images harlingen, tx: 2008

Happy To Do HomeworkDowntown revitalization inspires entrepreneurs to live at their offices

FAR FROM RETIRING TYPESValley seniors find plenty to do and places to go

AHEAD OF THE CURVENew high school gives students jump-start on college credits

SPONSORED BY THE HARLINGEN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2008 | IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES

OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS

TM

621 C1 C2.indd C1 2/26/08 3:19:45 PM

621 C1A C2A.indd C11 2/26/08 3:20:00 PM

621 C1A C2A.indd C12 2/26/08 3:20:03 PM

621 C1 C2.indd C2 2/26/08 3:19:55 PM

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ...WE CAN REALLY DISH IT OUT!

ECHOSTAR’S DISH NETWORK

Now searching for top customer service and direct sales talent.

At dish network-Harlingen, your passion, energy and need to achieve will find a home. Be a part of it all. We offer opportunities for career advancement, wage increases, bonuses and incentives, and full benefit packages including ...

• FREE satellite TV system, install and programming • Tuition reimbursement• Medical, dental and vision plans • 401(k) with matching contributions• Paid training • Paid time off • Language differential• Customer service experience differential• Growth opportunities that would take years to achieve at other organizations

WHAT are you waiting for? Be a part of it all … Together we can make a difference. Together we can succeed.

APPLY TODAY

Lobby Hours: Monday-Friday 8a.m.-3p.m.

2809 E. Grimes Ave. • Harlingen, TX

(956) 364-7701 or 364-7702

www.dishnetwork.com

ECHOSTAR’S dish network understands big dreams because our ever-growing fortune 300 company started out as one. We know that if you start with vision, entrepreneurial drive and focus, once you add a little opportunity and a supportive partner, the sky is the limit.

That’s why we’re so proud to partner with our neighboring communities in the Rio Grande Valley. Echostar’s dish network continues to build on its commitment to provide training and career opportunities to our local workforce by providing a business environment which fosters opportunity. Dish continues to expand and provide exceptional customer service to our over 13 million customers, and we are equally committed to achieve our mission of becoming a long-term, community-focused business partner.

621 TOC.indd 1 2/26/08 3:18:20 PM

621 TOC.indd 2 2/26/08 3:18:25 PM

2008 EDITION | VOLUME 5

OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS

HARLINGEN BUSINESS 24 Bringing Home the Baking

You might say fi nding a delicious dessert in Harlingen is, well … a piece of cake.

26 Biz Briefs

28 Chamber Report

29 Economic Profi le

CONTENTS

FEATURES

12 HAPPY TO DO HOMEWORKA revitalization effort under way downtown is inspiring entrepreneurs to live at work.

16 FAR FROM RETIRING TYPESHarlingen is a top Texas destination for seniors looking to relocate.

30 AHEAD OF THE CURVEAt Early College High School, students don’t just wonder about what courses they will be taking in college – they are already taking them.

33 CATALYZING CREATIVITYOperated by the Harlingen Art Forum, D’Arte Center is an integral part of the city’s cultural scene.

37 SETTING GOALS FOR GROWTHEfforts to build a new soccer complex have grown the size of Harlingen’s facilities to match that of the sport’s enormous popularity here.

DEPARTMENTS

8 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Harlingen’s culture

19 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Harlingen

35 Health & Wellness

39 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

ON THE COVER Photo by Jeff AdkinsBeautiful Monarch butterfl ies are a common

sight at Harlingen’s Fair Park Butterfl y Garden.

12

19

TM

HARLINGEN IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM 3

621 TOC.indd 3 2/26/08 3:18:28 PM

621 TOC.indd 4 2/26/08 3:18:42 PM

TM

“Find the good – and praise it.”– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past issues of the magazine by year or search for specifi c articles by subject.

INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; fi nd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

GARDENING IN TEXASTexans have excellent opportunities for establishing all kinds of gardens. Soils and climatic zones are quite diverse, and there are wonderful plants available to all of us. Find out more at imagesharlingen.com.

BARBECUE: A SIMPLE SOUTHERN PLEASUREOne of the simple pleasures of Southern dining is the down-home barbecue experience. No matter where you go, you’re bound to fi nd barbecue prepared just right. Get a taste of regional cuisine at imagesharlingen.com.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages of Harlingen is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Harlingen tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

OF HARLINGEN

SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS KIM MADLOM, BILL MCMEEKIN, ANITA WADHWANI

ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO

DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA MORGAN, KRISTY WISE

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAIGE CLANCY, MELANIE HILL, DAN MARKHAM, EILEEN MATTEI, JOE MORRIS

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER

INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER JOSH DUKE

ONLINE SALES MANAGER MATT SLUTZ

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, WES ALDRIDGE, TODD BENNETT,

ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN MCCORD

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER

SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH

PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS.

MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS

LEAD DESIGNER JANINE MARYLAND

GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, CANDICE HULSEY, ALISON HUNTER,

LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON, CARL RATLIFF

WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY

WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ

WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL

AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER,PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

MARKETING DIRECTOR KATHLEEN ERVIN

MARKETING COORDINATOR AMY AKIN

IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS

SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Images of Harlingen is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed

through the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questionsor comments about the magazine, contact

Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce311 E. Tyler Ave. • Harlingen, TX 78550

Phone: (956) 423-5440 • Fax: (956) 425-3870E-mail: [email protected]

www.harlingen.com

VISIT IMAGES OF HARLINGEN ONLINE AT IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM

©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc.,725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.No portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in whole or in part without written consent.

Member Magazine Publishers of America

Member Custom Publishing Council

Member Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce

Please recycle this magazine

What’s Online More lists, links and tips for newcomers

1

WEB SITE EXTRA

MOVING PICTURES PLUS

VIDEO 1 INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Harlingen through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesharlingen.com.

VIDEO 2 MARINE MILITARY ACADEMYSee why Marine Military Academy is among top military schools in the nation at imagesharlingen.com.

2

IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM


621 TOC.indd 5 2/26/08 3:18:45 PM

621 TOC.indd 6 2/26/08 3:18:55 PM

LIVE LINKSHot links allow users to quickly link to other sites

for additional information, and an ad index allows you to easily locate local advertisers in the magazine.

SEARCH AND YOU SHALL FINDAn easy-to-use search function allows you to fi nd specifi c articles or browse content by subject.

A VIRTUAL TOOLBELTTools allow you to customize the look and function of the magazine on your desktop as well as print individual pages or save the magazine for offl ine reading.

MORE OF THE SAMEAnd that’s a good thing. Inside, you’ll fi nd the same award-winning photography and compelling content as in the printed magazine.

SHARE WITH A FRIENDE-mail individual stories using the pop-up text window.

Virtual Magazine

Turn the pages of our

imagesharlingen.com


621 TOC.indd 7 2/27/08 8:43:21 AM

Have a RaspaA variety of fresh and natural options for satisfying your

sweet tooth are readily available in Harlingen.

La Paletera is a Houston-based chain that has grown

to more than 30 locations throughout Texas, and is a huge

hit here. In 2007, residents David Serna and his brother

P.J. Serna opened their second store in Harlingen.

La Paletera specializes in ice cream and 100 percent

natural fruit cups, along with Mexican crushed-fruit

popsicles known as paletas. They also make

snow cones – or raspas as they are known

locally – as well as smoothies.

The product line is becoming especially

popular in Hispanic and health food markets.

Yuccas and Wild Poinsettias

Preserving the area’s native plants is

a growing gardening trend in Harlingen.

To accomplish this, many amateur gardeners

get green-thumb tips from Mike Heep’s

Nursery or Lucy’s Garden. Both businesses

grow plants suited to landscaping and

revegetation in South Texas, specializing in

trees, shrubs, perennial groundcovers, wetland

plants, grasses, cacti and succulents.

Shrubs that do well in Harlingen include

brush holly, hog plum, oregano and yucca,

while trees that thrive include cedar elm,

hackberry and mesquite. Good perennials to

plant include garlic weed, honeysuckle, scarlet

sage and wild poinsettias.

8 IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM HARLINGEN

621 Almanac.indd 8 2/26/08 3:06:36 PM

Fast Facts In the early 1900s,

Harlingen was known as Six Shooter Junction because of the large number of Texas Rangers and border patrolmen living in the area.

