Texas A&M University’s College of Architecture and the Dwight Look College of Engineering are excited to be co-sponsoring the First Dialogo on the Border conference to take place this coming April 19-20 in Brownsville, Texas.

Dialogos (Spanish for “dialogues”) have been held around the United States to identify critical planning issues affecting Latino communities and Latino Planners (as an initiative of the Latinos and Planning Division of the American Planning Association). While our proposed Dialogo on the Border emerges from this effort, this dialogue is a multidisciplinary event.

Who should participate: planners, architects, researchers, community leaders, professors, political leaders, community and grassroots organizations, students, environmental leaders, public officials, technical experts, school districts, law enforcement personnel, funding and charity organizations, and in general ALL interested citizens that will work collaboratively to develop solutions that might improve living conditions in border areas.

What to expect: presentations by experts in the field, active discussions on theory and how it can be applied on real problems; best practice examples, hands-on workshops, local tours to key projects, and a broad exchange of ideas and initiatives.

Where: at the International Technology, Education and Commerce Center (ITEC) located at 301 Mexico Blvd. in Brownsville, Texas.

We are working on building a diverse and supportive national network of planning, community, and policy professionals to address the many issues affecting communities around the county

BROWNSVILLE, TX — The Brownsville Convention & Visitors Bureau (BCVB) joins thousands of travel and leisure organizations and communities across the nation in celebrating National Tourism Week throughout May 4-12. The BCVB will carry this message to the people of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley by hostings the Brownsville, Always a Fiesta! Tourist Attractions Showcase to honor the impact that tourism has on our community.

Mariano Ayala, President and CEO of Brownsville Convention & Visitors Bureau and coordinator of the event, says, “Everyone recognizes the value that tourism has on our community. National Tourism Week offers us a chance to celebrate the often overlooked economic, educational, and civic engagement values that tourism impart in our daily lives.”

Everyone in the community is encouraged to participate in what has become this country’s largest annual collective celebration of tourism. The event will be held Saturday, May 4th, 2013 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Brownsville Information Center located on the corner of Frontage Rd and 650 Ruben M. Torres Sr. Blvd. Event attendees will get a chance to discover some of the attractions and businesses that play a role in making Brownsville one of the most sought after travel destination South of San Antonio.

As part of the event attendees will receive a “Brownsville Tourist Passbook” to encourage visits to Brownsville local attractions. Once the passbook requirements have been completed participants will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win door prizes including an iPad mini, membership to attractions, or restaurant vouchers for free meals.

The first full week of May is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Localized events are presented in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of travel. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.

To recognize Texas’ robust travel industry and its important contributions to the state economy, Governor Perry designated May 5-13 as Texas Travel and Tourism Week. Texas continues to be one of the nation’s leading travel destinations. Travel and tourism is one of the state’s largest industries, with 208.3 million domestic travelers visiting Texas destinations in 2011.

The dates for the tours are:

Historic Downtown Walking Tour with Dr. Anthony Knopp on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 11 a.m. Guests will meet at the Brownsville Heritage Complex on Washington Street.

Fort Brown Walking Tour with Mr. James Mills on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 11 a.m. Guests will meet at the Brownsville Heritage Complex on Washington Street.

For more information on BHA exhibitions and programs, please call 956-541-5560.

When: Kids at the Movies: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18

Where: Kids at the Movies: Cinemark 16 at Sunrise Mall, Expressway 77 and Ruben Torres Boulevard, Brownsville

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College celebrates the holiday season with two events.

The university’s College of Biomedical Sciences and Health Professions, the Brownsville Independent School District, the Order of the Alhambra, the Order of the Redmen and H.E.B. will unite for the 15th annual Kids at the Movies from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18. About 1,300 BISD special need students will visit Cinemark 16 at Sunrise Mall in Brownville to watch the movie “Madagascar 3.” Several university students will assist the students throughout their movie experience. After the screening, many of the students will eat lunch and take a tour of the mall.

For more information on Kids at the Movies, call Dr. Eldon Nelson in the College of Biomedical Sciences and Health Professions at 956-882-5000.

What: UTB and TSC 21st annual Toy Drive

Where: Toy Drive: Stillman Town Hall at Jacob Brown Auditorium, International Boulevard, Brownsville

The 21st annual Toy Drive will benefit students from Skinner Elementary School in Brownsville. Students will receive toys collected by the campus community. Santa Claus will also make an appearance at the 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19 event at Stillman Town Hall at Jacob Brown Auditorium.

