🍖 RGV BBQ Legend Named James Beard Semifinalist! 🏆🔥

A huge congratulations to George Watts III of GW's BBQ Catering Co. in San Juan, who has just been named a Semifinalist for the 2026 James Beard Awards (Best Chef: Texas).

The James Beard Awards are the 'Oscars of the Food World.' This year, George is the ONLY chef or restaurant from the entire Rio Grande Valley to make the list, putting San Juan on the national map alongside heavy hitters from Houston and Austin.

📍 Location: GW's BBQ Catering Co. 107 N Nebraska Ave, San Juan, TX

COLD FRONT BRINGING FREEZING TEMPS TO RGV THIS WEEKEND
National Weather Service Brownsville reports that a cold front is forecast to sweep through the Rio Grande Valley this weekend, ushering in much colder air starting Saturday afternoon. Residents across the region should prepare for temperatures that are expected to drop below freezing during the early morning hours on both Sunday and Monday.

📷 NWS Brownsville

CAMERON COUNTY CONFIRMS DATA CENTER NEGOTIATIONS EAST OF AIRPORT

Cameron County officials have officially confirmed they are conducting due diligence for a massive data center project proposed for 1,800 acres east of Valley International Airport. While County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. released a statement emphasizing that no "formal business proposal" or permitting applications have been submitted yet, Cameron County Economic Development Director Ramiro Aleman confirmed in a separate interview that county officials have been in discussions with the developers for several months. The statement also noted that the county has limited legal authority to restrict businesses that comply with state standards, though officials are reviewing environmental studies regarding water and energy consumption.
https://myrgv.com/local-ne...

Two RGV Residents Just Claimed $1 Million Each! 💸

Two separate residents from the Rio Grande Valley have officially claimed $1 MILLION top prizes from the Texas Lottery.

A San Benito resident became an instant millionaire after purchasing a winning 'Instant Millions' ticket.
📍 Sold at: Stooky Mart (1608 E. Business 77, San Benito)

A resident from Rio Grande City also claimed a $1 Million prize, but they struck gold while out of town! Their winning 'Million Dollar Loteria' ticket was purchased in San Antonio.
📍 Sold at: H-E-B Food Store 427 (SW Military Dr, San Antonio)

Both winners chose to remain anonymous

Edinburg, Texas
Residents in Edinburg took the opportunity at Tuesdays Commission meeting to voice that they do not want data centers in their city. During the public comment session, speakers Joe Rodriguez and Marilyn Lara urged the council to reconsider development, citing serious concerns about increased cancer risks, grid instability, and water scarcity in the Rio Grande Valley. Drawing comparisons to the "Colossus" supercomputer in Tennessee and the environmental impact of Starbase in Brownsville, residents questioned who would bear the financial liability for potential grid failures and emphasized that the promise of tech innovation should not come at the expense of community health.
Despite "closed-loop" cooling claims, fears remain that data centers will tap into the scarce RGV water supply, alongside concerns of rolling blackouts and rate increases to support the crypto/AI load.
Notably, because this feedback was delivered during the public comment section, the City Council was legally restricted from responding to the speakers during the meeting.

IT’S OFFICIAL: The 2026 UTRGV Football Schedule is Here! 🏈

Mark your calendars, RGV! The 2026 schedule just dropped, and it is packed. 🗓️🔥

🚨 THE BIGGEST NEWS: We are taking the 956 to the 210! 🚗💨 Sept 5 vs. UTSA at the Alamodome. Start planning the caravans now!

The Top 20 Alcohol Sellers in the RGV for 2025

The numbers are in from the State Comptroller.
We dug into the official 2025 data from the State Comptroller, and we have the results for you.

Twin Peaks McAllen takes the crown as the undisputed King of the 956, selling over $3.4 Million in alcohol alone.

THE TOP 20 LIST:

Twin Peaks (McAllen) — $3.41M

Clayton’s Beach Bar (SPI) — $2.84M

Longboard Bar & Grill (SPI) — $2.59M

Oak Texas Bar & Grill North (McAllen) — $2.58M

Yard House (McAllen) — $2.34M

Hidalgo Arena (Hidalgo) — $2.29M

Howling Rabbits Beer Works (McAllen) — $2.20M

Buffalo Wings & Rings (McAllen) — $2.20M

Tequila Sunset (SPI) — $2.14M

Suerte Bar & Grill Uptown (McAllen) — $2.13M

Oak Texas Bar & Grill South (McAllen) — $2.11M

Margaritaville Beach Resort (SPI) — $1.95M

Quarterdeck (SPI) — $1.90M

Louie's Backyard (SPI) — $1.80M

'76 Bar and Kitchen (McAllen) — $1.75M

Lucky Barrel (Brownsville) — $1.71M

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina (McAllen) — $1.70M

Tipsy Tavern (Harlingen) — $1.68M

Bar Louie (SPI) — $1.66M

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina (Brownsville) — $1.62M

McAllen, Texas

FIRST IN THE VALLEY: The wait is finally over. Nordstrom Rack is coming to the RGV! 🛍️👠 Nordstrom Rack has filed permits to open its first-ever store in McAllen, anchoring the Las Tiendas Shopping Center.

