May / June 2020 - RGVision Magazine by RGVision Magazine

M AY/J UN E 2 0 2 0 | VO LUM E 12 ISSUE 3

RGV comes together to stand firm against COVID-19.

VIRTUAL PROGRESS

DOING OUR PART

COVID-19 MENTAL HEALTH

School districts adjust to ‘new normal’ of education during COVID-19.

RGV Partnership offers support to business community during crisis.

Facts, help, and hope on psychological coping amid a pandemic.

WHEN WE SERVE TOGETHER IN OUR COMMUNITIES, EVERYONE SOARS. Southwest Airlines® proudly partners with those who are helping to shape our communities all across America. One good deed—when coupled with another and another and another—can truly make a positive difference in our daily lives.

Elizabeth Pollock, MD Board-certified Family Medicine Physician

We’re Here for You

Delivering Quality Care at Your Convenience With telehealth, your doctor will “see” you now. As always, the top priority of South Texas Health System Clinics is to maintain the physical, mental and emotional well-being of you and your family. In our efforts to keep you and everyone in the Rio Grande Valley healthy and safe, you now have the option to receive our healthcare services virtually. With telehealth, you can remotely connect with our dedicated professionals simply by using your phone, tablet or computer. Through user-friendly, confidential video and communications technology, telehealth enables you to speak with and/or “see” a doctor or advanced practitioner in real time—just as you would during an in-person consultation—securely, safely and in the comfort of your own home, office or wherever you may be.

It’s easy, fast, and convenient! And just one more way we’re here for you.

Connect with your doctor by phone or on your tablet or computer

To learn more about telehealth: valleycareclinics.com/telehealth To schedule a virtual visit: 956-515-2233 Get social with us

For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 200128-7681 4/20

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Harlingen CISD PSJA ISD South Texas College Bill Martin Sergio Contreras Leonardo F. Chang Dr. Alfonso Mercado Quinta Mazatlán

James Hord Jason Garza Ben Briones

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CONTENT CONTRIBUTERS

Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

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In 2009, RGVision introduced hope and optimism during a difficult time for America, highlighting the positive stories of what makes this region so unique. The success of RGVision is directly related to the success of our community. It is the people who live and work in the Rio Grande Valley who continue to push our region forward, especially during uncertain times such as those we live in today. During this global pandemic, RGVision has seen the resilience of our community, creativity of business leaders, and compassion we share for one another. In this issue, as we all enter into a new social norm, RGVision is proud to bring to you a few of these success stories that have exemplified how to pivot during a challenging time and use our abilities to serve. Thank you for picking up this issue. We hope that you stay encouraged, inspired, educated, AND safe! Enjoy this issue of RGVision.

Karina Vargas Rocio Villalobos Nathaniel Mata Jose De Leon III Danya Perez Karla Arredondo

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS 2020

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 RGVISION MAGAZINE

74 ON THE COVER

RE SI L IE N T, G E N E R O U S, V ERSAT IL E

RGV comes together to stand firm against COVID-19.

EDUCATION

Our Hallways pg 8 Serving Our Community pg 10 ‘Military Friendly’ pg 12 Can-Do IDEA-U pg 14 Trailblazer pg 18 GSA pg 26

BUSINESS

Financial Focus pg 28 Preservative Strategies pg 30 Expanding a Mission pg 34 Nation-2-Nation pg 38 Kick Back, Toss Ax pg 40 Trusted Partners pg 42 85 Years Of Lacks pg 44 A Dream to Call Home pg 46

VIRT UA L PROG RES S

DOING OU R PA RT

C OVID - 19 M ENTA L HEA LT H

School districts adjust to ‘new normal’ of education during COVID-19.

RGV Partnership offers support to business community during crisis.

Facts, help, and hope on psychological coping amid a pandemic.

HEALTH

Rounding Up Support pg 50 Gaming Addiction pg 52 Raising Awareness pg 54 Quality Care Close to Home pg 56 Brain Exercise pg 58 Keeping Safe pg 60 Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez pg 62

QUALITY OF LIFE

Bird Fathers pg 64 Explore from Home pg 66 The Gremlin pg 70 Faces in the Valley pg 78 Hitting the Right Notes pg 80 Weather Safety pg 82 Everyday Inconveniences pg 86

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E D U C A T I O N

‘Our Hallways May Be Empty, But Our Hearts Are Full’ How HCISD Implemented School at Home Program

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MAY/JUN 2020

b y Cr i s ti na M . G a r ci a | H C I S D St a f f

While public schools across the United States closed to protect the health and safety of students, Harlingen CISD educators swiftly began preparing in the event a case of COVID-19 emerged in South Texas. Although there had been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Texas before Spring Break, HCISD launched an emergency plan and webpage to inform the public about its systems in place. Harlingen CISD quickly escalated its plan from level one to level two March 19. The following day, the district implemented level three of the emergency plan to include the closure of campuses, cancelation of schoolrelated and staff travel, and the redesign of instructional and meal distribution programs. The true spirit of Harlingen CISD was not broken by the news of school closures. Rather, the HCISD family came together to support its students and community. HCISD played an essential part in operating its instructional and food programs immediately following Spring Break. Throughout Spring Break, however, staff members committed their holiday to prepare for what instruction would look like while schools remained closed.

students and 3,000 staff members. Everybody mobilized within a week to meet the needs of all students. I’m really proud of our staff because it took people rolling up their sleeves and investing long hours to ensure our students would be learning at home. During our 201920 school year kickoff, you could feel a sense of unity. It’s developed over time, and we really saw that unity in action as we came together this month.”  Joseph Villarreal, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education at Harlingen CISD: “During Spring Break, we helped define and set parameters as it pertained to online and offline instruction. Within five days, 317 courses were created and designed at the secondary level. Twenty-nine courses were created at the middle schools, while 288 courses were created across the three high schools, including Cano Freshman Academy. Also, 160 elective courses were created in Microsoft One Drive across both high schools.”

RESPONDING TO CHANGE Alicia Noyola, Ed.D., Chief Academic Officer for Harlingen CISD: “We’re a school district of about 18,000

with their students. These bonds are so important to

Lori Romero, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education: “Our main focus was to make sure our students continued learning even though they are not inside our classrooms. We’ve really seen our teachers step up to the plate to continue making connections our children, and it’s been great to see the videos of teachers interacting with students. The kids know we’re

LAUNCHING SCHOOL@HOME PROGRAM Superintendent Art Cavazos, Ph.D., met virtually with

principals and made behind the scenes and collaborative decisions for the best interest of all HCISD students. During the first two days of the Good to Go meals program, the child nutrition staff and other essential staff members served 15,000 meals. “Our hallways may be empty, but our hearts are full,” Cavazos said. “I am confident that HCISD will emerge from this more united and stronger than ever.”

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there for them no matter what.” Veronica Kortan, Administrator for Organizational Development at HCISD: “Before we launched our School@ Home program, we assessed the technology needs of our families. In one week, we transitioned about 2,500 families to utilize the online learning platform. We issued about 800 technology devices to students as of March 27. The district set up a call center where technicians and staff answer technology questions called in by students, parents, and staff. We could not accomplish all this in such a short amount of time with the support of everyone involved.” Shane Strubhart, Administrator for Public Relations and Community Engagement at HCISD: “Before Spring Break, our district began preparing to educate the community about our emergency response plan. At the beginning of March, while students were in school, Superintendent Dr. Art Cavazos began communicating with parents and staff about our systems in place. As soon as we became aware of a case of COVID-19 in our region, we notified parents and the community about our plans and systems in place through emails, text messages, phone calls, and social media. We launched a webpage, hcisd.org/ health, to provide around-the-clock and the most up-todate information for our HCISD families. We look forward to continuing open communication between the district and the community.”

MAY/JUN 2020

E D U C A T I O N

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY

PSJA ISD Offers On-Demand Healthcare, Counseling Services to Families Families in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD now have ondemand access to healthcare and counseling services from the safety of their homes through the district's Telemedicine Program offered in partnership with Urgent Care for Kids and Preventive Health Solutions. First

launched

November

2019,

the

PSJA

Telemedicine Program allows students to be treated by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant right in their school nurse’s office and now also from the safety of their home through a two-way video

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MAY/JUN 2020

conference. Most recently, the district expanded its partnership with providers to include adults and offer virtual counseling to families through Alliance Child &

"The safety and health of our PSJA family is our

Family Solutions.

top priority,” said PSJA Superintendent Dr. Jorge L.

ACFS is a social services agency based in North Texas

Arredondo. “Together, our telemedicine and telehealth

that specializes in outpatient mental health counseling.

services help our families get the medical care and

Counseling services can help with behavior problems,

support they need without leaving their homes.”

anxiety, depression, sadness, stress, grief, and other

For more information about the services offered through

feelings heightened due to the threat of COVID-19.

the PSJA Telemedicine Program, individuals may contact

Providing these on-demand healthcare services to

the PSJA Health Services Department at (956) 354-2016.

students and their families is important for PSJA ISD in order to promote social distancing and ensure families can see a doctor without leaving their home if they are feeling sick or need support.

PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

WEÊ¼RE IN THIS TOGETHER!

Thank you to our entire PSJA Family for their continued support as we work and learn from home during these unprecedented times. Our lives have been impacted by this pandemic, but our Spirit of PSJA remains as strong as ever! We will see this through together. Stay positive, stay healthy and above all stay PSJA strong!

#PSJASTRONG #PSJATOGETHERAPART

WWW.PSJAISD.US

E D U C A T I O N

‘MILITARY FRIENDLY’ Top 10 Honor Highlights STC’s Commitment to Creating Better Outcomes for Veterans

b y Jo ey G o me z | p h ot os b y B e n B r i on e s

South Texas College has been named among the top 10 colleges in the nation for serving military and veteran students, according to a renowned Military Friendly Schools survey released on Feb. 17. Solidifying STC’s commitment to creating better outcomes for veterans, the college was awarded Military Friendly’s gold seal and ranked ninth overall as a Military Friendly school for the 2020-21 school year. The survey is among the longest-running and most MAY/JUN 2020

investments in serving military and veteran students.

and their families have a smooth transition into college

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comprehensive reviews of college and university

and throughout their time at South Texas College,” said

It is often considered the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefit for the military community. “Our office is committed to making sure our veterans

Claire Forrester, coordinator of Veteran Recruitment and Engagement at STC. “We’re honored to receive the gold seal designation because our staff works incredibly hard to assist our veterans from their initial enrollment

E D U C A T I O N

S o lid ify in g a com m i tm e nt to cr e ati ng b e tte r o utcomes for veteran s, Sou th Texas College was awarded Military F r ie n d ly’s g o l d s e a l a nd r anke d ni nth ov e r al l a s a Military F rien dly sch ool for th e 20 20 -21 sch ool year.

through graduation.” STC and its Office of Student Veteran Affairs

“Our office is committed to making sure our veterans and their families have a smooth transition into college and throughout their time at South Texas College,”

are dedicated to serving veterans, active military, reservists, spouses, and dependents in meeting their educational goals. The college as a whole offers a wide variety of resources, support, and advocacy so student veterans succeed in meeting their higher education goals. Working in conjunction with STC’s Student Veterans

Recru itmen t an d E n gagemen t at STC

have been installed including peer-to-peer programs, a veteran lending library, “Foxhole” study rooms, labs, and

their experiences.”

much more.

Data evaluated by Military Friendly for its designations

More information about veterans’ services can be found

and awards are sourced from three categories, including

“From the moment a new student walks into our

public data sources, proprietary data, and personal data

office, they’re assisted by one of our work studies, many

from surveys of veterans themselves. Data is then

of whom are veterans themselves,” Forrester said. “I

pushed through a pre-determined algorithm as per the

think the camaraderie that’s provided by our students

organization’s methodology, and the results are audited

plays an important role in aiding veteran success

by EY (Ernst & Young) before publication.

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at southtexascollege.edu/veterans/#sva.

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C l a i r e F or r e s t e r, coordin ator of Veteran

of America Chapter, numerous programs and services

For more information about the Military Friendly award,

because they have a space on campus where they feel

please visit militaryfriendly.com/.

comfortable and can be around students who share

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MAY/JUN 2020

E D U C A T I O N

CAN-DO IDEA-U Nontraditional Student Finds Success with Online Learning

To get him up to speed on his academics, Roney underwent academic onboarding, a process all new IDEA-U students take part in before starting their official studies. “I did go through academic onboarding, which was very rigorous,” he said. “There was a lot of math involved — just reintroducing yourself to all these different subjects, there were definitely pretty difficult moments.” He persisted, even through nerves at how dedicated he would be to the online learning model. Roney had unsuccessfully attempted to go to college before. “I thought I knew myself in regard to being able to prioritize my time and not procrastinate — that honestly was a little bit of a concern for me,” Roney said. “But at the same time, I knew that because I was starting this new job, new kid, if I was going to realistically go back to school, this is the only way that it’s going to work. “Once I started it, I was pretty shocked at how I was able to adapt to it. I surprised myself. I assumed I wasn’t going to be good at the online format, but looking back on it, it’s worked out so well for me.” Part of that success came from the guidance of his IDEA-U advisor. “That’s another thing that’s been really cool — just the access that you have to your academic advisor and how there’s someone that’s always keeping you held accountable,” he said. As his wife gears up to earn her bachelor’s degree through IDEA-U, Roney “so wholeheartedly” recommends the online university to others — particularly if they are as busy as his family is. “It’s been such a blessing on so many levels,” he said. “There’s no other way I would be able to do this. The format of it is a lot more conducive for the amount of control that you’re given. It’s much more motivating and much more encouraging.” Learn more about IDEA-U by visiting IDEA-U.org.

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Jordan Roney moved the Rio Grande Valley, bought a house, started a new career in a new city, became a first-time parent, and went back to school through IDEA-U — all at the same time. “Yes, it was super hard,” he said. “I did my associate all last year and now I’m doing my bachelor’s.” In spite of leaning in to all those big life changes at the same time, Roney found success at IDEA-U. "I was still able to make it happen and I feel like that speaks volumes to just the way that it’s set up,” he said. “I don’t see any other way I would have been able to achieve that without being enrolled in IDEA-U. I’ve been very, very grateful.” Roney, 35, lives in Weslaco and works in San Benito for IDEA Public Schools’ farm program. Right now, he is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in management with focus in logistics and operations at IDEA-U. Though he would like to push himself and be done by August, when he and his wife are expecting their second daughter, Roney may earn his degree at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. “That degree could help me within the farm program,” he said. “That would be a really good segue into a position of that caliber where I’m overseeing and managing different employees at different schools, different farms.” The ability to work at your own pace online is an IDEA-U feature that is attractive to many students, as is the straightforward application process. “I applied and that’s when I interviewed with one of the academic advisors,” Roney recalled. “After sitting down with them and hearing about how IDEA-U is structured, I was like, ‘yeah, this is a lot more realistic for me.’ “It was pretty seamless — there was an essay involved, writing about why I was interested in pursuing my degree with IDEA-U, why I thought IDEA-U kind of catered toward me and where I was at in my life at that time.”