The South Texas Chorale presents major concerts each season, including the Pops Concert in the fall, the Christmas Concert each winter and the Masterworks Concert every spring.

Harlingen’s Marine Military Academy is home to the original sculpture used by renowned artist Dr. Felix de Weldon to cast the Iwo Jima Monument erected at Arlington Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

Harlingen Proud is a group of volunteers who encourage community beautification and resource conservation through various recycling and education programs.

Harlingen has more than 30 murals that grace buildings throughout the city, with the tradition dating back to 1928.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Harlingen, visit imagesharlingen.com.

Treat Yourself to ComfortResidents know to recommend Casa Rama Bed and Breakfast when inquiring

visitors are looking for special accommodations in the Rio Grande Valley.

The restored Mediterranean-style mansion is on Taylor Street, which was

dubbed Silk Stocking Row in the 1930s because of the prosperity of the

homeowners along the street. Eleanor Roosevelt once stayed at the home as

guests of original owners R.L. and Ola Hill, as did Texas Gov. W. Lee O’Daniel.

The B&B has a variety of spaces for guests including the Lavender Room, the

Blue and White Room, the Veranda Room, Eleanor’s Room and the Rose Room.

Menu of Malteds & Memories

Main Street Grill is a museum

just as much as it is a soda

fountain and restaurant.

All the typical old-time

soda fountain treats are

available at the retro-styled

eatery, including banana splits,

chocolate shakes and hot

fudge sundaes. There are

also display cases packed

full of vintage radios,

telephones, kitchenware

and writing implements.

One of the more popular

displays is the Bill Haley

exhibit, because the famed

rock ‘n’ roller spent the final

years of his life in Harlingen.


Almanac

621 Almanac.indd 9 2/26/08 3:06:48 PM

It’s the only one of its kind in theRio Grande Valley featuring threeauthentic historical structures: Lon C. Hill’s original home, the Paso Real (Stagecoach Inn) and Harlingen’s first hospital. The grounds have a historical building that houses permanent col-lections of artifacts and photographs. The HAHM’s main building displays rotating exhibits that emphasize ourculture, art and history. Throughout the year, multiple events such as the “Taste of Harlingen” and the “Christmas TreeExtravaganza” are held to delight one and all. In addition, numerous edu-cational activities are offered for the young and the young at heart! Before leaving, we invite you to visit our Red Gift Shop and take the experience home with you.

So, to be seen at Harlingen’s place tobe, come and take part in our eventsand activities.

Harlingen Arts andHeritage Museum2425 Boxwood • Harlingen, TX 78550www.myharlingen.us/harlingen_museum.htm(956) 216-4901

Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum

621 Almanac.indd 10 2/26/08 3:07:00 PM

100

107

77

83

40

2

77

281

1015

509

101

281

HarlingenSan Benito

Brownsville

Matamoros

La Feria

Los Fresnos

SOUTH PADREISLAND

Rio Hondo

ReynosaUNITEDSTATES

McAllen

Free TradeInternational Bridge

Intracoastal Waterway

MEXICO NuevoProgreso

CAMERON

Harlingen | At A GlancePOPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE)Harlingen: 68,500

Cameron County: 387,717

LOCATIONHarlingen is at the crossroads of Expressways

77 and 83 and is two hours from Corpus Christi,

four hours south of San Antonio and three hours

north of Monterrey, Mexico.

BEGINNINGSLon C. Hill began buying land in Harlingen

in 1902 and was a key character in the

area’s development. His barns and corrals

were used as Texas Ranger headquarters,

and he was instrumental in bringing the

railroad to the Valley.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONHarlingen Area Chamber of Commerce

311 E. Tyler Avenue

Harlingen, TX 78550

Phone: (956) 423-5440 Fax: (956) 425-3870

www.harlingen.com

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Harlingen at imagesharlingen.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

We Made the State Final!For the first time in Harlingen South High School history, the

school’s baseball team advanced to the state competition in 2007.

And the Hawks did really well.

Under head coach Tony Leal, the Harlingen South Hawks put

together an impressive 37-5 regular season and then advanced

all the way to the finals of the 5A state playoffs. The Hawks lost

6-1 to Houston Cypress Fairbanks in the championship game.

Leading the team in 2007 were pitchers Danny Gidora and Javier

Torres. Gidora compiled a perfect 17-0 regular season record, while

Torres posted an 11-2 mark.

The team also had 11 players who had better than .300 batting

averages. That included five players who hit better than .400 – Logan

Brown, Kaleb Bryan, Michael Johnson, Adrian Ramon and Torres.

Harlingen

Hear and NowTake note: The residents

of Harlingen strongly support

Blues on the Hill, a summer

concert series at McKelvey Park.

The free concerts occur on

Saturday nights in May, June

and August, and the performance

hours are from 6 to 10 p.m.

Harlingen Parks and Recreation

and the Harlingen Volunteer

Involvement Council sponsor

the series.

In 2007, the blues concerts

featured entertainers such as

Guitar Shorty and W.C. Clark.


Almanac

621 Almanac.indd 11 2/26/08 3:07:06 PM

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INSPIRES ENTREPRENEURS TO LIVE AT WORK

HomeworkHappy

To Do


621 F1 Happy To Do Homework.indd12 12 2/26/08 3:09:05 PM

T he old adage dictates that you shouldn’t take your work home with you, but several downtown Harlingen business owners have been quite pleased with the results of taking their homes to work.

Steve Aune is one such entrepreneur. In 1998, the Nip-N-Tuck Custom Draperies owner moved into the third-story warehouse above his popular Jackson Street business.

“Everyone said it would be a perfect loft apartment,” Aune says of the 3,500-square foot warehouse built in 1928. “I’m in the middle of Jackson Street, and there’s always something happening downtown.”

Whether shopping next door at That Lime Green Store, mingling at Market Days the first Saturday of each month or grabbing a cup of coffee at nearby Java Café, Aune enjoys the conveniences of downtown living.

Jackson Street also is home to local artist Tony Schaub, whose colorful western pop art creations are popping up everywhere.

“I wanted to live in the Valley, and Harlingen won out as far as location,” he says. “We lucked out and came to Harlingen right when the building was available.”

Schaub now resides in the Spanish-inf luenced 1920s apartment above his studio, located close to the Cobalt Gallery and the local artists’ cooperative. Schaub and Aune represent

STORY BY MELANIE HILLPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Artist Tony Schaub has converted the upper level of his downtown Jackson Street studio into a cozy loft apartment. Above: Harlingen’s historic downtown area – especially Jackson Street – has been experiencing a cultural, commercial and residential renaissance.



Jackson Street is downtown Harlingen’s main thoroughfare and is dotted with antique malls, galleries, specialty stores and cafés. Above: The walls of artist Tony Schuab’s Jackson Street studio and loft apartment are alive with color, providing an unexpected infusion of modern pop art within the city’s historic downtown district.

a growing number of people realizing the conveniences and cultural advantages of downtown living.

Thanks to inward growth and aggressive marketing and investment efforts of building owners and city administrators, the area continues to thrive both residentially and commercially, says Cheryl LaBerge, manager of the Harlingen Downtown Improvement District.

The district’s unique blend of one-of-a-kind shops, local restaurants and diverse businesses make the area a hub for shoppers and more than 200 business owners each day. As the city approaches its centennial anniversary, community leaders and building owners are dedicated to revitalizing the district, giving new life – and purpose – to this historic portion of the city’s colorful landscape.

“Right now, the district is seeing a lot of overall growth and investment,” LaBerge says. “New owners are coming in and recruiting businesses, spending money to make sure buildings

are in good shape for years to come and adapting them to new uses to meet today’s marketplace.”

Jackson Street’s Main Street Grill now serves customers where Woolworth’s once stood, while Quinceañeras and other special events are held next door at the Rialto Dance Hall, formerly The Rialto – Harlingen’s first theater.

LaBerge says the downtown district’s quaint shops and pedestrian-friendly streets are especially attractive to creative entrepreneurs, and neighborhood renovations on the periphery of the district are especially appealing to younger families, who have witnessed similar revitalization efforts in downtowns throughout the country.

“As Harlingen grows, people are starting to realize that we don’t just want to be a community of strip centers,” LaBerge says. “Downtown is really the only public space for the entire community to come together. This is the legacy previous generations have left us.”