The $3,600,000 project involves the major renovation of a 30,561-square-foot retail box at 700 E Expressway 83.

Construction is scheduled to begin on May 7, 2026, with a target completion date of December 7, 2026, aiming for a Holiday 2026 grand opening.

📍 700 E Expressway 83, McAllen, TX 78503

The RGV FTP Alliance (FTPA) is hosting a massive Candidate Forum in McAllen! This is your chance to hear directly from local leaders and candidates about border policy, health access, and the economic future of our region.

The evening kicks off with LIVE MUSIC followed by a no-script, no-filter dialogue with local candidates.

🗓️ Sunday, January 18, 2026 🕓 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM 📍 Cine El Rey, McAllen, TX (311 S 17th St)

Featured Musical Performances:

Amani

Niccale

Orpheus Bloom

Hypnoticss

🎟️ Admission is FREE, but registration is required! Scan the QR code on the flyer or use the link below to secure your spot.

✨ RGV CONCERT ALERT! ✨

Relive the 90s with the Latin Pop Queen! Fey is bringing her Hits Tour: 30 Aniversario to McAllen to celebrate three decades of hits like “Azúcar amargo” and “Media Naranja.”

Here are the details for this nostalgic night:
🗓️ Thursday, March 19, 2026
🕗 8:00 PM
📍 McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen, TX

Tickets are available now!

Don't miss the chance to see this undisputed classic live!
🎟️ https://www.ticketmaster.c...

🚨 MCLOVIN IS COMING TO THE RGV! 🆔😎

It’s official! South Texas Comic Con just dropped a massive guest announcement. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka McLovin from Superbad, Red Mist from Kick-Ass, and Fishlegs from How to Train Your Dragon) will be in McAllen!

🗓️ When: April 24-26, 2026
📍McAllen Convention Center
📸 Appearing: All 3 Days!

California vibes coming to McAllen! 🎸

The Santa Ana based indie-rock band Surely Tempo is bringing their "Dance While You Can" tour to the RGV! If you're a fan of garage rock and big melodic hooks, you don't want to miss this one.

Joining them are local favorites Cannon the Dealers and The Culture!

🗓️ Sunday, January 25, 2026
🕗 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
📍 The Gremlin, McAllen (322 S 16th St)
🎟️ Tickets: $15 (General Admission)
🔗 https://www.tixtree.com/e/...

Get ready, RGV! The 7th Annual 4EVA RGV Toy Drive is happening soon, and it features a huge special guest!

Join the fun and meet WWE Superstar Victoria Gonzalez (AKA Raquel Rodriguez), who will be the guest of honor! Hosted by prolifek.

This is a day of giving back and having fun, featuring:

🎁 FREE Toys

🍔 FREE Food

🎅 FREE Pictures with Santa!

Bring the whole family for this incredible event!

🗓️ Sunday, December 21st, 2025
⏰ Starts at 4:00 PM
📍 216 E I-2 Frontage Rd, Pharr, TX 78577

Elon Musk confirms SpaceX is going public!

The biggest company in the RGV is hitting the stock market. After years of keeping SpaceX private, Elon Musk has officially confirmed a report by Ars Technica’s Eric Berger that the aerospace giant plans to go public.

When asked about the report stating SpaceX is preparing for an IPO, Musk replied simply on X:
"As usual, Eric is accurate."
We went from "No IPO" to "Accurate" in 4 days.

https://arstechnica.com/sp...

🚨 RGV CONCERT ALERT! 🚨

Get ready for Humbe! He is bringing his tour to the Valley next spring! 🎤

🗓️ Sunday, March 22, 2026
🕗 8:00 PM
📍 McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen, TX

TICKETS GO ON SALE THIS WEEK!

Pre-Sale: Wednesday, December 10 at 10:00 AM CST

General On-Sale: Friday, December 12 at 10:00 AM CST

Set your reminder so you don't miss out! Tag a friend you want to take! 👇

🎟️
https://www.ticketmaster.c...

McAllen, Texas
We’ve received a lot of questions about the new medical facility on Pecan & McColl. “Wasn’t it supposed to be MD Anderson?” 🤔

Here is the full breakdown of what just opened in our backyard.

This is the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center a massive $151 million investment owned and operated by UTRGV.

UTRGV officially engaged MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide "advisory services". That means the world’s #1 cancer experts helped design the clinical operations and recruit the doctors.

The doors are open now! The facility has already begun a soft launch for select services. However, it will continue rolling out new departments over the next few months and is scheduled to be fully operational by Q1 2026.

📍 Address: 1400 N. Commerce Center St., McAllen (Between Jackson & McColl)

McAllen, Texas
The Monitor has found its new home. We have confirmed that the newspaper's new office will be located at the Trenton Crossing Shopping Center (7600 N 10th St) in McAllen.

The move comes after the paper sold its large Nolana headquarters to UTRGV earlier this year. The new location, which is undergoing a finish out, solidifies the paper's shift to a digital first, streamlined operation.

The RGV just produced two finalists for the most prestigious Freshman award in the nation!

Two UTRGV football players have been named finalists for the 2025 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the FCS Freshman Player of the Year.

Freshman wide receiver Tony Diaz and freshman linebacker Jaiden Haygood are among only 25 finalists nationwide. This award has previously been won by stars like Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.

Tony Diaz (WR): Led the Vaqueros with 11 touchdowns and 875 receiving yards.

Jaiden Haygood (LB): Led the team with 102 tackles and had six games with double-figure tackles.

The recipient will be announced on December 3. Let's go, Vaqueros! Show some pride for our local talent!🧡

🔥 RGV CONCERT ALERT! 🔥

Panter Bélico is coming to the Valley next spring! 🎤

🗓️ Saturday, March 21, 2026
🕗 8:00 PM
📍 Payne Arena, Hidalgo, TX

Don't miss out! Tag a friend who needs to go! 👇

🎫 Secure your tickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.c...

A few hours ago, the selection committee met and unfortunately, despite a historic 9-3 inaugural season, the Vaqueros were not selected for the 2025 FCS Playoffs.

This result does not diminish the incredible success of the first year of the program! The UTRGV Vaqueros finished with a phenomenal 9-3 overall record and set the standard with a perfect 6-0 home season!

👇🔗 Playoff Bracket Link

The UTRGV Vaqueros dominate East Texas A&M with a 33-14 victory!

Teamwork in action 🤝

Over the weekend, the newly formed Starbase Volunteer Fire Department teamed up with Cameron County volunteers to install free smoke alarms for Harlingen residents.

Great to see this kind of collaboration happening in the RGV!

McAllen, Texas

The new "Parke at Nolana" shopping center has landed another massive anchor! 🛍️ Academy Sports + Outdoors is officially building a new $6.5 million, 53,561-square-foot store at 3300 W Nolana Ave.

This will be the second Academy location in McAllen and joins a growing list of tenants for the new development, including the RGV's first Bojangles, Ross Dress For Less, Burlington, and Five Below.

Construction on the new retail building is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2026, with a target completion date of July 24, 2026.

📍 3300 W Nolana Ave., Mcallen, TX 78504

A new full service Veterans Hospital could be coming to the RGV.

In honor of Veterans Day, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) has introduced the "Sgt. Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Gonzalez Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Act."

The legislation would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a new Veterans hospital right here in the Rio Grande Valley.

If passed, the new facility would be named in honor of RGV hero and Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Gonzalez of Edinburg, who was posthumously awarded the nation's highest honor for his heroic actions in the Vietnam War.

Big news for RGV foodies! We can confirm that Layne's Chicken Fingers is officially planning its Rio Grande Valley debut.

A major franchisee, Ricki Oberoi, has signed a 12 UNIT deal, with the very first location planned to open in the RGV by mid-2026.

Oberoi, a veteran operator with nearly 50 Wendy's, noted he was impressed by the brand's quality and the fact that their chicken is halal. This is a huge, multi-store investment for the area!

As always, we will keep an eye on this and let you know as soon as a specific city or address is filed. Where in the RGV do you want to see the first one?

It's that time of year!

Shout out to RGV.me fan Guillermo Esparza for sending us this picture from the Palmhurst McDonald's .

The McRib is officially BACK in the RGV for a limited time!

San Antonio, Texas
Chick-fil-A is testing a BRAND NEW Chicken & Waffles sandwich, and San Antonio is one of the only two cities nationwide to get it! 🧇🍗
Now, we know it's not in the RGV, but if you're headed that way in December or January, we thought we'd let you know!
San Antonio locations will be serving up the BREAKFAST version only, while supplies last, from December 1st to January 24th. (The only other test city is Baltimore).

COMING SOON: A $15 million investment in RGV health! 🏥

Big news for the region: DHR Health and the University of Houston (UH) are partnering to build a new medical research center right here in the Valley.

This major $15 million facility marks a significant expansion for the University of Houston in South Texas. The center will reportedly focus on key health issues that directly impact the RGV community, such as diabetes, obesity, and other health disparities.

This partnership aims to boost local medical research, advance healthcare, and create a new pipeline for Valley students and professionals. More details to come!

What a game!
UTRGV takes down Nicholls 28-21 in a thrilling victory at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium!

Heads up RGV travelers ✈️
The FAA has announced flight capacity reductions in 40 markets, including major hubs like Dallas (DFW/DAL) and Houston (IAH/HOU), starting today, November 7, due to the federal government shutdown. While both the Brownsville (BRO) and Harlingen (VIA) airports report that they are fully staffed and under normal operations, these national reductions will likely impact connecting flights. All passengers are strongly advised to contact their airline directly or continuously monitor their airline's website or app for the most up to date and accurate information regarding their flight status.