MAY/JUN 2020

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“Once you go through, it’s no longer like, ‘she’s a girl in the room’ — she’s now one of the guys. At first, it was kind of uncomfortable, but then, after a while, it was being one of the boys.” G i na Per ez , v o l unte e r f i r e f i ghte r an d Sou th Texas College Fire Academy gradu ate

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E D U C A T I O N

South Texas College Fire Academy Student Makes Her Mark b y RGVi si on | p r ov i d e d p h ot os

E D U C A T I O N

At first, it wasn’t easy for Gina Perez to fit in with the rest of her class at South Texas College’s Fire Academy. She was the only woman there. “It definitely was a challenge just to get everyone to feel OK, because they’re kind of unsure. They don’t know why you’re there,” the 29-year-old said. “I’m kind of small — I’m 5’3’’ and i’m not super built, so you’re like, how is she going to keep up?” Perez soon proved herself to her male classmates, keeping up with them in studies and practical, hands-on training. “Once you go through and prove that you deserve to be there just as much as they do, it’s no longer like, ‘she’s a girl in the room’ — she’s now one of the guys,” Perez said. “At first, it was kind of uncomfortable, but then, after a while, it was being one of the boys.” She made lasting friendships in the program with her firefighting brothers, and graduated this year. “All of us got really close and we made a lot of good memories there,” she said. “I would’ve had to say the whole way through it was just a lot of fun. We got real close to each other.” Perez, of Los Fresnos, had a fascination with fire from a young age. “As much as my mom told me how dangerous it was and to be safe, it was always something that I thought was kind of a beautiful thing,” she said. “Later on, of course, you grow out of those things — you forget about it.” Her other passions, like fitness, led her back to pursuing her interests in firefighting. Originally going back to school to become a dental assistant, Perez pivoted to make the decision to enroll in the Fire Academy. “I always wanted to do something that was out of the norm, out of the office type,” she said. “I’m a volunteer and basically I wanted to do something to help out my community, so I started with that. “First ride, out I was hooked. I just wanted to do more.” More came in the form of learning to trust herself — even as she learned how to keep herself and the people she served safe through her studies. “A lot of people don’t realize there’s a lot of safety and rules to learn before you get to the hands on, so it was a lot of studying before we actually put our hands on the tools,” Perez said. “They tried to really get you educated on that before they put you in there.” With the lessons she had learned in the Fire Academy, Perez found herself taking on more responsibility when she volunteered as a firefighter. “I would say the benefit was the skills training — it taught me a lot and going through it I learned, OK, this is exactly what I want to do with my life,” she said. “It taught me real quick that you have to be strong not only physically but mentally. I want to say that it also gave me confidence because before, when I was just volunteering, I kind of wouldn’t want to step in and assist with too much — I would kind of just help with the traffic and stuff like that. Never wanted to actually get in there because I didn’t feel like I was qualified. “After the training, it really helped me get after that. It gave me more confidence, that’s for sure.” Right now, just like for many others in the Rio Grande Valley

PERSISTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC South Texas College remains dedicated to its students, faculty, staff and the community during the COVID-19 crisis. Visit SouthTexasCollege.edu for more updates.

. RGVISION MAGAZINE

and beyond, firefighting for Perez is at a standstill due to the COVID-19 crisis. She is waiting to take a postponed refresher course so she can retake her hazmat operations section on her state exam. Perez and her mother own a catering business that has also been impacted by COVID-19. Currently, she does office work with a private security company — but is looking forward to getting what she needs to pursue her firefighting dream full time. For other women going after their dreams, Perez recommends looking outside the box for fulfillment. “I know there’s some people that are meant to be nurses or like dental assistants, hygienists,” she said. “There’s different things you can do, but if you ever felt like you just didn’t fit in in all those other places, I would definitely try something out of the norm. Most people see it as a male career, but if you want something that will challenge you physically and mentally, I would definitely recommend it. “I would do it all again.” Learn more about South Texas College’s Fire Academy at https:// bt.southtexascollege.edu. Funding was provided through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with Carl D. Perkins Basic funds.

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Funding has been provided through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with funds received from the Carl D. Perkins Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century (Perkins V) Act of 2018

E D U C A T I O N

VIRTUAL

PROGRESS School Districts Adjust to ‘New Normal’ of Education During Pandemic

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by Da nya Per ez

The coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of normal life — from work, to shopping, to even taking a stroll in the park. But for many families throughout the Rio Grande Valley and the rest of Texas, education may be one of the greatest adjustments. With news of the virus evolving quickly, school districts had little to no time to prepare for having to uproot students, teachers, and most of their staff from their schools as a precaution and go fully virtual. Schools emptied as the virus began to spread through the United States and Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide order to keep all students at home during the pandemic, eventually deciding to close campuses for the rest of the 2019-20 school year. “Social distancing is our best tool in the fight against COVID-19, and the actions we have taken thus far have proven to be effective in limiting the spread of this virus,” Abbott said in a statement.

Initial closures came right before Spring Break, allowing some districts to use the down time to prepare for the different possibilities. Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo, superintendent at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district, said the district transitioned to a full closure since March 13, a day before Spring Break. But his staff had already begun meeting to talk about online classes and the curriculum necessary for the transition. “As we started noticing that this was going to lead to closures, we started meeting as teams and seeing what resources we had and what type of technology we had available,” Arredondo said. “Once we noticed that it was much safer for our entire community, then of course we decided to close our schools.” The PSJA ISD staff took advantage of the break to prepare to roll out a plan for students to continue their lessons online.

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The STAAR assessment is in turn used to determine the state’s A-through-F accountability ratings, which will also be waived this year with all districts labeled as “not rated: declared state of disaster.”

THE NEW TEACHER’S AIDE The role of parents has expanded to a sort of teacher’s aide, as they now play a key role in the virtual classroom

STUDENT ASSESSMENT Along with the statewide school closures came an announcement by Abbott of the cancellation of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, known as STAAR, for this school year. The STAAR assessment is in turn used to determine the state’s A-through-F accountability ratings, which will also be waived this year with all districts labeled as “not rated: declared state of disaster.” “While we continuously work to ensure our ‘A-F’ accountability system paints an accurate picture of school performance, these unprecedented circumstances have forced all of us to change and adapt,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement. The news came as a relief, Arredondo said, as districts are carefully attempting to balance all the changes, the

MAY/JUN 2020

by helping their children access online platforms, follow schedules, and complete assignments at home. “We are fortunate that our parents have been working really hard,” Gonzalez said. “And our teachers have done a great job in making sure that regardless of whether a student has a lot of support or very little support at home — with parents who are very busy sometimes working two jobs — that we provide that support to our students.” These districts have established support systems and help lines for parents to reach out to teachers online or by phone. Teachers and counselors have set up informational videos, Zoom meetings, and even Facebook Live sessions to interact with both the students and the parents — and answer any questions and concerns. “It’s been a big team effort and I’m just so proud of every campus leader, principal, and especially our teachers for being able to adjust and do the best that we can in this new world and environment that we are in,” Gonzalez said.

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They began computer distributions starting with students in higher grades and those taking dual enrollment college courses, and moving down to lower grades. And even as they overestimated the number of students who may need a computer or a hotspot for internet connection, Arredondo said, the district began ordering more technology in case the demand was higher. But the process is still ongoing, considering there are many aspects that must be addressed — from ensuring internet access, to providing printed materials for those who might struggle to connect. “Now the next push is, how do we give instructional packages of enrichment activities to those students who don’t have access to printers or online platforms yet?” he said. “So now, as we are rolling out meals, we are going to have those available to students that may need them.” At McAllen ISD, Superintendent Dr. J.A. Gonzalez said what helped them was already being what they call a “one-to-one district,” meaning every student has access to technology to take home. Students in pre-K through fifth grade have iPads, while sixth- through 12th-grade students have Google Chromebooks. “We’ve been utilizing this instructional technology for many years now,” Gonzalez said. “A big part of it has been utilizing Google Classroom, this virtual environment where teachers put all of their assignments in and students submit their assignments and things of that sort.” That part of the transition was facilitated by at least four years of practice, he said, but challenges remain, especially with every student needing and having different types of support now at home.

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Not having to worry about preparing students and parents for the test allowed districts to prioritize safety while still rolling out learning and enrichment activities and communication strategies to get everyone adjusted.

need for student’s continuous learning, and the need for parent’s support. “One of the biggest reliefs to us is when the commissioner and the governor announced there was not going to be a STAAR test,” Arredondo said. “A lot of parents were concerned (asking), ‘Is my child going to have to do well on this test?’” Not having to worry about preparing students and parents for the test allowed districts to prioritize safety while still rolling out learning and enrichment activities and communication strategies to get everyone adjusted. “We were in a position to do very well on this year’s assessment, based on all the data we had,” Gonzalez said about McAllen ISD. “But once we moved into this virtual environment, it was some weight lifted off from us not having to worry about that as we maneuvered into this environment.” The state has announced efforts to help school districts keep their students on track despite the lack of state assessments, including the creation of an Instructional Continuity Task Force. “We are working around the clock to ensure that our school districts have the instructional guidance they need so that students can successfully pursue their studies at home,” Commissioner Morath said in a statement. “Our Task Force is working to ensure all school systems have access to the resources they need to support instruction remotely, whether ‘low-tech’ or ‘high-tech.’” At McAllen ISD communication has also been key to ensure that students are still able to move forward in their education, Gonzalez said. Teachers have shared new ideas and methods to utilize the technology tools that

they had already been using, but now in a different way. “A big part of it is having teachers that are very good at communicating with their students in this new environment,” Gonzalez said. “Just really leveraging the software that we have. We have all kinds of software per subject that students use on their devices that allow them to continue working on math and literacy and things of that sort.” MOVING FORWARD If there is any silver lining at this point, it’s the caliber of creativity that has sprung up amid all these changes. Both Gonzalez and Arredondo said they’ve been impressed by the level of energy and innovation that teachers have shown as they are constantly looking for ways to engage and bring a sense of normalcy to their students. “Our PE teachers are creating videos of all these very cool exercises to do at home. … We have teachers and principals reading books to students on Facebook and other platforms,” Arredondo said. “So it just started generating more innovative ways that maybe we knew were out there, but we had never been pushed to utilize them.” While, at the time of publication, there is no firm end to regulations enacted because of this pandemic, district officials have had to plan around the changes while still trying to plan for what’s ahead once students, teachers, and state assessments return. “We are definitely following our game plan as far as our curriculum, but we know we’ll have to loop back and cover some of those concepts again,” Gonzalez said. “We’ll just have to see if there are any gaps when we come back … so that’s yet to be seen.”

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Gay-Straight Alliances in Schools Promote Inclusivity, Acceptance

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b y Roci o V i l l a l ob os In 2013, a group of people of all ages and backgrounds came together and created the South Texas Equality Project — STEP — with the mission of fostering a more accepting and open-minded community for LGBTQIA individuals in the RGV. Over the years, the coalition has created several events — such as Pride in the Park— to celebrate and empower the queer community. Today, STEP has around 60 members who continue striving for inclusivity. And with one of their most recent projects, the gay-straight alliance (GSA), STEP is getting their message across to LGBTQ youth. Steven Cano, STEP member and community mobilization coordinator for Valley AIDS Council, helped launch the idea. There are now three alliances across RGV high schools. “The purpose of having a GSA is not just so homosexual and heterosexual individuals

can coexist and be in one place,” he said. “But it’s to start creating and cultivating a community in your school that is accepting, liberating, and is going to move us forward in society instead of taking steps back.” The alliances are at IDEA Weslaco Pike High School, PSJA ISD’s T-STEM Early College High School, and San Benito High School and were each created by a member of STEP. Cano said the student-driven groups can take whatever direction they like, so long as it follows their school’s guidelines. According to Cano, to set up an alliance in a school, the student must devise a plan and present it before their counselors or principal, then find a teacher to serve as the sponsor. Cano said the alliances have not faced opposition from school administration in opening, and hopes the alliances soon become as common in schools as a chess club or theater group. “If there is a student wanting to start

to inform the students on the correct terminology of the LGBTQIA community and the unique plights they face. Since the school year was cut short, McCabe is unsure if the alliance will be able to continue since another problem they were having was attendance. With so many other clubs at the school, she said, the GSA has not been everyone’s priority. “Unfortunately, GSA is not linked to academic benefit like other student clubs,” she said. “It’s not linked to GPA, not linked to a points system. It’s purely by choice.” Although that is an uncertainty, she said there is a core group of extremely dedicated students who do all they can to promote the alliance and can hopefully keep it alive. While the GSAs are currently only in high schools of the RGV, Cano said the groups would also be beneficial for middle school and STEP is willing to lend extra support to help anyone interested get an alliance off its feet. “We’re seeing how at a much younger age people are coming out,” he said. “We (STEP) would love for middle school students to say, ‘I identify in this spectrum. I identify as an LGBTQ individual and I want to start a GSA.’” With schools closing for the rest of the 2020 spring semester due to the threat of COVID-19 spreading in communities, the alliances have also taken a break. However, when school does resume and students are back on campus, Cano said he is sure that they will continue spreading the message of acceptance and inclusion. “I know that once these kids go back, they’re going to hit the ground running,” he said. “I feel like they’re going to be even more fired up to say, ‘We’re here. You will listen because we do have voices and our voices do matter. “And that’s what STEP is all about, saying, ‘Hey, we’re here and we’re here to stay. Let’s work together for the betterment of everyone.’” If interested in starting a GSA, Cano encourages reaching out to STEP through Facebook.

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one and they don’t know how to open that line of communication or what to present to whoever is in charge, we (STEP) have resources we can give to the student and say, ‘This is how you go about it. This is what you do,’” said Cano, adding he has been impressed by the group’s work and is proud to have them as the world’s future leaders. “The GSA is important to the wellbeing and the health of LGBTQIA students, because oftentimes they feel neglected. They feel lonely. “They feel discriminated against because of who they are, so in a sense the GSAs help ensure all our students feel safe, comfortable and included.” STEP invites the leaders and members of the GSAs to attend their meetings and share the group’s progress and activities. Cano said the Weslaco alliance created an anti-bullying campaign, including a discussion on how bullying is not to be tolerated. T-STEM's alliance, which named itself the SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Acceptance), focuses on LGBTQIA health. The newest alliance, San Benito’s, focuses on community outreach. Molly McCabe, a science teacher at San Benito high school and co-sponsor of the GSA, said their group has been overwhelmed with community support. They launched in October 2019 and to recruit more members, the GSA president decided to hang up posters around the school. McCabe said that simple action caused an uproar and some students tore the posters down. While the mere existence of the GSA angered part of the student body, the school administration took action. “The principal had a meeting and had a talking to with them,” McCabe said. “I think it was validating and uplifting for all our kids amid the backlash of the posters that they got an administrative response. “I think it’s made our students braver. In small ways they realize they can be proud of who they are at San Benito and that they will be protected.” She said the group has also served

MAY/JUN 2020

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Don’t Let Fears Drive Your Investment Choices

First, the coronavirus rocked the financial markets. Then, oil prices dropped more than 20 percent after a breakdown in OPEC production discussions. Not surprisingly, the markets took another nosedive. Yet, despite these events, this recent market volatility may well be attributed more to fear than the forces that usually drive the markets. Ultimately, in the investment arena, as in all walks of life, facts matter. And right now, if you look beyond the headlines, the facts that matter to investors may be far less gloomy than you might have imagined. So, here are some things to keep in mind over the next several weeks: • This isn’t 2008. If you were an investor in 2008, you well remember the market crash that resulted from the bursting of the housing bubble, which had severe ripple effects throughout the economy. The situation is different now. While it’s quite likely that the U.S. economy will take a hit in the short term, the overall economic fundamentals were strong before the coronavirus came along and may indeed prove resilient enough to withstand the recent shocks. Specifically, the labor market conditions were the best in decades, housing activity was improving and interest rates remained low. And even the recent events may have a bright side: The drop in oil prices will likely reduce prices at the gas pumps, leading to more money in the pockets of consumers, which, in turn, can boost spending, a key driver of our economy. And the large decline in interest rates will make home purchases and mortgage refinancing even more attractive — again, positive moves for the economy. • We’ve been here before. From the time the markets bottomed out in early 2009 until just a few weeks ago,

stock prices climbed about 300 percent. Yet, during that time, we also saw three separate market drops of more than 15 percent, similar to what we’re seeing now. These market corrections always feel unsettling, but it’s important to recognize that they are actually a normal part of the long-term investing process. So, given these factors, how should you respond to the current situation? Instead of simply selling your stocks in an attempt to cut your losses, review your portfolio to see if it is properly balanced between stocks, bonds, and other investments in a way that reflects your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. Those investors with properly balanced portfolios are not seeing the same level of decline as those whose holdings are almost entirely in stocks. And while diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses, it can help reduce the impact of volatility. Here’s another suggestion: Look for good buying opportunities, because they are certainly out there. A well-managed company with a solid business plan that produces quality products and services is going to be that same company after the coronavirus and oil price panics subside — and right now, that company’s stock shares may literally be “on sale.” While it’s not easy for you to look at your investment statements today, remember that you’re investing for goals that may be decades away. By keeping your eyes on this distant horizon, so to speak, you’ll be less likely to overreact to the news of the day — and more likely to follow a long-term strategy that can work for you. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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happens — may have to sell at inopportune times, depleting the remaining value of their portfolio and limiting the portfolio’s potential to recover. The good news: You can reduce SOR risk with a well-thoughtout plan. What’s right for you will depend on personal factors best discussed with your advisor. Here are three strategies that can serve as a starting point for the conversation. “De-risk” leading up to retirement: While it may seem counterintuitive, keeping a smaller percentage in stocks during the decade leading up to retirement and the decade after — and increasing that percentage as you age — will help reduce SOR risk. Market declines in the years preceding and following retirement potentially can do the most harm, so that may be a good time to “de-risk” your portfolio with a greater allocation to bonds and cash. Set a fixed withdrawal amount: Retirees often assume they can withdraw a certain percentage of their total portfolio, increasing that amount every year to account for inflation. Instead, set a fixed amount for your withdrawals in each coming year based on the year-end value of your portfolio. You can establish a “floor” — an amount that can be withdrawn in any market environment to cover your basic needs — and adjust discretionary spending according to your portfolio’s performance. Create a liability-matching portfolio: It’s possible to practically eliminate SOR risk by determining how much you need in retirement and creating a portfolio of fixed-income assets and/ or annuities that will reliably produce that amount annually. This approach creates what’s known as a liability-matching portfolio — the income generated by your fixed-income holdings equals (after taxes) your liabilities (expenses).

