HARLINGEN — The Rio Grande Valley’s limited treatment options for people with mental health issues led to a decision by Strategic Behavior Health to tear up its construction plans and enlarge the hospital it already is building in Harlingen.

SBH, based in Memphis, was well along in the construction of a 72-bed facility at 613 Victoria Lane. Now, the plan is for a $13 million, 94-bed facility that is expected to open by Oct. 1.

Landing the new medical facility is a major addition to the city’s growing importance as a health care center in the region. ValleyBaptistMedicalCenter and HarlingenMedicalCenter are the major hospitals already in the city.

The decision by SBH to build a facility in Harlingen also was a major accomplishment for the Harlingen Economic Development Corp. New medical facilities may not be National Football League franchises, but the competition between cities for these hospitals can be pretty intense.

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HARLINGEN — The Rio Grande Valley’s limited treatment options for people with mental health issues led to a decision by Strategic Behavior Health to tear up its construction plans and enlarge the hospital it already is building in Harlingen.

SBH, based in Memphis, was well along in the construction of a 72-bed facility at 613 Victoria Lane. Now, the plan is for a $13 million, 94-bed facility that is expected to open by Oct. 1.

Landing the new medical facility is a major addition to the city’s growing importance as a health care center in the region. Valley Baptist Medical Center and Harlingen Medical Center are the major hospitals already in the city.

The decision by SBH to build a facility in Harlingen also was a major accomplishment for the Harlingen Economic Development Corp. New medical facilities may not be National Football League franchises, but the competition between cities for these hospitals can be pretty intense.

“When we heard SBH was looking around, and they were looking in Cameron County from Brownsville to Harlingen, we put together a package we thought was going to be enticing enough without giving away the farm for them to say, ‘Hey, let’s look at this,’” said Raudel Garza, CEO of the Harlingen economic development agency.

“We also knew we had some assets,” Garza said in an interview last week. “We’ve got the state facility, we’ve got two large hospitals, Valley Baptist being the largest, and you’ve got this kind of burgeoning health care sector … that’s going on in Harlingen.

“Brownsville may be bigger than us, but we’ve got a lot more health care, I think. That’s attractive to the hospital.”

SBH, a privately held company, has had a very strong growth curve since its founding in 2006. The hospital company has nine behavioral health centers in six states. One, Rock Prairie Behavioral Health, is located in Texas in College Station.

The new Palm Behavioral Health in Harlingen, and Willow Creek Behavioral Health in Green Bay, Wis., will open their doors for business in 2016.

Palm Behavioral Health center will employ 225 people once it begins operation. Those positions will be particularly valuable in the Valley, Garza said.

“Health care in general is a big plus for us. It brings in jobs, and they’re usually high-paying jobs with high skills that usually require more education.

“That’s what everyone says they want: We want higher-paying jobs with a better-educated workforce, and health care is one of the main targets for us,” Garza added.

Providing the educational infrastructure to fill those jobs is a strength in the Valley now, Garza said.

“We’ve had constant conversations with not only hospital administrators but educators about the need for medical students, or medical field-related occupations,” he said.

“There are several different schools out there that have private vocational nursing training programs. There are others, even Valley Baptist has its own nursing program, (Texas State Technical College) has a program (South Texas College) has a program, (the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) has bachelor’s and master’s programs in nursing.

“A lot of the allied health-type training is there.”

Garza concedes that hiring medical professionals is one thing. Keeping them in the Valley can be another.

“There’s a nursing shortage throughout the country. So a lot of times some of the nurses get educated down here but they move further north. There’s a lot of competition between the different health care facilities for nursing, especially skilled nurses.”

Garza said the wet weather over the past few months and the design change of the Palm Behavioral Center combined to push back the opening of the facility.

“They started from scratch with the design change, but we’re happy with that.

“Ten months in the grand scheme of things is a very short time period.”

Strategic Behavioral Health LLC Locations

* Peak Behavioral Health, Santa Teresa, N.M.

* Rock Prairie Behavioral Health, College Station, Texas

* Montevista Hospital, Las Vegas

* Strategic Behavioral Center, Charlotte, N.C.

* Strategic Behavioral Center, Raleigh, N.C.

* Strategic Behavioral Center, Wilmington, N.C.

* Red Rock Behavioral Hospital, Las Vegas

* Peak View Behavioral Health, Colorado Springs, Colo.

* Clear View Behavioral Health, Johnstown, Colo.

* Health centers under construction

* Palms Behavioral Health, 613 Victoria Lane, Harlingen (Oct. 1)

* Willow Creek Behavioral Health, Green Bay, Wis. (Summer 2016)

HARLINGEN — The city’s unemployment rate is dropping, again, and it isn’t just slightly.

