Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

Mario Muñoz
  • 4.0 (4)
  • Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Official podcast for the Rio Grande Guardian, the first online newspaper to launch on the South Texas border, starting out in July, 2005. The Rio Grande Guardian has an excellent reputation for accurate and thorough news reporting, with a specialty for border business, legislative, political, healthcare, environment, and education issues.

  1. Harlingen city commissioners discuss naming a park in honor of Sgt. Arturo Treto Garza

    3d ago

    Harlingen city commissioners discuss naming a park in honor of Sgt. Arturo Treto Garza

    HARLINGEN, Texas - The City of Harlingen is to name a new park after Arturo Treto Garza, an influential leader in the movement to bring a Veteran's Hospital to the Rio Grande Valley and longtime columnist for the Rio Grande Guardian. Garza, a decorated U.S. Marine who fought in the Vietnam War, died in November 2012 aged 86. A former co-chair of the Veteran’s Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley, Garza edited the Guardian’s influential Veteran Voice column from 2007 right up until his death. Garza was a strong-willed and outspoken in the causes he believed in. One of his last columns for the Guardian, in October 2012, was titled: “Veteranos, Wake the F*** Up. It urged Rio Grande Valley veterans not to give up their fight for a VA hospital.  Upon his death, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn passed a resolution in Garza’s honor, saying he was proud to call Sgt. Garza a friend. “He will be remembered for his honorable service to our country, his fierce devotion to the veteran community in South Texas, and his tireless fight to improve health care services for veterans in the Rio Grande Valley,” Cornyn said. “My staff and I were privileged to have his thoughtful input on veterans’ issues for many years and his leadership in the Valley will be sorely missed.” Rio Grande Guardian Editor Steve Taylor said Valley veterans owe a great deal of gratitude to Garza for keeping veterans affairs front and center. “Treto was persistent. He knew what the goal was. He came to us in 2007 and asked if he could start writing a column and he never stopped writing. Through his columns he kept the politicians accountable,” Taylor said. Click here to read one of the Guardian’s tribute stories about Sgt. Garza. The new park that will be named after Garza is behind the fire station on Stuart Place Road. Plans include a basketball court, walking trail, solar lighting, and parking. The city says it will be the first park for people on the west side of the city. City leaders hope to add a splash pad later. The city commissioner who pushed to have the park named for Sgt. Garza was Rene Perez. He spoke about how it came about at a city commission meeting on July 1. Editor's Note: Attached is an audio recording on the discussion about naming the new park in honor of Sgt. Garza. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    12 min
  2. An interview with Region M Planning Group Chairman Jim Darling

    Jun 28

    An interview with Region M Planning Group Chairman Jim Darling

    WESLACO, Texas - The four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley have asked the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council to be part of a new water management plan for the region. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Management Plan aims to advance regional water solutions for the Valley. The plan is being funded by the North American Development Bank with Halff brought in as lead organizer. “We were recruited to participate in the RGV Water Management Plan advisory committee and the first meeting was held yesterday at the Rio Grande Valley Partnership,” said Manuel Cruz, executive director of LRGVDC, at the group’s July meeting.  “The project is being funded by NADBank. They hired a consultant, Halff Associates to create the plan; to develop a water management plan.” NADBank has produced a brochure that explains the plan. “The Water Management Plan for the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a coordinated regional effort to help communities, water providers, irrigation districts, groundwater districts, and elected officials to identify longterm sustainable water solutions,” the brochure states. “Led by the county commissioners of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties, in partnership with the North American Development Bank, the project will create a regional road map to strengthen water reliability, improve drought resistance, and enhance coordination across the four-county region.” Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    7 min
  3. An interview with Judge Aurelio Guerra and LRGVDC Executive Director Manuel Cruz