DON’T LET 'SEQUENCE OF RETURNS' RISK RUIN YOUR PLANS

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Consider Preservative Strategies Well Before You Retire You’ve saved diligently throughout your career, invested those savings prudently, and accumulated a nice nest egg. Now that retirement is within sight, you’re set, right? For most, the answer is yes. But every investor takes some risk that well-laid plans could go awry. Think about someone who retired in March 2000, at the start of the dotcom bubble burst. Or in October 2007, at the start of the Great Recession. These are examples of what’s called “sequence of returns” or SOR risk — the possibility that a market downturn occurring near your retirement date could affect your retirement plans.

NEXT STEPS Talk to your advisor about potential retirement risks, and: • Ask him or her to run stress tests to see how your portfolio may react given a downturn or a change in your planned retirement date • Determine which SOR de-risk approach is within your comfort level • Execute your strategy

Past performance may not be indicative of future results. There is no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. Portfolio withdrawals may require adjustments based on market performance. Annuity guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the insurer. The market value of fixed income securities may be affected by several risks including interest rate risk, default or credit risk, and liquidity risk. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks listed on U.S. market exchanges. An investment cannot be made directly in the index. The performance mentioned does not include fees and commissions which would reduce an investor’s performance.

BUILD A BUFFER While declines can be nerve-wracking, they’re not that unusual — the S&P 500 fell 33 percent in 1987 and 48 percent between January 1973 and October 1974. Historically, investors who stay the course and don’t sell at a loss have a greater chance of recovering. Eventually. Those who can’t stay the course — and it

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As the COVID-19 pandemic response continues, we recognize there are many medical conditions that do not stop for COVID-19. These include emergencies such as strokes, heart attacks, severe infections and broken bones as well as childbirths and ongoing conditions like diabetes and cancer. Our hospitals maintain strong infection prevention practices and remain prepared, safe and ready to treat patients who require necessary medical services during this time, even those not related to COVID-19. While we continue to adhere to a shelter-in-place mandate, should you require immediate medical care, please know that our hospital is a safe place for you and your loved ones. Our team of physicians, nurses and other professionals are here to care for our community.

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DOING OUR PART RGV Partnership Offers Support to Community Amid COVID-19 Crisis

The Rio Grande Valley and the rest of the United States is facing a crisis like no other in a generation, causing massive disruptions across all industries. However, the Rio Grande Valley will come out of this stronger, reinvigorated with an energy to build a better future. The COVID-19, coronavirus pandemic, has swept across the country and into our Valley communities. We’re already responding to the challenge. Our local elected leaders, especially county judges, acted

quickly in issuing shelter in place directives and social distancing guidelines. The vast majority of our residents are paying heed to that call. They’re staying home and doing their part to flatten the curve. We must all continue to do our part. We ask that you find ways to support our healthcare professionals (our heroes) as they care for those who become ill due to the virus. Understand as well that our educators have challenges

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The Rio Grande Valley Partnership stands ready to help facilitate and support all of these efforts to help our local businesses get back on their feet in the aftermath of this crisis.

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innovate for a better future! Congress passed a massive stimulus package that includes direct payments of $1,200 to Americans and bolstered unemployment funds to help those displaced by the coronavirus crisis. The CARES Act in the third stimulus package provided a $350 billion relief package that features the Paycheck Protection Program, which is now in dire need to be replenished in the fourth stimulus package. This program is designed to get cash quickly into the hands of small businesses that have taken a hit due to the crisis. Loan forgiveness will be granted for this program if a business keeps its employees on the payroll for eight weeks. The Small Business Administration also offers the Economic Injury Disaster Loans. No loan repayments will be due before 12 months with a $10,000 loan advance made within three days of a successful application. The Rio Grande Valley Partnership stands ready to help facilitate and support all of these efforts to help our local businesses get back on their feet in the aftermath of this crisis. Let’s continue to help each other and pray that we get through the difficulties of these times. We will get past this and go into a new era in a Rio Grande Valley that will continue to grow and prosper.

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of their own as they meet the challenge of connecting with students via distance learning. We ask that you continue to communicate with our school district board members and administrators to identify innovative programs to continue to have robust school districts. It’s been heartening to see how so many of our small businesses in the RGV have responded proactively to the crisis. Restaurants that have seen their dining rooms closed quickly ramped up their delivery and drive-through services. Other businesses that are accustomed to having customers come to them are now going directly to their clients with products and customized orders. Local companies in the manufacturing sector are pivoting their production lines to support our first responders. It is impressive to see how quickly many local businesses shifted to produce ventilators, hand sanitizer, and masks with pride in their hearts to support our local community. This is the sort of spirit we are accustomed to seeing in the Valley. It’s in our DNA to be resilient in taking some tough blows and come out on the other side stronger. Be it coming back from hurricanes or dealing with Mexican peso devaluations, our Valley communities have absorbed some hard jolts and rebounded with vigor and innovation. This current challenge will prove to be no different. Collectively, we will pivot and

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Expanding a Mission Capable Kids Looks Forward to Move to CEED Building in Mission b y RGVi s i on | p h ot os p r ov i d e d sure that their child has everything they need when they leave home. Also, the social stigmas — people staring. We don’t have much inclusion, so when we do see somebody who’s different, the tendency is to kind of look and stare. That would make families feel uncomfortable.” To Pecina, the gap between these families and the rest of the Rio Grande Valley was obvious. Small inconveniences, like a lack of adult changing tables in restrooms, limited where these families could go — and how long they could spend there. “We were like, no, we need to change this,” Pecina

As a therapist at a clinic, Marissa Pecina and her colleagues were conducting mandatory sixmonth evaluations with the patients they served — individuals with disabilities and their families. It didn’t take long to discover that there was something critical missing. “We’d ask them, ‘what do you do outside of therapy?’ And family would say, ‘this is it — we really don’t go out because there’s so many barriers in the community,’” Pecina recalled. “‘We can’t go to the park because my child in a wheelchair doesn’t have access to the park.’ It’s a big task to make

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due to COVID-19. Though COVID-19 has also delayed Capable Kids’ move to the CEED building, the organization continues to look forward to reaching more families. “There are families that still don’t know who we are and we’d love just to talk to them and get to know them and really have them become a part of the family,” Pecina said. “We just want to provide resources for them and I feel this is going to enable us to do that on a larger scale and help us achieve a more inclusive community across the RGV.” Find out how you can support Capable Kids by visiting ckrgv.org. Learn more about the CEED building at MissionCEED. org. For more on the Mission EDC, go to MissionEDC.com.

the things she is looking forward to the most about the move. “The classrooms really bring in the community and our families and educate and provide whatever resources they need on a larger scale,” she said. Having such a dynamic tenant in the CEED building will also influence future events and programming, Rivera said. “Creating programs that are all inclusive also is going to be something that we’re going to work toward so that people in the Mission community and beyond are going to have access,” he said, naming the RGV Low Sensory Jam event organized by Youth Code Jam as an example. The event, which had been scheduled for the end of March, was postponed

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A b o v e, at top, an d at left, Capable K ids participate in a recen t prom even t.

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said. “Our kids need things to do, places to go where their families can just feel accepted for who they are and create that cohesive family unit — in many ways, a support system. Building a community.” Pecina is a cofounder and board member of Capable Kids Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization she and others designed to boost inclusivity in the Rio Grande Valley for families with disabilities. Capable Kids offers resources and forums, organizes sporting events, outings, and proms, and fundraises. “What we do at Capable Kids is we want to make sure that every child with a disability has an opportunity to be included in activities and everyday occurrences that any one of us without disabilities is able to,” said Sofia Pena, executive director. “We want them to be included and we also advocate for persons with disabilities as far as inclusion goes.” Now, Capable Kids looks to expand its mission and impact by moving into the Center for Education and Economic Development, a co-working facility managed by Mission EDC. “We loved what they did. We knew that’s the exact kind of good social impact that we want coming out of the CEED building, so we extended the offer to them to join us there,” said Daniel Rivera, director of programs and marketing at Mission EDC. “Everyone says, ‘be the change you want to see,’ and they actually are putting that into action. They’re already making a huge impact across the Valley. I think those kinds of people, their energy’s contagious. Having them in the space is going to be really exciting.” Pecina and Pena first experienced the CEED building during a visit to the facility on other business. They were dazzled by the modern interiors and resources available to tenants. “We love the fact that it’s state of the art and it has a lot of space for us to conduct educational business there with our parents with our kids,” Pena said. “It’s just a really perfect space for what we do. It’s so professional and it lends itself to part of our other mission, which is to advocate and to educate the community as well as our parents and our kids.” Pecina agreed, highlighting the accessibility of the CEED building among

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Nation-2-Nation Affordable Attic Supports Christian University’s Efforts to Lift Developing Communities

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b y RGVi s i on | p h ot os p r ov i d e d After a brutal drought in Tanzania, Affordable Attic Self Storage CEO Darrel Johnson was among a group of missionaries and volunteers who delivered bags of food to a remote village of Masai widows. To thank him, one of the widows who had so little placed a necklace around his neck. “These are poor people,” Johnson recalled, voice breaking with emotion. “These people have nothing and yet this very valuable thing they have, they gave to me, and that was really touching. Africa has really made an impact on my life.” It is the little moments like this — and big moments rippling outward to lift entire communities — that drive the efforts of

Nation-2-Nation Christian University, a four-year, video-based degree program offered by World Impact Now Ministries to churches and communities in developing areas. WIN Ministries was established in 2005, at which point Johnson became a board member. Nation-2Nation was founded in 2013, and now has a presence in 34 countries throughout four continents. “Our biggest impact to date is in Africa,” said Brick Cliff, Nation-2-Nation president. “We are in 18 countries in Africa. In Burundi, we currently have over 5,000 students. In Africa altogether, we have over 10,000 students.” Cliff and Johnson met at their church in the late 1990s and became friends. Cliff and his wife, Beth, had been

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in the world,” he said. “My heart is to see our company culture help those in need and promote Christian values. I see N2N as a very viable way to make a tangible difference in the world.” Johnson committed Affordable Attic to give a certain amount of money each month to promote the mission of Nation-2-Nation. “I just believe if we want to be good stewards of the blessings we’ve received — we have so much here in the United States — how could we not give in support of such a worthy ministry that’s making an impact that I've seen on the people in Africa?” he said. “It gives even the customers a good feeling to know they’re making a difference.” Learn more about Nation-2-Nation Christian University, including how to volunteer or donate, at n2ncu.org/. Learn more about how Affordable Attic supports Nation-2-Nation at affordableattic.com/ attic-gives-back/.

on the children’s faces carried the disease — a fact that Nation-2-Nation addressed in one of its video series. The series included a simple fix for the flies: pouring ashes from cooking fires into outhouse holes to limit the pests’ breeding. After putting these steps into practice, the pastor of the community had good news for Cliff. “He was telling us how in the last two years in his community, no more children had gone blind because of this one-hour video they had watched,” Cliff said. “Just to know that we have been able to save the sight of probably dozens of children in that community, but then this story would be multiplied in villages across Africa. We were drastically changing for the better these children’s lives.” Johnson found Cliff’s efforts and Nation2-Nation a worthy vision to support. “I felt like Brick was doing things all for the right reasons to be a beacon of light

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missionaries since 1987, recognizing the shortcomings and challenges pastors and churches faced across the world. A vast majority of ministers had never had any formal training to lead their church and community, they found. “We also found that without the training, they weren’t able to carry out the ministry the way they wanted to and be the help they wanted in their community,” Cliff said. With Nation-2-Nation, Cliff set out to pack as much spiritual and practical help for developing communities in the smallest package possible. By storing four years worth of training on something as small as a flash drive, Nation-2-Nation could deliver an education to the most remote places on the planet. In one case that impacts generations, Cliff recalled a cow-herding community where many children were plagued with blindness. Flies that landed

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A b o v e, B r ic k C lif f jo in s a Nati o n- 2- Na ti on gr a d uati o n p r o ce ssion in Africa. At left, N ation -2-N ation gradu ates celebrate in 20 19 in Ka k um a Re f u g e e C a m p in Ke ny a. Be l o w l e f t, the Na ti on- 2- Nation team goes on safari du rin g a service trip.

Kick Back, Toss Ax Kickin’ Axes Brings New Pastime to McAllen

MAY/JUN 2020

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b y N a th a ni el M a t a | p h ot os b y M a r k P u e n t e For those out there who still think there isn’t a lot to do in the Rio Grande Valley, or can’t find variety in a night out, Mark Koite has an ax to grind with you. And plenty of axes for your party to toss around. For the competitive ones out there, here’s a new way to challenge your friends over some beer. Koite, along with two fellow veterans, Aaron Vera and Jeremy Jenson, recently opened Kickin’ Axes, one of the Valley’s newest attractions.

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As a former U.S. serviceman who joined the firefighter ranks, Koite and company are wellversed around axes. On a trip out of town, he ended up at an ax-throwing establishment, which is gaining popularity around the United States. “I had frequented a couple. I went to a birthday party out of town and just fell in love with it. Ax throwing is a great, great concept,” Koite said. “We had already been thinking of a business and this resonated with me, being a vet and firefighter. I felt at home, so I came back, found my partners that were crazy enough to do this with me, and here we are.” For those who haven’t seen the sport, it looks similar to throwing darts — except replace a tiny dart with a hatchet. You’re still aiming at a board, but it’s a little more difficult to stick your throws, hence the strong feeling when you hit your mark. If it sounds like this could be a competitive activity with local, regional, even national competition? You’re absolutely right. And Koite and company have full intentions of league play and supporting talented RGV throwers. “Leagues are coming soon — that was the next phase before all of this happened,” Koite said. “Of course, at first it was exhibition — getting ourselves out there, generating the buzz. And then, of course, leagues, because that’s kind of out how this stuff started. Just like pool or bowling, they had league nights.” Just like the NBA, MLB, or NHL, there is organization and structure to the sport to streamline activity across North America. Kickin’ Axes uses World Axe Throwing League (WATL) rules to model their operations and will host their competitive throwing under WATL’s affiliation. “We use them for guidelines: from target designs, to how far we should throw the ax, to what type of axes and things like that,” Koite said. ”They gave us structure, so of course

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“I suggest trying it out for yourself rather than taking someone else’s opinion or experience. We’ve had people that have never, ever thrown and people that have thrown and alll of them have said the same thing: ‘Whenever you stick that ax the first time, it’s truly a feeling of accomplishment.’”

when our leagues come out, we’re going to use their guidelines.” Located in McAllen at 1017 Shasta Ave., Kickin’ Axes opened their doors to the public in December with soft openings and saw success up until the unceremonious forced closure due to COVID-19. The trio of vets are also active McAllen firefighters whose training with axes makes them perfect for ushering in a new sport to the area. “In the Valley, it was kind of slow, but now we’re getting out there. It’s getting out there big time — the Valley’s received it really well,” Koite said. “I suggest trying it out for yourself rather than taking someone else’s opinion or experience,” he added. “We’ve had people that have never, ever thrown and people that have thrown and all of them have said the same thing: ‘Whenever you stick that ax the first time, it’s truly a feeling of accomplishment.’ You start chasing that feeling after that. And that’s what we wanted to bring here to the Valley.” The recreation and competition venue is another example of local veterans opening a homegrown business. Koite says it’s no coincidence vets are building small businesses that last in the Valley. “Selfless service. That’s one of the things that I got from the military,” Koite said “When I came out I wanted to continue with the fire department or law enforcement — all that. We’re all here protecting the community and serving the community.” From the armed forces to firefighting to opening a business that entertains the community and pays homage to service, Koite is sticking to his values and watching it pay off. “We’re proud of our service and we want to put something out there that we’re proud of,” Koite said. “We also wanted to be proud of providing a service to all the patrons that come in.”

