Area News

For years, all Cassandra Hernandez wanted for Christmas was a laptop to do her schoolwork. She said she’d spend many holidays hoping to see a laptop from Santa Clause under the Christmas tree every year. “But there never was one, I guess laptops are too expensive even for Santa,” Hernandez, a 3rd grade student from…

 The fate of who will ultimately maintain a three-mile privately built border fence just feet away from the Rio Grande riverbank outside of Mission remains unclear following a status hearing on two federal lawsuits against the wall last week. The fence, built one year ago by North Dakotan construction magnate Tommy Fisher, has been touted…

Hidalgo County announced on Thursday 522 new positive cases of the COVID-19 disease as well as four deaths related to the disease. Thursday’s numbers were released via the county’s new format of announcing the COVID cases in accordance to Texas DSHS 2020 case criteria guide. Of the 522 new reported cases, 225 of them were confirmed through…

Hidalgo County reported today that 377 people tested positive for the coronavirus, and eight people have died. The COVID-19 fatality tally is now 2,145, with 48,386 total positive cases. The county also reported the amount of residents being treated for COVID-19 related complications still stands at 249. 89 of those residents are being treated in intensive care…

The total amount of reported COVID-19 cases crossed the 48,000 threshold Tuesday as the county reported 447 new cases of the disease. With the new numbers, the total amount of reported COVID-19 cases now stands at 48,009, according to a news release from the county. The county also reported seven more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing…

Alton police are seeking a suspect in a shooting that claimed the life of a 31-year-old man Sunday night. Alton police responded to the 1300 Block of South Nevada Street at around 8:40 p.m. in reference to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers found the unidentified man dead with apparent gunshot wounds, according to a…

Nine more COVID-19 related deaths were reported in Hidalgo County Monday as 453 new positive cases of the disease were reported. With the new numbers, the total amount of county residents who have succumbed to the disease has increased to 2,130 as the county has seen a total of 47,562 reported cases of COVID-19. 2,866 of…

State health officials have alerted local authorities that the COVID-19 vaccines are now headed to Hidalgo County and will be sent to two distribution centers – the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School and Doctors Hospital at Renaissance – Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said Sunday. It is not known precisely when…

A 30-year-old Mission man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a child, Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez, Jr. announced in a Friday news release. Jose Javier Rodriguez will serve 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division for Sex Abuse of Child Continuous Victim under 14 and Aggravated…

Facing an increase in local COVID-19 cases, and the pending vaccine to combat it, Starr County Judge Eloy Vera announced Friday amendments to the local emergency order that will now include a mandatory shelter-in-place order and a curfew. The curfew, which will be from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for individuals 17 and younger and…