    Jun 28

    An interview with Judge Aurelio Guerra and LRGVDC Executive Director Manuel Cruz

    WESLACO, Texas - The four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley have asked the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council to be part of a new water management plan for the region. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Management Plan aims to advance regional water solutions for the Valley. The plan is being funded by the North American Development Bank with Halff brought in as lead organizer. “We were recruited to participate in the RGV Water Management Plan advisory committee and the first meeting was held yesterday at the Rio Grande Valley Partnership,” said Manuel 'Manny' Cruz, executive director of LRGVDC, at the group’s July meeting.  “The project is being funded by NADBank. They hired a consultant, Halff Associates to create the plan; to develop a water management plan.” NADBank has produced a brochure that explains the plan. “The Water Management Plan for the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a coordinated regional effort to help communities, water providers, irrigation districts, groundwater districts, and elected officials to identify longterm sustainable water solutions,” the brochure states “Led by the county commissioners of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties, in partnership with the North American Development Bank, the project will create a regional road map to strengthen water reliability, improve drought resistance, and enhance coordination across the four-county region.” Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian's website to read the full story. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    4 min
  4. Garcia: McAllen EDC is being 'very strategic' with its visits

    Jun 24

    Garcia: McAllen EDC is being 'very strategic' with its visits

    MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen Economic Development Corporation is being very strategic on the visits it is making to secure new opportunities for the region, the group’s chief operating officer has explained. Ralph Garcia gave a very brief update on MEDC’s work at their quarterly stakeholders committee meeting on June 18. “We have some projects on the Mexico side, but the majority are US-side projects,” Garcia said. “We continue to see new leads developing, and then also, as we're doing some of our visits, we're being very strategic on our visits that we're doing with companies that are existing in the market, to identify opportunities, and even particular projects they can be working on internally that we can try and attract to the region. So we're working very aggressively with that.” This strategy worked well with Valeo. The French high-tech auto parts manufacturer has a plant in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas. When it developed plans to build a $225 million plant in the United States, MEDC worked hard to ensure they landed the new project. The two guest speakers at the stakeholders committee meeting were Juan Olaguibel, assistant city manager and superintendent of bridges for the City of McAllen and Jorge Torres, president of Interlink Trade Services. Olaguibel spoke largely about developments at Anzalduas International Bridge and Torres spoke largely about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Because their presentations went long, with numerous questions asked by stakeholders, Garcia kept his report short. Here is an audio recording of the report. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    1 min
  5. Howell: City of Mercedes to name a street after civil rights hero Hector P. Garcia

    Jun 22

    Howell: City of Mercedes to name a street after civil rights hero Hector P. Garcia

    A few months ago, an idea sparked in my heart: to honor Dr. Hector P. Garcia with a street designation in his hometown of Mercedes.  Tonight, I’m happy to share that the initiative has officially been approved.  This effort has been a true community project. What began as a proposal grew into meetings, letters of support, public input, a committee process, and ultimately a community conversation about how we honor one of our hometown heroes.  Dr. Hector P. Garcia was a World War II veteran, physician, civil rights leader, founder of the American GI Forum, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and a proud Mercedes High School graduate. His impact reached far beyond South Texas, but his story will always be connected to Mercedes.  I am grateful every member of the City Commission, my fellow sub committee members, the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Foundation, the Mercedes Memorial Library, everyone who participated in the public survey, and all those who supported this effort along the way.  This is a reminder that local government can do meaningful things when communities come together around a common purpose. Now, we move on to the implementation phase and look forward to the day we officially unveil the designation and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Hector P. Garcia for generations to come. Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Skyler Howell, a member of the board of the Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation. The column first appeared on Howell’s social media pages.  Editor’s Note: Here, attached, is an audio recording of an interview the Rio Grande Guardian secured with Skyler Howell last month about his initiative: Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    5 min
  6. New World screwworm has reached Texas. Agriculture Secretary Rollins responds.

    Jun 4

    New World screwworm has reached Texas. Agriculture Secretary Rollins responds.

    WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has responded to news that the New World screwworm has reached Texas. She said she has sent a strike team to the South Texas border to assist. The parasitic fly could put Texas’ $15 billion cattle industry in jeopardy. The USDA tested a sample from La Pryor in Zavala County at the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, lowa. It was at the laboratory that the infestation of a three-week old calf, was confirmed, Rollins said during a press conference about the case.  No other cases have been confirmed thus far.  Here is an audio recording of a press call Rollins made to Texas media on the evening of June 3. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    16 min
  7. An interview with Dr. Bricia ElAwar, an environmental leader with Rotary International

    May 29

    An interview with Dr. Bricia ElAwar, an environmental leader with Rotary International

    WESLACO, Texas - The city of Rio Bravo in Tamaulipas has more than 250 illegal dumping sites, says an environmentalist with Rotary International. Dr. Bricia ElAwar, chairwoman of the environmental committee for Rotary District 5330 in Riverside, California, has led efforts to clear the dumps.  She first visited the city 18 months ago and returned this past weekend with over 100 volunteers to help Mayor Miguel Ángel Almaraz Maldonado with his clean-up efforts. “Mayor Almaraz has been doing amazing things. He has already cleaned up over 100 illegal dumps." “The beautiful thing is he is working in the middle of a very dangerous city and he's doing amazing things. He can be example to mayors around the world, in terms of a government dealing with environmental challenges.” On her first visit to Rio Bravo, ElAwar and her team cleaned up a lagoon so that butterflies, birds, fish could return. But, once the Rotary members left more trash was dumped there.  “I asked to the Rotarians to set up a meeting with the mayor. He said he would give us 15 minutes of his time but we stayed for one and a half hours. The mayor brought in eight new trucks to collect the trash.” ElAwar continued: “These lagoons can be beautiful for ecologic biodiversity. It is a great habitat for birds and the Monarch butterfly. If we protect our natural resources, I think mankind can have hope. Right now, I feel like Rotarians believe in what we're doing, and I think some governments are starting to have conscience about protecting their own communities too.” ElAwar said that for Rotarians, working on environmental issues goes “hand-in-hand” with efforts to secure world peace, having a humane migration policy, and fighting disease. “Everything is connected and working with the government is key,” she said. Asked how her environmental group came about, ElAwar said: “During the pandemic, COVID 19, I had many sleepless nights. I kept thinking of my family in Mexico that I could not see. I decided to take action. I had previously been in so many countries, helping so many people around the world. I thought, why not help Mexico? “I wanted to connect with people who are passionate about the river, people who care about their families, and I wanted to have a heart to heart conversation with governments in many (border) cities.” Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    9 min
  8. RGV leaders educate the public about New World screwworm

    May 20

    RGV leaders educate the public about New World screwworm

    WESLACO, Texas - In an effort to educate and inform the public, the county judges from Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy and Cameron counties held a joint press conference about the New World screwworm.  The press conference took place Monday, May 18 at the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council offices in Weslaco. The county judges present were Richard Cortez of Hidalgo, Eddie Treviño, Jr., of Cameron, Eloy Vera of Starr, and Aurelio ‘Keter’ Guerra of Willacy. Joining them were experts and representatives from state agencies and partner organizations that will be on the front lines of the response should a case arise in Texas. Participating agencies included the Texas Animal Health Commission, the Department of State Health Services, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. The New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, humans. The parasite has recently spread north through Central America into Mexico and continues to move toward the southern United States. The press conference provided information on how to recognize potential cases, the steps being taken to prepare for its possible arrival, and the coordinated response efforts that will be implemented if a case is detected. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

    31 min
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About

Official podcast for the Rio Grande Guardian, the first online newspaper to launch on the South Texas border, starting out in July, 2005. The Rio Grande Guardian has an excellent reputation for accurate and thorough news reporting, with a specialty for border business, legislative, political, healthcare, environment, and education issues.

Information

  • Creator
    Mario Muñoz
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast
  • Show Website
    Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast