Author Archives: Henry Miller

Has been a writer/editor for more than 25 years. Was a syndicated writer for more than 130 newspapers and talent for 40 radio stations covering NASCAR during its heyday. Covered the 1996 Olympics for Thomson Newspapers. Has won more than 30 local, state and national writing and photography awards. Earned a communications degree from the Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio and an MBA from UTRGV. Teaches business classes for Wayland Baptist University. Covered stories including the blackout of the Northeast, Dale Earnhardt's death, the murder of Michael Jordan's dad and many other stories. A native of New York, he lives in McAllen with his 12-year-old daughter Camilla. He enjoys being a motivational speaker, playing sports, reading, cooking, coaching volleyball and, most of all, being with his 13-year-old daughter daughter Camilla, a volleyball and track star, and straight A student. He is also the youth director at his church, Christian Fellowship Church in McAllen.

Big Rigs on the Long Roads 

There have been technological advances in so many areas around the world, from commercial to residential. One thing that hasn’t changed as dramatically is transportation. Fifty years ago, big rigs were pounding the roads, delivering produce from coast to coast and border to border. Today, those 18-wheelers are doing the same thing. The insides and the panel instruments have all been upgraded to include GPS and many other new functions,…

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Building, Cooking From Scratch 

When Jovita Chase first moved with her mom to the Brownsville Coffee Shop No. 2’s current location, she remembers the excitement as a customer would walk in – any customer, even just one. “When we first opened where I am, I didn’t have much money, I couldn’t advertise and all we had was word of mouth,” she said. “Things were very difficult.” Now, 42 years later the 92-seat restaurant is…

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Sprinkler Systems: Making It Rain 

Alfonso Duarte has run his own sprinkler business – now called Duarte and Daughters – for 15 years. (VBR)

From October 2016 through March 2017 – just six months – the city of Seattle accumulated 44.67 inches of rain. Meanwhile, in Harlingen, Texas the annual average rainfall is just 27.5 inches. So it’s no wonder that when you do a search for companies that install and repair sprinkler systems, there are actually more in South Texas. “It’s a competitive business,” said Leticia Duarte, who is part-owner of Duarte and…

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Solar Screens are Hot in RGV

Rene Castro, owner of RRC Quality Solar Screens works on a custom-size solar screen for a client.

Rene Castro’s dad asked him a simple question – could Rene make a solar screen for one of the windows in the house. “I went to Home Depot, bought the material and made it,” Castro said. “Then he just said you should do this on the side. But I knew nothing about the solar screen business.” A few weeks later, he decided to start RRC Quality Solar Screens and now,…

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Vermillion Opens in Harlingen

Owners Iselle and George Perez opened their second Vermillion Restaurant, this one in Harlingen.

George Perez sits down at a table inside the recently opened Vermillion restaurant in Harlingen. He takes a taste of the ceviche that was just placed in front of him. The ceviche is as fresh as could be, the colors from the diced tomatoes, jalapenos and onion radiate from the plate, emphasizing the freshness. The chips that accompany them carry with them the warm smell of the oven. “We’re not…

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SiteLink conference brings major growth potential

Conference builds relationship between RGV and site selectors Site selectors are a group of experts who provide location strategy to corporations. They work across the globe and for every industry, sector and function. According to Rio South Texas Executive Director Matt Ruszczak, they are like “commercial real estate agents on steroids.” There are only a limited number of professional site selectors, according to Paige Webster, less than 300. Their role…

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Bait and Fishing Business a Life Source

The landscape will tell you that you are in a different place. Bait shops and bait stores, cabins, homes and apartments for rent – during the summer in most fishing cities — but here in Arroyo City, the weather is great for fishing year round. Fishing is the lifeblood of this town. Seated along the Arroyo Colorado, this similar-named city is all about fishing – and you’re almost a stone’s…

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Dry Cleaners: Keeping Clean, Doing it Right

Marty Moore looked down at the ruined pair of jeans in his hands, the jeans he had promised a first-time customer of D&M Cleaners to clean and just shrugged. “Looks like we bought these jeans,” he said as he stared at the black that ran all over the white designer jeans. “That’s the right thing to do.” Moore promptly called the customer and told her what happened. She returned to…

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Meat Markets provide Grade A choices

RGV meat markets provide fresh, local items Eliseo Castro has been with the Lopez family – Lopez Supermarkets in particular – for 50 years. He’s done and knows pretty much everything there is to know about the business or meat markets, working his way up from a bag boy to general manager of the five Lopez Supermarkets and the carnicera that they recently opened. He’s seen changes, markets come and…

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