Mark Koite, Kickin’Axes

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TRUSTED PARTNERS

Storied History of RGV Partnership Bolsters Group’s Efforts Today to Support Region

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b y Kel s ey G r e e n e | p h ot os p r ov i d e d

One organization in the Rio Grande Valley has been able to accomplish a lot of change and growth in the past 76 years — and it does it all as a 100 percent nonprofit organization. In 1944, RGV Partnership was founded to help support the Valley’s irrigators, ranchers, and others in the agricultural business. The purpose for RGV Partnership was initially to ensure that these parties had access to necessary water and transportation that they needed in order to sustain their crops and livestock. Because of its successful impact in the agricultural sector, RGV Partnership later evolved into a regional chamber of commerce in order to also involve regional businesses for the purpose of collaborating efforts to help drive the economy as a whole. Today, RGV Partnership functions as an organization of advocacy that drives collaboration among the business community and governmental organizations. “It’s a business-friendly organization that encourages collaboration among our four-county region,” said RGV Partnership Chairman Billy Canales, president of Rio Motors Company. “We drive for the enhancement of our members to improve their return on investment and improve their quality of life in our region.” RGV Partnership works to spark growth in the areas of Education & Workforce, Transportation & Infrastructure, Investment in Healthcare, Economic

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“It’s a business-friendly organization that encourages collaboration among our four-county region. We drive for the enhancement of our members to improve their return on investment and improve their quality of life in our region.”

The RGV Partnership has also shifted gears in order to meet the new challenges brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak. “Our plan is to engage with our members to ensure that we begin to get back to a new normal due to the coronavirus issues that have impacted our economy, which will be ways to identify their efforts to get back on the ground running,” Contreras said. “And then also identifying new procedures, new processes to ensure we’re ready and available for such scenarios.” As soon as the virus arrived in the Valley, RGV Partnership began rolling out essential information to help small businesses in the area mitigate the financial impact that COVID-19 was predicted to have, such as information on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the availability of Disaster Assistance Loans from the Small Business Association. Contreras explained that another goal was “to educate our members how the stimulus money that’s coming from the federal government, and state, how will that impact our members.” This includes continuing to collaborate with local authorities and making sure that businessrelated declarations are directly shared with RGV Partnership’s members. On social media, messages of hope, encouragement, and gratitude go out on a daily basis to help boost morale and remind the community that this situation will improve. The organization’s slogan of “Regional Collaboration” could not be more clearly evidenced than through its efforts to unite everyone. Throughout the rapid changes that have taken place during this challenging and somewhat chaotic period, RGV Partnership’s message is clear: “We’re in this together.”

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Development, and International Trade & Ports of Entry, collectively referred to as the five areas of focus, by facilitating important conversations with those who have impact in these sectors. “The RGV Partnership is able to sustain itself and have a program of work at the direction of its board members and members who are dedicated to the Rio Grande Valley,” said Sergio Contreras, CEO and president of RGV Partnership. “We host discussions and luncheons specifically to address the needs and concerns of the Rio Grande Valley,” Contreras said. One example of how RGV Partnership has made an impact through its advocacy is collaborating with the Ports of Entry in the Rio Grande Valley to obtain additional funding to be able to hire extra Customs & Border Protection personnel, including an entomologist to help screen products coming in to make sure there would be no negative effects on local crops and insect populations. RGV Partnership has also played a large role in the area of Education & Workforce through working with the universities in the area. “We’ve engaged in supporting the mergers of the university, the School of Medicine. We’re currently supporting Texas A&M as they continue to expand in our region,” Contreras said. “The RGV Partnership through its foundation has provided close to $240,000 in scholarships to benefit Valley students that attend RGV higher education institutions.” The RGV Partnership continues to work and advocate for the Texas Mobility transportation projects as well as a biennial Legislative Tour that showcases to legislators from outside of the region the unique opportunities found in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Billy Canales, chairman of RGV Partnership and president of Rio Motors Company

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85 YEARS OF LACKS Historic Furniture Company Expands, Looks Ahead to Future

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b y Kel s ey G r e e n e | p h ot o b y J a m e s H or d In March, South Texas furniture fixture Lacks Valley Stores celebrated 85 years since its inception. Founded by Russian immigrant Sam Lack in 1935, the company got its start as an auto parts supply store. How did a small auto parts supply store transform into a successful furniture chain? According to Kris Karr, director of communications at Lacks, the change started during World War II, when there was a shortage of parts due to the rationing mandates at the time. Instead, Sam Lack turned to other goods, such as jewelry, small appliances, lawnmowers, and other household items to stay in business. “Then, little by little, Mr. Lack phased out those items and started bringing more furniture in,” Karr said. In the 1960s, under the direction of new general manager Al Moffitt, the furniture store saw further expansion. Then in the mid 90's, he and Myles Aaronson, Sam Lack’s son-in-law, worked together to bring their vision of the Lacks Galleria to life. Karr said that this new concept was designed to take the merchandise display to the next-level by “inspiring the customers with fully accessorized showrooms and a wider selection of stylish

furniture.” Now, Lacks Gallerias can be found across South Texas, not only in McAllen but as far as Brownsville and Laredo. In celebration of its 85th anniversary, Lacks has renovated its McAllen Galleria in conjunction with unveiling a new line of furniture from Harp & Finial. "As the biggest furniture store in South Texas, Lacks Furniture Galleria has set trends for the last 25 years in both home furniture and retail experience." Lacks CMO, Seth Aaronson said. "The team from Harp & Finial are great people and the right partners to continue delivering the furniture shopping experiences our customers expect at Lacks." In addition to these exciting changes, Lacks has been busy helping grow the place where it put down roots over the last several decades. Myles Aaronson and his wife, Sylvia, Sam Lack’s daughter, were very active members in their community, and service became part of the company culture. “Community outreach has always been part of what the Lacks family is passionate about,” Karr said. “Sam Lack was a member of the Chamber at the time and was very much involved in

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85 years

Lacks General Manager, Alfred F. Moffitt III, retires after 38 years of service

The legacy continues. Seth Aaronson, Lee's son, becomes the Chief Marketing Officer after joining the family business in 2012

community to slow the spread of coronavirus by making uncomfortable sacrifices now.” Lacks stands by, ready to act on recommendations and mandates by health and public officials as the situation develops. Karr explained that everyone within the company is ready for what’s to come. “We’re under the fourth generation leadership, our new CMO Seth Aaronson, is the son of our CEO, Lee Aaronson,” she said. “And he is very passionate about taking our company forward and becoming relevant to

what our market expects nowadays.” All of these changes are in effort to maintain Lacks’ presence as a relevant furniture company that is considerate of what its market wants and needs. “Lacks is a family-owned and operated company,” Karr said. "We really care about our employees and our customers. We also feel like our customers are our family, as well. Therefore, we treat them like family.” For more information about Lacks, visit lacks.com.

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2020

2019

Launch of HARP & FINIAL Collection in McAllen

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the community.” One specific initiative that Lacks has supported included raising funds for a UTRGV campaign that focused on educating elementary students between second and fourth grades on diabetes awareness. The campaign targeted this age group to teach them healthy eating habits and make them aware of the cause and effects of diabetes so they can be prepared to manage their own health at an early age. Lacks has also been significantly involved with the American Cancer Society participating in their community outreach events. An 85th anniversary gives Lacks a lot to look back on, but the company also has a bright future ahead with new plans for growth, change, and adjustment. This has required some flexibility on the part of the company and its employees. “We’re an older company, so we’ve had to really take a look at all our processes, how we present ourselves, how we do things internally, and say ‘OK, what do we need to change so that we can better serve our customers?’” Karr said. She added that there have already been a lot of changes recently, such as updating their website in 2016 and putting more focus on social media and digital presence. The company has been able to adjust to the new ways customers are shopping and is in a very good place for growth. “We’re family. We’re going to stick together; we’re going to get through challenges,” Karr said. On March 23, the Lacks team made the decision to temporarily close all its retail stores and supporting units in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Aaronson family stays committed to protecting the health and safety of Lacks employees, customers, and communities during this difficult time. Individuals with Lacks accounts will continue to receive support through Lacks. com, and emergency appliance service is available by emailing AandEservice@ lacksvalley.com. “Life as we know it has been impacted and will continue to be over the coming weeks,” CEO Lee Aaronson wrote in a letter to the public. “It is our responsibility as a

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A Dream to Call Home Infinity Homes Offers Simple Homebuilding Process to Clients

If you’ve ever gone through the process of building a new home for you and your family, you might recall the stress of exceeding budgets and deadlines, the confusion of trying to make the right decisions for your new space, and the utter relief when the your home is finally ready for you to move in and begin your new life there. The Infinity Homes team, however, prides itself on offering a streamlined and seamless homebuilding process for its clients, guaranteeing that you will be satisfied every step of the way. “The process to build a home with Infinity is actually really easy,” said Michael Vela of Infinity Homes. Step one of that process is figuring out where you want to build your home. If you have a city in mind, what area of the city would you like to be in — and what neighborhood works best for your family? “If you need help finding that, we can definitely help you with that, as well,” Vela said. No matter where you want your new home to be, Infinity Homes can help make it happen. “We’ll build anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley at any price point, in any location, any size, any design the client's looking for,” Vela said. “We’re going to cater to them in every scenario.” The Infinity team dedicates itself to going above and beyond to serve their clients.

“What starts as a client will build into a relationship and become a part of the Infinity family,” Vela said. That passion comes from the years of experience Infinity has — and the integrity of every single employee there. “Infinity Homes has been around long enough to the point where they’re extremely experienced in the process of how to build a home — and a quality home, at that,” Vela said. Clients can rest assured that everyone from designer to contractor to construction worker is held to the highest standards — and takes pride in delivering a home where you can expect to be proud to spend the rest of your life. “When you build a brand new construction or you’re purchasing a brand new construction, you’re getting the latest and greatest of everything you can get,” Vela said. That includes cost-saving innovations that are as good for the environment as they are for your wallet. “At the end of the day, everything that we do as far as the energy efficiency side is geared to save the client money on a month by month basis.” Find Infinity Homes online at InfinityHomesRGV.com, or on Facebook or Instagram @InfinityHomesRGV. For questions or more information, call (956) 888-1115, or stop by Infinity’s model home at 1607 S. Claire Ave., Edinburg, TX 78539. “We’d be more than happy to help you out with any questions you may have and assist you in getting started on your Infinity Home,” Vela said.

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b y R GV i s i on

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MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19:

FACTS, HELP, AND HOPE

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Psychological Coping Amid a Pandemic At the time of publication, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had spread across the world with the number of infected in the millions and deaths counting in the hundreds of thousands. As a result, health agencies around the world have emphasized the critical need for preventive care — not only to decrease the rate of transmission of this disease, but also to emphasize the importance of equally prioritizing mental and emotional health during the coronavirus pandemic. Pandemics are “frequently marked by uncertainty, confusion, and a sense of urgency” (WHO, 2005). Indeed, a worldwide pandemic may be stressful for many individuals, particularly considering the ready availability of constant updates and the latest death tolls. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about several drastic changes to our society. Quarantine, social distancing, and isolation measures are currently in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, these preventive measures can greatly limit the amount of social interaction and stimulation we get and can therefore take a toll on an

individual's mental wellbeing. Added to these restrictions, fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones — along with the developing financial uncertainty, shortage of food supply, and the delay of a vaccine/antidote — could be overwhelming to many. As these changes challenge our overall mental wellbeing, it is essential to remind ourselves to practice self-care, including being a role model to our children and youth. To determine our stress level, we can monitor ourselves for common stress-related symptoms which include: • Irritability • Tension • Body pain • Reduced energy • Sleep and eating disruptions • Worsening underlying health conditions • Excessive worry The heightened anxiety and stress surrounding this pandemic is normal, but these can be managed by the

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Mental health services may be transferring to online platforms to adhere to guidelines from federal governments on social distancing and reduce the spread of the virus.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 to talk to a counselor if you are experiencing thoughts about suicide Chat Version: suicidepreventionlifeline. org/chat/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Text Line: Text “NAMI” to 741741 SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: (800) 985-5990 For Teenagers: Text TEEN2TEEN to 839863 Co-authors include Dr. Mercado’s Mental Health Lab at UTRGV: Frances Morales, Andy Torres, Stephanie Arellano, Stephanie Navarro, Maria Sevilla-Matos, Martin Perez, Josue Cerroblanco,

ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Alfonso Mercado PH.D., Licensed Psychologist Valley Psychological Services - Assistant Professor Department of Psychology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | www.utpa.edu/psychology

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and Marco Valdez.

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A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC Remaining positive is essential during these difficult times of uncertainty and rapid changes. This is a temporary period and not a permanent one. It is important to note that the psychological impacts of COVID-19 may prevail even after the pandemic is under control. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to our mental health during and after the events of COVID-19. Mental health services may be transferring to online platforms to adhere to guidelines from federal governments on social distancing and reduce the spread of the virus. If you are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, or thoughts about suicide, you can talk to a crisis counselor from any of the available options below.

way you respond to the situation. Some things you can do to alleviate your stress and remain calm during extreme situations such as the current pandemic include: • Limit your exposure to news outlets and social media. While staying well-informed is important, repeatedly hearing about the pandemic and its impact can be overwhelming. Likewise, it’s imperative to rely only on reliable sources, avoiding misinformation that could fuel fears and anxiety. Overall, taking breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media, can be beneficial in managing stress (CDC, 2020). • Stay connected with others. Even though you cannot do so physically, remaining engaged with people you love and care for via the internet can help you cope while allowing you to express your concerns and how you are feeling, while at the same time serving as a source of emotional support to them as well. • Practicing self-care. Taking care of your wellbeing can help reduce your stress and produce positive feelings. Self-care involves obtaining adequate sleep, nourishing your body with a healthful diet, avoiding alcohol and drugs, exercising and stretching, and other self-care strategies. • Practice meditation and mindfulness. As many are in quarantine and undergoing social isolation, this may be a great time to take up meditation and mindfulness. Numerous studies have found that practicing mindfulness is an effective technique to reduce stress, anxiety, and fear-related feelings. • Connect or reconnect with your joys. Take a moment to remember the things that bring you joy. It can be reading a good book, playing with a pet, watching a movie, looking at family pictures, or talking to a friend or family member. It could be something creative like painting, writing, or drawing.

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Rounding Up

SUPPORT s p ec i a l to RGV i s i on | p r ov i d e d p h ot os

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Rodeo Dental Team Donates Medical Supplies to COVID-19 Front Lines

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WAY TO GO, WESLACO The Rodeo Dental-Weslaco team donated masks and other medical supplies to the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society in support of local physicians. Though this is a challenging time, the team works hard to show strength through unity. SHOWING THE LOVE IN LAREDO The Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Medical Center are working around the clock to serve the community. It was only right that the Rodeo Dental-Laredo team showed their support by donating medical supplies to support their efforts.

MAKING IT HAPPEN IN MISSION Having the right equipment is essential to doing the best work — and keeping everyone safe in the process. The Rodeo Dental-Mission team donated personal protective equipment that will go a long way to boost care through the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society.

