Last month Mission CISD implemented a new temporary dress code that focused on the comfort and mobility of students and staff, according to district leaders. When Superintendent Dr. Carol Garza and Deputy Superintendent for Support Services Lorena Garcia presented the changes, they explained the move was to provide the opportunity for students and staff to…

Two former and longtime Mission CISD employees go head-to-head for place 6 on the Mission CISD board of trustees. Dolores Reyna looks to unseat Petra Ramirez, who has held the spot for eight years.   Ramirez, 73, worked in Mission for about 29 years before retirement. She’s been a local for 45 years and describes her…

Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Ortega is confident she will retain her place 1 position on Mission City Council but two candidates are fighting to unseat her — Navy veteran Moises Iglesias and healthcare administrator Noel Salinas. Ortega, a life skills coach at La Joya ISD, has held the seat on the council for two terms…

Three candidates challenge Mayor Armando O’Caña to be the city of Mission’s next leader — current Councilwoman Noralinda “Norie” Gonzalez Garza, former Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas, and Missionite Victor Anzaldua. With two weeks until Election Day, it’s crunch time for the contenders. THE COUNCILWOMAN At 15 years, Norie Gonzalez Garza is currently the longest-sitting member…

With the place 7 incumbent Keith Padilla not seeking reelection for the Sharyland ISD school board, three people are vying for the coveted role of trustee — Irene Becerra Thompson, David Keith and Leonor Garcia. While each candidate has a differing professional experience, they all have children in the school district and expressed a desire…

Incumbent Hector Rivera faces off against Rene Morales for place 5 on the Sharyland ISD board of trustees. Morales, an educator and reserve officer, is looking to unseat the three-year board veteran by running on a platform that focuses on school safety, security and communication. The Sharyland resident of 20 years has two children in…

Against city staff recommendation, Mission City Council approved the renewal of animal control interlocal agreements for the cities of Alton, Granjeno and Palmview. The reason for the recommendation was because staff had concerns about the overcapacity at the City of Mission Animal Shelter.  When asked how often the 59 kennels at the city facility fill…

The campaign to increase the minimum wage to $15 for city of Mission employees came to a standstill not long after it began.  Activist organization Ground Game Texas teamed up with local advocates La Unión del Pueblo Entero and announced the Mission Quince initiative in December 2021. They intended to start the campaign in January,…

This article first appeared in the Jan. 7 issue of the Progress Times. Local and state activist organizations teamed up to promote a minimum wage increase for city of Mission employees and contractors the city hires. Ground Game Texas and La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) held a press conference last month to announce the…

It has been two months since the National Butterfly Center in Mission closed its doors to the general public following harassment from right-wing extremists. But the community is just a few weeks away from being able to walk the conservatory’s grounds again. Unproven rumors about the Butterfly Center being a hub for human trafficking spread…