Images Harlingen, TX: 2008

2008 | IMAGESHARLINGEN.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES TM

OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS

Happy To Do Homework Downtown revitalization inspires entrepreneurs to live at their offices

FAR FROM RETIRING TYPES Valley seniors find plenty to do and places to go

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

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2008 EDITION | VOLUME 5 TM

OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS

CO NTE NT S

HARLINGEN BUSINESS

F E AT U R E S

24 Bringing Home the Baking

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

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

26 Biz Briefs 28 Chamber Report 29 Economic Profile

FAR FROM RETIRING TYPES Harlingen is a top Texas destination for seniors looking to relocate.

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30 AHEAD OF THE CURVE At 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 CREATIVITY Operated by the Harlingen Art Forum, D’Arte Center is an integral part of the city’s cultural scene.

37

19 D E PA R TM E NT S 8 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Harlingen’s culture

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

19 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Harlingen

35 Health & Wellness 39 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

ON THE COVER Photo by Jeff Adkins Beautiful Monarch butterflies are a common sight at Harlingen’s Fair Park Butterfly Garden.

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TM

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

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

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED 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 questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler Ave. • Harlingen, TX 78550 Phone: (956) 423-5440 • Fax: (956) 425-3870 E-mail: info@harlingen.com 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.

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GARDENING IN TEXAS Texans 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.

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BARBECUE: A SIMPLE SOUTHERN PLEASURE One of the simple pleasures of Southern dining is the down-home barbecue experience. No matter where you go, you’re bound to find barbecue prepared just right.

Get a taste of regional cuisine at imagesharlingen.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images 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.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

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I M AG E S H A R L I N G E N . C O M

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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.

Have a Raspa A 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.

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Almanac

Fast Facts

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.

Treat Yourself to Comfort Residents 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.

Q 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.

Q 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.

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

Q 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.

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Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum It’s the only one of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley featuring three authentic 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 collections of artifacts and photographs.

The HAHM’s main building displays rotating exhibits that emphasize our culture, art and history. Throughout the year, multiple events such as the “Taste of Harlingen” and the “Christmas Tree Extravaganza” are held to delight one and all. In addition, numerous educational 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 to be, come and take part in our events and activities.

Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum 2425 Boxwood • Harlingen, TX 78550 www.myharlingen.us/harlingen_museum.htm (956) 216-4901

Almanac

Hear and Now Take 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.

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 | At A Glance POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE) Harlingen: 68,500 Cameron County: 387,717

Harlingen

LOCATION Harlingen 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.

77 Intracoastal Waterway

281

McAllen

BEGINNINGS Lon 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.

Rio Hondo

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La Feria Reynosa 40

UNITED STATES MEXICO

1015

Nuevo Progreso

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

Harlingen

83

281

San Benito

CAMERON

100

Los Fresnos 2

509 77 Free Trade International Bridge

Brownsville Matamoros 101

FOR MORE INFORMATION Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler Avenue Harlingen, TX 78550 Phone: (956) 423-5440 Fax: (956) 425-3870 www.harlingen.com

HARLINGEN

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

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Happy

To Do

Homework DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INSPIRES ENTREPRENEURS TO LIVE AT WORK

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STORY BY MELANIE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

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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-NTuck 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-influenced 1920s apartment above his studio, located close to the Cobalt Gallery and the local artists’ cooperative. Schaub and Aune represent 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.

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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.”

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.

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Far From

Retiring Types

VALLEY SENIORS FIND PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO GO STORY BY EILEEN MATTEI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

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 yearround 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.

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

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Café Courtyard Full Breakfast Buffet, Dinner and Restaurant Service Meeting Space For Small and Large Groups Catering Available For All Types of Social and Business Events Group Rates Corporate Groups and Social Groups

Harlingen, TX 1725 W. Filmore Ave. (956) 412-7800 • (888) 267-8297 www.courtyard.com/HRLCY

Where Business Meets Pleasure!

Portfolio

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

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

H

arlingen’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, observation 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.

HARLINGEN

“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.

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Portfolio

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

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

Cheney Answers the Call to Serve R

etired 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 flavor 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 campaign 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.

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HARLINGEN

Museum Melds Modern Art & History I

t 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 ceramicists. 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 fundraiser 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.”

Save Money.

Smell the Flowers.

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 inflated and replacing your air filter 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 efficient 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 flowers. For more tips and to compare cleaner, more efficient vehicles, visit Old mailboxes are on display within the Paso Real on the grounds of the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum.

HARLINGEN

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

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PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

East Unites With West W

orlds 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 sponsorships. 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 afterschool 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.

