MISSION, Texas - Many of the state lawmakers that participate in next week’s Texas Water Day at the Capitol will likely know about the dire water crisis facing the Rio Grande Valley.

Certainly those that traveled the region as part of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership’s recent 2025 RGV Legislative Tour will be aware.

That is because they heard twice from Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association. He spoke once during a panel discussion that focused on water availability challenges. That was held at the Center for Education & Economic Development in Mission. He also gave a speech at the Wonderful Citrus warehouse, also in Mission.

At both events Galeazzi was blunt. The Valley has a “water crisis” on its hands, he said.

“We've got a series of challenges that are driving the water situation here in South Texas,” Galeazzi said. Of our two international reservoirs, Falcon Dam is at 14% capacity. It’s never been that low. And Amistad Dam is at 26%.”

Galeazzi pointed out that only 58 percent of the water in those dams can be used in the Valley.

“Ninety percent of our fresh water here in the Valley comes from the river,” Galeazzi said, And Mexico owes more than a million acre feet (of water) under an international treaty.”

Galeazzi continued: “Talking about all of the inflows, every bit of water that's supposed to be coming to the Rio Grande Valley, or into the Rio Grande River, is down over the last 30 years. It's trending 30% down and more. So we have a dire situation.”

Galeazzi said more than 50% of the 1.3 million citizens that live in the Valley reside in unincorporated towns. As a result, he said, they depend on water districts to get their water.

“The water districts don't have water. Those guys aren't going to be able to turn on water and get it out of the faucets.”

Although the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty is a federal issue, there are things the State of Texas can do to help the Valley, Galeazzi said.

“We're here at a very difficult time. I don’t want to understate it. It is doom and gloom time,” Galeazzi said.

“We are in a position where we have got to figure something out and the time to act is now. We can't postpone things until the next session. We can't kick this ball down the road.”

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story.

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WESLACO, Texas - Famed businessman Alonzo Cantu has thrown his support behind the work of the Rio Grande Valley Broadband Coalition.

The RGVBC unveiled its RGV Broadband and Digital Opportunity Plan at the offices of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council.

The coalition noted that the Valley still lacks reliable internet access, holding the region back in a world that increasingly depends on digital tools. The coalition says its plan is a “bold initiative to ensure every home, business, and community anchor institution in the region has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet.”

Cantu, president and CEO of Cantu Construction and Development, had a front row seat for the coalition’s presentation. He was seated next to Sergio Contreras, CEO of Atlas, Hall & Rodriguez, LLP., Both Cantu and Contreras are members of the Texas Broadband Development Office’s Board of Advisors.

To advance digital development in the region, the RGV Broadband and Digital Opportunity Plan focuses on:

• Expanding broadband infrastructure to connect unserved and underserved communities
• Increasing digital skills training to help residents navigate online education, work, and services
• Preparing a local workforce for in-demand, high-wage technology jobs
• Enhancing tele-health access to improve healthcare outcomes and lower costs
• Supporting small businesses in adopting digital tools to grow, compete, and better serve their customers

Jordana Barton-Garcia, director of the RGV Broadband Coalition, said the plan has been developed through a multi-sector partnership of local governments, internet providers, schools, healthcare institutions, small businesses, and nonprofits. She said the plan addresses long-standing connectivity gaps that have limited education, jobs, healthcare access, and economic growth across the region.

“Broadband is the foundation for opportunity in today’s economy,” Barton-Garcia said. “This plan represents a turning point, ensuring that all residents — no matter who they are or where in the Rio Grande Valley they live — can access the connectivity they need to thrive.”

At the conclusion of the, Barton-Garcia thanked all the stakeholders that had come together to agree on a plan of action. She said the coalition is already working to implement some of the plan’s activities and is actively seeking partners and funding opportunities to put the full plan into action and accelerate digital opportunity efforts.

It was at this point that Cantu asked if he could speak.

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian's website to read the full story.

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MCALLEN, Texas - During his 2025 State of the City Address, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos said he is often asked why he spends so much time in Mexico.

“Simple,” Villalobos said, answering the question. “Mexico believes in McAllen. Mexico embraces McAllen. Mexico invests in McAllen. Quiero que sepan mis amigos Mexicanos. Que McAllen entra alla a Mexico. And we depend on each other for trade and commerce, and tourism. And many times, we are just family. A todos mis amigos Mexicanos. To all my Mexican friends, please stand and be recognized.”

In his remarks, Villalobos spoke about the networking opportunities presented at McAllen’s annual MxLAN Summit. He said the 2024 event welcomed over 40 businesses and 90 participants from Mexican states such as Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, Jalisco, Tamaulipas and more. “The summit helped build more than 37 emerging business partnerships and new opportunities for McAllen,” he said.

