Good morning, Brownsville.

Open EB5 announced its Midtown Pharr project received I-956F approval from USCIS, marking the first EB5 project in the RGV — the fully funded project is under construction while Midtown Brownsville II will launch soon with limited investor spots available.

Brownsville backs a Middle Mile proposal to extend 131 miles of underground fiber to key sites including Russell Town, San Benito, Port Brownsville, and SpaceX/Starbase.

The project will create jobs and spur economic growth in the area, the Rio Grande Valley Broadband Coalition said.

Data analyst Andy Garcia explains that the region’s GDP of $40.9B lags behind comparable metros due to a lower concentration of college-educated workers and a heavier reliance on lower-value industries — he says that aligning education, workforce development and business innovation with AI advancements can boost productivity in the RGV going forward.

A state sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies starts Saturday and ends Monday at midnight, offering tax relief on items such as generators and flashlights (excludes face masks, gloves, camping gear, chainsaws, and plywood) for shoppers in Brownsville getting ready for hurricane season.

South Texas College launched its first student mariachi ensemble, Mariachi La Tradición del Valle, led by adjunct instructor Marcos Sanchez.

The 13-member group debuted at the Binational Education Symposium in March — the ensemble blends musical education with local cultural heritage.

South Texas College is launching its first Avionics Technician program this fall at Mid-Valley Airport — training adults in 16 weeks and high school students in two years while Hidalgo County Precinct 1 contributes $50,000 to support the project.

Rosario Peña (BISD's first female CFO) completed a 40-year career in finance roles including procurement director and finance coordinator before her historic appointment in December 2025.

She credits strong mentors and community leaders for inspiring her approach to managing budgets that support every student's success.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said Monday that a cow in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 60 miles from the border, tested positive for New World screwworm — urging ranchers to closely monitor livestock as USDA releases sterile flies near Edinburg to contain the threat.

Dentists Who Care, a local nonprofit, is offering free dental care to families by connecting them with volunteer dentists; Norma Guevara explained how to access services and volunteer opportunities.

Doctors Hector Munoz and Alex Zendejas take viewer questions about diabetes as part of April's initiative to address the widespread disease in the Rio Grande Valley.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS will educate locals while H-E-B and South Texas Health System offer free screenings (scheduling details available) this April.