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HARLINGEN

Portfolio

Serving Up Love for Table Tennis F

or 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

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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 members 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.

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Business

Bringing

Home the

Baking

PURVEYORS OF PAN DULCE MAKE LIFE SWEETER

BY PROVIDING TREATS WITH INTERNATIONAL FLAIR

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HARLINGEN

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Y

ou might say finding a delicious 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 flavors 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 flan.”

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 restaurant,” 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; cinnamonflavored 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 drivethrough for empanadas and coffee,” Salas says.

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.

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Business | Biz Briefs

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

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

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.

BARBECUE DONE RIGHT Lone 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 26

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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 restaurant, 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, TriPak 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 timeconsuming 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 familyowned business. His brother, David, is company president, and his father, Alan, serves as chairman of the board.

CLEAR SKIES AHEAD David 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.

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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 company 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.

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.

HARD-TO-IGNORE HARDWARE STORE A ready supply of the hard-tofind 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 HARLINGEN

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Business | Chamber Report

JEFF ADKINS

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.

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

A

lot can change in 98 years.

When Harlingen was incorporated 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 28

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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 HARLINGEN

Business | Economic Profile

HARLINGEN BUSINESS CLIMATE Harlingen 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.

perfect location for logistics and distribution companies and their suppliers that seek proximity to scheduled air cargo hubs.

TRANSPORTATION Air Service Valley International Airport, (956) 430-8600 www.flythevalley.com Border Crossing The 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 CargoPort Federal 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

Port Access The 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.

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

Rail Union Pacific Railroad has a local terminal and switching yard in Harlingen.

The Harlingen Industrial Parks and the Port of Harlingen have direct rail access.

Advanced Technologies AOC Welding Supply Time Warner Cable

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,

HOUSEHOLD INCOME 2000 Census

2006 Estimate

Average household income

$41,552

$47,067

Median household income

$30,433

$35,928

$13,433

$15,972

Per capita income

affordable and reliable utilities, enterprise zone, foreign trade zone, easy access to Mexico and a stateof-the-art airport.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler Avenue Harlingen, TX 78550 (956) 423-5440 Phone: (800) 531-7346 Fax: (956) 425-3870 info@harlingen.com www.harlingen.com

Source: Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce

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Education

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

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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

JEFF ADKINS

t 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

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 responsibilities,” 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 preengineering 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

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

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HARLINGEN

Digital Communications

Store of Knowledge SCHOOL DISTRICT REINVENTS GROCERY

T

hese 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 55,000square-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.”

• • • •

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

www.digitalcomco.com

– Joe Morris

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Arts & Culture

JEFF ADKINS

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

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

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t 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

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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

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 enthusiastic 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 longrunning, 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 I M AG E S H A R L I N G E N . C O M

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HARLINGEN

Health & Wellness

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

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s 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

JEFF ADKINS

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

HARLINGEN

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

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Health & Wellness

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

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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

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HARLINGEN

Sports & Recreation

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

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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

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

HARLINGEN

STAFF PHOTO

occer 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

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

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Community Profile

HARLINGEN SNAPSHOT Just 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.

(800) 585-7928 Time Warner (800) 222-5355

CLIMATE Average July high 94 F

Water and Garbage Harlingen WaterWorks 430-6100

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 Telephone AT&T

The area code for Harlingen is 956.

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

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Community Profile 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

University of Texas Pan American 381-UTPA

Avis Rent A Car (800) 331-1212

MEDICAL FACILITIES

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

Cameron Works Workforce Center, 423-9266

EDUCATION

Cameron County Tax Collector, 427-8013

Public Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District, 427-3400

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.

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Rental Cars Advantage Rent A Car (800) 777-5500

I M AG E S H A R L I N G E N . C O M

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

Harlingen Medical Center 5501 South Expressway 77 365-1000 UTHSCSA Regional Academic Health Center 2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.

365-8600 Valley Baptist Health System 2101 Pease St., 389-1100 Ronald McDonald House 720 Treasure Hills Blvd.

412-7200 Su Clinica Familiar 1706 Treasure Hills Blvd.

365-6750 Solara Hospital 508 Victoria Lane Harlingen, Texas 78550 425-9600 Driscoll Children’s Hospital 2121 Pease St. – Suite 600 Harlingen, Texas 78550 421-1707 South Texas VA Healthcare Clinic, 2106 Treasure Hills Blvd.

Harlingen, Texas 78550 366-4500 For a complete list of physicians and medical facilities, visit www.harlingen. com and click on Business Directory.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler Ave. Harlingen, TX 78550 Phone: (956) 423-5440 (800) 531-7346 Fax: (956) 425-3870 info@harlingen.com www.harlingen.com

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

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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.

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