A fter five years as seasonal visitors, Maryan and Bill Moore moved permanently to the Rio Grande Valley

and then to Harlingen’s Camelot Retirement Village in 2001.

“We were looking ahead to a time when we’d need more of what a retirement community offers,” says Bill Moore, age 90. Citing a lifelong interest in the legend of King Arthur, he asks, “What better place to live than in Camelot?”

While Maryan Moore leads water aerobics classes three times a week, her husband, who is a retired psychologist, professor and Marine Corps officer, fills his time reading, gardening, and staying in touch with fellow aviators.

The Moores typify the growing cadre of Winter Texans who eventually relocate permanently to Harlingen, lured by the tropical climate and abundance of year-round activities.

In Texas, Harlingen is the second most popular destination for retirees, and is pursuing recognition as a Certified Retirement Community. A lower cost of

living and fresh-picked oranges and grapefruit certainly matter to retirees here, but the city’s high quality of life is what seals the deal.

Harlingen’s assets include being the health-care heart of the Valley with the region’s only medical school; the new Metro Harlingen bus system; employment and continuing education opportunities; and numerous recreational, cultural and sports facilities. Neighborhood watch programs reinforce personal safety and a sense of community while volunteer opportunities abound. Housing options range from gated communities to studio apartments to assisted living centers.

Baby Boomer retirees are discovering Harlingen, too. Seeking refuge from the high stress level of Washington, D.C., 57-year-old former policeman Danny Hoehne and his wife Susan opted for Harlingen’s gentler pace of life three years ago. The couple list Harlingen’s proximity to the beach, friendly people and tropical wildlife as key reasons for choosing to relocate here.

The Hoehnes mentor elementary

school students in the Help One Student To Succeed program and volunteer for events such as the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.

Harlingen caters to the interests of retirees through programs like the Center for Creative Retirement, which schedules lectures and trips such as visits to South Padre Island’s Coastal Studies Lab. Retirement communities regularly post calendars jam-packed with exercise classes, craft workshops, dances and special events.

A mental image of the perfect place to retire brought Jim Golliher, age 71, back to Harlingen in 2000. Forty years after his first visit, that vision is now reality for Golliher and his wife, Hope.

“We’re usually out fishing on the Laguna Madre or going to street festivals like Downtown Market Days,” he says.

Hope Golliher says she initially envisioned golfing daily, but with so much going on, she only plays once a week.

“I can’t fit much more into my schedule. I love it here,” she says.

VALLEY SENIORS FIND PLENTY OF THINGSTO DO AND PLACES TO GO

RetiringSTORY BY EILEEN MATTEI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Retirees Jim and Hope Golliher enjoy the convenience of living near the Harlingen Country Club’s many amenities.

Far

Types

From


621 F2 Far From Retiring Types.i16 16 2/26/08 3:09:44 PM


621 F2 Far From Retiring Types.i17 17 2/26/08 3:09:47 PM

Harlingen, TX1725 W. Filmore Ave.

(956) 412-7800 • (888) 267-8297www.courtyard.com/HRLCY

Café CourtyardFull Breakfast Buffet, Dinner and Restaurant Service

Meeting SpaceFor Small and Large Groups

Catering AvailableFor All Types of Social and Business Events

Group RatesCorporate Groups and Social Groups

Where Business Meets Pleasure!

621 Portfolio.indd 18 2/26/08 3:10:17 PM

This Place Is for the BirdsWORLD BIRDING CENTER AND FESTIVAL DRAW THOUSANDS OF VISITORS ANNUALLY

Harlingen’s position on nature’s flyway attracts more than 430 species of birds, making the city an international

mecca for birding enthusiasts. To educate visitors about migrating birds, as well as protect the rare birds that call Harlingen home year round, city administrators opened the World Birding Center in 2005.

Located in Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, the center offers visitors a look at the region’s rarest winged species, including clay-colored robins and green kingfishers. Guests also can visit the Harlingen Thicket Bird Sanctuary, comprising 40 acres of native brush land. The center includes observation areas, an amphitheater, trails and an educational pavilion, and in 2009 will include a new, 7,250-square-foot visitors’ center. The two-story facility will house a gift shop, obser-vation tower, meeting rooms and enclosed viewing areas.

Jeff Lyssy, public service director for the city of Harlingen, says the center will be a tremendous asset to the park’s growing number of tourists.

“The Gateway Building will be a place for us to welcome visitors, give them information about our birding center sites, and educate them about nature in general and the importance of the ecosystem,” Lyssy says.

While visitors frequent the World Birding Center year round, it’s the city’s Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival that has brought thousands of curious spectators to the area over the past 15 years.

“Chamber staff realized there was a unique reality in South Texas that the birding community across the U.S. had known about for many years,” says Father Tom Pincelli, one of the festival’s original organizers. “Once they realized how unique it was, they wanted to bring people in at one time so the community can realize what they have, too.”

Each November, more than 500 festival-goers enjoy a series of field trips, seminars and keynote speakers, as well as a children’s program and a trade show.

The snowy egret is one of more than 430 species of birds found in Harlingen. This diversity attracts thousands of birding enthusiasts to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, which marks its 15th year in 2008. PHOTO BY ANTONY BOSHIER


Portfolio


Cheney Answers the Call to Serve

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney has served his

country in many capacities during an impressive 30-year military career. Today, the decorated officer is serving the community as president of the Marine Military Academy, which trains more than 300 young men annually.

“I had been to Harlingen as an active-duty Marine, and when they called and asked if I was interested in this position, I said I was,” Cheney says.

Prior to his 2001 retirement from active duty, Cheney held a number of high-profile military positions, including deputy executive secretary of the United States Department of Defense and commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depots in San Diego and Parris Island, S.C. During his time in recruit training, Cheney commanded more than 80,000 young men and women – nearly half of the nation’s Marines.

“After eight years in recruit training, I looked forward to getting back to work with that age bracket – kids I can have a direct impact on,” Cheney says. “I wanted to be around kids and Marines, and the school is unique in that context. It’s the only private school run completely by Marines.”

In 2006, Cheney and his wife, retired U.S. Marines Col. Roxanne Cheney, made the move to Harlingen.

“It’s a great community with a family atmosphere,” Stephen Cheney says. “Harlingen has that small town feel and Southern Texas hospitality, which is wonderful. There’s also a heavy Hispanic f lavor that we’re in love with. The town welcomed us with open arms.”

Cheney’s plans for the academy include a five-year, $30 million cam-paign that will help fund scholarships and boost recruitment efforts in the U.S. and Mexico.

“I’d like to feel the school’s reputation not just nationally but internationally,” Cheney says.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen A. Cheney is the president of Marine Military Academy.

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | See why Marine Military Academy is among top military schools in the nation at imagesharlingen.com.

PH

OT

OS

BY

JE

FF

AD

KIN

S


Portfolio


Museum Melds Modern Art & History

It only takes hearing Harlingen’s original name – Six Shooter Junction

– to know the city is steeped in rich history, and few places tell its colorful story better than the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum.

Located on Boxwood Street, the museum’s five buildings take guests back to 1910, when the city was founded by Lon C. Hill. In 1989, Hill’s two-story Victorian home was relocated to the museum property and soon became a popular tourist attraction. Also on display is the city’s first hospital, as well as a replica of the Paso Real, which served as the city’s hotel, general store, post office and stagecoach waiting area. The museum houses local artifact collections and historical photos.

While the historic buildings give visitors a deeper understanding of the city’s past, a dynamic collection of exhibits by local artists paint the picture of Harlingen today.

“The museum offers a lot to different groups,” says museum coordinator Patricia Morales. “Older visitors remi-

nisce about the past, while students learn about local history and are exposed to modern art through contemporary exhibits in the main museum.”

In 2008, exhibits will include a celebration of the local African American community and works of local cera-micists. A kite exhibit, baseball exhibit and large sculpture display also will be featured, as well as a Day of the Dead celebration in October.

The museum also hosts a variety of fundraising activities, including

Taste of Harlingen and the opening night celebration of the city’s annual Christmas tree exhibit. Another fund-raiser planned for 2008 is Silla – the Spanish word for chair – for which local artists paint unfinished chairs.

“The museum exposes visitors to a gamut of things,” Morales says. “By learning about history and having that juxtapose with modern Harlingen, visitors broaden their perspective of the community and the world around them.”

