Area News

Leroy Alaniz was named the new municipal judge for the city of La Joya this week. During a regular meeting held Tues. Jan. 14, Alaniz was appointed and sworn in surrounded by his family. La Joya Mayor Isidro Casanova spoke highly of Alaniz’s character. “After the resignation, it took me a while to decide who…

A new face joined the Agua Special Utility District Monday after former director Roger Hernandez officially stepped down from the board. Franco Lopez, 35, was sworn in by state Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa after Hernandez stepped down to serve in the La Joya City Council. “I want to see what I can do for the…

The status on the Mission/Madero-Reynosa International Bridge is still pending. The presidential permit to build the rail bridge is on the verge of expiring, environmental and feasibility studies conducted in the area are out of date and interlocal agreements with other municipalities have been tabled multiple times. Last week and this week council met to…

By Kenneth Roberts At their regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Starr County Commissioners’ Court approved the countywide audit for the 2017-2018 fiscal year that the accountant evaluated as largely favorable for the county, and also okayed a proclamation stressing the importance of obtaining a fully accurate 2020 Census count. A report on the 2017-2018…

Details on an alleged hazing incident involving students at Sharyland Pioneer High School last semester remain unclear, angering community members. During a special school board meeting Wednesday, Sharyland Pioneer students and community members confronted the school board over what they say is inaction on the school district to punish the students involved.   “My son…

Local biker club focuses on supporting community With members all over the state, a local chapter of a motorcycle club recognized by the Texas House of Representatives is gearing up for a new year. The Calaveras Motorcycle Club has a diverse membership that includes doctors, lawyers, firefighters, teachers, mechanics and retired military personnel. The club…

With their 10th anniversary coming up later this month, the city of Peñitas honored their local library Wednesday. At their monthly regular meeting, city council members passed a resolution recognizing the anniversary of the opening of the Peñitas Public Library. “The library has been one of our most successful parts of the community.” Peñitas Mayor…

Most high school seniors find themselves busier than ever as they reach the cusp of adulthood and prepare to make the leap into their futures. Gisselle Costa and Denisse Damken are experiencing all that in the 2019-2020 school year, but have also decided to add additional feathers to their caps in the form of activism.…

The South Texas Literacy Coalition has moved into a new space five times the size of where they started, making way for even more students to develop a taste for recreational reading. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, started about 11 years ago, used to operate out of a 400 sq. ft. space off of Highway 107…

The Mission Planning and Zoning Commission met briefly Wednesday evening to discuss a few public hearings that will be presented at the next city council meeting. One of the items – in which no action was taken by the commission as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Director Jaime Acevedo and city staff – had…