ACTOR AND FILM DIRCTOR MEL GIBSON, center by phone, being prepared for a take during filming of "How I Spent My Vacation" directed by Adrian Grunberg from a screenplay by Gibson and Grunberg.  Production filmed over several days at locations in and around Brownsville.  The photo above was from the filming at the corner of 11th and E. Levee Street in the downtown area.

Gibson is playing the role of a career criminal nabbed by Mexican authorities and sent to a tough prison where he learns to survive with the help of a nine year old boy.  The film is currently scheduled for release in 2011.

This is just one of the many film and television productions that have used Brownsville as a key location and resource for their productions and is due to the marketing and professional services of the Brownsville Border Film Commission.

CITY COMMISSIONER ROSE GOWEN, left, congratulates the biggest losers in the Biggest Loser Challenge which wound up Saturday, May 12, with an awards ceremony at the Brownsville Sports Park. While not every "big loser" was present, there were many participants at the park. Of more than 400 persons who originally signed up, more than one-quarter of that number saw it though, losing a combined total of 1,000 pounds, or half a ton. Gowen says there will probably be a BBL #2 next year.  

ZARINA GARCIA, center, manager of the Brownsville Target Store, accepted a City Commission proclamation given to Target in recognition of its continuing work in recycling and protecting the environment. 

POLICE OFFICERS receive a City of Brownsville proclamation setting the week of May 9-14 as National Police Week and May 15 as Police Officers' Memorial Day. Police Chief Carlos Garcia and the department's cadre of Commanders accepted the proclamation.  

OFFICER JULIO SANCHEZ, JR., right, is the city's Employee of the Month for May, 2010. Officer Sanchez is successfully combining his military obligation with a career in law enforcement. City  Manager Charlie Cabler and Police Chief Carlos Garcia look on. 

THE VELA MIDDLE SCHOOL CHESS TEAM was recognized with a proclamation from the Brownsville City Commission on the school's outstanding performance in national competition. The team won first place in the Texas championships in Dallas and followed that up with a K-9 championship in the nationals held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

KARCH KIRALY, center, cuts the ribbon formally opening the city's new sports cove at the Brownsville Sports Park. The cove has four beach volleyball courts and Kiraly, a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist in beach volleyball, designed the courts and was on hand to help open. City Commissioner Charlie Atkinson and City Manager Charlie Cabler helped open the cove.

THE UTB/TSC CHESS TEAM was handed a proclamation by City Commissioners after placing 2nd--only 1/2 point out of 1st-- at the 2010 President's Cub "The Final Four of College Chess" tournament held on the college campus. Team members, dressed in school color orange tee-shirts, defeated three of the top four university chess teams in the U.S.

MEMBERS OF THE Homer Hanna High School HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) Chapter 7940 were presented a proclamation by City Commissioners for their role in promoting Flu Proof Week, May 10-16. Shown with Commissioners are Ashley Garza, Nicole Gomez, Alexandra Guerra and Lynette Salazar.

BALDOMERO TREVINO is presented a proclamation at recent City Commission meeting noting his  selection as the "2010 District Small Business Person of the Year." Trevino is a local used car dealer and was honored out of 14,000 total used car dealers.

BATAAN REMEMBERED--The City Parks and Recreation Department, the Filipino-American Association of Brownsville, the Brownsville Community Fellowship Church and the Marathoners Club marked the 68th anniversary of the infamous Bataan Death March with a memorial march. About 50 persons participated in the event.  

CITY MANAGER CHARLIE CABLER introduces the April Employee of the Month Robert Chavira from the Department of Aviation. Chavira is now eligible for selection as Employee of the Year at the annual employee awards banquet in December. 

MELISSA ORTIZ, an 8th grader at Cummings Middle School, poses with City Commissioner Edward Camarillo after winning first prize in an anti-graffiti poster contest at her school. Awards were presented at a school assembly and winning posters were later transferred to a graffiti-laden wall in the city.

CITY MANAGER CHARLIE CABLER,  speaks to members of Junior Leadership Brownsville during a visit the group made to City Hall. Cabler is shown as he explains the city's organizational chart,  along with an explanation of what each department and each department director is charged with.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SOLOMON ORTIZ, center, leads the ground breaking for the first of two general aviation hangars at the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport.  The $1.7 million hangar will serve general aviation users of the historic airport. Ortiz also announced a $3.7 million grant for general runway repair work at the airport.

LARRY BROWN DIRECTOR OF AVIATION, center, cuts the ribbon signifying the 81st anniversary of the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport. The  ribbon cutting in the airport terminal recognizes the historical airport, which  has witnessed the evolution of American aviation and has hosted such famous personages as Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart. 

CITY FORESTER ROY REYES, left, is recognized by City Manager Charlie Cabler as Employee of the Month for March, 2010. Reyes works in the city's building permits department and is charged with enforcing the city ordinances that deal with landscaping and tree preservation.

On Saturday, March 20th, winner of the NBC's Biggest Loser program Danny Cahill was the special guest of the local Brownsville's Biggest Loser Challenge.  City Manager Charlie Cabler, along with City Commission Dr. Rose Gowen, presents Cahill with a plaque of the "key to the City" as well as a special Brownsville Biggest Loser plaque honoring him as a special guest.

Cahill then spoke to all of the attendees telling his story about all of the ups-and-downs dealing with his weight problem and how he overcame the debilitating effects of being morbidly obese at 430 pounds.  To win the challenge he lost 191 pounds and reduced his total body weight by 55%.

Saturday was also the mid-point weigh-in for contestants of the Brownsville's Biggest Loser Challenge which has several hundred registered participants.

Saturday's event was sponsored by the City of Brownsville, Su Clinica Familiar and the University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus.

ROSCOE MAPPS, center, ONE Campaign Regional Director, speaks during a weekend news conference featuring City Commissioner Edward C. Camarillo and the Brownsville ONE committee. Mapps helped outline goals of the organization and to invite the community to joine with ONE in its goal to end world poverty.

Brownsville's Pee Wee football All Star team claimed the Rio Grande Valley Championship in a recent tournament in Weslaco. The 7-8-year-olds defeated the best the Valley has to offer on the way to its trophy. Here, the Brownsville City Commission presents the team with a proclamation recognizing its achievement.