Old mailboxes are on display within the Paso Real on the grounds of the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum.

Looking for ways to save money on gas and help the environment? The EPA

wants to share some smart driving tips that could give you more miles per

gallon of gas and reduce air pollution. Tips like making sure your tires are

properly infl ated and replacing your air fi lter regularly. And where possible,

accelerate and brake slowly. Be aware of your speed ... did you know that

for every 5 miles you go over 65 mph, you’re spending about 20 cents more

per gallon of gas? If you’re shopping for a new car, choose the cleanest, most

effi cient vehicle that meets your needs. If we each adopt just one of these tips,

we’d get more miles for our money and it would be a little easier to smell the

fl owers. For more tips and to compare cleaner, more effi cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.



East UnitesWith West

Worlds removed from the ancient Buddhist temples of China,

Bei Shaolin owner Scott Kimak brings the country’s legendary martial arts practices to South Texas.

“I saw a Bruce Lee movie at 12 and told my mom I wanted to try it,” Kimak says. “After my first class, I told her I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.”

With black belts in kung fu, tae kwon do, aikido and jujitsu, the engineer-by-day opened his first martial arts studio in his family’s garage shortly after moving to Harlingen in 1995. Two years later, Kimak opened Bei Shaolin, a 7,000-square-foot martial arts studio that trains more than 100 people weekly.

Kimak attributes the studio’s success to word-of-mouth support from the community, as well as ongoing support from area businesses.

“Harlingen is a family-oriented town,” Kimak says. “Parents are really into their families, and always come out when kids are practicing or competing. Businesses also go out of their way to help us through donations and spon-sorships. It’s wonderful.”

While Bei Shaolin trains students as young as age five, Kimak says the studio also is popular among Winter Texans, who enjoy the benefits of t’ai chi and moving yoga. He instructs an additional 300 students through partnerships with local private schools and after-school programs. Because busy family schedules sometimes conf lict with night classes, Kimak says he hopes to offer more school programs.

“Martial arts help kids so much with their self confidence,” says Kimak, a father of four. “I’ve seen children come in so meek and insecure, and you can see this complete change. They become more confident and parents say they come out of their shells. They also communicate better, learn self defense, make more friends and become healthier.”

Scott Kimak has been teaching Kung Fu in Harlingen since 1995, opening his Bei Shaolin studio in 1997.

PH

OT

OS

BY

JE

FF

AD

KIN

S



Serving Up Love for Table Tennis

For retired insurance salesman Bob Salmeron, table tennis is more than

an after-dinner pastime. As co-founder and president of the Harlingen Table Tennis Club and former USA Table Tennis National Champion, Salmeron is sharing his love of the game one player at a time.

“Table tennis is a very challenging sport,” he says. “People don’t realize the amount of exercise you can get out of it. It keeps you moving.”

Salmeron first took up the sport while stationed in Germany in the 1950s. When his doctor told him to start exercising 40 years later, Salmeron knew just what to do.

“I approached parks and recreation and got them to let us use two old tables. We had to put magazines under the legs,” he says. “I kept playing and here I am today.”

In September 1992, Harlingen’s Table Tennis Club chartered with the USA

Table Tennis Association. Members have since ranked in tournaments nationally, and Salmeron has served as an Olympic table tennis national coach two years running.

Today, the city’s two antiquated tables have been replaced by 12 new ones at the Harlingen Community Center, where the club’s 50-plus mem-bers turn out Monday and Wednesday nights for fun, competitive play. Salmeron also is sharing his love of the game with Harlingen’s youngest residents through health fairs and ongoing partnerships with summer camps and after-school and physical education programs. He also hopes to form leagues with assistance from area youth ministers.

“I tell parents that it’s good to see a son or daughter who wants to take it up,” Salmeron says. “It’s a lifetime sport. I see 80-year-old club members with astounding ref lexes beating

younger players. You start playing at a young age and at 60 or 70, you’re still playing. It’s a wonderful sport.”

– Stories by Melanie Hill

Bob Salmeron heads the Harlingen Table Tennis Club at the community center located on Madison Street.


Portfolio


Bringing

BakingPURVEYORS OF PAN DULCE MAKE LIFE SWEETER

BY PROVIDING TREATS WITH INTERNATIONAL FLAIR

Home the

Business


621 Business.indd 24 2/26/08 3:07:37 PM

Y ou might say finding a deli-cious dessert in Harlingen is, well … a piece of cake.

That’s certainly the case at A Piece of Cake by Ybarra’s, which earned Best Desserts in Town honors from The Valley Morning Star in both 2006 and 2007. Owned by husband and wife team Maria and Erik Cardenas, the bakery specializes in more than 15 f lavors of cakes, including white, chocolate, strawberry, pineapple, piña colada, red velvet, orange mandarin and carrot.

“Some of our most popular cakes are Tres Leches, Strawberry Chantilly and Banana Split,” says Maria Cardenas. “We also make a Chocoflan cake. It’s chocolate cake with f lan.”

Cakes aren’t the only treats turned out by the ovens at A Piece of Cake by Ybarra’s. Mexican sweet breads, or pan dulce, including cookies, pies and handmade tamales are also among their offerings.

The Mexican inf luences in the bakery’s products were handed down from Maria Cardenas’ parents, who emigrated from Mexico.

“My dad started out as a dishwasher, and it was his dream to open a restau-rant,” Cardenas says. “He eventually did

start a restaurant in Weslaco.”Cardenas and her brother, Martin

Ibarra, followed in their father’s footsteps and opened their first bakery, Ybarra’s Cake Shop, about 30 years ago in Weslaco. Four years ago, they opened a second location in Harlingen. Ibarra continues to operate the Weslaco bakery while Cardenas and her husband run the Harlingen location.

“What I love is decorating cakes and how creative you can be,” Cardenas says. “You can create a boot or a raccoon coming out of a tree stump. I’ve even made a cake in the shape of a space shuttle. There’s a whole new world in cakes – it’s not just a round cake with frosting anymore.”

Lara’s Bakery is another Harlingen establishment known for its ability to satisfy any sweet tooth. It opened in 1957 and has used the same recipes for the last 51 years.

“My mom and dad started it, and I took over three and a half years ago,” says Terri Lara, owner of Lara’s Bakery. “My mother was a Mexican immigrant, and my father was from here. His father had a bakery in a neighboring town.”

Lara’s Bakery’s specialties include molletes, or yeast pastries topped with a colored sweet paste of egg, sugar and shortening; marranitos, or pig-shaped,

cookies made with molasses; cinnamon-flavored Mexican wedding cookies; and pumpkin-filled empanadas, which are like turnovers.

“The pumpkin empanadas are a hot item year-round,” Lara says. “People make lines to buy them.”

In 2001, Southern Living magazine got wind of Lara’s Bakery and featured the family’s products.

“They came and took pictures of all our breads,” Lara recalls. “Baking is our family tradition.”

The same is true for Jorge Salas and his family, who own Nelda’s Bakery in Harlingen. Salas, a Mexican immigrant, along with his wife, Delia, has owned the business since 1987. They now spend their days making pumpkin, pineapple and apple empanadas, as well as marranitos, ladyfingers, donuts and other baked goods.

“My papa had a bakery in Mexico, and he was a great teacher,” Jorge Salas says.

In addition to bakery items, Nelda’s offers breakfast tacos, menudo and Mexican barbecue, as well as the convenience of drive-through service.

“A lot of people come to the drive-through for empanadas and coffee,” Salas says.

STORY BY JESSICA MOZOPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Freshly baked goods for sale at Lara’s Bakery, including the colorful cookies at left, tempt customers seeking delicious Mexican sweet breads called pan dulce, which are commonly found at bakeries throughout Harlingen.


621 Business.indd 25 2/26/08 3:07:45 PM

BARBECUE DONE RIGHTLone Star Restaurants are plentiful.

But in Harlingen, there’s The Lone Star Restaurant, which has been serving barbecue and other Texas favorites here for 25 years.

Founded by Don and Barbara Waters and partner Joel Brown, the restaurant serves mesquite-smoked barbecue

prepared in its own pits. But the menu covers all of Texas, including shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, chicken-fried steaks and a variety of Mexican dishes.

The Lone Star is a true family res-taurant, with the Waters giving way to their children, including current owner Terra Hoff and her late husband, Bear. Grandson Matt Hoff is the general

manager and the third generation of the family to be involved in the business.