Villalobos also pointed to McAllen’s decision to set up a Department of International Relations. “It has had an immediate impact,” the mayor said, running through some of the cities and countries that have sent representatives to McAllen thanks to the outreach of the new department. He said diplomats from Ireland and France have visited the city, along with the governor of San Luis Potosí, and sister city delegations from Apodaca, Puerto Vallarta, Reynosa and Monterey.

He said they also welcomed delegations from the departments of state in Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Rio, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Zacatecas.

“In Mexico City we hosted McAllen Day, and in Monterrey we secured agreements with World Trade Center Monterrey, with the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, and with COMCE Noreste, the Mexican council for foreign aid,” Villalobos said.

“And we just signed a trade agreement with a state of San Luis Potosi and a reaffirmation of sister city agreements with San Luis capital. And McAllen’s first friendship partnership agreement with Tampico.

“McAllen’s agreements will push economic growth, help develop new businesses, build cultural connections, and bring our nation and people closer.”

Editor's Note: The attached audio also includes Mayor Villalobos' remarks on the Anzalduas International Bridge. For the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News website.

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MCALLEN, TEXAS - The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) is partnering with the Rio Grande Valley Partnership to present its inaugural program in the Rio Grande Valley.

Building the Valley - Uniting for RGV Regional Growth will highlight the significant of organizations like the RGV Partnership and UT-Rio Grande Valley in shaping the region’s future.

The program will also explore the opportunities in the region for AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) and allied professionals.

The event takes place Thursday, Feb. 13, between 11:00 and 2:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center.

The target audience is AEC and allied professionals, public sector leaders, developers, financiers, and investors, community leaders and stakeholders.

One of the speakers at the event will be I-LinCP founder Carol Warkoczewski The mission statement of I-LinCP is to “evolve the capital projects industry though sharing of knowledge for optimized leadership, delivery and performance.”

Warkoczewski believes attendees will gain insights into upcoming projects, selection processes, and project delivery methods, as well as foster partnerships that drive RGV engagement and economic growth.

A past president for I-LinCP is Shea Johnson, senior vice president for development at South Texas Facility Partnership. STFP is title sponsor of the event.

Johnson’s colleague at STFP, Brian Godinez, gave the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service a preview of what to expect at Building the Valley - Uniting for RGV Regional Growth.

“Strong partnerships lead to lasting growth. Join I-LinCP, the RGV Partnership, UTRGV, and other industry leaders as we explore the critical role of partnerships and best practices in driving success in the Rio Grande Valley,” Godinez said. “Discover the opportunities, challenges, and impactful initiatives shaping the future of the RGV.”

Here is an audio recording of an interview the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service secured with Godinez about the event:

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AUSTIN, Texas - State Sen. Juan Hinojosa has given a shoutout to retiring Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp for his critically-acclaimed Bordering the Future report.

Sharp published “Bordering the Future: Challenge and Opportunity in the Texas Border Region” in 1998 whilst he was Texas State Comptroller. The report gave an in-depth assessment of the economic, political, and social condition of the Texas border counties. The report showed that if the 43-county region stretching from El Paso to Brownsville were a state unto itself, it would rank first in the nation in poverty, first in unemployment, and first in the percentage of residents without a high school diploma.

“One of the biggest impacts you had, besides statewide and all the different programs pushing A&M to a much higher level, was in the Rio Grande Valley,” Hinojosa told Sharp.

“You will recall, in 1999 you released a report about the challenges and opportunities that the border area offered to the state. And from that report you suggested and recommended certain initiatives. And we implemented those initiatives. They have made such a difference in taking the Valley out of poverty, making it into an economic success.”

Hinojosa made his comments during a Senate Committee on Finance hearing at the state Capitol. Sharp was there to testify on Texas A&M’s funding requests for the next biennium.

“People don't realize the impact that Chancellor Sharp has had throughout our state and the nation, and for that, we are very grateful and thankful for what he did,” Hinojosa said.

Sharp penned a guest column about Bordering the Future for Texas Monthly in September 1999, after he had left the Comptroller’s Office. He said:

“As a son of South Texas—I was born and raised in Victoria—I confess to a certain bias. I think the challenges of the border region demand our attention now, not later. I think the future of our state, even those areas that are far removed from the international boundary itself, will increasingly be subject to the ups and downs of the border.

