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Online Acting Class at Pharr Community Theater this month

Ensemble of actors at PCTThe Pharr Community Theater (PCT) is offering eight 1/2 hour online acting classes from July 6, 2020 to July 31, 2020 for kids, teens and adults. Learn the basics of acting and a little more including auditioning tips and digging deeper to discover characters for real acting. Classes will be via zoom and instructed by Pedro Garcia, a member of the screen actor guild since 1994 and current PCT artistic Director.

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Concert in the forest featuring Cicadas

Cicada 2Would you like a sound track of cicadas singing in the forest? The cicada concert is happening now in the Thornforest at Quinta Mazatlán. The high-pitched song of the insect is a mating call belted out by males. The females do not sing but respond by flicking their wings together. The noise can be heard up to a half-mile away, which makes the cicadas, pronounced suh-KEI-duh, one of the loudest insects in the world.

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The Number One Reptile Show in the Country Coming to Quinta Mazatlan

Reptile Show closeupVisit Quinta Mazatlán on Thursday evening July 2 for a live Reptile Adventure with Danny Conner. Among the stars of the show are Juanita, a Reticulated Python; “Spartacus”, a 100 year old Alligator Snapping Turtle; and last but not least, “Apollo”, an Albino Burmese Python.

Danny Conner is the owner of Reptile Adventures. He has been keeping and caring for reptiles for over 30years and has a unique background blend of education, science, and theater. Danny educates, entertains and fascinates crowds of all ages as he shares his love, knowledge, and respect for these amazing animals. Danny is well respected, and is often an expert source among his colleague and other reptile professionals. He is known for his passion, his diverse and impressive collection, and for his general love of all animals, especially the cold-blooded kind.

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World’s Best Cactus Hotel Is In the Valley

Prickly Pear orangeBy Colleen Hook, Executive Director at Quinta Mazatlán

The best cactus hotel in the world is right in our backyard, the Prickly Pear Hotel. This hotel offers everything from food, water, shelter, medicines and beautiful South Texas landscapes.

So what is there to eat at the Prickly Pear Hotel? Everything, but carefully! The Prickly Pear cactus obviously gets its name from its sharp spines. The cactus is thought to have originated from Mexico and South America and has the ability to grow where there is little water.

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Wild Bees on Exhibit at IMAS

Bumblebee Exploring Mallow Copyright Paula SharpThe International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) is excited to announce its first community juried photograph exhibition of 2020, Pollinators in Action: RGV Community Photographs. Photographs of pollinators including bees and butterflies from the region will be accepted through June 28 at https://theimasonline.org/welcome/pollinators-in-action/ through an online form. Entries will be posted for public voting on fb.com/imasmuseum from June 29 to July 5, and the top selections will be printed and curated by the IMAS for an on-site exhibition from July 18 to September 27, 2020.

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Have You Seen a Jaguarundi?

Jaguarundi WEBBy Colleen Hook, Executive Director at Quinta Mazatlan

A small shy wildcat called the Jaguarundi is on the endangered species list in Texas. It shares many characteristics with the Ocelot but is not as well known due to its lack of spots, which make for more charismatic wild cats. Texas is home to six wildcats that either currently or historically call Texas home. Two presently roam the state, the Mountain Lion and the Bobcat. The other four are residents of the Tamaulipan Thornforest and on the endangered species list in the United States; Ocelot, Margay, Jaguar and Jaguarundi.

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DHR Health and Hope Family Health Center announce August 22nd “Fishing for Hope” Tournament

FFH2019 184 webEdinburg, TX — DHR Health (DHR) is pleased to announce its 15th Annual “Fishing for Hope” Tournament, which will be held Saturday, August 22, 2020 at Louie’s Backyard on South Padre Island, Texas. Now one of the largest non-profit fishing tournaments on the Texas coast, “Fishing for Hope” is a family-friendly and fun event for people of all ages. This year’s tournament will feature great prizes, dinner, the legendary stars auction, and much more! All proceeds from “Fishing for Hope” will once again benefit the Hope Family Health Center.