“We’re keeping it in the family,” says Matt Hoff, who was only a few months old when the restaurant opened.

And The Lone Star isn’t the only place offering fine barbecue in Harlingen, as Big John’s BBQ and Longhorn Cattle Company also offer their own tasty takes on this traditional Texas fare.

INNOVATION BEARS FRUIT Sixty years after its founding, Tri-

Pak Machinery is still capitalizing on the fruits of J.R. “Bob” Fitzgerald’s labor.

In 1936, while working in a tomato packing plant, Fitzgerald invented a machine that would size the fruits automatically, instead of the more time-consuming methods of sizing them by hand or eye. That invention was the foundation of his company, Tri-Pak Machinery, launched in his garage and moved to its Commerce Street location in 1938.

The company remains committed to developing machinery to assist the processing of fruits and vegetables. It designs and builds a host of machines that perform processing, grading, weighing and handling foods.

Tri-Pak does much of its work for the tomato and onion industries, though company leadership remains on the lookout for other opportunities. Continuing the innovative spirit of the company’s founder, Tri-Pak officials recently unveiled a machine for the sizing and sorting of watermelons.

“We’re always looking for new ways of doing things,” says James W. Fitzgerald, vice president of sales for the family-owned business. His brother, David, is company president, and his father, Alan, serves as chairman of the board.

CLEAR SKIES AHEADDavid Garza steered his company

through a turbulent time in the 1980s, and he’s found a lot of clear skies since.

Garza, an aircraft technician, founded Gulf Aviation in 1981, which was during a lean period for the general aerospace market. But while many aviation companies were going bankrupt, Garza’s lean and aggressive company was able to make it through intact.

“Having started from the bottom, I’ve learned all the aspects of the business,” Garza says.

PH

OT

OS

BY

JE

FF

AD

KIN

S

Barbecue is big in the Harlingen area, and some of the best may be found at The Lone Star Restaurant, Big John’s BBQ and Longhorn Cattle Company.

SEE MORE ONLINE | Read more about the delicious dining in Harlingen by visiting imagesharlingen.com and clicking on “culture.”


Business | Biz Briefs

621 Business.indd 26 2/26/08 3:07:53 PM

Today, Gulf Aviation is a thriving operation at Valley International Airport, employing 40 people in a variety of capacities. The company provides a combination of services to area aircraft users, supplying fuel, providing storage, delivering flying lessons, selling aircraft and providing terminal and ground support for military and commercial aircraft, among other services.

And Garza sees no reason the company’s ascent won’t continue, with the idea of adding an air charter department among the possible avenues Gulf Aviation will explore.

“That will be one of the biggest growth departments, as more and more people become interested in flying in private airplanes,” Garza says.

OLD PLANT GETS NEW LIFE

Improving on an original is a specialty of Cardone Industries.

Michael Cardone founded the com-pany in 1970 with a single product line – remanufactured windshield wiper motors. It has grown into the world’s largest auto parts remanufacturer.

In 2006, Cardone Industries expanded its empire to Harlingen when it opened a warehouse in a 680,000-square-foot existing facility. The company stocks both finished goods and raw materials at the Harlingen location.

Cardone selected Harlingen as the site of its facility due to its proximity to its Matamoros, Mexico, remanufacturing plant, says Mark Milliken, internal communications manager for the Philadelphia-based company.

“The city of Harlingen was a logical place for us to find good employees and was close to our plant,” Milliken says.

Cardone Industries currently employs 50 at its warehouse on East Harrison Street, with plans to expand and eventually employ several hundred people in the coming years.

HARD-TO-IGNORE HARDWARE STORE

A ready supply of the hard-to-find items has made Johnny’s True Value a hard-to-ignore hardware store in Harlingen.

Founded as a Western Auto Store in Houston by John and Helen Hess after World War II, the store has undergone numerous changes since then. It’s

relocated several times, dropped the Western Auto brand for True Value in 1972 and faced the challenge of the big box hardware stores at the turn of the century. Yet it continues to thrive, serving as True Value’s No. 1 single store customer in a five-state region.

James Hess, who operates the company with his wife, Melinda, says his store’s success is due to several factors, including its ample inventory of the otherwise difficult-to-pinpoint items. It also prides itself on serving customers knowledgeably and getting them out the doors quickly.

The 40,000-square-foot store is located in the 900 block of Harrison Street and is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

– Dan Markham

Johnny’s True Value has built a following by stocking hard-to-find

items and focusing on service.


621 Business.indd 27 2/26/08 3:07:59 PM

Building a Boom Town GROWING POPULATION GIVES RISE TO NEW BUSINESSES, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

A lot can change in 98 years.When Harlingen was incor-

porated in 1910, it had one school, one church and fewer than 1,000 people. These days the city boasts more than 68,000 residents, with 2 million people living within a 50-mile radius.

More has changed than just the city’s size, however. Over time Harlingen has become known as a health-care hub for the Rio Grande Valley, and new businesses of every sort are popping up at a near constant pace these days. And the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce is working with the city and its other economic development partners to make sure all this growth benefits the city’s residents.

“Harlingen is definitely on the move,” says Crisanne Zamponi, executive director for the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have new businesses, new retail stores coming in, a new soccer complex and the new South Texas Veteran’s Health Care Center, with more being announced all the time.”

New faces these days include Circuit City, Kohl’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Walgreens, Starbucks, Uchi Japenese Restaurant, and Kahn’s Grill, all taking advantage

of new shopping centers popping up around town, and large-scale corporate newcomers that include South Texas Shrimp Processors, AOC Welding Supply’s corporate headquarters, Fastenal and a new county annex to serve the city.

While the new businesses offer residents more choices for dining and other shopping outings, the large-scale projects such as the soccer complex and the veteran’s center will prove to be major economic drivers for the city in many ways.

“Harlingen is becoming a youth sports destination,” Zamponi says. “National softball leagues have had tournaments here, so we’re a perfect location for families as a vacation destination. The soccer complex will attract national tournaments as well. And the veteran’s health-care center is right next to the Regional Academic Health Center, and they interact with each other. The veteran’s center sees 400 to 500 patients a day and will be expanding in the future, so this is very big for Harlingen.”

All this activity, and more, has been factored into the Harlingen 100 plan, spearheaded by Mayor Chris Boswell.

The plan has seven major areas: tourism, health care, image, recreation, business recruitment and retention, education and revitalization. After months of committee work and public forums, task force committees now are putting the plan’s various components into play.

“This has been a lot of hard work,” Zamponi says, “but we’re very excited. This plan encompasses the whole community, and they had a lot of input in terms of saying what they wanted and what we need, in Harlingen.”

The chamber has been actively involved at every stage of the plan’s progression and will continue to be a major player as various initiatives move forward.

“We’re poised to be a first-class community,” Zamponi says. “We’re very close to having Harlingen recognized as a certified retirement community, and we’re growing our health care, our retail, our businesses. And we feel like because the chamber has great programs like Leadership Harlingen and Youth Leadership Harlingen, we’ve played a big role in preparing our community’s leaders, and we will continue to do so.”

– Joe Morris

The staff of the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce includes,

from left, T.J. Soule, Melissa Boykin, Ilza Torres, Maggie Ortiz, Ruthie Ewers, Janet Hubbard, Crisanne

Zamponi and Cori Peña. JE

FF

AD

KIN

S


Business | Chamber Report

621 Business.indd 28 2/26/08 3:08:07 PM

TRANSPORTATION

Air Service

Valley International

Airport, (956) 430-8600

www.flythevalley.com

Border CrossingThe Free Trade Bridge at

Los Indios provides passage

from Texas into Mexico.

The Free Trade Bridge accesses

a four-lane highway in northern

Mexico, offering a fast route to

the border cities of Matamoros

and Reynosa, as well as

connecting with Monterrey

and the interior of Mexico.

NAFTA CargoPortFederal Express, United

Parcel Service, Airborne

Express and several private

charter operators provide

airfreight services. Federal

Express provides international

service to Mexico from the

VIA terminal. The NAFTA Air

Cargo Port provides multiple

tenants with 38,800 square

feet of warehouse space,

truck docks for intermodal

accessibility and a public

(non-tenant air freighter)

ramp. Current tenants include

Menlo Forwarding and BAX

Global. The Cargo Port is a

perfect location for logistics

and distribution companies

and their suppliers that seek

proximity to scheduled air

cargo hubs.