“The Texas workforce of the future will be drawn largely from this region, where a huge and growing population of young people gives us a comparative advantage envied by other states. If we continue to shirk our responsibility to provide them with the best possible education, those young people will be a liability large enough to drag down the rest of us. But if we offer them the educational and training opportunities they deserve, they will drive a future prosperity so strong that it will make the books of the past look like a barn dance.”

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website to read the full story.

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WESLACO, Texas - President Trump said he would pause his planned 25 percent tariff duty on imported goods from Mexico due a “very friendly” telephone conversation with his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbuam.

Trump said the tariffs would be put on hold for month while further discussions with the Mexican president take place.

Trump’s tariffs were scheduled to take effect Tuesday, with a 25 percent duty on all imports from Mexico and most from Canada. Energy products from Canada would have had a ten percent tariff imposed. He also plans a ten percent tariff on Chinese goods.

Trump explained his decision to hold off on tariffs for Mexican imports on his social media platform, Truth Social. He wrote:

“I just spoke with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico. It was a very friendly conversation wherein she agreed to immediately supply 10,000 Mexican soldiers on the border separating Mexico and the United States, These soldiers will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl, and illegal migrants into our country.

“We further agreed to immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one month period during which we will have negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and high-level representatives of Mexico. I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a “deal” between our two countries.”

Sheinbaum for her part said Trump has agreed to a long-standing request from Mexico to get serious about stopping illegal weapons going south into Mexico. According to the Mexican government, more than 90 percent of guns seized in Mexico come from the United States.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez has another theory as to why Trump halted the implementation of the tariffs - stock markets around the world were tanking at the thought of trade wars between the United States and its top three trading partners - Mexico, China, and Canada.

Asked to respond to reports that Trump had paused the imposition of tariffs due to a telephone conversation with Sheinbaum, Gonzalez said:

“Well, I don't know what how productive a short phone call might have been, but I do think that the dropping of futures yesterday, the dropping of the stock market today, just on speculation of tariffs, had a very deep impact on the administration and what was coming. I think that woke up the president and probably the administration and economic advisers to not go through with the tariffs.”

Gonzalez said the imposition of tariffs would have been “devastating” for the country.

“It would have been devastating for the state of Texas more than any other state in the country, because Texas is the most reliant on trade with Mexico, and obviously in South Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, it would have been devastating. It would have had a direct impact on our small businesses and our local economy,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez made his comments in an exclusive interview with Ron Whitlock of Ron Whitlock Reports. Here is an audio recording of the interview:

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AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Association of Business is launching a new coalition, Texas Leads Trade, to ensure Texas businesses have a strong voice in the upcoming US-Mexico-Canada Agreement renegotiations.

The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service broke the story through an exclusive telephone interview with TAB President Glenn Hamer.

“We’re trading more than ever with Mexico and Canada. The Texas economy is at the strongest point it has ever been and is gaining strength is that we’re far and away the country’s top export leader,” Hamer said.

Hamer pointed out that with over $800 billion in annual trade, the Texas-Mexico border is a lifeline of the Texas economy. As discussions around USMCA heat up, Hamer said TAB will bring together business leaders, policymakers, and trade experts to protect and expand North American commerce.

Hamer provided the Guardian with some of the latest key trade statistics:

• Texas exports totaled over $444.6 billion in 2023, accounting for nearly 22% of all U.S. exports.
• In 2021, exports from Texas and American owned companies supported an estimated 1 million jobs.
• In 2023, Texas trade totaled $272 billion with Mexico and $71 billion with Canada, our top two trading partners.
• The Texas-Mexico border is the busiest trade gateway in North America, handling 68% of all trade between the United States and Mexico. This critical corridor facilitates $24 million in trade every hour.
• Texas ports of entry facilitated nearly $799 billion of US trade with Mexico in 2023.

Here is an audio recording of the Guardian’s interview with Hamer.

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MCALLEN, Texas - Futuro RGV, a citizenry group dedicated to improving quality of life in the Rio Grande Valley, recently held an in-depth discussion of the region’s water crisis.

The RGV Water Solutions Forum was held at Rio Bank’s corporate headquarters in McAllen.

The panel discussing the water crisis consisted of former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, former Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 Manager Sonny Hinojosa, and Mark Vega, general manager of McAllen Public Utility.

Both Darling and Hinojosa are members of Region M Planning Group. Region M works with state agencies and local stakeholders to develop and update a Regional Water Plan, which guides the development and stewardship of the region’s water resources.

The moderator of the discussion was Futuro RGV’s incoming President Mark R. Murray.

Nedra Kinerk, the founder of Futuro RGV, said the forum “brought together community leaders, experts, and passionate advocates to address critical water challenges facing the Rio Grande Valley.”

Here is an audio recording of the forum:

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