Three Hidalgo Co. superintendent posts in flux
Three school districts in Hidalgo County saw changes or potential changes at the superintendent level this week. School boards in Mercedes and Edinburg both placed their superintendents on administrative leave, while Edcouch-Elsa’s board tapped an interim after its superintendent retired. MERCEDES The Mercedes board placed Superintendent Benjamin Clinton on administrative leave…
Read MoreAttorney exits firm over Raymondville ISD social media contract
Records show $18K paid, no work performed A prominent Texas law office announced this week that one of its partners is no longer affiliated with the firm after the Progress Times contacted it Tuesday about a social media consulting “side gig” contract that the attorney signed with Raymondville ISD last summer. According…
Read MoreMission acknowledges police union as bargaining unit
Mission City Council Monday acknowledged Mission Police Association Local 293 as a bargaining unit should council decide it wants to bargain over a meet and confer agreement. Meet and confer negotiations would let the city and a union negotiate a contract for things like wages and benefits. Local 293 has been pushing for…
Read MoreSan Juan woman accidentally shot by deputy sues Hidalgo County
A San Juan woman accidentally shot by an Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputy in 2023 sued the county this month for as much as $250,000. Priscilla Lerma alleges the deputy who inadvertently shot her handled the rifle he was holding in a “negligent and careless manner” and should have avoided pulling the trigger…
Read MoreMission sued over 2023 police chase, shooting
The city of Mission has been sued twice over the past month in relation to a police chase in 2023 that ended with a car crash and a suspect being shot to death by police officers. Family members of a man shot and killed by Mission police officers in 2023 after he allegedly shot…
Read MoreEdinburg school district criticized over abandoned Lee Elementary name change
In the summer of 2020, Edinburg CISD decided to ask for the public’s participation in renaming Robert E. Lee Elementary. The district was facing calls to change the name of the Sprague St. school and appeared to be following a trend nationwide to rename monuments and buildings named for Confederate leaders in the wake…
Read MoreEdinburg CISD superintendent may be suspended, police chief on leave
Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees may suspend Superintendent Mario Salinas at next week’s meeting on Wednesday. According to a board agenda posted Friday afternoon, trustees will discuss a possible reprimand and disciplinary action for Salinas “up to and including” his suspension. Salinas didn’t immediately return requests for comment, nor did Board President…
Read MoreThree-way race prompt runoffs in Sullivan City
Voters will once again head to the polls next month in Sullivan City after a three-faction race for a majority of the municipality’s elected positions ended Saturday with no candidate securing over half of the vote. There are three seats at stake in Sullivan City: the mayoral position and places one and three. …
Read MoreNew western Hidalgo Co. emergency services districts pass
Voters in western Hidalgo County chose Saturday to support the creation of two new entities meant to pay for ambulance and fire suppression services on that side of the county. Emergency services districts are local political subdivisions and taxing entities that pay for first response services. Other areas of the county have…
Read MoreAgua SUD board director resigns
Agua Special Utility District Board Director Adolfo Mendez resigned last Friday, citing a La Joya ISD policy that affects some individuals in political positions who are employed by the school district. Mendez is an athletic coordinator at La Joya ISD. He says he supervises coaches, so the policy applies to him, though…
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