LA JOYA — Dr. Alda T. Benavides, superintendent of La Joya Independent School District, has been named Distinguished Bilingual Educator of the Year by the Rio Grande Valley-Texas Association for Bilingual Educators (RGV-TABE).

RGV-TABE officially recognized Benavides on Jan. 18 at its annual conference on South Padre Island. She was awarded for her contributions to the Bilingual Education Program in the La Joya school district.

Read more: LJISD’s Benavides named Bilingual Educator of the Year

Fourth grader Marion Rodriguez of Leal Elementary and fifth grader Kaitlyn Ramirez of Mims Elementary won first place in their respective divisions at the Texas Citrus Fiesta Shoe Box Float contest this year.

All of the top shoe box float entries from each participating school are currently on display at Speer Memorial Library in the small group study room.

Read more: Leal, Mims take top Shoe Box Float prizes

All local school districts have closed their campuses and school offices for Friday, Feb. 4. Activities at all schools will resume back to normal on Monday, Feb. 7.

Read more: Local schools closed Friday

PHARR — Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation said it was preparing to close parts of the expressway to prepare for the sleet and snow coming into the region on Thursday.

Read more: TxDOT announces closures

Mission Consolidated Independent School District schools will start one hour late on Thursday, Feb. 3. Bus schedules will be adjusted accordingly. The end of the school day remains unchanged at this time. District officials will continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and conditions.

Read more: Mission CISD announces delay in school day start for February 3

Last Updated 2:15 p.m., Wednesday, February 2, 2011

MISSION — Residents across Hidalgo County woke up Wednesday morning without electricity on the first day of some of the coldest temperatures predicted for the week.

Read more: Wednesday’s chill prompts power outages

EDINBURG — Wednesday will usher in a blast of wintry weather, quite the change from last weekend’s unseasonably warm temperatures.

Read more: Cold weather expected, officials urge caution

MISSION — Several students from the Veterans Memorial FFA and Mission FFA chapters had projects that earned championship status at the recent RGV District FFA Livestock Show.

Alyssa Carrera, champion Brahman market steer; Zenaida Alaniz, champion junior hog showman; Daniel Hinojosa, champion breeding sheep; Olivia Garcia, reserve champion AOB market steer and Cristina Rios, reserve champion Yorkshire market hog were all contest winners from Veterans Memorial FFA.

Read more: FFA students win championships at RGV District stock show