Roberto H. Gonzalez

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz and Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling visited Rio Farm Inc. in Monte Alto on Wednesday, Aug. 12, to tour the farm and discuss labor needs, agricultural workforce development and immigration policy affecting South Texas growers.

Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said Weslaco is studying ways to transform stormwater from a flood-control challenge into a long-term resource that could support agriculture, industry and future economic development.

Strengthening partnerships across Rio South Texas and northern Tamaulipas is essential to expanding manufacturing investment and workforce opportunities, COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress Chief Executive Officer Adam Gonzalez said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Clúster Eléctrico-Electrónico de Tamaulipas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visited a Walmart in Alamo ahead of the state’s tax-free weekend, promoting back-to-school savings while recognizing the retailer’s workforce training program and joining local leaders for the presentation of a $10,000 grant to PSJA Memorial.

Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said the City of Weslaco is seeking federal assistance for three major drainage projects while continuing to prepare engineering plans intended to reduce flooding and improve long-term infrastructure.

Promoting Rio South Texas as a unified economic region rather than a collection of individual communities is central to attracting new manufacturing investment, Rick Carrera, director of economic development for COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress, said during a presentation to the Clúster Eléctrico-Electrónico de Tamaulipas.

Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said Weslaco's strategy for reducing flooding centers on expanding a network of retention and detention facilities designed to capture stormwater before it reaches homes and neighborhoods.

The Clúster Eléctrico-Electrónico de Tamaulipas is working to strengthen collaboration among manufacturers, suppliers, educational institutions and government agencies to improve competitiveness and support long-term economic growth across northern Tamaulipas and Rio South Texas, President Sergio Arturo Treviño Ayala said during a meeting in McAllen.

Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said his administration has made drainage and infrastructure the city's top priority, launching a long-term strategy to replace decades of temporary flood-control measures with engineered solutions designed to protect residents and support future growth.

COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress and the Clúster Eléctrico-Electrónico de Tamaulipas signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on July 24 at the International Museum of Art & Science, establishing a partnership to strengthen manufacturing, workforce development and economic collaboration across Rio South Texas and northern Tamaulipas.