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BOOSTING HEALTH IN BROWNSVILLE Shortages of medical safety materials have been making the news all over the country. In Brownsville, however, the Rodeo Dental team has donated personal protective equipment to support the physicians, nurses, and staff at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to life as we know it, but one important thing remains constant: a strong, tight-knit community filled with compassionate people helping one another. The team at Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics has been working hard to donate medical supplies to those who need them most: area medical centers and hospitals, health providers, and first responders. Across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, the Rodeo team remains committed to serving the community and ensuring we all do our part to keep one another safe and healthy. Rodeo Dental has always been dedicated to its patients’ care with stringent sanitization protocols in place and a focus on safety in the dental environment. In response to COVID-19, Rodeo is dedicating extra attention at every location to keep its facilities and equipment clean and sanitized during this time. Patients can rest assured that they are in good hands when visiting. For more on Rodeo Dental’s industry-leading safety standards, visit RodeoDentalTexas.com/covid-19/.

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GAMING ADDICTION How to Know When to Become Concerned About Habits

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b y Ka r l a A r r e d on d o

Humans have been engaged in games since time immemorial. From prehistoric ages, our ancestors have played to entertain themselves and others. And as technology changes, so do the games we play. When the internet came along, individuals and companies were right behind it challenging its capacity with online gaming. Internet gaming has evolved since the 1990s, with more social features where players are virtually connected with others globally, and real-time playing means real-life time spent on the computer or gaming device. But how much is too much? Are you or someone you know spending too much time gaming? What does “too much” mean exactly? We are all vulnerable to becoming addicted to just about anything. Internet gaming is no exception. The American Psychiatric Association says that nearly 160 million Americans play internet-based games. At this time, the APA does not recognize gaming addiction as a mental health disorder, but it is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by mental health professionals, and recognized as needing further research. María Alejandra Mazariegos, LPC, with Love Interior Psychotherapy shares important insight into when to

be concerned about gaming and what we can do if we suspect a gaming addiction. She states that, like other addictions, a gaming addiction must cause significant impairment or distress in various areas of a person’s life in order to constitute a mental health disorder. On the other hand, as Mazariegos explains, the World Health Organization (WHO) does recognize gaming addiction as a disorder. Used by medical practitioners around the world, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases named this condition “Gaming Disorder.” So what does a gaming addiction look like? Some of the criteria the APA proposes are significant impairment or distress in various areas of a person’s life including time, finances, relationship, and hygiene. Furthermore, the APA lists the symptoms of internet gaming disorder as: • Preoccupation with gaming • Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability) • Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge • Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming

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Mazariegos explains that when a person experiences five or more of these symptoms within a 12-month period, they are likely experiencing an internet gaming disorder. “A gaming addiction affects a person on a physical, emotional, social, and mental health level,” she said. An interesting fact Mazariegos mentions is that 86 percent of adults 18 to 24 years of age play online games, according to a 2017 study by the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study concluded that the majority of adults did not qualify for the criteria of the disorder. How do we treat a gaming addiction? Since it is not a recognized disorder by the APA, research for effective interventions is ongoing. Mazariegos points out that similar to other addictive disorders, a qualified mental health professional can utilize different approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, but treatment will depend on each individual and their reasons for gaming, as well as the severity of the addiction. Another factor identified by Mazariegos which limits treatment for gaming addiction is the stigma around addiction. “People feel shame in saying that something got out of hand,” she said.

To seek help for a suspected gaming addiction Mazariegos advises to look at a person’s credentials. “Any mental health licensed professional is able to work with someone with the symptoms described,” she said. You can work with licensed professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and those with specialities in addiction, although usually substance-related, are likely qualified to address gaming addictions as well. The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration offers a helpline that is confidential, free, and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It provides information in English and Spanish for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders, and may be reached by calling 1-800-662-4357. Mazariegos also shares information about a for-profit national program called reSTART. reSTART provides access to professionals who work with teens and adults dealing with problematic video game use (and other digital media use) through residential facilities, outpatient services, and remote sessions via phone and video. Learn more at restartlife.com. Gaming can provide entertainment, a distraction, or even a means to de-stress and relax from the day’s duties. It is important to be mindful of the time spent in this activity, and aware of whether it is causing a disruption of other responsibilities or roles, or even relationship problems. If it feels that gaming has gotten out of hand, you are not alone, and there is help available to get you through and find yourself in control again. To contact Maria Alejandra Mazariegos, LPC, at Love Interior Psychotherapy, call (956) 278-0474 or find her on Instagram at @Loveinteriorpsychotherapy.

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• Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming • Continuing to game despite problems • Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming • The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness • Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming

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It is important to be mindful of the time spent in this activity, and aware of whether it is causing a disruption of other responsibilities or roles, or even relationship problems.

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Raising Awareness Food Allergies, Hypertension in Focus for Valley Care Clinics Team b y R GV i s i on

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The month of May includes both Food Allergy Awareness Week and National High Blood Pressure Education Month. Dr. Martha Cano and Family Nurse Practitioner Jose Gonzalez, who practice at Valley Care Clinics in Weslaco, share important information on both food allergies and hypertension for Rio Grande Valley patients. FOOD ALLERGIES: A DANGEROUS INGREDIENT For Cano, food allergies is a condition that hits close to home. “My son is perfectly healthy, but we know he has the potential severe condition that can cause a whole lot of harm and maybe even death,” she said, adding that he is allergic to peanuts. Making the public aware of the risks involved with food allergies is important to her, especially around this time of year. “It’s more about awareness and educating the public that it’s not something to take lightly,” Cano said. “It’s not always just a rash. It can be a serious medical condition.” Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, and soy are among the most common food allergies that can occur, Cano said. Allergies to peanuts are seen the most — and have the greatest potential to threaten a patient’s life. Unfortunately, there is no way of telling whether somebody is allergic to a certain food until a reaction occurs. “Just to give you an example, my son, who’s now 11, his first reaction he touched trail mix and he developed hives and something called angioedema — swelling of the

D r. M a r th a Can o. ph oto provided

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F a m i l y N u r s e P r a c t it io n e r J os e Go nz al e z . p ho to by M a r k P uen te

• Headache • Dizziness • Fatigue • Palpitations • Irritability • Facial flushing However, in some cases, a person may have hypertension without any symptoms. This is why it’s so important to see your doctor on a regular basis. “People should understand that hypertension is also known as a silent killer,” Gonzalez said. “Many people don’t realize they have hypertension. They show no symptoms and this is serious because they are actually what we consider a walking time bomb. When that happens, you can suffer a stroke and not even know it’s coming or you can have a heart attack and not even know it’s coming because you don’t have any symptoms.” Learn more about Jose Gonzalez at valleycareclinics.com/ find-a-doctor/jose-gonzalez. Learn more about Dr. Martha Cano at valleycareclinics.com/find-a-doctor/martha-cano.

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• Anxiety attacks

THE PRESSURE OF HYPERTENSION Blood pressure levels above the recommended range — a condition called hypertension — can have serious ramifications if left unchecked. What many people don’t know is that it’s an easy condition to address with your health professional. Depending on the cause and stage of hypertension, lifestyle changes could be enough to reverse the condition. “We encourage people to first lose weight and change their diet habits,” Gonzalez said. “But many times, because the condition is primary and there’s no reason — even if you do all these modifications — depending on your age and your risk, hypertension must be treated with medications.” Those medications are usually affordable — though their use must be monitored and adjusted as the patient’s health changes,

such as gaining or losing weight. The crucial thing is to address hypertension immediately — before it affects a person’s quality of life, or brings on other health problems. “Hypertension that is not controlled can lead to stroke, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, renal failure, heart failure,” Gonzalez said. “This all decreases your quality of life. So the most important thing people must consider here is what do I want my quality of life to be as far as in the long run. Do I want to live a healthy life until the age of 60, or do I want to live a healthy life until 100 years of age?” Some signs that you might be experiencing hypertension include:

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lips and mouth that can also potentially be life threatening,” Cano said. After the initial reaction, patients are given formal allergy testing by poking the skin with various antigens. The size of any resulting weal determines the severity of the allergy. From there, the patient must avoid the food that caused the reaction — and inform those around them. Awareness of the issue is essential, particularly for school-age children. “Number one is to try and keep the child safe and educating children on sensitivity and for the public to take it seriously,” Cano said. “It is an important public health issue because sometimes the reactions can be deadly.” Though there are no known cures or preventions for food allergies, a new medication has just been approved this year to help treat peanut allergies. “The goal is not to have the child or patient be able to eat a peanut butter sandwich at the end of the treatment,” Cano said. “The goal is essentially not to die if you come in contact with peanuts.”

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Quality Care Close to Home

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COVID-19 Crisis Reveals High Standard of Preparedness, Programs at Valley Baptist b y R GV i s i on caring for people with joint, hip and knee pain, shoulder and foot pain as well. All of our programs are nationally accredited. We have to maintain those standards, as we always do. We also maintain the standards of the infection prevention standards that are needed in the COVID time.” Valley Baptist has taken stringent steps to both prepare for the COVID-19 crisis and continue to offer the quality care patients and the community have come

Even as certain aspects of daily life in the Rio Grande Valley have ground to a halt during the COVID-19 crisis, there are others that haven’t — including the needs for high quality health care. “During COVID time, certain other diseases don’t stop,” said Archie Drake, COO at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. “We’re still seeing patients come into our hospital requiring stroke care, people still having heart attacks. There’s still trauma. And, we are

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“Our responsibility to the community is to stay on the forefront of medical advances and to drive innovation by utilizing a collaborative approach of communication to consistently offer the highest standard of care."

help us adjust to their needs — and also make us better providers.” Drake agreed. “We’re providing services aimed at keeping people at home,” he said. “They’re our neighbors. I want them to get their health care here close to home and not have to travel for it. We offer a healthcare solution that is big city medicine, but here close to home.” Valley Baptist has done its part in preparing for and responding to the pandemic. Stringent infection control procedures already in place have been adapted for COVID-19, and the hospital has plenty of PPE and ventilators, Cantu said. “Our response has been based on learning from others,” Drake said of COVID-19 preparedness at Valley Baptist. “We’ve watched the data, we’ve watched the trends, we’ve looked at best practices. There have been some lessons learned from other health providers and systems not only across the country, but across the world.” The preparedness at Valley Baptist highlights the commitment the team has to serving the community. It is a true collaboration, Drake said, adding that he thanks Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. for issuing important mandates like sheltering in place and covering faces to help protect residents — and frequently communicating with healthcare systems. “A crisis doesn’t make or break you, it reveals you,” Cantu said. “We always knew that doctors, nurses, and staff at Valley Baptist came to work with compassion and expertise.” Learn more about Valley Baptist Health System and its response to COVID-19 at valleybaptist.net/.

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to expect. “I would like to also remind the community in general to not forgo their healthcare needs,” Drake said. “Whatever the case may be, I want people to know that the hospital is a safe place to come when you have healthcare needs.” The team at Valley Baptist is known for delivering excellent care for Harlingen, Cameron County, the Rio Grande Valley, and beyond. “Our team at Valley Baptist is driven by our purpose to improve the quality of life for every person that comes through our door,” said Dr. Uvaldo Cantu Jr., OB/GYN and chief of staff at Valley Baptist. “There’s no greater gift than that of good health, which is a reason why our outstanding physicians, nurses, employees, volunteers, and hospital leadership work diligently to provide excellent care each and every day.” That high standard of care ensures that residents can receive excellent treatment without having to travel outside of the RGV. “Our responsibility to the community is to stay on the forefront of medical advances and to drive innovation by utilizing a collaborative approach of communication to consistently offer the highest standard of care,” Cantu said. “We strive in building and maintaining trust with our community.” Actively belonging to the community helps the Valley Baptist team excel at patient care. “We nurture the concept of always putting ourselves in a patient’s position,” Cantu said. “The concept of always placing the patient first and trying to experience situations in the hospital through the patients’ eyes

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D r. U va l d o Ca ntu J r. , OB/GYN an d ch ief of staff at Valley Baptist

H E A L T H

BRAIN EXERCISE Neuro Revival Center Provides Innovative Services

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b y Ka r l a A r r e d on d o

Imagine an “exercise” for your brain. One that is noninvasive, has no negative side effects, and helps you improve performance, sleep, and focus, and reduce stress and anxiety — all while you relax. The NeuroRevival Center in McAllen offers neurofeedback sessions to “train the brain.” No diagnosis necessary — training your brain is available to everyone, and the benefits can be universal. Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, has been around since the 1950s when psychology professor Joe Kamiya discovered that, through feedback, people could learn to tell when they were producing alpha waves, which are associated with relaxation. He then learned to use sound cues, which people responded to by voluntarily entering into an alpha state. The idea that stress and stress-related conditions could be relieved through biofeedback became popular, and later on more scientists learned to use this technique to treat other conditions. From seizures to stress, depression, ADHD, and other diagnoses, neurofeedback continues to be a therapeutic approach which empowers people to manage their conditions with real results.

“Children, adolescents, and adults with seizure conditions, behavior disorders, attention deficits, autism, ongoing developmental delays, acquired brain injuries, birth trauma, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, stress-related problems, and insomnia or interrupted sleep patterns, as well as those with agerelated cognitive loss, may find neurofeedback helpful,” Psychology Today explained. “Neurofeedback may also be used as an adjunct intervention with other forms of therapy.” The NeuroRevival Center does not offer therapeutic services, but instead brain training to improve certain brain functions. This means that you do not need a diagnosis or a doctor’s order to receive this service, but instead may seek neurofeedback sessions with them on your own account as a way to train your brain. This also means that in order to use neurofeedback to address the above mentioned conditions, a licensed mental health professional trained in using neurofeedback equipment and programs would have to take your case and utilize this technology as a therapeutic intervention.

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Using NeurOptimal technology, neurofeedback sessions at the Neurorevival Center may help you enhance your learning capacity by feeling more alert, focused, and calm, manage rest with more restful sleep and waking refreshed and recharged, improve your ability to cope with life’s daily challenges, improve executive functioning and mood, and can even help with aging and brain fitness, and achieve your athletic goals by decreasing sport anxiety. “NeurOptimal is a fully automated noninvasive neurofeedback system safe for all ages,” Peña said. Whether you are seeking to explore a different technology that improves brain function, or looking to try a new method to address certain problem areas in your day-to-day function, neurofeedback is available for all ages. The positive effects of neurofeedback have been recorded for several decades now, and although it is widely used as a therapeutic approach to treat certain conditions, its effects can benefit those seeking to train their brain for optimal function. As a non-invasive treatment, you get to sit back and relax (literally) as your brain sends and receives data that help it improve performance. The NeuroRevival Center is located at 2091 W. State Hwy 107, United #938, McAllen. This article does not constitute medical advice. Anyone seeking to treat a medical or psychological diagnosis should seek the help of a licensed mental health professional trained in using this technology.

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The Neurorevival Center offers neurofeedback sessions for brain training. “Neurofeedback is considered a gentle, painless and non-invasive method of restoring balance within the Central Nervous System,” said Paulina Peña, advanced certified trainer by Zengar NeurOptima. The Central Nervous System integrates the information our bodies constantly receive, then coordinates and influences the activity of all parts of the body. Under certain stimuli or emotions, different brain areas become active. However, when there are underlying conditions such as ADHD, trauma, or chronic stress, there may be impediments in function or abnormal brain activity that further affect how we function daily. Studies have shown the effectiveness of neurofeedback in helping to reorganize or retrain those brain signals to regulate and improve brain function. Neurofeedback sessions are straightforward at the NeuroRevival Center. “We place sensors on the scalp and through the use of conductive paste, the brain wave activity is collected and sent to an amplifier that changes the voltage into numbers,” Peña said. She further explains that those numbers are translated by another computer into brainwave frequencies. Each brainwave frequency is related to a state of arousal: delta waves are associated with sleep, theta with drowsiness, alpha waves with relaxation, beta with active thinking, and high beta with excitement, etc. Via visual and/or auditory cues, a person learns to enter into the functional brainwave to perform optimally, adjusting as needed.

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Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, has been around since the 1950s when psychology professor Joe Kamiya discovered that, through feedback, people could learn to tell when they were producing alpha waves, which are associated with relaxation.

H E A L T H

KEEPING SAFE FROM SUMMER PESTS

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b y J os e De Le on I I I

Summer is meant to be a time to cool off and work on your tan as kids take a break from school. Unfortunately, playtime isn’t the only thing that thrives in the summer. According to Robert Schroder, field project manager for McAllen Pest Control Inc., pests thrive in the summer. “There are several bugs in the Valley that spread many diseases and are a general nuisance year-round, but in the summer, you’ll come across these insects the most,” Schroder said One of these tiny insects is considered one of the deadliest animals alive: mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization, mosquitoes are responsible for 1 million deaths per year due to their ability to spread diseases such as malaria and Zika.