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The Joys of Mandala Coloring & Music in the Woods at Quinta Mazatlán

The Cruz Brothers in WoodsBy Quinta Mazatlán

Would you be surprised to learn that mandalas have existed since the beginning of time and that you probably have noticed their beauty every day? A mandala is simply a sacred circle made up of geometric shapes. Join us Thursday evening at Quinta Mazatlán, June 18 between 6 pm and 8 pm to color your own mandala and listen to music in the park sponsored by Freels Orthodontics.

Local artists have created some unique designs for your coloring and Quinta Mazatlán will provide you design options and circular cardboard for your creation. For best health practices, we ask that you bring your own colors/crayons/markers or medium of your choice in a bag for your own creation.

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What to do if you find a baby bird

bird hatchlingCenter for Urban Ecology, Quinta Mazatlan

Every spring and summer, nature centers and wildlife refuges receive countless phone calls asking the same question: What do I do with the baby bird I found?
The most important thing to do is be patient and assess the situation. The unfortunate truth is that many baby birds are inadvertently kidnapped from their parents simply because a concerned person sprang into action too quickly, thinking they were coming to the rescue. Before taking any action, there are two questions to answer: Is the bird hurt? How old is the bird?

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The Not So Lonesome Dove

White wing Doves 191 2By Colleen Hook, Executive Director at Quinta Mazatlan

The mornings in the Thornforest now belong to the White-winged Doves cooing “Who cooks for YOU…Who cooks for YOU”. Breeding season has begun for this dove and will continue through summer. The male and female construct their platform nest of loose twigs. In the Rio Grande Valley they prefer ebony, mesquite and prickly pear habitat. The female usually lays 2 smooth off-white, one inch oval eggs, and both parents incubate the eggs. Both parents also care for and feed the young, which are called “squabs’. Unlike most other birds, doves of both sexes produce a “crop milk” as a food source for their squabs. White-winged Doves are nearly 100% vegetarian.

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DHR Health creates SIDU and Emergency Room Extension to keep patients safe

ER EXTENSIONEdinburg, TX –– When COVID-19 affected the area, DHR Health immediately anticipated the needs of the community and developed a Physician Task Force Team, a team of physicians working together to promote the safety of patients, staff, and visitors during this pandemic. As DHR Health remains open, a Serious Infection Disease Unit (SIDU) and an Emergency Room Extension have been created to prevent disease spread within the hospital and clinics.

“The Physician Task Force is in charge of reviewing and presenting the most current literature about COVID-19 treatment on a daily basis,” states Carlos Garcia-Cantu, MD, Chief of Staff at DHR Health. “This is extremely important for us since guidelines are continuously changing.”

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Gladys Porter Zoo Reopens Its Doors

20141125 Gladys Porter Zoo KO IMG 6439BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS (June 4, 2020) — The day is finally here, and we’re excited to welcome everyone back to the Gladys Porter Zoo. The animals anticipate your visit!

We have been preparing for a soft opening in the past weeks, and the Zoo has established a comprehensive reopening plan. With the helpful advice of City health officials, new measures have been put in place to help ensure the safety of the Zoo’s guests, employees, and animals. Most notably, there will be a change in the ticketing system. Guests will now sign up for a designated date and time slot to enter the Zoo.

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The Texas Quilt Museum will reopen June 4

LA GRANGE, TEXAS – June 1, 2020 – The Texas Quilt Museum has announced that it will reopen for visitors beginning Thursday, June 4, at 10 am.

The three exhibits for spring—which had just debuted when the Museum had to close in mid-March due to the worldwide pandemic and state’s orders—have been extended until September 20. They include “Texas Grand Masters: Timeless Quilts,” “Fun with Fractals and Other Mathematical Quilts,” and “My Mexico by Quilters de México.”

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IMAS to Reopen at Limited Capacity

The International Museum of Art & Science values each and every member and appreciates the continued support of our community. The IMAS staff is making plans to reopen to the public on Wednesday, June 11 with a member preview on Tuesday, June 9, from 3:00-7:00 PM.

As we reopen at the 25% limited capacity, following the recommendations of the Texas Department of State Health Service (DSHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are doing our best to provide you and your family a safe and educational environment during the pandemic time of the COVID-19. Most of our interactive areas are still closed or have been modified for the safety of our visitors and staff and to prevent the spread of the virus.

Read more: IMAS to Reopen at Limited Capacity

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