Port AccessThe Port of Harlingen is

located four miles east of

Harlingen on Highway 106.

It is 25 miles west of Mile

Marker 646 on the Gulf

Intracoastal Waterway,

which provides more than

1,300 miles of protected

waterway. The Harlingen

Channel is maintained

to a width of 125 feet

and a depth of 12 feet.

RailUnion Pacific Railroad

has a local terminal and

switching yard in Harlingen.

The Harlingen Industrial

Parks and the Port of Harlingen

have direct rail access.

BUSINESS PARKS

Harlingen has prime

industrial property ready

for development. Harlingen

Industrial Parks include the

AirPark, Port of Harlingen

and Harlingen Industrial Parks

I through IV. Lots within the

Industrial Parks offer these

amenities: full infrastructure,

affordable and reliable

utilities, enterprise zone,

foreign trade zone, easy

access to Mexico and a state-

of-the-art airport.

TOP PRIVATE EMPLOYERS

Valley Baptist Health System

EchoStar Communications/Dish Network

Vicki Roy Home Health

West Corporation

Harlingen Medical Center

Wal-Mart

Su Clinica Familiar

Advanced Technologies

AOC Welding Supply

Time Warner Cable

BUSINESS CLIMATEHarlingen attracts worldwide attention because of its strategic

location on the U.S.-Mexico trade corridor. Harlingen is centrally

located in the Rio Grande Valley at the southern tip of Texas,

with more than 2 million people within a 50-mile radius in the

Valley and Northern Mexico.

Source:

Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce311 E. Tyler Avenue

Harlingen, TX 78550

(956) 423-5440

Phone: (800) 531-7346

Fax: (956) 425-3870

[email protected]

www.harlingen.com

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

2000 Census 2006 Estimate

Average household income $41,552 $47,067

Median household income $30,433 $35,928

Per capita income $13,433 $15,972

HARLINGEN


Business | Economic Profile

621 economic profile.indd 29 2/26/08 3:08:38 PM

At Early College High School, students don’t wonder about what courses they’ll be taking

in college – they’re already taking them.The school, which welcomed its

inaugural class of 96 students in fall 2007, will eventually house 400 pupils. In addition to a full high school course load, each student also will be venturing across the street to Texas State Technical College for classes there. By graduation, the students will have garnered enough college credits for an associate degree, or to translate those credits to enter as juniors into a four-year program.

Harlingen Independent Consolidated School District is one of seven school districts and two community colleges in Texas to receive an ECHS grant, and it also receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Early College High School operates under the supervision of the Texas Education Agency and is quickly catching on with students and parents, says Veronica Kortan, director.

“We’re having good success so far,” Kortan says. “Our first quarter-finals

were a huge week; we had students falling asleep studying. But now they know the kind of dedication this takes, and what they need to do, and they’re here to work.”

For its initial class, the school chose students from throughout the district, ranging from honor-roll students to those with average grades. Almost 77 percent of these students will be the first generation of their family to attend college. That factor was a plus but not necessarily a requirement during the selection process.

“We were really looking for the dedicated students,” Kortan says. “And they have already learned what the rigorous curriculum is all about.”

Academics are a focus at ECHS, but there are plenty of clubs and other extracurricular activities as well.

“We have a lot of service projects, and at the end of the quarter we had a silent auction and other activities, making it a very relaxed day for them,” Kortan says.

With such a small number of students, student-teacher interaction is

much more prevalent than on larger school campuses, even when the total enrollment grows to cover all four years of high school. That’s one of the school’s major benefits, and it dovetails nicely into the college experience the students are getting at TSTC.

“They’re a little more independent here, which comes with certain respon-sibilities,” Kortan says. “By the time they’re juniors and seniors, they’ll be very much a part of the TSTC campus. They can participate in their student organizations like the pre-med and pre-engineering clubs.”

The students have already discovered the benefits of the college library when it’s time for research, and they unwind at its athletic and recreational facilities as well. By blending the two campuses as much as is practical, Kortan says the students are getting both a sense of freedom and a quality dual education, which is the purpose of the whole program.

Next up will be recruiting the 2008 freshman class, and this year’s crop is ready to fan out and spread the word.

“We’ll be taking them to all five middle schools, visiting with students and meeting with parents in the evening as well,” Kortan says. “They’re very eager to go back to their home campus and promote ECHS for us.”

– Joe Morris

Ahead of the CurveEARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A JUMP-START ON PURSUING COLLEGE STUDIES

Biology teacher Clarissa Gonzalez teaches a college-level course to ninth-graders at Early College High School.

JE

FF

AD

KIN

S


Education

621 Education.indd 30 2/26/08 3:08:48 PM

Digital Communications

www.digitalcomco.com

• Business Telephone Systems• Voice Mail• IP Networking• Relocations and Upgrades• Fiber Optic Installations• Network Cabling

123 S. Beddoes Rd.La Feria, TX 78559

(956) 421-2322(800) 470-2322

Store of KnowledgeSCHOOL DISTRICT

REINVENTS GROCERY

These days, a cleanup on

aisle 4 at the former Kroger

store in Harlingen isn’t anything

messier than spilled paper clips.

After sitting empty for years,

the structure came back to life

in March 2007 as the Harlingen

Consolidated Independent

School District’s administration

building. Taking the 55,000-

square-foot space and

completely gutting it, the

district was able to turn an

eyesore into a viable community

gathering spot, says Dr. Linda

Wade, superintendent.

“When we began to evaluate

the need for new offices, we

tried to determine what location

would best serve both us and

the community,” Wade says.

“We identified this space as

being a win-win, because it is

adjacent to two of our middle

schools and our football field,

and it’s using space that already

existed and really needed to

be used.”

A major plus for the district

was the building’s sheer size,

which has allowed for

consolidation of multiple

satellite offices under one roof.

The location also came with

plenty of parking, which has

worked out well for Friday night

football tailgating and other

extracurricular activities.

“Now we have much more

additional parking for the

schools and the athletic field,

and it has really alleviated a lot

of difficulty in terms of people

parking in the neighborhoods

around us,” Wade says. “It’s a

gathering point for people

before ball games, and a lot of

campuses are able to have

fundraisers here, as well.”

– Joe Morris



At D’Arte Centre, a thriving cooperative artists’ gallery on Jackson Street, landscapes,

portraits, and still lifes share exhibition space with mosaics, pop art, ceramics, and wood and metal sculptures. Operated by the Harlingen Art Forum, D’Arte Centre is an integral part of the city’s cultural scene.

Valley artists organized the Harlingen Art Forum in 1959 to promote an appreciation of the visual arts and to encourage artists through studio classes and exhibitions of their work. The Art

Forum’s first Beachcombers Art Show in 1961, held in airy beach cabañas on South Padre Island, established a tradition of presenting fine art by outstanding regional artists.

Now every summer, the popular juried show draws more than 100 artists and large crowds of patrons to the South Padre Island Convention Center. With profits from the Beachcomber show, the Art Forum funds three scholarships for Cameron County art students.

After so many years with no place to call home, the opening of D’Arte Centre

Cooperative Gallery Catalyzes CreativityD’ARTE CENTRE DOWNTOWN CREATES A NEXUS OF ACTIVITY FOR ESTABLISHED AND ASPIRING ARTISTS

Artist Marta Vargas paints a canna lily during a class at D’Arte Centre.

JE

FF

AD

KIN

S

in 2004 enabled the Art Forum to further evolve. Operating the gallery full-time has presented the 120 members with year-round opportunities to interact with the community and for the community to discover the talent in their midst.

Gallery director Celeste De Luna and the HAF board develop monthly exhibits and host opening receptions to celebrate spotlighted artists.

“We tie exhibits to the community’s interests, like our natural wonders,” De Luna says.

Themes such as Monarch Migration and Birders’ Choice stimulate enthu-siastic participation by artists and appeal to the patrons.

The downtown location is convenient for customers to stroll into the gallery and discover the variety of works for sale. Staffed by member-volunteers who often paint or sketch between assisting customers, D’Arte Centre radiates a casual, ‘come see what I’m working on’ welcome.

Classes in watercolors, acrylics, oils, ceramics, jewelry and multimedia bring in both award-winning and beginning artists, along with university professors and retired art teachers.