Mosquito control in the Rio Grande Valley is vital as the hot weather is the perfect climate for their feeding and breeding, Schroeder said. “If there’s standing water around your property, there’s a good chance mosquitoes have already used it to lay eggs,” Schroder said. “The key is to break the reproduction cycle — get rid of standing water and kill off the adults.” Among the other types of biting bugs to watch out for are fleas, ticks, and chiggers — a type of mite that lives in tall grass and causes itchy welts that look more red and bumpier than a mosquito bite. Fleas can carry and transmit several potential illnesses of importance to humans, including typhus and plague, and can transmit “cat scratch disease” (infection with Bartonella) among cats, which can then spread the disease to humans. Additionally, fleas serve as an

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“There are several bugs in the Valley that spread many diseases and are a general nuisance year-round, but in the summer you’ll come across these insects the most.”

derived from the chrysanthemum flower, which is used by the plant as a natural defense mechanism to protect against insects and other pest animals. Pyrethrin affects an insect’s nervous system through a deadly toxic effect. Almost immediately upon contact with this compound, the insect dies from a form of paralysis. “You want to create a 3-foot perimeter around the house and up the walls a little bit. And have the inside of the home sprayed around the baseboards with different chemicals made for inside the home if you’re having specific problems with insects on the inside,” Schroder said. For those seeking to get their houses sprayed, rates vary depending on the size of houses. McAllen Pest Control Inc. charges $25 for a motorhome and up to $200 for a large house. “On average people will spend $90 to $125 for spraying an average sized house, which includes the 3-foot perimeter around the house and inside the house,” Schroder said. Schroder also recommends people spray their yard, which can contain fleas, ticks, and other pests people will want to avoid while outdoors. “Or a good bug spray will do,” Schroder said, adding that cleanliness will go a long way in helping people avoid pests. “When we have trouble clearing up a home from pests, it’s usually because of something on the homeowner’s end. Cardboard boxes piled up that are on the floor with moisture in damp areas, waste backed up, food left out, those are the main things that cause issues that can lead to more pests at home.”

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intermediate host for tapeworms, which can infect pets and occasionally humans. Ticks transmit a large number of diseases in North America. These diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, relapsing fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and tick paralysis. Tick bites increase during the summer simply because people and animals spend more time outside. Other pests to worry about in the summer include German Cockroaches, a small species of cockroaches that leave their droppings wherever they go, which triggers asthmatic and respiratory issues. After the spring mating season, the number of stinging insects will continue to grow throughout the summer. Hornets and yellow jackets are particularly problematic because they have to establish new nests every year. You’re most likely to find those nests tucked away under leaves or decking. Not only are these stinging insects potentially dangerous for people with allergies, yellow jackets and bees can get into the walls of homes and wreak havoc. Rather than trying to handle the problem on your own, it’s best to get the help of experts if this occurs. “To keep them out of the house, you want to have a 3-foot perimeter or spray from a licensed pest technician that uses pyrethrin or permethrin. Chemicals can be bought by the public that we also carry at McAllen Pest Control Inc.,” Schroder said. “It can also be sold at stores and people can buy them there — customers just need to look at any label to ensure the product they buy carries it.” Pyrethrin is a highly effective insecticide that is

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Ro b er t Sc h r o d er, f i e l d project man ager for McAllen Pest Con trol I n c.

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H E A L T H

Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez Vein Expert Encourages Patients to Seek Out Varicose Treatments

to diagnose the presence of varicose veins. Insurance often requires a referral from a primary care physician, who, in some cases, may not be aware of where a patient can get the ultrasound. However, it is perfectly acceptable to request a referral for specific vein specialists, if this is the case. When looking for a vein specialist, one indicator of official qualification is that they belong to the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine. “That’s someone who literally has dedicated extra time, aside from their primary surgical specialty, to just focus on veins and the lymphatic system,” Rodriguez said. After the ultrasound, patients typically have a six- to 12-week trial period wearing compression stockings before they receive the actual vein treatment. Dr. Rodriguez recommends planning ahead so that patients can take advantage of their copays and deductibles rather than waiting until the end of the year. Once patients have waited through this trial period, they can return to their vein specialist for treatment. Official, qualified vein specialists today have state-of-the-art techniques to minimize scarring and recovery time, so getting vein treatment does not need to disrupt a patient’s life or cause additional suffering. “In our clinic and in our experience, our patients recover really, really well,” Rodriguez said. “They have minimal bruising, minimal soreness, and they’re literally back to work and doing regular activities the next day.”

increased pressure. This condition, called reflux, is what causes the appearance of varicose veins. The likelihood of getting varicose veins is based mostly on genetic factors. Myth #2: Varicose vein treatment is cosmetic Varicose vein treatment isn’t vanity. Varicose veins are much more than a cosmetic concern, and leaving them untreated can lead to painful varicose vein disease. The beginning stages of varicose vein disease manifest themselves by the presence of leg heaviness, swelling, and pain. If this is left untreated, a person’s condition can become much worse. "What happens if you don’t treat any of that — that heaviness and swelling of the legs starts turning into a brownish discoloration of the skin of the lower legs, and the skin starts changing and it becomes leathery,” Rodriguez said. “Once the skin starts dying, they get ulcers. And they’re really nasty, and they’re really hard to heal, and they get infected. Then, what happens with the varicose veins is that they get bigger and bigger, and people get blood clots in those varicose veins, and it gets very tender.” He said that sometimes varicose veins can even rupture spontaneously and cause massive bleeding through the skin. Because of these issues, insurance companies will often cover treatments for diagnosed varicose veins. Myth #3: There are no viable or affordable treatment options In order for a patient to receive treatment, many insurance providers require a necessary ultrasound exam

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Fact or fiction: Varicose veins are just a cosmetic concern. There are several myths surrounding varicose veins. Many people who have varicose veins are embarrassed to talk about them or show their legs in public. Some even feel that they have done something wrong to cause their appearance. Even worse is that the majority of people think that varicose vein treatment is purely cosmetic — or that treatment simply doesn’t exist. Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez, MD, FACS, FAACS, RVT, RPVI, of RGV Cosmetic Surgery & Vein Center wants to debunk these misperceptions so that potentially dangerous health risks can be avoided. Myth #1: Varicose veins are embarrassing “People tend to be embarrassed about it because they think it’s their fault, and it’s not their fault. It’s just genetic,” Rodriguez said. “Secondly, it has nothing to do with diet and exercise.” When it comes to varicose veins, one of the largest factors is family DNA. But what are varicose veins exactly? Rodriguez explained that there are little, one-way valves in the vein wall to prevent blood flowing backward because of gravity. However, they’re not always very strong. “Those little valves are super delicate. They’re just little leaflets on the wall, so if the wall gets stretched and the little leaflets can’t touch, well, then the blood is going to go backward,” he explained. “Over time, it’s going to stretch the vein even more.” This causes the blood to go backward and pool in the legs because of the

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b y Kel s ey G r e e n e | p r ov i d e d p h ot o

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Bu f f - b e l l i e d H u m mi n g bi r d: A m a le h u m m in g b ir d , s u c h a s t h is B u f f b e llie d Hu m m in g b i r d , offers no parental c a r e t o it s yo u n g.

Bird Fathers b y J oh n B r u s h , U r b a n E col og i s t , Q u i n t a M a z a t l a n Wor l d B i r d i n g C e n t e r male grackle. However, like the male hummingbirds, they too do not help build nests, incubate, or feed young. Somewhere along the gradient of parental care was a Rose-throated Becard my father and I watched on a trip to Mexico. The male was “helping” its mate build a nest. We watched the male as he followed his mate around, carrying nesting material like a grocery bag, but didn’t seem to know what to do with it. Eventually he simply dropped the material on top of the nest and flew off, as if to say “See? I’m helping too.” Incidentally, this behavior has been noted by other ornithologists, and in one case is labeled as “attentiveness.” In many bird species (about 80 percent) both sexes give parental care. For instance, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers share nest excavation equally between sexes, with both taking turns to drill the hole, and both help incubate and feed the young. The male woodpeckers spend the night in the nest, helping to keep the eggs and (after hatching) nestlings warm. Males may feed nestlings between 20 to 25 times an hour, stuffing their bills with insects or fruits to feed their hungry offspring. More uncommonly, the roles of males and females seen in hummingbirds and grackles are reversed, with the male taking the role of primary caregiver. This is a rarer mating system; only in 1 percent of bird species are the males the sole caregivers — as opposed to 8 percent with female-only care. Male-only care is seen in a few shorebirds species, such as Wilson’s Phalaropes. In this case, the male phalaropes are the only parent that incubates the eggs and is then responsible for the brooding of the young. In recognition of father’s year around, it is interesting to see how birds play the role of parents, and in a spectacular array of ways. Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center is located at 600 Sunset in McAllen. For more information contact (956) 6813370 or visit www.quintamazatlan.com.

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In the world of birds, males play a variety of roles. From territory selector and defender, to incubator and food provider (or sometimes only a female attractor), bird fathers display a wide range of parental behaviors, but all are important to the survival of a species. As mentioned, some male birds give very little in the way of parental care, and rather their sole purpose is to attract a female. In these species, the displays of the males are often extravagant. Male hummingbirds are a species where the male offers no parental care. But they have displays which, along with their iridescent gorget feathers, are meant to attract a female. Their displays vary, but usually incorporate distinct flight patterns (arcs, for instance) and showing off their bright throat feathers. However, after successful courtship, the two birds part ways, leaving the female to raise the young. Other bird fathers provide a little more care. Great-tailed Grackle males defend territories from other male grackles with songs, displays, and fighting (sometimes quite fiercely). They will harass and chase potential predators, like hawks; while driving, I often see a distant hawk being chased by a

G r e a t - t a i l e d G r ac kl e: M a le G r e a t - t a ile d Gr ackl e s w ill d e f e n d t h e ir ne s ti ng t e r r it o r ie s b y t h r o w i ng the i r b ills s t r a ig h t u p i n the ai r i n a t h r e a t e n in g p o s tur e, b ut d o n o t fe e d t h e ir y o ung.

G ol den- f ronted Woodp ec ker: Gol d e n f r onte d Woodp e cke r pairs s har e the r e s p o ns i b i lity o f ca r v i ng o ut a ne s tin g cav i ty, i ncubati ng e ggs, an d f e e d i ng f or the i r y o un g.

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Explore from Home Explore RGV’s Featured Destinations Give Virtual Tour of Valley Gems s to r y a nd p h ot os b y R GV i s i on

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What’s your favorite place in the Rio Grande Valley? Explore RGV, a Valleywide tourism and travel app and website, has nearly 1,000 favorites listed in its directory. Amid those, Explore RGV’s Featured Destinations section highlights 30 of the Valley’s most iconic locations. Flyover videos give individuals the opportunity to glimpse what makes each destination so special. Everything from cultural to natural treasures are available for exploration without leaving your home. Users can also utilize the Featured Destinations as a way to plan some of their first trips out of the house once the COVID-19 crisis passes. Take a look at this sampling of Valley gems from Explore RGV’s Featured Destinations. Peruse all of the destinations by visiting ExploreRGV.com.

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge: ‘Something for Everyone’ You don’t have to be a birder to enjoy Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo. “I think Santa Ana offers a little bit of something for everyone,” said Gisela Chapa, refuge manager. “I think the main highlight of the refuge, particularly for those of us that are from this area, is that you get a glimpse of what the Valley of the Rio Grande used to be like before agriculture and development came into our area.” The refuge was established in 1943 primarily for the protection of migratory birds. To this day, its biodiversity makes it one of the best places to see a range of bird species — many found only in this region.

Per Chapa, some of Santa Ana’s features not to be missed include: • Glimpses of the Rio Grande • 40-foot observation tower • Hanging bridge • Historic cemetery “The most important thing to consider is to plan for the weather more than anything, especially in the summer when it gets so hot out here,” she said. “We want to encourage people to come over-prepared with water.” Natural gems like Santa Ana are important to the Rio Grande Valley for many reasons. “Some people might not realize how critical the habitat in our area is. There’s no other place in the

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— behind when they consider the Rio Grande. Guajardo remembered an event he hosted for area teachers. After a mini lecture, he asked them to go through the museum to find what they thought was the exhibit that highlighted the most community cultural wealth. “Two teachers said that the place that they found most revealing of community cultural wealth was the outdoor oven, called an horno,” Guajardo said. “One of the teachers said, ‘this horno to me is South Texas because in this horno, this is where

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United States that has this type of habitat,” Chapa said. “It brings in a lot of people that want to participate in ecotourism. It helps contribute to our economy. It provides a tremendous service to our community — we have a place where we can enjoy. Santa Ana is one of many public lands for people to enjoy.” Museum of South Texas History: ‘Community Cultural Wealth’ When Museum of South Texas History CEO Francisco Guajardo took a visitor on a personal tour through the galleries, rounding the corner to reveal the Columbian mammoth drew an exclamation of surprise from the man. “The guy said, ‘oh, sweet Jesus — I did not expect this!” Guajardo recalled. The Edinburg landmark is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year even as the staff there was forced to cancel events, temporarily shut the doors, and look inward due to COVID-19. “We now will have to figure out a different way to celebrate 50 years of existence as we also brace ourselves for the next 50 years,” Guajardo said. The museum tells the story of the Rio Grande Valley, recounting the lives of indigenous people, the ages of exploration and colonization, the politics leading to the Mexican-American War, the age of the steamboat, ranching life, agricultural development, and much more. It’s a serious undertaking in a limited space, but the museum manages to stay organized. “One elderly man said most small town museums are cluttered — whoever organizes the exhibits they try to put everything in,” Guajardo said. “This museum does not do that. I think our exhibits are thoughtful, they’re instructive, and I think also they hedge on enlightened messaging so that you can be moved to another place of thinking because you’re moving through a place that evokes your storytelling senses in good ways.” The stories that the museum tells encourage visitors to leave deficit thinking — the idea that individuals cannot succeed here

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the children and the men and the women would gather. Around this horno, they made community — they had dreams and hopes.” Harlingen Downtown Murals: ‘A Long Mural Tradition’ In Downtown Harlingen, public murals are so numerous, vibrant, and rich with history that its mural program has served as inspiration for other RGV cities. “Harlingen has a long mural tradition, with works dating back to the 1940s-’50s,” Alexis Alaniz, redevelopment specialist, Downtown Harlingen Office, wrote in an email. “Around the year 2000, a group of individuals, including staff and volunteers with the Downtown District, the Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Harlingen Historical Preservation Society, and Harlingen Proud, started inventorying the existing murals, promoting them as an attraction, and creating new murals to beautify walls outside and inside businesses — and tell stories of Harlingen and Valley history.” Harlingen’s 30 or so murals feature the work of artists selected by the Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors or commissioned by business and property owners. “Our downtown murals bring a great attraction to our community, and many comments we get is that there is no other mural tradition like this one,” Alaniz wrote. “They are so popular that we have created a brochure and map to highlight our murals and also created

walking tours.” Alaniz’s

favorite

is that it was done by individual dots mural

called

forming the images that you see,” she

"Tropical Rio Grande Valley" by Valley

wrote. “This mural is located on the east

artists Benjamin P. Varela and Celeste De

wall surrounding the property at 213

Luna. The work features an accordionist,

W. Monroe.”

Red-Crowned Parrots, Kemp's Ridley sea

Harlingen officials continue to work

turtles, and other highlights of the RGV. “What makes this mural so unique

with local artists to create more murals,

and are looking to expand the art project

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“Being in a place like Estero is very nice — you kind of forget everything else going on, it’s a really good way to destress and enjoy yourself outdoors. Having sites like Estero and all the other nature sites in the Valley is very important because they preserve tropical Texas.” Javier de Leon, superintendent of Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco

photographed pauraques in Texas.” Even if birdwatching doesn’t appeal to you, the park still offers a natural escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. “Being in a place like Estero is very nice — you kind of forget everything else going on. It’s a really good way to destress and enjoy yourself outdoors,” de Leon said. “Having sites like Estero and all the other nature sites in the Valley is very important because they preserve tropical Texas.”

