Events Newsletter 9/2/25

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The Texas Tribune
September 05, 2025

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🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS


Sept. 24 | EDINBURG
Preserving the RGV’s economic miracle

The Rio Grande Valley region has helped power Texas’ economic growth in recent years. But the current political climate, drought and an uncertain global economy present new challenges.

On Sept. 24, Texas Tribune editor-in-chief Matthew Watkins will talk with local business leaders from Edinburg and McAllen about the outlook for the region and how to prepare the Valley for continued economic success.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Bob Anderson, vice president for supply chain and operations, Alps Alpine North America

  • Ramiro Garza, Jr., mayor of Edinburg

  • Nick Rhodes, president and CEO of Rhodes Enterprises

Doors open at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance at 11:30 a.m. and the one-hour conversation begins at noon. The Tribune will provide lunch and coffee.



Sept. 25 | BROWNSVILLE
Preparing the next generation of RGV workers

The Rio Grande Valley has gone high-tech, taking a leading role in the state’s space, advanced manufacturing and health care economy. What’s next for the next generation of RGV workers?

On Sept. 25, Texas Tribune editor-in-chief Matthew Watkins will talk with local business, education and political leaders to discuss how to prepare the region’s young people for the homegrown jobs of the future.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Guy Bailey, president, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

  • Andrea Figueroa Benton, director of community relations at NextDecade / Rio Grande LNG

  • LJ Francis, member, Texas State Board of Education

Doors open at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville at 11:30 a.m. and the one-hour conversation begins at noon. The Tribune will provide lunch.



🔔 WHAT YOU MISSED

TEXAS PUBLIC MEDIA HOPES TO REINVENT AFTER FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS

At a Texas Tribune event on Aug. 26, public broadcasting executives in Texas insisted that they remain optimistic after losing millions of federal dollars that helped sustain their stations, arguing the deficit allows them to reinvent themselves.

Speaking to The Texas Tribune’s editor in chief, Matthew Watkins, executives in publicly funded media organizations covering the news for rural and urban parts of the state said they would focus on rehabilitating their newsrooms’ connections to their audiences.

“Obviously, this is not the outcome that we wanted, but it’s the one that we have to deal with,” said Julie Grimes, general manager of Panhandle PBS, which broadcasts to 26 counties in western Texas, about 400,000 households. “I think this is a moment for us to grow and become stronger, because in the increasingly politically polarized environment that we live in, it’s good for stations to be as independent as possible.”


TRIBCAST: SID MILLER’S THC ENTANGLEMENTS

In this week’s episode of the Tribune’s podcast, TribCast, editor-in-chief Matthew Watkins and law and politics reporter Eleanor Klibanoff are joined by Texas Tribune investigative reporter Kate McGee to discuss her recent investigative reporting into Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his staff. Why did Miller hire a political aide for a top agency position after the aide pleaded guilty to commercial bribery? What did Miller’s staff tell investigators about his growing of hemp?

WATCH THE TRIBCAST CONVERSATION

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THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!  

Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Visit Brownsville

SPONSOR MESSAGES

Season subscriptions on sale for Inprint’s 2025/2026 season, bringing fascinating authors Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Salman Rushdie, George Saunders, and others to Texas.

Need an accommodation to make our event accessible? Email [email protected] at least three business days before the event.

Disclosure: The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization, is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism or in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning for Tribune events. Find a complete list of them here.