Area News
MCISD home football games to be played elsewhere
Construction at Tom Landry Hall of Fame Stadium is underway, but that means the Mission High School and Veterans Memorial High School football teams will have to play their home games at other stadiums. The Tom Landry stadium bleachers were deemed unsafe due to cracked piers. Rick Hinojosa Engineering conducted a full stadium assessment at…
Read MoreFormer East Hidalgo Detention Center employee sentenced to 6 months in prison
A judge on Wednesday sentenced a former East Hidalgo Detention Center employee to six months in prison for providing inmates with fajitas, tacos and other contraband food. U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa sentenced Jayson Catalan, 38, of Mercedes to six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement. “If I could do it…
Read MoreAlton welcomes new fire chief
This article appeared in the Aug. 13 issue of the Progress Times. The city of Alton welcomed a new fire chief Tuesday during a swearing-in ceremony at City Hall. John J. Salinas — who previously worked in Alamo, San Juan and Palmview, where he became the assistant fire chief — took the top job in…
Read MoreMask mandate for all school districts
Hidalgo County issued a mask mandate for all school districts, effective immediately for nine weeks. The mandate applies to students, employees and visitors in all district facilities and on school buses. The local health authority’s order states that school districts can opt-out of the mandate by a majority vote from their respective boards of trustees.…
Read MoreIn response to lawsuit filed by Valley school districts, judge grants temporary restraining order against Gov. Abbott
A judge on Friday stopped Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from enforcing an executive order that banned mask mandates in Rio Grande Valley schools. State District Judge Jan Soifer of Travis County granted a temporary restraining order against the governor on Friday afternoon. “What troubles me about this situation is the Disaster Act is intended to…
Read MoreGovernment plans to drop land condemnation lawsuit in Starr County, return property to owner
The federal government will drop a land condemnation lawsuit filed against a Starr County woman and return her property — abandoning plans to build a section of border wall between Rio Grande City and Roma. What the decision means for other Rio Grande Valley landowners remains unclear. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Marie Iglesias announced the…
Read MoreCoalition of Rio Grande Valley school districts sues Gov. Abbott over executive order that banned mask mandates
A coalition of Rio Grande Valley school districts filed a lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, demanding the ability to make their own decisions on face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The La Joya Independent School District, the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, the Hidalgo Independent School District, the Brownsville Independent School District…
Read MoreWeslaco water treatment plant bribery trial delayed until January
Faced with a major spike in COVID-19 infections, a federal judge on Thursday bumped the Weslaco water treatment plant bribery trial from September to January. Attorneys for businessman Ricardo “Rick” Quintanilla and former Hidalgo County Commissioner Arturo “A.C.” Cuellar Jr. asked to delay the trial. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas,…
Read MoreSharyland ISD will offer healthy meals to all students at no cost
Sharyland ISD announced its policy today that this school year, healthy meals will be offered every school day to all students at no cost. Typically, a student’s household must meet income eligibility requirements to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidance that allows schools to offer…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD will sue Gov. Abbott over executive order that banned mask mandates
The La Joya Independent School District will challenge Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — and his executive order that prohibited school districts from requiring people to wear face masks — in court. During an emergency meeting on Wednesday night, trustees authorized the La Joya ISD legal team to sue Abbott over the executive order. La Joya…
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