The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal is all about highlighting the businesses, leaders, and stories that keep the Valley thriving.
The goal? To connect our communities and keep you in the know about the opportunities shaping the RGV’s future. From small businesses to major developments, the RGV Business Journal is your inside look at what’s happening across the Valley.
What It Takes to Earn a Living Wage in the Rio Grande Valley | RGVBJ Ep. 51
How much does it take to earn a living wage in the Rio Grande Valley? Julio Salinas, communication specialist for Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley, says recent figures put it at about $65,000 a year for a single person.In Episode 51 of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza kicks off a miniseries on workforce development with Salinas, whose board serves Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties. They talk about rising rent, why workers are leaving city jobs for fast food and side gigs, entry-level postings that demand years of experience, subsidized child care, free training grants for small businesses and the high-wage employers arriving at the Port of Brownsville.CHAPTERS0:00 Preview0:58 Meet Julio Salinas, Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley3:44 Valley wages and poverty, then and now4:27 Agriculture roots, H-2A workers and seasonal job training6:14 Out-of-state seasonal work: Iowa corn and Alaska fisheries7:26 When cities compete with Panda Express9:47 What is a living wage in the Valley?11:53 Landscaping vs. construction pay12:56 Rent, housing and the generational disconnect14:03 Labor market data for employers moving to the Valley15:19 Entry-level jobs that require experience17:10 Job descriptions and WorkInTexas19:22 Target occupations and worker shortages21:31 The soft skills employers say are missing23:13 Call center jobs and work from home24:15 Child care and the workforce ecosystem25:59 Training grants for small businesses27:17 Job fairs and 200-plus hiring events a year29:18 When will Valley wages catch up?30:36 Take-home pay vs. total compensation33:17 Port of Brownsville, SpaceX and new high-wage jobs38:46 H-1B visas and the construction skills gap41:39 Holiday hiring and consumer spending44:31 How job seekers and employers can connect46:36 Why Workforce Solutions is not a staffing agencyGUESTJulio Salinas, communication specialist, Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande ValleyHOSTKristen Mosbrucker-Garza, reporter, Rio Grande Valley Business JournalRead more:
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https://www.rgvbusinessjournal.com/#RioGrandeValley #Workforce #RGVBusinessJournal
28 Oct 2026
McAllen-Mexico City NonStop Flight Could Return | Jeremy Santoscoy, McAllen International Airport
The U.S. Department of Transportation has revoked the 2025 order that canceled Aeroméxico's nonstop flight between McAllen and Mexico City. RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza talks with McAllen International Airport Aviation Director Jeremy Santoscoy about what comes next: how long it takes to restart a route, which Mexico City airport it could serve, how fuel costs are shaping airline decisions and why the flight matters to the Rio Grande Valley economy.Read the full story at the Rio Grande Valley Business JournalChapters0:00 Following up on the DOT order1:06 DOT revokes the cancellation1:52 How long it takes to restart a route2:50 Federal approval for Mexican carriers4:10 Other airports and airlines affected5:26 Demand and how the route performed7:30 Travelers rerouting through Reynosa8:59 Which Mexico City airport?11:12 70% to 80% load factors12:27 Fuel costs and airline pullbacks13:55 Timeline: about six months15:09 $1.2 billion economic impact17:04 Connecting McAllen to Mexico City and beyondSubscribe for more on the South Texas and U.S.-Mexico border economy.Rio Grande Valley Business Journal | rgvbusinessjournal.com#McAllen #RGV #MexicoCity #Aeromexico #Aviation
19 Oct 2026
How SpaceX Is Reshaping the Rio Grande Valley | RGVBJ Podcast Ep. 48 with Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza and host Naxiely Lopez Puente on what SpaceX's $220 million offer means for Valley cities
Starbase is about a year and a half old and has grown from roughly 1,000 acres to about 8,000.
On Episode 49 of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, host Naxiely Lopez Puente talks with RGVBJ reporter Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza about how SpaceX and its company town are reshaping Cameron County.
They cover the Starbase EDC's $3 billion municipal bond strategy, SpaceX's $220 million water deal with Brownsville, a 45-year development agreement for 166 acres near the test launch pad, newly converted Rio Grande water rights, a lawsuit from property owners over launch-related damage, the Starpipe natural gas pipeline and what higher-wage jobs could mean for Valley workers.
Read the full transcript and our SpaceX coverage.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Preview
1:09 Introduction
1:49 Starbase: a brand-new city takes shape
3:13 Highway 4 widening and a new city hall
6:22 What's public and what's private
8:11 The Launch Point, Starbase's first public business
11:26 SpaceX's 54 acres on South Padre Island
13:30 The second causeway and the 700-acre land swap
6:03 A 45-year deal for 166 acres
17:47 Annexation to 8,000 acres
20:15 The Starbase EDC's $3 billion bond deal
21:19 Who can live in Starbase?25:21 Brownsville's $220 million water deal
31:23 Community benefits agreements and Harlingen's data center
33:30 SpaceX's Rio Grande water rights
39:49 Night construction and a private trucking road
42:54 Rocket launches, sonic booms and insurance
48:20 Powering Starbase: internet, natural gas and Starpipe
55:53 Jobs and wages
59:37 Wrap-up
Subscribe for weekly conversations on the business and economy of South Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border.
#SpaceX #Starbase #RioGrandeValley
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