Education holds a constant place in D’Arte’s calendar of events. The long-running, popular summer art program for children introduces kids to drawing, painting, printmaking and stained glass through its various workshops.

Since artists so often toil in solitude, D’Arte Centre began a monthly studio night where members experiment with different types of media or work on a piece in the company of fellow artists, creating art and sharing ideas.

“It lets artists feel they are not alone, and it provides opportunities to learn,” De Luna says.

In addition, Harlingen Art Forum contributes to city beautification by supplying artwork for Harlingen Cultural Arts Center, and for years, HAF has been a mainstay of RioFest, an annual art-in-the-park event.

– Eileen Mattei


Arts & Culture

621 Arts.indd 33 2/26/08 3:07:27 PM


621 Health.indd 34 2/26/08 3:09:54 PM

As a fast-growing Harlingen strengthens its reputation as a first-class destination for both vacationers and retirees, its health-care providers are positioning

themselves to meet the demand.The city already is home to a wide variety of medical

providers, from clinics, hospitals and long-term care centers to a working facility for upper-level medical students. And with major expansions taking place or planned at several sites in town, the city has become a major health-care hub for the Rio Grande Valley.

The numbers are impressive: Three of Harlingen’s largest providers – Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center and Su Clinica Familiar – employ approximately 3,500 people with an annual payroll of almost $180 million. More

Health-Care Heart of the ValleyHARLINGEN’S REPUTATION AS A MEDICAL HUB GROWS AS PROVIDERS EXPAND

The Regional Academic Health Center is among several facilities that collectively create a distinct medical campus environment in Harlingen.J

EF

F A

DK

INS

than 300 physicians practice in Harlingen, and each one generates at least three or four well-paying professional support jobs for his or her practice.

In addition to the facilities listed above, the city also is home to the Regional Academic Health Center, which educates third- and fourth-year medical students. Solara Hospital and Valley Diagnostic Clinic are key entities in the health-care landscape, as well. Factor in health-care-related jobs, such as home health agencies, physical therapy clinics and pharmacies, to name a few, and it’s hard to miss the local impact.

“Health care is both a quality of life and economic engine for the city,” says Mayor Chris Boswell. “We want to make sure that people understand how important it is, what the whole health-care industry does for the city’s economic vitality.”

To bring the point home to residents, Boswell made sure that the health-care industry was a major part of Harlingen 100, a multi-pronged plan for growing and developing the city’s future, keyed to the city’s 100th anniversary in 2010. And with such major developments as a major expansion to the veteran’s clinic and the city’s efforts to earn the Certified Retirement Community designation from the Texas Department of Agriculture, health care is poised to become even more important.

“By 2010, the veteran’s clinic should be handling 95 percent of all outpatient needs for the area’s veterans,” Boswell says. “And a strong, growing healthcare industry is a draw for attracting anyone to the community to live in, particularly retirees. Knowing they have quality health care – abundant health care – in a community is really very important.”

When the industry was being examined for Harlingen 100, planners pointed to nearby San Antonio as an example of what a solid health-care community can mean to a city.

“In 1960 they had nothing more than two silos and cotton fields, and they have grown a world-class medical school and health science center with a multibillion-dollar economic center for medical treatment,” Boswell says. “Harlingen has a lot more than silos and open fields to build on. We’re hoping that the synergy between the VA clinic, Regional Academic Health Center and other institutions will really catapult us into the same world-class health center.”

– Joe Morris

Health & Wellness


621 Health.indd 35 2/26/08 3:09:59 PM

L ife is going to be much less complicated for former World War II paratrooper Roy Winter, now that the South Texas Veterans Healthcare Center in

Harlingen opened. “Not having to travel to San Antonio makes it so

much easier for everybody, veterans and their families,” Winter says.

Winter is one of the Rio Grande Valley’s 45,000 veterans who had in the past received medical care at the Veterans Affairs hospital in San Antonio. In November 2007, South Texas Veterans Health Care Center on the Regional Academic Health Center campus began providing outpatient care and services to approximately 400 to 500 qualified veterans daily.

Primary care doctors and specialists in fields such as ophthalmology, orthopedics and mental health evaluate and treat Valley veterans of all ages. Under the supervision of the VA doctors, medical students and medical residents at the RAHC, which is part of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, learn medical practices through a hands-on approach.

The new center’s focus on primary care and specialty medicine reflects a response to specific health problems faced by Valley veterans. The state-of-the-art facility includes optometry services, dental care, audiology, physical and occupational therapy, a laboratory, a radiology

department with a CT scanner, and an outpatient surgical suite for colonoscopies.

The new clinic’s attention to customer service and the facility’s patient-friendly layout take some veterans and their families by surprise. A full-time patient service coordinator, known as the cruise director, circulates around the three waiting rooms, tracking patients’ appointment times and resolving delays.

Center Administrator Larry Alva says Valley and Coastal Bend veterans are not the only ones benefiting from the accessibility of the largest VA outpatient clinic south of San Antonio.

“Access to VA health care can influence Winter Texan veterans to stay in the area permanently,” Alva says.

The VA Center strengthens and builds on Harlingen’s reputation as the medical hub for the Valley.

A recent survey of veterans’ health-care issues revealed a growing demand for outpatient specialty care, so the center will expand by more than 60 percent by 2009. In December 2010, a 100,000-square-foot VA outpatient surgical center will open nearby. At that time, Alva says, “the VA Healthcare Center will address 95 percent of medical issues facing veterans.”

Between the two facilities, Alva projects the VA will be providing health-care services daily to about 800 veterans, men and women who served their country with honor.

– Eileen Mattei

The new Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center on the campus of the Regional Academic Health Center provides expanded services geared specifically toward identified needs of the area’s growing veteran population. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

Serving Those Who Served UsNEW HEALTH-CARE CENTER OPENS FOR RIO GRANDE VALLEY VETERANS


Health & Wellness

621 Health.indd 36 2/26/08 3:10:04 PM

Soccer is huge in Harlingen.The community’s recent efforts to build a new

soccer complex have grown the size of its facilities to match that of the sport’s enormous popularity here.

Situated on an 80-acre site that is about one mile east of Loop 499, this new complex includes 10 soccer fields, 650 parking spaces, a concessions building, restrooms, shade pavilions and two small ponds. After completing this $5.2 million project, the city plans to build a second phase, which will increase parking capacity and add four more fields.

This development is a dream come true for soccer enthusiasts who have talked for years about building new facilities. Tony Gorman, president of the 1,250-member Arroyo Youth Soccer Club in Harlingen, says the club’s 140 teams previously were limited to sharing public facilities with other sports and citizens year round. Because of that, the city’s ability to maintain the fields was severely limited. Meanwhile, the number of children participating in soccer steadily increased, causing the club to outgrow existing facilities.

“This translated into much-less-than-ideal playing conditions for players,” Gorman says. “Despite this, somehow we have managed to produce several state champions over the years, a tribute to the talent and devotion of coaches, parents and players.”

Now Gorman, who works as executive vice president and director of human resources at Texas State Bank, and his soccer-playing sons Zachary, 17, and Grant, 14, can enjoy a state-of-the-art soccer complex that will “put Harlingen on the soccer map around the state in capital letters,” Gorman says.

Jeff Lyssy, director of parks and recreation for the City of Harlingen, says all of the work on the project is expected to be completed in time for the park to host its first major tournament over the Labor Day weekend in 2008.

“In the past, a major tournament would draw over 100 teams, but it was difficult with fields located in different parts of the city,” Lyssy says. “We’re looking forward to having this tournament complex for our local use and for drawing in tournaments and other teams to hopefully boost the economy. That’s a great impact on our economy, with hotel and restaurant use and sales-tax revenue.”

The new soccer complex also translates into more

Setting Goals for GrowthSOCCER COMPLEX WILL PROVIDE 14 NEW FIELDS FOR SOCCER-PLAYING YOUNGSTERS

Harlingen’s new, state-of-the-art soccer complex is located on an 80-acre site on East Tyler Avenue. S

TA

FF

PH

OT

O

opportunities for youngsters to earn college scholarships, Gorman says.

“More children will play soccer, and I believe the numbers of players will dramatically increase in the next few years,” he says. “This ultimately will mean better soccer programs in our middle schools and high schools. Many colleges and universities have already realized the Valley is a hotbed for soccer talent, and their recruiting efforts are already increasing.”

