Slice Of Life

When Douglas Schmidt walked into the nursery, the nurses gawked.“I don’t think they saw a man in there before,” said Schmidt, a retired heavy equipment operator from Wood Lake, Minn.For three months, Schmidt has been caring for...... Full story

Frank Garcia is a senior at Lyford High School and he has big plans for the future.Frank is torn between becoming an actor or a theater arts teacher.“I want students to feel the same joy I feel for acting,” Frank said. “Some people...... Full story

Water gushes over steep banks into a pristine blue river wandering through tall cliffs.So powerful is the painting “Feeding the Nanana River” on display and for sale at D’Arte Center at 115 E. Jackson Avenue in Harlingen, the...... Full story

Trees dappled with bright yellow rise from a colorful forest floor along a country road, drawing the viewer into a spell of autumn wonder.Kathy Rinearson’s work “Autumn in Michigan” stands proudly in the window of D’Arte...... Full story

Scanning back and forth across a Dr. Rodriguez Elementary classroom filled with fifth-grade students, all sitting attentively in grouped tables, Sandra Caglia rhythmically taught a lesson about the solar system.The second-year teacher, who came to...... Full story

There was no time for Greg Rustico to get adjusted to the Lower Rio Grande Valley when he first arrived to begin his teaching assignment at St. Anthony Catholic School.An Alliance for Catholic Education teacher — a position similar to Teach...... Full story

The Davidson family has transformed their love of performing into a business and a true bonding experience, simply by having fun and doing what they love.The trio, made up of father, mother and daughter, go by the moniker Pat Davidson and Family....... Full story

Standing in front of a crowd of teachers, parents and education professionals from across the Rio Grande Valley last spring, Lorezno Hernandez did his best to stay calm and represent his professional organization well.As a result of impending budget...... Full story

Gabriela Contreras learned quickly there is more to research than reading. Contreras, 20, is a San Benito sophomore working on a bachelor’s degree in physics — specializing in biophysics — at the University of Texas at...... Full story

Growing up in Connecticut and attending college in Washington, D.C., the Rio Grande Valley was a distant land for Emma LePore, a fourth-grade bilingual teacher at Dr. Rodriguez Elementary.But now LePore, a second-year teacher who came to Harlingen...... Full story

As an Air Force officer, Don Clifford served in numerous places throughout the world.He was in The Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.Throughout this time, he took down notes...... Full story

Growing up, Dennis Mitchell played numerous instruments from harmonica to guitar.However, it wasn’t until he was an adult that he used his voice as an instrument or showed the slightest bit of interest in choirs or choral music. He eventually...... Full story

Ashley Wallace says breeding and raising rabbits might seem like a no-brainer, but she said the hobby has taught her discipline, determination and given her confidence as she prepares to head out into the college world.Ashley, 16, a Harlingen High...... Full story

For about 20 years, Dorothy Richter has helped run one of the busiest woodworking shops in the Rio Grande Valley.At Park Place Estates, she and her husband Marvin turned the shop into an attraction that helps bring Winter Texans back to the RV park...... Full story

Many would say Joe Powell has one of the best jobs around.And Powell’s not one to disagree.The El Paso native has served as the golf professional at The Palms at Mid Valley golf course in Mercedes since it opened in 1995.He’s overseen...... Full story