

0:00

Cold open: “A pure-play donation of $220 million”

0:15

Backstory: SpaceX, Starbase and the de-annexation vote

4:15

Interview: Joseph Hollmann on the two water projects

8:15

SpaceX's pitch: Sheila McCorkle addresses the council

9:45

The numbers: what $220 million actually buys Brownsville

12:45

What's next

McAllen Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Elizabeth Suarez and McAllen Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Small Business & Innovation Jorge Sanchez join the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast to break down how the city combined its EDC and chamber leadership, landed a $225 million Valeo manufacturing plant, and built small business programs like Latina HOPE and Project Next Move.They also dig into workforce development and CTE partnerships, the region's power grid and water infrastructure needs, cross-border retail trends, McAllen's new film-friendly designation, and the InnovationTX accelerator behind local success stories like the resale app Cross Flip.0:00 Cold open: "Show up and invest in yourself"0:54 Meet Elizabeth Suarez and Jorge Sanchez2:28 How McAllen merged its EDC and Chamber of Commerce5:07 Budget season and chamber membership renewals9:07 Workforce development and CTE partnerships11:24 Landing Valeo: a tier-one automotive supplier13:44 The immigrant story behind McAllen's growth21:27 AI, Google reviews and the new Main Street economy23:29 The three-legged stool: entrepreneurship and Latina HOPE26:37 Project Next Move: a roadmap for small business37:18 Power, water and the fight for a 765kV line47:51 Mexican national shoppers and cross-border retail51:45 McAllen's new film-friendly designation53:18 Team Texas and a trip to London54:53 FIFA World Cup and holiday parade wins1:01:03 Cross Flip: an InnovationTX success story1:02:38 The magic wand question: what's next for McAllenSubscribe to the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal for more on the RGV border economy.

@RGVBusinessJournal#McAllen #RioGrandeValley #EconomicDevelopment #SmallBusiness #Valeo #SouthTexas #BorderEconomy

Naxiely Lopez-Puente sits down with Dr. Gina Cano-Monreal, provost of Texas State Technical College's Harlingen campus, to talk about how TSTC is retooling its programs to meet the Valley's fast-growing industrial workforce needs.Dr. Cano-Monreal explains why TSTC is phasing out mechatronics in favor of a new Advanced Manufacturing program, how the college builds "triad partnerships" between industry, school districts and higher ed, and what employers like NextDecade, Bechtel, Kiewit, SpaceX and Valeo are telling TSTC they'll need as major projects like Rio Grande LNG ramp up. She also weighs in on whether AI poses a threat to skilled-trade careers.CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open: are these careers AI-proof?0:32 Welcome, Dr. Gina Cano-Monreal1:03 What makes TSTC different3:07 TSTC's mission: higher-paying jobs for Texans4:05 18 years watching workforce needs evolve6:16 Programs TSTC has phased out9:06 Mechatronics vs. Advanced Manufacturing, explained10:39 Building the pipeline from high school to career14:25 Why early exposure to career paths matters15:06 Valeo, Toyota and the McAllen job pipeline16:19 Employer partners: NextDecade, Bechtel, Kiewit, SpaceX19:08 Electrical Lineworker family day20:34 Can AI replace these careers?22:11 How to enroll at TSTC Harlingen23:26 Closing thoughtsLearn more or register at TSTC.edu.#RioGrandeValley #Workforce #TSTC #AdvancedManufacturing #RGVBusiness #SouthTexas #WorkforceDevelopment