According to numbers on the Texas Workforce website, Harlingen’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.3 percent in December. That is down 0.5, from November’s 5.8 percent. That is well below the January 2015 rate of 6.3 percent.

Harlingen’s rate is closing in on the rate in the state of Texas of 4.2 percent. The country’s rate is 4.8 percent.

“Texas finished 2015 on a strong note in December with employers adding 166,900 jobs over the year across a diverse range of industries,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “Our state offers many advantages to employers who choose to do business in Texas and we are pleased employers continue to create opportunities for Texas workers.”

Overall, unemployment numbers fell in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Brownsville-Harlingen Metropolitan area rate dropped to 6.9 percent. While that is lower than November’s number of 7.1, it is still more than the 6.7 percent tally in October. In January, 2015, the number was 7.8 percent.

Willacy County received some much-needed good news.

The rate dropped from 12.8 in November to 12.1 in December. However, that is still higher than the 2015 low of 11.1 percent in February.

Hidalgo County numbers registered at 7.8 percent, down from 8.0 in November and from 8.3 in January 2015.

Overall, while the numbers are down for the RGV December over November, they are still the highest in the state. Only the Beaumont-Port Arthur area is even close at 6.5 percent.

The lowest rate in all the state is in Amarillo at 2.9 percent. Lubbock and Austin are a close second at 3.1 percent.

Professional and business services employment surged in December with the addition of 12,500 positions. This marked the industry’s largest over-the-month gain since November 2014. The education and health services industry recorded the second largest employment gain over the month in Texas with 7,400 jobs added.

That marked 21 consecutive months of growth within the industry and a total of 66,700 jobs added since January 2015.

“Private-sector employment was strong over the year with the overall job growth of 141,300 jobs in December,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughes. “Texas employers continue to be strong and resilient in providing employment and training opportunities.”

SAN BENITO — This week, city officials plan to bring some art to the city.

The debut of the Resaca City Music & Arts Showcase will be held here on Friday.

The event will feature live music and a variety of arts and crafts, as well as food from food truck vendors.

Sponsored by the San Benito Parks and Recreation Department, seven bands will perform rock, Latin rock, Tejano/conjunto, hip hop and Norteño music.

Artisans, including a live glass blower, will feature their merchandise at Heavin Memorial Park and Amphitheater, 705 N. Bowie Street, starting at 6 p.m.

Admission is free of charge to this family-oriented event.

“It will definitely be an experience,” said San Benito Parks and Recreation Director Art Garza.

“I wanted to revamp the Resaca Music Series and Tunes by the Trail with a new event. By providing this event, we intend to help our community experience new or relatively unknown artists or art forms that they are not accustomed to seeing.”

The musical lineup includes And The Hero Prevails, Havey Y Los Latinos, Relverie, Zack Shine, Matt Montalvo, TR3N and Grupo Bargas.

Garza encourages families to attend and enjoy a variety of hearty meals from food trucks, some lively tunes and a great atmosphere on the resaca waterfront.

“The city gladly brings this variety of great talent from around the Valley to unite our community with the power of music and beautiful art work from local vendors,” Garza said.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — After 30 years on the job, Assistant Fire Chief Juan Loya has hung up his fire hat for good.

It was a heartfelt moment for Loya and city officials at the last City Council meeting. Loya accepted an award of appreciation from Mayor Bharat Patel on behalf of the city and Council for all of his hard work and dedicated service to South Padre Island.

“He’s just a great guy, and did a great service for the city,” Patel said.

Loya was there for almost every emergency.

He was one of the first responders when the causeway collapsed in 2001 and he was on duty for many other accidents doing his job the best he could.

“He’s a very outstanding, honest man and I wish him well in his retirement.” Patel said. “He’s always been good, and we’re not happy to see him go, but everybody has to retire at some time.”

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When the New England Patriots take on the Denver Broncos today in the AFC championship, it will mark the 10th time Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has played for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Should the Pats win, it would mark the seventh time he’s coached a team in the title game.

And if New England were to beat either the Arizona Cardinals or Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco on Feb. 7, it would give Bill his fifth Lombardi Trophy – more than any other head coach in NFL history.

Yet despite all his stats and playoff success, Belichick does not deserve to rank in the top five NFL coaches of all time.

Belichick proponents, who think he deserves to be ranked No. 1, argue that what he’s accomplished since taking over as the Pats’ head coach in 2000 is remarkable since he’s managed to find success despite the free agency era.

However, while plenty of players have come and gone through Foxborough, Belichick has always had Tom Brady as his quarterback.

Also, for all his success, Belichick is not an innovator. Yes, he does a good job of formulating and adjusting game plans, but that’s hardly the mark of a NFL coach worthy of a top five spot.