For more information on the toy event contact Maria Ruth Torres, Director of the Fort Brown Memorial Center, at 956-882-4157.

The new year will offer patrons a rich array of music and dance to the Signature Series at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

Standout jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris will bring his program entitled “90 Miles” on Saturday, Jan. 19 In “90 Miles” the distance from the Key West to Cuba, Harris explores the possibilities of his signature instrument with David Sanchez on saxophone and Christian Scott on trumpet.

Another dose of Latin tradition — this time with classical as well as Caribbean roots — is served up Thursday, Feb. 7 in a performance by the Dalí String Quartet. The show features works by both South American and classical composers.

“Tradition” is also a hit song from the Broadway musical classic “Fiddler on the Roof,” coming Thursday, March 7 to The Arts Center. Theater-lovers will be singing along to favorites tunes such as “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset” in this production featuring Broadway veteran Jimmy Ferraro as Tevye.

Oaxacan-born Latin Grammy winner Lila Downs is scheduled to perform Saturday, April 6 in a show that features traditional Mexican music as well as original compositions with her band, La Misteriosa. Downs, who performed the Oscar-nominated song “Burn It Blue,” from a film biography of Frida Kahlo, also has performed in the soundtracks of several other feature films, including “Real Women Have Curves” and “Tortilla Soup.”

The season ends with a multi-sensory Indian flourish Saturday, April 27 with the dance production of “Ragamala: Sacred Earth.” A mesmerizing journey into the Indian arts that includes an optional, reservation-only Indian dinner, this performance celebrates the natural world with live music, dance and costume. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 and there is limited seating. Purchase tickets by calling 956-UTB-TKTS or 882-8587.

This is the Signature Series’ third season at The Arts Center, UTB and TSC’s state-of-the-art performance hall. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m

A special five show package, one ticket for each of the five shows is available for the balcony and orchestra at a special price of $150 for the balcony and $175 for orchestra.

Tickets may be purchased online at utb.edu/artscenter, or by calling 956-UTB-TKTS, 882-8587.

Feeling outdoorsy this weekend? Here are a few family friendly ideas to enjoy during the weekend!

Gladys Porter Zoo

Take a stroll though the beautiful Gladys Porter Zoo, an oasis nestled in South Texas with 26 acres of lush tropical plants and over 1300 animals featuring three generations of gorillas.

Resaca de la Palma State Park

Brownsville’s Resaca de la Palma State Park boasts the largest tract of native habitat in the World Birding Center network. Over eight miles of trails curve through 1,200 acres of Tamaulipan thornscrub, sugar hackberry, ebony-anacua and grasslands. Four observation decks overlook the resaca.

Sabal Palm Sanctuary

Sabal Palm Sanctuary: From strolling through the country’s last remaining stand of old-growth sabal palm forest, home to many spectacular plant and animal species, to exploring one of the last historic river plantation homes along the Rio Grande, Sabal Palm Sanctuary offers natural and cultural history experiences for everyone. Open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Fishing at Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp

Improvements include the construction of a 55′ x 10′ lighted fishing pier and the construction of a 20′ x 6′ permanent kayak launching area. The fishing pier is a public fishing pier that offers a safe place to fish. The pier will be lighted with solar lighting to protect the environment and allow fishing at night. The pier and proposed kayak launching area will exceed ADA guidelines and give individuals with disabilities the ability to safely access and enjoy these amenities.

The Brownsville Historical Association offices will be operating under special hours for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

The Brownsville Heritage Complex will be opened and closed on the following days:

Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Thursday & Friday: CLOSED
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Old City Cemetery Center will be opened and closed on the following days:

Wednesday – Friday: CLOSED
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: CLOSED

Market Square Research Center will be closed on the following days:

Wednesday – Sunday: CLOSED

The auditorium at The Arts Center at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College will be filled with beautiful music when The Bravo Opera Company, the university’s premiere operatic music and stage group under the direction of Carol J. Sachs, perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18 as part of the 28th season of Patron of the Arts.

“Our goal for the evening is for our audiences to have an enjoyable evening or afternoon watching these scenes and take with them a deeper appreciation and love of the art-form,” said Sachs.

The company’s repertoire for the evening will include scenes from Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado” and “Pirates of Penzance”; Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods,” and “Sunday in the Park with George”; and Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and “Candide”.

