Hello, Brownsville. October has been an exciting month for our city, full of milestones, progress and community pride.
We kicked things off with our annual Fire Festival, where NextDecade and Rio Grande LNG made an incredible donation, a $1.2 million fire engine truck to the Brownsville Fire Department. This new truck will help our firefighters keep our community safe, and we're so thankful for NextDecade's partnership.
Over at Starbase, we witnessed another moment of history. Starship lifted off for its 11th flight test. This was the final flight of the second generation Starship and first-generation Super Heavy Booster. Every major goal was met, marking a huge success for SpaceX. Congratulations to our community partner.
This month also saw the debut of PBS’s new documentary, from Rails to Trails. It tells the story of how Brownsville transformed old railroad tracks into the beautiful trails we enjoy today. They connect our neighborhoods, encourage outdoor activity and showcase our city's commitment to quality of life.
We also hosted the 5th Annual Careers & Coffee Job Expo with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. More than 5,000 job seekers showed up, exploring over 7,000 job opportunities. Events like this are helping build stronger futures for Brownsville families.
On a personal note, I was honored to be named Chair of the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Together, we'll manage over a billion dollars in federal and state transportation funds. We'll make sure those dollars improve roads, bridges and infrastructure across the entire Rio Grande Valley.
And there's more good news. We broke ground on the new Embassy Suites by Hilton. It's a seven-story hotel with 170 suites and 12,000 square feet of conference space off Pablo Kisel Boulevard. This project will create jobs, boost tourism and bring new energy to our growing hospitality sector.
And I want to take a moment to thank our US Veterans for their service. This Veterans Day, November 11, we honor your courage and your sacrifice. Brownsville is very proud of you, today and every day.
Thank you, Brownsville for another great month. I invite you to learn more about these topics by visiting the city's website and following us on social media. Thank you. I'll see you next time you.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was provided by Brownsville Mayor John Cowen. It first appeared in video format on his social media pages.