– Paige Clancy

Sports & Recreation


621 Sports&Recreation.indd 37 2/26/08 3:11:12 PM

Saint Joseph Academy

(956) 542-3581Fax: (956) 542-4748

Applications Available Online

www.sja.us

“Building on a Century of Marist Tradition”

Middle & Upper Divisions:

Grades 7 - 12

Financial Assistance Available

Canterbury Gardens/Court www.canterburygardensret.com

Courtyard Marriott www.marriott.com/hrlcy

Digital Communications www.digitalcomco.com

EchoStar www.dishnetwork.com

Faith Pleases God Church www.faithpleasesgodchurch.com

First Community Bank www.fcbweb.net

Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum www.myharlingen.us/harlingen_museum.htm

Harlingen Chamber of Commerce www.harlingen.com

Harlingen EDC

Harlingen Medical Center www.harlingenmedicalcenter.com

Harlingen Public Schools www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu

Lone Star National Bank www.lonestarnationalbank.com

Magic Valley Electric Co-Op www.magicvalley.coop

Marine Military Academy

www.mma-tx.org

Pittman & Davis

www.pittmandavis.com

Saint Joseph Academy

www.sja.us

Shepard Walton King

Insurance Group

www.shepardwaltonking.com

South Texas Emergency

Care Foundation

www.stec-ems.org

Texas State Bank

www.texasstatebank.com

Texas State Technical College

www.harlingen.tstc.edu

The Mortgage Market

www.themortgagemarket.us

University of Texas at Brownsville

www.utb.edu


www.valleybaptist.net

Valley International Airport

www.fl ythevalley.com

Visit Our Advertisers

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

questions answers

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r . o r g


621 community profile.indd 38 2/26/08 3:08:23 PM

CLIMATE

Average July high 94 F

Average January low 52 F

Average annual precipitation

28 inches

UTILITIES

Cable TV

Time Warner Cable

Communications

(800) 222-5355

Satellite TV

EchoStar

Communications/

DISH Network

(800) 333-DISH

Electricity

American Electric Power

(888) 216-3523

Constellation New Energy

(713) 222-6080

CPL Retail Energy

(866) 322-5563

Hino Electric Power Co.

423-9178

Magic Valley Electric

Cooperative Inc.

(866) 222-7100

Reliant Energy

(866) 222-7100

TXU Energy

(800) 368-1398

(Business provider only)

Gas

Hino Gas Sales Inc.

423-9178

Texas Gas Service

(800) 743-2945

TelephoneAT&T

(800) 585-7928

Time Warner

(800) 222-5355

Water and Garbage

Harlingen WaterWorks

430-6100

ATTRACTIONS

Downtown Jackson

Street District

216-4910

D’Arte Centre

425-4030

Harlingen Heritage Trail

216-4910

Harlingen Murals

216-4910

Harlingen Parks &

Recreation Department

216-5951

Harlingen Trolley Tours

428-1392

Iwo Jima Monument &

Memorial Museum

421-9234

Laguna Atascosa

National Wildlife Refuge

748-3607

Los Ebanos Preserve

399-9097

Harlingen Arts &

Heritage Museum

216-4901

Valle Vista Mall

425-8374

Valley Race Park

412-7223

LIFE IN HARLINGEN

Thousands of birders flock to

Harlingen for year-round

birding and the internationally

known Rio Grande Valley

Birding Festival.

Seasonal seniors,

affectionately called “Winter

Texans,” travel to Harlingen

each year to bask in the mild,

tropical winters.

Among the city’s 25 park sites

are playgrounds, gardens,

nature trails, tennis courts,

soccer and softball fields,

pools and picnic shelters.

Enjoy the 2.1-mile Arroyo Hike

& Bike Trail, connecting four

city parks, and the Harlingen

Thicket Bird Sanctuary.

Sports facilities include a roller

hockey pavilion, the 27-hole

Tony Butler Municipal Golf

Course, and a new skate

park for teens at the Boys

and Girls Club, and a new

$5.2 million state-of-the-art

soccer complex opening in

summer 2008.

Pack your putter when you

come to Harlingen and enjoy

seven challenging area

courses at outstanding values.

SINGLE-FAMILY NEW HOUSE CONSTRUCTION BUILDING PERMITS

2003: 332 buildings

average cost:

$97,200

2004: 383 buildings

average cost:

$106,503

2005: 414 buildings

average cost:

$101,297

2006: 425 buildings

average cost:

$102,232

Source: city-data.com

SNAPSHOTJust north of Mexico and minutes from the Gulf Coast, the

Harlingen area – in the center of the lush Rio Grande Valley on the

southern tip of Texas – is a laid-back blend of South Texas charm

and the rich traditions of Mexico.

HARLINGEN

Community Profile

The area code for Har l ingen is 956 . IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM 39


Sources:

Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce311 E. Tyler Ave.

Harlingen, TX 78550

Phone: (956) 423-5440

(800) 531-7346

Fax: (956) 425-3870

[email protected]

www.harlingen.com

NUMBERS TO KNOW

Ambulance/Emergency

Medical Services, 364-2711

Building Inspector, 216-5160

City Hall, 216-5000

Emergencies, 911

AEP Electricity

Repairs/Maintenance

(877) 373-4858

Fire Department, 216-5700

Harlingen Recycling Center

427-8824

Public Library, 216-5800

Police Department

216-5400

Post Office, 423-1464

Social Security Office

412-5305

County Offices

Cameron County Appraisal

District, 428-8020

Cameron Works Workforce

Center, 423-9266

Cameron County

Tax Collector, 427-8013

State Offices

Texas Department of Public

Safety – Drivers License

423-4431

Texas Department of Public

Safety – Highway Patrol

440-6700

TRANSPORTATION

Airlines

Southwest Airlines

(800) 435-9792

Continental Airlines

(800) 525-0280

Sun Country

(800) 359-6786

Airport

Valley International Airport

430-8600

Bus

Valley Transit Company

423-4710

Highways

U.S. Highway 77 connects to

Interstate 37 at Corpus Christi,

and U.S. Highway 83 connects

with Interstate 35 at Laredo.

Rental Cars

Advantage Rent A Car

(800) 777-5500

Avis Rent A Car

(800) 331-1212

Dollar Rent A Car Systems

(800) 800-4000

Enterprise Rent A Car

(800) 736-8222

Shuttle

Go with Jo Tours & Travel

423-1446

Valley Transit Company

423-4710

Taxi

Rio Grande Transit Inc.

428-4614

Tours and Travel

Go with Jo Tours & Travel

423-1446

Vamonos Travel, 428-1392

EDUCATION

Public

Harlingen Consolidated

Independent School

District, 427-3400

Private

Calvary Christian School

425-1882

Marine Military Academy

423-6006

St. Alban’s Episcopal

Day School,

428-2326

St. Anthony Area

Catholic Schools

423-2486

St. Joseph Academy

542-3581

St. Paul Academy

423-3926

Higher Education

Texas State Technical

College – Harlingen

(800) 852-8784

University of Texas

at Brownsville

882-8200

Regional Academic

Health Center

365-8600

University of Texas

Pan American

381-UTPA

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Harlingen Medical Center

5501 South Expressway 77

365-1000

UTHSCSA Regional Academic

Health Center

2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.

365-8600


2101 Pease St., 389-1100

Ronald McDonald House


412-7200

Su Clinica Familiar


365-6750

Solara Hospital

508 Victoria Lane

Harlingen, Texas 78550

425-9600

Driscoll Children’s Hospital

2121 Pease St. – Suite 600


421-1707

South Texas VA Healthcare

Clinic, 2106 Treasure Hills Blvd.


366-4500

For a complete list of

physicians and medical

facilities, visit www.harlingen.

com and click on

Business Directory.


Community Profile


LOCAL PEOPLE.SERVING YOU. EVERY DAY.

You’re more than a customer.

You’re a member.

And that’s why we’re always looking out for you.

Now you can help control your energy use right at home.Visit www.magicvalley.coop and click on:

P.O. Box 267 • Mercedes, TX 78570 • (956) 514-1200

621 C3 C4.indd C3 2/26/08 3:08:15 PM

621 C3 C4.indd C4 2/26/08 3:08:18 PM

images harlingen, tx: 2008

Documents