Area Breaking News

The four-way race for mayor of Mission will head to a runoff between City Councilwoman Norie Gonzalez Garza and Mayor Armando “Doc” O’caña. Gonzalez Garza received nearly 37% of 7,576 ballots cast during the mayoral election, according to preliminary results published by the Hidalgo County Elections Department on Saturday night. “I just think that our…

A judge sentenced former La Joya Mayor Fito Salinas to nearly 3 years in federal prison Thursday for participating in schemes to defraud the city of La Joya, the La Joya Housing Authority and the La Joya Economic Development Corp. During a hearing on Thursday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Jose A. “Fito”…

The Mission Consolidated Independent School District received a federal grand jury subpoena in June for records on Performance Services Inc., an Indiana-based company that specializes in energy savings contracts. Issued on June 1, the subpoena instructed Mission CISD to provide the FBI with audits, documents reviewed by the school board and other records. “Mission CISD…

The city of Peñitas received a federal grand jury subpoena in May for information on mayors, judges and other politicians from western Hidalgo County. FBI agents hand-delivered the subpoena to Peñitas City Hall on May 20.   The subpoena requested information on La Joya school board President Oscar “Coach” Salinas, Mission Mayor Armando “Doc” O’caña,…

Two men bribed a U.S. Border Patrol agent to allow unauthorized migrants through the Falfurrias checkpoint, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. Edwin Alejandro Castillo, 22, of Sullivan City and Jose Luis Duran, 25, of Mission paid the Border Patrol agent $2,000 on June 11, according to the indictment. Three days later, they participated in…

A former Progreso police officer who sexually assaulted two people will spend 30 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced former Progreso police Officer Matthew Lee Sepulveda, 26, of San Juan to 30 years in prison Tuesday. “I intend to send a message to anyone who would contemplate similar conduct,” Crane said.…

In a surprise move, former La Joya Mayor Fito Salinas struck a deal with federal prosecutors Monday — a last-minute decision that allowed him to avoid trial on public corruption charges. Jose Adolfo “Fito” Salinas, 82, of La Joya showed up at the federal courthouse in McAllen on Monday morning for jury selection. Before the…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General arrested a U.S. Border Patrol agent Friday after conducting a sting operation at the Falfurrias checkpoint. Border Patrol Agent Oberlin Cortez Peña Jr., 22, of La Joya told an informant how to trick drug-sniffing dogs and hide cocaine, according to the criminal complaint against him.…

The daughter of former La Joya Mayor Jose A. “Fito” Salinas confessed Thursday to soliciting kickbacks and stealing money during construction of a daycare funded by the La Joya Economic Development Corp.   Frances A. Salinas, 53, of San Antonio — a former member of the La Joya school board and a former precinct chairwoman…