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occasions like annual cacti blooms and bird sightings. Many bird lovers come to Estero specifically to see common pauraques — birds that only live in South Texas. Some people even travel from out of state for a chance to check this bird off their life list. “Estero has a couple of pauraques that have consistently spent the day in one spot, so if you come to Estero and you know where to look, you’ll see this bird,” de Leon said. “A lot of people say that our common pauraques are the most

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out of downtown. Those interested in touring the current murals can pick up a brochure and map at 209 W. Jackson. Estero Llano Grande State Park: ‘Preserve Tropical Texas’ Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco packs a big punch into a small package. “We’re just known for having lots of birds in the park,” said Javier de Leon, park superintendent. “It’s a relatively small park at 231 acres, but this place, if you come to Estero, you’re going to see lots of stuff and that’s what people really like about this park.” De Leon recommends keeping an eye on the park’s social media pages for everything from announcements on popular programs like night hikes and bird walks to sharing of special

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C o - o w n e r A n t o n io Re y na s ta nds i n f r o nt o f T h e G r e m lin B e e r Ga r de n + Ki tche n i n M cA l l e n.

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RGVision Food Fave

The

Gremlin McAllen Beer Garden and Kitchen Brings International Flavor to RGV

. RGVISION MAGAZINE

Located on the corner of 16th and Dallas in McAllen’s Historic Business District, The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen is a unique international street food eatery that offers a variety of local, craft, and foreign beers and wines to pair with your meal. The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen is owned by both Antonio Reyna, a mixed media artist, and chef Alyssa Cantú. The business lives within a 100-year-old home that was turned into an art gallery until Reyna and Cantú took ownership and brought their vision for The Gremlin to life in late 2018. Reyna said the restaurant took about a year to build, and they have now been in business for about a year. The Gremlin had its soft opening in mid-November of 2018. It was then open to the public by January 2019. Reyna said the beer garden consists of three spaces, including an intimate bar and dining room along with about eight tables for guests to sit and socialize. “It’s dimly lit,” Reyna said. “We have all kinds of music happening throughout the week. We have an outdoor concert venue, we have a patio, as well as a nice little garden area. So there’s just places to chill. You can talk, or if you want loud music, you go to the back. So it’s very diverse.” Diversity is also reflected in The Gremlin’s menu. It encompasses various countries and styles of food, from Hawaiian-influenced items like the Poke Bowl to Filipino food like Lumpia (spring rolls), southern comfort foods such as the Hot Chicken Sandwich or Pulled Pork Sliders to German-inspired dishes like Beer Brat with mustards. The Gremlin is also known for its

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b y Ka r i n a Va r g a s p h ot os b y J a s on G a r z a

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Co - o w n e r s A n t o n io Re y na a nd A l y s s a Cantu s i t o uts i de o f Th e Gr e m lin B e e r Ga r de n + Ki tche n i n M cA l l e n.

fresh pretzels that are served with house-made cheese and mustard. The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen features a wide array of drink options on their menu, such as Japanese sake, well-loved wines like merlot and chardonnay, ciders, and of course beers of all kinds. “We have local beers, beers from Germany, from Austin, from San Antonio … we just try to get the best beers that we

can all the time,” Reyna said. Regarding their menu, Cantú said she and Reyna were inspired after watching street food vendors’ cooking techniques in food documentaries. “We noticed that street food vendors across the world will do one dish in one pan and they do it repetitively,” Cantú said. “So if people could turn out these wonderful

dishes with one pan, we knew we could turn out the same kinds of dishes in the small kitchen that we have. And that’s kind of where the menu came from. We just kind of kept expanding out.” Having grown up in Houston, Cantú said southern cuisine is something near and dear to her heart, and she knew she wanted to incorporate that vibe into The

“Remember you used to come here and drink here and eat here and when this is all over, you’re going to come back and hang out here and until then, we’ll send the food to you, or you can come pick it up.” Alyssa Cantú, co-owner and chef of The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen in McAllen

RGVision Ad for QM (Monarch 2020).pdf

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The Gremlin’s hours of operation have recently changed to being open for lunch to dinner from noon to 8 p.m. Call ahead to verify The Gremlin’s latest operating hours. Contact The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen at (956) 330-8582. Read their menu and stay up-to-date on specials, menu offerings, and events by following their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram @thegremlinmcallen.

Outdoors Month

at Quinta Mazatlan Perform Random Acts of Wildness

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Hike through the Thorn Forest Bird at the Stone Amphitheatre Follow the Animal Sculpture Trail Find Items on the Scavenger Hunt

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and drink here and eat here and when this is all over, you’re going to come back and hang out here and until then, we’ll send the food to you, or you can come pick it up,” she said. “We want to stick around as long as we can so that people can remember like, hey, you know, like we’ve always been here.” “Supporting local is key,” Reyna agreed. “Right now, we’re having people that haven’t heard about us and want to try something new coming in.” “That’s probably been the biggest relief that’s happened since this whole pandemic,” Cantú reflected. “You know, the wave of people that are saying, l saw you on a website and it said you all are open. We just need to get out of the house. That alone has helped out a lot.” The Gremlin’s hours of operation have recently changed to being open for lunch to dinner from noon to 8 p.m. Call ahead to verify The Gremlin’s latest operating hours. Contact The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen at (956) 330-8582. Read their menu and stay up-to-date on specials, menu offerings, and events by following their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram @thegremlinmcallen.

600 Sunset Drive • McAllen, TX Tuesday to Saturday: 8am to 5pm Thursdays Until Dark

956-681-3370

www.quintamazatlan.com

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Gremlin’s menu. “Our brunches are very southern, down-home,” Cantú said. Guests can find classic brunch menu items such as chicken and waffles, crepes, and mimosas. Cantú said before the pandemic, The Gremlin would normally have different daily specials on top of their regular menu. “Thursdays we had StirFry Thursdays, Friday we had ramen, and we were getting pretty popular with the ramen crowd,” she said. “Our menu stays open till 2 a.m., so you can get ramen at like 1:45 in the morning.” With the current pandemic-driven changes, Cantú said The Gremlin is now offering weekly specials. “Like last week, we did a whole fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw for $20. We’re trying to keep it very and reasonable.” Another weekly special offered is two bacon-wrapped all-beef hotdogs, two fresh pretzels, macaroni and cheese, and cheese fries for $18. Cantú said The Gremlin will continue to offer weekly specials for the time being. Customers can also order growler sizes of their preferred beer to-go for $25 and refill the container for $20. The Gremlin Beer Garden + Kitchen currently offers both curbside pickup for customers as well as food delivery options. Catering is also available for meetings and events. “If you see our venue, we close off certain sections of it for parties and large events and cater that way,” Cantú said. “We’ll also do offsite catering, where we go to your house and cook it there.” Reyna and Cantú said in light of the pandemic and its effects, businesses have had to endure a major shift and are not as busy as they once were. Cantu said she wants customers to remember The Gremlin during this uncertain time. “Remember you used to come here

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RESILIENT, GENEROUS, VERSATILE RGV Stands Firm Against COVID-19 by Amy Casebier

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As IDEA Public Schools COO Irma Muñoz grappled with the initial shock of hearing about the spread of COVID-19, her thoughts turned to IDEA’s 53,000 students, their families, and teachers and staff. “We began making plans for the new normal — what that would look like at our schools physically and what that would look like for our staff and students online,” she said. McAllen restaurateurs Larry and Jessica Delgado watched the developments with horror as their successful restaurants — house.wine, Salt: A New American table, and Salomé on Main — were turned upside down as a part of the response to the pandemic. “When the realization came that this was going to close our businesses, it just doubled down,” Larry said. Manny Vela, president and CEO of Valley Baptist Health System, steeled his staff for the possibility of overwhelmed intensive care units like those in the news from across the nation, around the world. “As we continue to navigate the constant changes regarding the COVID-19 situation, rest assured Valley Baptist Health System is prepared to continue in its

PROTECT THE STUDENTS, FLATTEN THE CURVE IDEA shuttered campuses to flatten the curve, an effort to slow the rate of COVID-19 infections, but it couldn’t cease all of its services. “Because of the communities that we serve, we needed to keep providing essential services,” Muñoz said. “We left our cafeterias open and we continued meal

Life as we knew it before ended. And yet. And yet. It kept going. We kept going. We found new ways to teach and learn, new ways to support the local businesses that make up the backbone of our community, new ways to protect our health — and the health of those around us. The Rio Grande Valley’s vibrant resilience shone. We didn’t give up. We were generous, donating goods, bolstering one another with online tip jars, and forming Facebook groups to get and give advice on how to find what product and where. We were versatile, pivoting to modify our lives and businesses as well as we could. Collectively, the RGV dug its heels in when faced with the challenges presented by a pandemic. For us, the silver lining in this storm shines bright.

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mission to provide outstanding, compassionate health care to our community as we have for more than 95 years,” he said in a video produced by RGVision at the end of March. For everyone in the Rio Grande Valley, life changed. Many people lost their jobs. Other businesses had to quickly adapt to conducting operations remotely, hastily setting up home offices at kitchen tables or in bedroom corners. Those workers deemed essential continued to venture out, the front line of those facing down the threat of COVID-19. School years ground to an abrupt halt around Spring Break. Teachers rushed to modify classroom instruction into online curriculum. Parents balanced working from home with a new responsibility of home schooling their young students. We stayed inside. We scrolled endless newsfeeds, counted the infected in our cities, tallied each unexpected disruption of normalcy with stunned grief. We held our breath, tied bandanas around our mouths, and stared at the masses of masked shoppers standing in line outside of H-E-B to buy groceries.

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service for all of our families and all of the families in the communities that surround our schools.” At the time of publication, IDEA has served more than 700,000 meals to families in need, continuing service over holidays and weekends. “Our staff gets there at 4:30 every day to make meals and bundle them for families that come through the pickup line,” Muñoz said. “After they finish the pickup line at 10, they run inside to the cafeteria and they have tables set up, making protective masks that they are then distributing to other cafeterias throughout our network and to families and healthcare workers that need them.” IDEA also opened childcare centers for parents working on the front lines — health care, first responders, county and city personnel. “We knew as they are taking care of all of us, we needed to help care for all of their families —that’s the least that we could do,” Muñoz said. One of the greatest challenges was transforming in-person instruction to remote learning, ensuring that students had the technology and internet access required to continue their studies at home. “We wanted to provide some comfort during this time in having a structured learning environment and making sure that kids know that during these times, our families are there with them,” Muñoz said. “They care and they will do whatever they can to support not just instructionally, but social and emotionally.”

Muñoz has marveled at the resiliency of children during this time, including older students helping their younger siblings with online learning, or her own first-grader, Olivia, setting up a chat group with her classmates. “Obviously, this has been really tough for everyone involved. Our kids are missing their friends, our seniors are really mourning their senior year and all that comes along with it,” Muñoz said. The silver lining moments keep everyone going — along with IDEA’s unwavering dedication to its students. “People are rising to the challenge because they are so committed to our families and, more importantly, because they know it’s the right thing to do.”

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A NEW RECIPE FOR INNOVATION “We saw it coming,” Larry Delgado said. He and Jessica are trustees for the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation and board members of the Texas Restaurant Association. “So as things started to unfold and we saw that there were closures around the country, we sort of braced for it. “It was clear that curbside and delivery was going to be the only lifeline we had for any kind of revenue with dining rooms closed.” The Delgados and restaurateurs like them in the RGV had to quickly revamp their operations in order to stay in business. They revised their menu, offering lower price points and family meals. A statewide waiver allowed for the continued sale and delivery of alcohol with food — a

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“Your courage, compassion, and dedication in providing outstanding health care for the communities we all love and serve has not wavered in the face of these challenges, and for that we continue to be grateful.” Ma nny Vel a , p r e s i de nt an d CE O of Valley Baptist Health System

vital component of revenue. “We just scratched and clawed for every opportunity there was to offer a meal to our guests,” Larry said, adding that his business also started to sell grocery kits and meal kits for customers to make at home. “We continued to listen to what our customers and community wants, what they’re needing, and we react and make sure that we can deliver on one front or another.” A dedicated fan base — and supporters of buying local — have helped. “The response has just been really wonderful,” Jessica said. “Our loyal fans are sticking it out with us and supporting us as much as they can. We’ve definitely taken a huge decrease in sales, but the support has been really beautiful. “It’s really special in this really difficult time.” Innovation and versatility have been key factors in making the new operations work. At the same time, current limitations have inspired new products and services that used to only be ideas. The Delgados have struck a deal with H-E-B to sell their pre-prepped, ovenready meals in stores. “Being in this situation just forces us to really make things happen and to have flexibility and the mindset really that our team has to just go after these things and make them work for us,” Larry said. “For the sake of everyone that works on our team, we all realize we have to do these things to make sure that we get through this thing and we see ourselves on the other side. “I can’t tell you how proud Jessica and I are of our team and the resilience of not just our team but other people in our industry.”

also known as coronavirus, has thrust us into a challenging and unprecedented time,” Vela said in a public service announcement video. “We all have a role to play in meeting what lies before us and ensuring that we and those we love remain safe and healthy.” Those responsibilities shifted and developed to respond to the changing situation. At the time of publication, recommendations and regulations included: • Practicing social distancing • Staying home unless travel is necessary • Adhering to curfews, as determined by county • Washing your hands regularly • Avoiding touching your face • Wearing a face mask when in public “Above all, continue to show compassion and respect for others in your community as we face this challenge head-on with the determination residents of the Rio Grande Valley and Texans are known for,” Vela said. “God bless our physicians, employees, and our strength as we continue to face this situation together.” Vela had a special message for individuals working in health care across the region. “Your courage, compassion, and dedication in providing outstanding health care for the communities we all love and serve has not wavered in the face of these

QUALITY CARE CLOSE TO HOME Read more about how Valley Baptist is responding to COVID-19 on Page 56.

HEROES IN HEALTH CARE “As a community, the situation surrounding COVID-19,

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challenges, and for that we continue to be grateful.”

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entire community and give us all wisdom, courage, and

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FACES IN THE VALLEY:

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SHAWN ELLIOTT RUSSELL Author, Musician Tackles Stigma of Anxiety, Mental Health b y N a th a ni el Mat a | p h ot os b y J a s on G a r z a Shawn Elliott Russell has seen valleys and mountains in his own life. Many times, these battles take place in his own head. The McAllen native, who grew up in Florida, went from a youngster who dreamed of performing and rapping in front of crowds to an adolescent that grappled with anxiety and eating disorders. His own mindfulness came from an adventurous childhood that he spent mostly with himself. He rode bikes, he loved rap music, but he identified as an introvert, so his imagination and mind were powerful things. “I was an only child, but I liked to go on adventures,” Russell said. “I would try to recreate things like ‘The Goonies’ — just

going around exploring.” He’s been molded by a plethora of life-shaping experiences. He was a presenter at the TEDx McAllen event in 2019, where he shared the lighthearted story of facing a summer camp crowd and reciting Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.” That experience — along with a break-in incident when he was home alone as an adolescent — caused his anxieties to compound and develop. He had bouts with panic and even agoraphobia, which made it difficult for him to leave home. “I had moments where I would feel paranoid, but that was the first time I realized that my thoughts weren’t me,” he said, “that my thoughts were something else, separate from me. I

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His story became an online success and soon he was getting became afraid of that, but moving forward, that made a lot of things in my life make sense. The fact that I was so immersed testimonials about how his powerful narrative was helping in my own mind in terms of thinking and my imagination. It took break stigmas and resonating so widely. up so much awareness, all of my attention, so I would play out “People were taking pictures and I’d do autographs and my thoughts.” people would come up and tell how much it meant to them,” Even though these can be difficult things to grapple with, Russell said. “Everything that I could have asked for as a hipRussell believes that identifying anxiety and learning about hop artist … it’s funny how everything came full circle.” how it works to “avoid pain and seek pleasure” is an important For two years, his work included speaking engagements, step toward managing anxiety, depression, and mental health book readings/performances around the Valley, and beyond. as a whole. Sometimes, he would present One thing that remained “Knowing how the mind works is the to small sessions of selected consistent in his life is his love students. Other times, he would for rap, rhymes, and writing. difference between really suffering in enter auditoriums filled for a pep That’s how his hit book, “Be life and someone who feels resilient rally or specially arranged for his Still Little Tree” turned from and feels that they can take action appearance. written verse to digital book to He says the nerves of and are able to handle situations.” physical hit. presenting are still there, but Shawn Elliott Russell, author and musician “I didn’t intentionally write a the listeners who approach him children’s book,” Russell said. “I afterward make it all worth it. started one version back in November 2015 where it was just “I knew I needed to take a break from the presentation — we short little poems almost and the term ‘Be Still Little Tree’ first had done it for a couple of years,” Russell said. “I needed to step appeared. I wasn’t even going to initially put it out, but it was too away, but I wanted to find a way to still share the book and share important not to share.” my story. Mental health is everybody. Everybody has a mind.” Thanks to his rap background, his book naturally came off He gave a powerful message about how mindfulness can the tongue with a ring to it. It didn’t take much to be widely make a world of difference. accessible and helpful to countless readers. “Knowing how the mind works is the difference between “When it was done and I read it back, because of the format really suffering in life and someone who feels resilient and feels it was in, it just naturally sounded like a children’s book,” Russell that they can take action and are able to handle situations,” said. “Like a Dr. Suess book or something. And when I added the illustrations, it really started to look like a kid’s book.” Russell said.