Finally, whether one believes the accusations, Belichick will forever have “Spygate” and “Deflategate” looming over him.

Where Belichick ranks among the NFL’s best is debatable. However, here are five coaches who rank above him:

1. Vince Lombardi: The coveted Super Bowl trophy is not named after this man for no reason. His .900 playoff winning percentage is still the highest of all time. Lombardi is the epoch of NFL coaches and he’ll remain the coach to which all others will be measured against. During his time as the Green Bay Packers head coach, the team won five championships in nine seasons as well as the first two Super Bowls.

2. BILL WALSH: Known as the father of the West Coast offense, Walsh was a true innovator and helped change the way NFL football is played. Under Walsh, the San Francisco 49ers became a dynasty, winning three Super Bowls in the 1980s. Moreover, a number of his assistants went on to become Super Bowl winning coaches, including George Seifert, Mike Homgren, Jon Gruden and Brian Billick.

3. TOM LANDRY: Like Walsh, Landry was an innovator. Not only did he hone now-commonly used defensive schemes, he also made the shotgun offense popular. As head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-1989, Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowls and three Super Bowl appearances.

4. BILL PARCELLS: While he hasn’t won as many Super Bowl titles as some coaches, Parcells is known for reinvigorating slumping franchises, including the New York Giants, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. He won two Super Bowls with the Giants, led the Patriots to one in 1996 and got the Jets to within one game of the title game in 1998. Coincidentally, Belichick is one of many coaches who learned under Parcells’ tutelage.

5. JOE GIBBS: While this one may seem a bit of a stretch, the fact that Gibbs was able to win three Super Bowls with the Washington Redskins despite not having one Hall of Fame quarterback is what sets him apart. Gibbs’ first Super Bowl (XVII) came with Joe Theismann at the helm, his second (Super Bowl XXII) was captured with unlikely hero Doug Williams leading the charge and his third ring (Super Bowl XXVI) was won with Mark Rypien.

Dave Favila is sports editor for the Valley Morning Star. Follow him on Twitter @dfavila

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — After 30 years on the job, Assistant Fire Chief Juan Loya has hung up his fire hat for good.

It was a heartfelt moment for Loya and city officials at the last City Council meeting. Loya accepted an award of appreciation from Mayor Bharat Patel on behalf of the city and Council for all of his hard work and dedicated service to South Padre Island.

“He’s just a great guy, and did a great service for the city,” Patel said.

Loya was there for almost every emergency.

He was one of the first responders when the causeway collapsed in 2001 and he was on duty for many other accidents doing his job the best he could.

“He’s a very outstanding, honest man and I wish him well in his retirement.” Patel said. “He’s always been good, and we’re not happy to see him go, but everybody has to retire at some time.”

In his street cloths at the city meeting, it was difficult to recognize Loya. He wasn’t in his traditional blues — as he always had been as the assistant fire chief over the years.

He was very low key at the meeting, but that has been his character throughout his career and it lasted to the very end.

He hugged and kissed his wife before he went up to receive he recognition and award from the city.

“He’s just a stand-up guy,” Patel said. “He just hit it hard every day.”

Loya suited up every day because being a fireman was his calling in life. He knew at a young age he wanted to be a firefighter because his father was one.

Loya continued the line of family firefighters. And the proud legacy his father started continues as Loya’s son and nephews also are firefighters at other departments around the Rio Grande Valley.

At the meeting, the Island C-Shift firemen we’re in attendance to see Loya off to retirement. They made sure they got a photo with their leader before he left City Hall.

Loya was given long applause for all the hard work he did for so long.

“I feel great retiring from South Padre Island as a firefighter where I started 30 years ago,” Loya said. “I am grateful to the city of South Padre Island for all the support they gave me.”

SAN BENITO — Rush, The Guess Who and Nickleback are mainstream Canadian music artists the Valley loves.

Enter Felicia McMinn, a Canadian independent solo artist who is in the Rio Grande Valley visiting her Winter Texan parents.

And she has a show coming up Tuesday at the Fun N Sun RV Resort dance hall at 7 p.m.

“Music is my passion. Music is my life. When I write, rehearse or perform, that is when I am truly who I am,” McMinn said.

She has a vast catalog of cover songs and original material. She plays pop, rock, folk and even does a little bit of country for Texans.

She will be playing many music hits and original music at her upcoming show.

McMinn is from Port Dover, Ontario. Over the years, she has shared the stage with many music artists.

Since winning the Grand Prize of Norfolk Has Talent in 2012, Felicia has made music more than just a hobby.

McMinn has been playing live shows since she was 17. She has performed hundreds of shows throughout Canada, the U.S. and Costa Rica.

