Cameron and Hidalgo counties’ biggest cities showed strong gains in state sales tax reimbursements for August, the Texas Office of the Comptroller reports. Brownsville posted a 10.66 percent gain, among the biggest in the county. Harlingen posted its second positive month in a row after a string of negative sales tax numbers earlier in the year, and was up 3.85 percent for the month. For the year, the city is...
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Heavy clouds loomed over the Laguna Madre area Friday morning pounding some cities with rain while creating scattered power outages. But miraculously, the storm never reached the Island during one of its most visual outdoor events of the year. A dozen master sand sculptors from around the country and world have been competing in the Island’s 32nd Annual Sandcastle Days contest held at Clayton’s Beach Bar...
From bubblegum pink to magenta, there will be seas of people on the Island next weekend sporting the colors and showing their support for those affected by breast cancer. SPI Walk for Women, a nonprofit that provides financial, prosthetic and diagnostic support to women with breast cancer, will host its annual weekend of fundraisers on the Island starting Friday, Oct. 11. A Roaring 20s Casino Night and Auction will be...
Today, thousands of volunteers around the world will get together to clean beaches for the yearly International Coastal Cleanup Day by Texas Adopt-A-Beach program. The event began more than 30 years ago, when communities rallied together with the common goal of collecting and documenting the trash littering their coastline. More than 100 countries come together each year and participate in a cleanup event, according to the event’s official website. In...
Turtle lovers from all over Texas came out to lend their support to Sea Turtle, Inc. last weekend, to help raise funds for the organization’s ongoing endeavors to rescue and rehabilitate injured sea turtles and conserve all marine turtle species. The fundraiser, dubbed “Tastes and Toddies with the Turtles” took place at Sea Turtle, Inc.’s sprawling facility located in the north end of South Padre Island. Turtle enthusiasts enjoyed a...
The goal is to be a world-class tourist destination. To achieve that, Island leaders are spending big bucks on marketing. The City Council has agreed unanimously to renew an advertising contract with a marketing firm from San Antonio. Last year, the city spent $2.4 million with the firm. The new contract is for $2.8 million. “In marketing dollars, that is the most we have ever contracted an outside company to do,” Mayor Barry...
More than 100 anglers will cast their fishing lines this weekend in an effort to help abused, neglected and abandoned kids in South Texas. Valley Haven, Inc., an emergency children’s shelter based in Harlingen, will host its fifth annual 2-day Boat and Kayak Fishing Tournament starting Friday Sept. 20 at Louie’s Backyard and Jim’s Pier on the Island. Fishing tournament registration will be held Friday from 6 to 9 p.m....
State sales tax allocations this month show that Brownsville posted a gain of 1.34 percent. Allocations for the city of Harlingen bounced back after several hard-slogging months, showing a 12.10 percent increase on sales made in July. Elsewhere, cities in both Cameron and Hidalgo counties posted strong year-over-year sales tax allocation gains for the month. Sales tax allocations made monthly by the Texas Comptroller’s Office are regarded as indicators of...
A little after 2 a.m., Ed Cyganiewicz received a knock at his door. It was Sept. 15, 2001, a night Cyganiewicz says he will never forget. “I remember it clearly,” said Cyganiewicz, who was mayor at the time. “I didn’t have a peephole and I could hear the crackling of a police radio.” Upon opening the door, he saw South Padre Island Police Department Sgt. James Woodard who told him...
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Bird watching enthusiasts will be able to partake in an upcoming local celebration of World Shorebirds Day. The South Padre Island Birding, Nature and Alligator Sanctuary will host a variety of shorebird-themed activities Saturday, Sept. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. General admission into the sanctuary will cost $5. Educational crafts and games for children will be offered throughout the event. Shorebird Scavenger Hunts will be...