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Hitting the Right Notes Local Musicians Balance Full-Time Jobs, Family Life with Gigs b y J os e D e Le on I I I

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As an insurance broker for Shepard Walton King Insurance Group, Norma Padilla has a demanding schedule where she works as much as 60 hours a week. “I manage a whole team and it’s not a clock in, clock out kind of job,” Padilla said. “During the day, it’s stressful dealing with work. But when I’m thinking about where I’m going at the

No rm a Pa d illa , s e c o nd f ro m r ig h t , a n d t h e r est o f t h e m e m b e r s o f b a n d S o u t h e r n B le n d. p ro v id e d p h o t o

end of the day, my shoulders go down. I know I’m going somewhere I want to be, where people want to hear me and want to have a good time.” When she’s not at the office, Padilla is a vocalist for the cover band Southern Blend, which performs three gigs a week around South Padre Island. Where most people would see being a

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“For most musicians who have two jobs, it’s a means to an end to support what it is that they truly want to be doing. I would love the band to sustain itself, but I don’t think I would enjoy it being the only thing I did. My job is something I personally find fulfilling and if I had to work on that 40 hours a week I’d be fine. Sometimes people need a break. This is why it’s important to have other things to pursue.” Andres Sanchez, guitarist with local band Super who also

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Having a family-like relationship with band members is something that Andres Sanchez, a guitarist with the band Super, says helps balance their time at work with their gigs. Sanchez works as a videographer at South Texas College and has been in the new wave, post-punk band since it was formed in 2015. Because of the demanding work schedule that has him working 40 hours a week, he and his bandmates are only able to practice once a week. “Everybody in the band works full time — practices can’t take place during the week,” Sanchez explained. A co-worker of his is also in the band, while two other band members work at a call center and as a server, respectively. “We get out of work at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. so we try to save our weekends for practice — it makes it a bit easier for us.” Sanchez said he is glad he works at a job that allows him to be creative — just like how his band helps him express himself creatively. “For most musicians who have two jobs, it's a means to an end to support what it is that they truly want to be doing,” Sanchez said. “I would love the band to sustain itself, but I don’t think I would enjoy it being the only thing I did. My job is something I personally find fulfilling and if I had to work on that 40 hours a week I’d be fine. Sometimes people need a break. This is why it’s important to have other things to pursue.” Padilla also said she is glad her music provides a rest from her work. “We formed the band because we just wanted to play music. At this point in our lives, we work all day and we have challenges, but when we get to play music and be part of the audience, we really like to connect with everyone,” Padilla said. “We step away from reality and it makes the day to day stuff worth it.”

musician as a distraction to take up time while not at work, Padilla sees it as a way to express herself creatively. “It gives me energy to keep going every day,” Padilla said of her performing life. “We all want a release and it's something I can look forward to. It’s a very positive feeling to walk into a gig where there’s people with smiles on their faces wanting to hear good music, and we’re the ones providing it.” Despite a demanding work schedule, Padilla says she has been able to balance her work life and her side gig as a performer because it is a family affair. Literally. Her husband of 25 years is the lead guitarist of the band and their son is the drummer while family friends make out the bass and background vocals of the band. “It’s a good job and the reason why I can do both is because my family is part of it and the company supports me after three years of working there,” Padilla said. “Whenever I need to leave early for a gig or practice, I just let my work know and they let me. They’ve been to a few of my performances and I feel like I have a lot of support from work, who I see as a second family.” Since her husband is retired, Padilla said he’s the one arranging practice sessions and gigs for the band — meaning one less thing for Padilla to worry about as she works. This is a different scenario than the one over 20 years ago when her son was a toddler and Padilla and her husband couldn’t practice as much. “We were both at a different band at the time but we couldn’t practice or perform as much because family came first at the time,“ Padilla recalled. “We had to leave the band because of it but then when he was 12, Southern Blend had formed and our son expressed an interest in playing drums and joined us. Now that it’s a fully family band, it’s so much easier to balance.”

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works full time as a videographer at South Texas College

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WEATHER SAFETY RGV Meteorologist Recommends Preparedness for Dire Forecasts b y Ka r l a A r r e d on d o HURRICANE SEASON Hurricane season begins June 1, and lasts through the end of November. Goldsmith recommends to be prepared for hurricane season all year long. Two primary methods he mentions necessary for successful hurricane preparedness are having a home plan, and an evacuation plan. Goldsmith also points out that businesses or government facility owners or managers should also have a plan to protect their structure and ensure the safety of their employees. A home plan consists of resiliency and supply preparations. Resiliency preparations include checking and strengthening the home, the integrity of the roof and walls, windows, doors, and protection, and checking items outside of the home such as fences or other structures to be sure they are grounded. One should stock up supplies to last at least seven to 10 days following the hurricane. Those supplies may include non-perishable foods, enough water for everyone in the home including pets, basic over-the-counter medicines, cash, flashlights and batteries, transistor radio, cellphone power storage units, and some board games, puzzles, and other nonelectronic leisure activities. Goldsmith also recommends checking insurance and inventory items, as residents in Texas should have homeowners, windstorm, and flood insurance. Especially in the Valley, Goldsmith warns, one should purchase flood insurance as soon as possible. Furthermore, take photos of all important home items like heirlooms and artwork, and store them digitally, and keep important documents in watertight containers, as well as digital copies stored in the cloud. Finally, consider purchasing a generator to install outside the

FIRE WARNINGS “A fire warning is issued when a wildfire or structural fire threatens a community, or a significant part of a community. A fire warning could be issued for a neighborhood spanning a few square miles to an entire town or small city,” Goldsmith said. If a fire warning is issued for your location, you should first evacuate. If there is time and you received an order to evacuate, do so immediately. However, if there is not enough time to evacuate safely: • Call 9-1-1 and provide your location. If it happens during the night, be sure to turn outside lights on so first responders can find your residence

more easily. • Shut off all ventilation into the building.

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In the Rio Grande Valley we experience several weather changes throughout the year that require our preparedness and attention. Barry Goldsmith, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Brownsville, shares his advice and tips on how to be prepared for extreme weather such as hurricanes, hail storms, floods, and heat waves. Even when dangerous weather conditions may surprise us, there is a lot we can do before they occur and throughout the year to be more prepared, feel in control of, and stay safe in such situations.

• Move into the interior of the home, away from windows, and get low to the ground. • If you own an N95 mask, put it on. For more information on fire readiness, go to https://ready.gov/wildfires For more information on Wireless Emergency Alerts, go to https://www. weather.gov/wrn/wea

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house — either one for the entire house or a smaller, more affordable one to run a window A/C unit, a refrigerator, and a few lights. An evacuation plan consists of several things. First and foremost, have a place to evacuate to with a location that is well away from the coast and on higher ground. Your evacuation location could be a relative or friend’s house who can shelter you and your family, a hotel, or other rental place. Only take essentials with you; pack light and smart. If you evacuate due to an order and disaster has hit your hometown, Goldsmith advises to not return until emergency authorities give the green light to do so. More information can be found below: Home strengthening: https://hurricanestrong.org Additional home preparedness for all types of hazards: https://flash.org

Texas Windstorm Association: https://twia.org NWS Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley Hurricane Guide, 2019 version https:// www.weather.gov/media/bro/tropical/guide/2019/English.pdf NWS Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley Hurricane Guide, 2019 version (Spanish) https://www.weather.gov/media/bro/tropical/guide/2019/Espanol.pdf

FLOODS AND STORMS Goldsmith warns that in the Rio Grande Valley, because of our proximity to the tropics, damaging or destructive flooding can occur at any time. The peak months for flooding are between May and October, with seasonal peaks from late May to late June and again from midAugust to early October. In order to stay safe from rapid onset floods, Goldsmith suggests staying tuned to the weather forecasts at all times, but especially more so during the peak periods. If a flood watch is issued, prepare for potential flooding. Flood watches are typically issued 6 to 24 hours ahead of the event. Stay in place and avoid being on the road, and consider leaving for higher ground if you are in a flood-prone zone. “Be sure to take your waterproof ‘go’ case with important items inside,” Goldsmith said. Also, alert your family and friends of the flood threat, and move larger valuable items to a higher level in your house. A food warning means that flooding is occurring or imminent in or near your area. Stay home and make sure

you and your family are able to step up to higher levels if flood waters reach you. If you are on the road when a flood warning is issued, seek a safe building as soon as possible, and never drive through flooded roads or around barricades. “Turn around, don't drown; your life is worth more than impatience,” Goldsmith notes. If a flood advisory is issued, nuisance flooding is occurring or imminent in or near your area. In this case, the best practice is to stay home. If traveling, find alternate routes to your destination. For dangerous thunderstorms that can produce frequent to excessive lightning, large hail or a large volume of hail, and damaging winds, listen for severe thunderstorm outlooks, watches, and warnings. If there's a threat for these types of storms, in advance — usually from six hours to two days — there are several things to do to be prepared. Have a defined “safe zone,” such as an interior bathroom or closet, or a nearby school or other safe building. Remember ACES: Awareness (being aware that the weather could become dangerous), Communication (having multiple modes of speaking with family and friends to let them know of your location/ movement), Escape Routes (roads that lead you away from danger), and Safe Zones (buildings that can withstand the storm or locations away from the storm). When a watch is issued, activate your safety plan, including ACES, and be sure to have safety equipment ready, such as bicycle helmets, blankets and pillows, flashlights and batteries, cellphone and power storage,

National Flood Insurance Program: https://floodsmart.gov

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FEMA/DHS Hurricane Preparedness: https://ready.gov/hurricanes

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NOAA Hurricane Preparedness: https://hurricanes.gov/prepare

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Valley, you should prepare as follows: • Spend the hottest time of day in air conditioning. • Drink plenty of water before, during, and after being outside. • Avoid being in pure sunshine between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. • Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing if spending time outdoors. • If working outdoors, plan to take plenty of breaks in shady areas.

Links for flood/severe storm information

• If feeling lightheaded or nauseous, immediately cease activity, find

https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

a shady spot or head indoors, apply cool towels to the forehead, and

https://floodsmart.gov (National Flood Insurance Program)

slowly drink cool (not cold) water.

https://www.ready.gov/floods

• Save strenuous outdoor exercise for the early morning.

https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drown

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https://www.weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm

FRI

When excessive to extreme heat is forecast for the Rio Grande

moving items indoors, and be in your safe room away from electrical conduction. When a warning is issued, go to your safe room, communicate with your family and friends, and wait until the warning has expired or been canceled before leaving your safe room.

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THU

Vehicle heat deaths can occur at any time in the Rio Grande Valley — not just summer or daytime. A child or pet left inside a tightly closed car or truck at 80 degrees can suffer heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and potentially die after 30 minutes. “Hotter days mean a much greater chance of distress or death in a much shorter time .. .as soon as 10 minutes!” Goldsmith warned.

HEAT WAVES AND SUMMER “Heat is a way of life in the Rio Grande Valley,” Goldsmith said. With afternoon temperatures in the mid to upper 90s from late June through early September, which "feel like" temperatures between 100 and 105, it is important to be aware of safety and modify a few everyday activities for energy conservation and to avoid the hottest times of the day outside. Certain weather patterns can bring even more heat to the Valley, which can become dangerous and life threatening. “The atmospheric pattern known as ‘La Canicula’ brings very hot and rain-free conditions into the Valley, while low level winds from the south keep ample surface humidity for dangerous ‘feels like’ temperatures, day and night,” Goldsmith said. Such heat waves are becoming more frequent across the Valley, and can arrive as soon as mid-May and continue into early October, with peak heat in July and August.

For more information... https://weather.gov/heat Vehicle safety links: https://www.kidsandcars.org/how-kids-get-hurt/heat-stroke/ https://www.wheresbaby.org https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke

Staying ahead of these situations by being prepared before they hit is a way of helping us maintain calm during a stressful weather event, act with prudence, and stay safe.

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EVERYDAY INCONVENIENCES Getting Through Life’s Unpleasantries as Easily as Possible by Nathaniel Mata

Life’s hard enough if we don’t get tripped up by life’s inconveniences — or worse, get in our own way. So let’s talk about some everyday inconveniences that can derail your morning commute, cause you to cough up some late fees, or just fall behind. Inconvenience: You aren’t scatterbrained — you just messed up. OK, maybe a little scatterbrained. Most of us have been here. Our keys are inside our car and we are outside. Locked out. Solution(s): If your phone is also trapped in your vehicle, this situation gets even harder. You might need to ask to borrow a stranger's phone. Once you’ve reached your smartphone, search for a local locksmith. They’ll be able to get you out of your pickle. Our area has a plethora of both locally and nationally owned companies that are on standby just waiting for this all-too-common mishap. “Most of the time, they just forget. Other times, the wind blows the door,” Jocey Rivera of All Valley Pop-ALock said. One thing you may not know is that your insurance might even cover the cost of the dispatch to unlock your car. “We do have those calls for different insurances,” Rivera said. We get them and they are covered for their services. The insurance will call on the customer’s behalf and then the customer is contacted by their technician.” This is a very modern process these days. You’ll receive

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curbside and online shopping lists to maximize convenience and limit your time in public spaces. Services like Instacart and Shipt also will bring groceries to your door, but remember to tip your grocery runner and pay attention to company policies and charges. Inconvenience: A first-world problem is defined as a modern inconvenience — something that really isn’t that big of a deal, but it still irks us. One of the greatest firstworld issues plaguing online shoppers is that annoying feeling of paying full price for an outfit, video game, or anything online — then finding out you missed a sale on another website. You throw money down the drain and you probably can’t get it back. Solution(s): To avoid missing out on the big deal during your online shopping spree, there is a helpful website that’s designed to save your cash. “Honey” is a plug-in that you can add to your favorite browser that will seek out the best deals, promos, and limited offers. The service will scour the web for codes and make sure you don’t overpay. It works for travel, retail, and thousands of online marketplaces. Don’t get burned by missing out on savings again!

a text and ETA for the relief on the way. Inconvenience: Are your bills piling up? No, are they actually piling up on your kitchen counter, coffee table, or wherever your monthly statements and balances are kept? If you have trouble remembering due dates or how much you owe, the first step is to get digital or get organized. Here are some tips. Solution(s): Millennials and Gen-Zers should have no trouble setting up an app that can get all of their finances lined up. EasyTechTrick.org lists the top 20 Bill Reminder Apps with “Bills Monitor,” “Bills Manager and Reminder,” and “Prism Bills” topping their list. And if you’re a little more old fashioned or don’t feel comfortable in putting this much information into an app, you can print out a bill organizer or even find an organizer at a local bookstore. Inconvenience: Even before the COVID-19 outbreak and stay-at-home orders, going to the grocery store is usually not a fun task. One positive we’ve seen from this situation is that getting groceries has stepped into the 21st century. Solutions(s): H-E-B, Walmart, and Sprouts have

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