Skip to content

Owner of Mission home destroyed in semi wreck sues

| |

The owner of a home razed after a semi-truck drove into it in June filed suit last week, alleging that negligence on behalf of several parties led to the house being destroyed.   On June 29 a semi-truck collided with a Fiat 500 in the eastbound lane of IH 2.   The semi careened off…

Read More

FFA sponsor accused of theft lost fundraising privileges but kept Valley View teaching job

| |

A Mission resident accused of stealing over $85,000 from an FFA program is back teaching in his Valley View ISD classroom, though he’s no longer allowed to participate in extracurricular or fundraising activities.     Police arrested Marcos “Marc” Villarreal, 33, on October 7 after an investigation conducted by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers…

Read More

Alleged Edinburg cow thief extradited, arrested

| |

A former Edinburg presidential candidate described by authorities as a “con artist” because of his involvement in a number of alleged fraudulent cattle business schemes was back in Hidalgo County Tuesday evening — once again behind bars.     Police initially arrested Phillip Drake, 41, twice in 2021 and once in 2022 on a total…

Read More

UIL committee finds McAllen Memorial player transferred for athletics

| |

The UIL 31-5A District Executive Committee voted 4-2 Wednesday that former McAllen Memorial football player Braxton Speights transferred to PSJA North for athletic purposes rather than any other reason, which restricts when and how he can play at that school.   The decision means Speights would have to play at a junior varsity level at…

Read More

State names conservator for La Joya ISD

| |

The Texas Education Agency named Diana Barrera-Ugarte as La Joya ISD’s conservator Monday.     Barrera-Ugarte, a former superintendent and TEA district monitor, has worked with the district since February as its Lone Star Governance Coach.   “For us, we look at this as just an extension of her role, which has been doing shoulder-to-shoulder…

Read More

Former McAllen Memorial coach alleges discrimination

| |

McAllen Memorial High School’s former girls basketball coach and assistant athletic coordinator claimed in a lawsuit last month that the district discriminated against her when it reassigned her earlier this year.   Clarisse Arredondo, 41, alleged McAllen ISD discriminated against her based on her gender, age, race and sexual orientation.   In February, McAllen removed…

Read More

Mission CISD reorganizes administration, eliminates deputy superintendent posts

| |

The Mission CISD Board voted Wednesday to demote two of the district’s top two administrators and reorganize the district’s upper level administrative structure.   Previously, Deputy Superintendent for Business and Support Services Joel Garcia and Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Sharon Roberts held the second highest positions in the district.   On Wednesday, the…

Read More

Hidalgo ISD superintendent retires

| |

Hidalgo Independent School District Superintendent Xavier Salinas retired from the education field Monday after spending more than 36 years in it.     The Hidalgo school board approved a separation agreement with Salinas last week under which he’ll be paid for 99 days of accrued sick days and remain the district’s superintendent emeritus through early…

Read More

McAllen ISD changed organizational chart after police chief complaint

| |

The McAllen Independent School District quickly altered a new organizational chart after the school district’s police chief raised concerns that the chart may have violated state law this summer, though the chief still formally complained about the revised chart in a grievance filed against the district’s superintendent.   In that grievance, filed by McAllen ISD…

Read More