Free Paper Shredding by the City of McAllen

Free Paper Shredding by the City of McAllen

The city of McAllen offers free paper shredding at

4101 N. Bentsen Rd,
McAllen, TX. 78504
956-681-4050

Office hours are
Mon-Fri: 8:00 to 4:30
Sat: 8:00 to 12:00

From what I've been told, the paper shredding is open to everyone and not just McAllen residents.

They stated from a phone call we placed that the drop off and shredding procedures are secure. If you have doubts, which I probably would,  you can watch. I'm doubting the people handling the shredding have any government security clearance or a thorough background check. I'm hoping I'm wrong.

I would have to say this free paper shredding offered by McAllen is awesome. If you're like me, you are overwhelmed with the avalanche of mail that comes in everyday. Also, due to the constant threat of ID theft, I don't want to throw away anything that has my name or personal information on it. Even if it's a marketing letter with my name and address on the envelope, I would feel better having it shredded.

I tried using some of those home shredders from Office Depot. They always got jammed and usually wont take more than two papers at a time. Due to my impatience or the poor quality of the shredders, they usually broke fairly quickly and became useless.

I for one am going to utilize McAllen's service.

Rio Grande Valley Outlets.

I wanted to entitle this article Rio Grande Valley Outlets Scam but I don't like it when headlines mislead. Let me explain. The outlets are a nice outdoor mall. However, we have been programmed over time to think outlets = deeply discounted prices for major brands. This is just not the case any more. When outlets first started out, you could go and find some really good deals. People didn't mind driving hours because it was worth it. After more and more people started to travel to outlet sites, the prices continued to go up and up. With outlet stores popping up all over the country and being hugely successful, the outlet store owners have discovered they could lure people on reputation alone and not provide the deep discounts price people were originally searching for. So, I feel the word outlet is misused just as the word free is misused in today's marketplace. 

After saying all that, I actually like the Rio Grande Valley Outlet stores. It's not like we have an over abundance of good malls in The Valley. Personally, I don't see why anyone from the McAllen-Mission-Edinburg area would shop at the outlets. It would seem La Plaza Mall would have a good selection for a mall. Maybe because at one time it was the nations leading place to get your car stolen. If you live in Harlingen, I could see going to the outlets because Valley Vista Mall is pathetic and of course people comeing over the border to shop from Progresso would find the outlets convienet. 

With 140 stores there is plenty to shop for at the outlets. It's a nice place to walk outdoors between stores. It has a nice play area for kids to run around; something sorely lacking in most Rio Grande Vally shopping areas. The point is I wouldn't recommend anyone travel out of their way to go to the Rio Grande Valley Outlets in an attempt to save money. However, I would send them there if they were just looking for something different to do and they hadn't been yet. 

Visit the Rio Grande Valley Outlets' website.

Little D's Party and Play

My wife and I are always looking for a place to take our autistic son. There are unique challenges for us where most people take their kids. For example, Chunky Cheese would be difficult because he would want to take the pepperoni off stranger's pizzas without asking them. He would also bang on the games and likely distract the people playing them. At the McDonald's he wants to take other people's fries and he tries to leave often.

Little D's Party and Play was suggested by his occupational therapist, Yvonne Foreman. We finally found a time we were off and they were open. It was a refreshing 90 minutes of time for both my son and us. We didn't have to worry about him running into a street, eating other people's food, breaking something, ants, and many other challenges we find at parks and public play areas. Our son really did enjoy himself.

Little D's Party and Play has an indoor bouncy castle, a basketball free throw game, a makeshift pirate shift, a small house and a bunch of toys. So far, it's the best place in Harlingen we have found for our son to be himself.

We highly recommend visiting their business if you have kids. It's well worth the small entrance fee. It was $6 for an all day pass for me, my wife and my son.

Little D's Party and Play's main business is hosting parties. So, if you are looking for a place to host a birthday party, they might be the place your looking for.


They are located at 109 E. Jackson St. Harlingen, TX. 78550.
Their contact number is (956) 867-2528

Hours for open play are Wednesday - Friday 9:30 - 3:00 and the 1st Saturday of the month 10-2.
Contact Number is (956) 867-2528

Texas Veterans Commission in Harlingen Texas

The Texas Veterans Commission is located in the smaller Harlingen VA outpatient clinic at

2106 Treasure Hills Blvd
Harlingen, TX 78550.

Many of the younger veterans I have met know about the outpatient clinic, especially if they have a service connected disability. However, veterans who have never applied for disability may be daunted by the process of applying. I recommend they go to visit the Texas Veterans Commission.

The Texas Veterans Commission have two full time employees staffed at this location. Their sole purpose is to help disabled vets get the compensation they deserve. They will help you go through your medical history, fill out the proper paperwork, submit the paperwork and advise you on the steps needed to take.

When I personally went, I was surprised how helpful they were. The reps are very nice and more than willing to go the extra mile to be sure nothing if forgotten.

When you go you'll need to plan to stay many hours. There is only two of them and they take their time with each veteran. You may not like the wait but you will appreciate the fact that you did.

Their office hours are as follows:

Mon, Wed - Fri 8:30 to 3:00
Tuesday 10:00 to 3:00
Their lunch is between 11 and 2 and moves around depending on appointments.