“Opera has a long, rich history that has survived for hundreds of years,” said Sachs. “These stories and music continue to delight audiences around the world, transcending language and nationality.”

The night will include more contemporary opera pieces, all in English, that Sachs said she hopes will appeal to more mainstream audiences in the community.

“The works by Sondheim and Bernstein are often included in the repertoire of opera companies and are considered as ‘cross-over’ stage productions,” said Sachs. “For some people, the word ‘opera’ has a negative connotation; my hope is that we can change their opinion and help them see that opera can be fun as well as beautiful.”

The fifty member strong opera company’s performance will include the final opera performances by senior opera students and music education majors Jason Whitney and Jessica Rosas.

Whitney said he has seen the Bravo Opera Company grow at an astounding rate since he joined in the fall of 2008.

“The set design and production values compared to when I started are on another level,” said Whitney, 22. “The whole experience expands and grows every fall. This performance is going to be really great, visually.”

Whitney will play the title role in the selections from Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado”; he said the Mikado might be one of his favorite roles that he’s played. Rosas will perform as fellow lead character, Yum-Yum, the love interest of the Mikado’s son, Nanki-Poo, and the most beautiful girl in the village during “The Mikado.”

“From the songs we’ll be performing on Saturday, my favorite song from ‘The Mikado’ is ‘The Sun Whose Rays are all Ablaze,’” said Rosas.

Rosas is an international student from Mexico. She said that being in the Bravo Opera Company has made her more confident in her English, her skills as a performer and made her overall more comfortable on the stage.

The two students said they hoped that the audience would appreciate the hard work that goes into each performance.

“We want the audience to enjoy the show, have a laugh and have fun,” said Whitney. “Our show is definitely worth the price of admission to watch.”

For more information, contact Patron of the Arts at 956-882-7025 or Patron@utb.edu

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS- NOVEMBER 13, 2012- The Gladys Porter Zoo Docent Council presents Guitarist Edgar Cruz in Concert at 7p.m. on Friday, November 16 in the Zoo’s Special Events Building.

Each year Edgar Cruz performs more than 200 concerts and has played throughout America, Europe and South America. He has been a headliner at the prestigious Chet Atkins Guitar Festival every July in Nashville since 1995 and is a strong icon at major festivals in Oklahoma.

Those who have witnessed Cruz’s performance immediately become entranced at the precision, speed and complexity with which his fingers strike the strings of his guitar to create a symphony of sound unusual to just one instrument.

This fundraising event will support international conservation programs and support special projects that promote volunteerism and guest experiences at the Gladys Porter Zoo.

Tickets are now on sale for $50 in the Zoo office. For more information contact Margaret Valle at (956) 350-8875. For a preview to Edgar Cruz’s performances please visit his YouTube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/edgarcruzguitar

The Brownsville Heritage Complex, in historic downtown Brownsville, invites the public to 8th Annual Haunted History Walking Tours with UTB/TSC Professor Dr. Anthony Knopp, BHA Collections Manager Javier Garcia and City of Brownsville Heritage Officer Joe Gavito on Thursday evenings in October. The tours are $5 for BHA members and $10 each for non-members. Members must show current BHA membership card in order to receive the discounted admission. Refreshments are included in the price of admission.

Participants in the tour will learn the haunted history, legends and folktales associated with some of Brownsville’s most historic sites.

The first walking tour is a tour of Historic Downtown Brownsville scheduled for Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. This tour is led by City of Brownsville Heritage Officer Joe Gavito. Participants will meet at the Brownsville Heritage Museum for this tour.

The second walking tour is a Fort Brown Walking Tour scheduled for Thursday, October 18 at 6:30 pm. This tour is led by BHA Collections Manager Javier Garcia. Participants will meet at the Brownsville Heritage Museum for this tour.

The last walking tour is an Old City Cemetery Walking Tour scheduled for Thursday, October 25 at 6:30 pm. This tour is led by UTB/TSC Professor Dr. Anthony Knopp. Participants will meet at the Old City Cemetery Center for this tour.

The activity is designed for adults and older children. Younger children may attend if accompanied by an adult.

Space is limited and advanced reservations and payment are highly suggested.

The Brownsville Heritage Complex is located in historic downtown Brownsville at 1325 E. Washington St. The Brownsville Heritage Complex includes Stillman House, Brownsville Heritage Museum, Aiken Education Center, and Preservation Resource Center.

For more information please call 956-541-5560.