McMinn uses an acoustic Gibson guitar, which she calls an ax, to play a little bit of everything.

Her Tuesday night show starts at 7 p.m. and will last two hours.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” McMinn said. “My mom and dad are members of the park so I want to make them proud.”

BY ROD SANTA ANA III

CORPUS CHRISTI — To improve their chances of a successful 2016 grain sorghum crop in Texas, growers should be aware of the latest research developments in sugarcane aphid economics and pest management, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist.

To help growers get up to date, AgriLife Extension will host the Sugarcane Aphid Research and Management Update webinar from 1-3p.m Feb. 1, said Dr. Robert Bowling, an entomologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Corpus Christi.

For those wanting to attend online, go to https://texasrangeclassroom.adobeconnect.com/coastalbend.

Those wanting to attend the session in person are invited to the Corpus Christi center at 10345 State Highway 44, Corpus Christi.

“Sugarcane aphids were not a major issue in South Texas in 2015, but this is a new year and we start the process all over again,” Bowling said. “Growers shouldn’t become complacent and think that maybe sugarcane aphids were a flash in the pan and will no longer be a problem.”

Sugarcane aphids, which can drastically reduce sorghum yields and gum up harvesting equipment, were not an issue last year because of weather conditions, Bowling said. Rain and cool temperatures are not favorable for population increases.

“But they could be a big problem this year,” he said. “Growers should check their fields often because populations can explode quickly.”

Research conducted on sugarcane aphids in 2015 will be relayed to growers during the webinar. Of particular importance will be results of economic thresholds and pest management trials, Bowling said.

“The Chinese are driving the commodity prices for grains. They are reducing their imports so that’s affecting prices; driving prices down. That means growers have to really ‘sharpen their pencils’ in managing this year’s crop.”

Two research field trials have shown that surfactants may not be as necessary as once thought, Bowling said.

“Our research shows that they’re not required for insecticides used on grain sorghum. That may save a grower only a dollar or so per acre, but when we’re talking about cutting costs, those dollars add up. If we can reduce input costs and still get the same yield results, that will be important in the economic environment we’re facing.”

Results of pest management trials will also play a major role in this year’s crop because the Environmental Protection Agency revoked all uses of Transform, the principal insecticide used in the control of sugarcane aphids.

“We’ve applied for an emergency Section 18 use permit for Transform, which the EPA is taking very seriously,” Bowling said. “We’re very hopeful we’ll have use of that product. It will be necessary as an alternative mode of action because sugarcane aphids have the ability to build resistance to insecticides in a short period of time.”

Results of field tests conducted last year show Sivanto has good efficacy as well as residual activity of about three weeks, Bowling said.

“It shows nice activity against sugarcane aphids and could do well in rotation with Transform to decrease the likelihood of resistance.”

Also of interest to grain sorghum growers this year, which will be discussed during the Feb. 1 session, is a new sugarcane aphid decision-making tool that Bowling said is easy to use, economical and one that growers will find useful.

“We’ll also have some information on host-plant resistant hybrids that show a level of

tolerance,” he said. “That information will also be shared. We’ve applied for two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units for those attending, and we’ll finish off the day with a question-and-answer session.”

Speakers and their topics will include:

— Dr. Michael Brewer, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Corpus Christi, and John Gordy, AgriLife Extension agent, Fort Bend County, Sugarcane Aphid Economic Threshold and Sampling Update.

— Stephen Biles, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management agent, Port Lavaca, Insecticide Management Update and Regulatory Issues.

— Dr. Levi Russell, AgriLife Extension agricultural economist, Corpus Christi, Sugarcane Aphid Decision-Making Tool.

— Bowling, Don’t be Complacent in 2016! Host Plant Resistance and Wrap-Up.

Bowling said growers can also participate in the session at any AgriLife Extension county office, but contacting the respective county agent prior to the meeting is recommended.

Rod Santa Ana III is a Texas A&M AgriLife communications specialist.

LOS FRESNOS — Cyclists had the first peek of a restored portion of the Bahia Grande on a slow and relaxed 7.5 mile bike tour hosted by the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge yesterday afternoon.

Three guides led the cyclists on a caliche trail that passes through coastal prairies and salt water bays.

If the riders had brought along their binoculars, they might have even had the chance to see the rare and endangered aplomado falcons.

“We knew that normally people can’t go through this part of the park,” said Jim Skripka, a Winter Texan from Michigan. “It (was) great because we were on bikes and we got to see things and take it slow.”

Skripka and his wife Lynne have done bike trails, but this was their first time participating in a bike tour.

“We’ve gone down bike trails but bike tours are a first for us, and we’re in our seventies. I guess there’s a first time for everything,” Skripka said.

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