Area News
Board to vote on $7M investments at La Joya ISD
Superintendent Dr. Marcey Sorensen requested board approval to dip into the district’s emergency fund for one-time capital investments totaling $7 million. The investments include replacing 10 school buses ($2 million), baseball field upgrades ($3 million) and contingency needs ($2 million). While most expenditures come from the district’s general fund, the investments would come from La…
Read MoreOne Firefighter Admits To Unprofessional Conduct
One member of the Mission fire department admitted he made inappropriate statements after an investigation of alleged bullying and harassment of a challenged coworker concluded. Captain assistant fire marshal Michael Reyes confessed to making improper comments about Joseph Fisher’s size and weight, according to documents obtained by the Progress Times. Reyes told…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD proposes a 3% raise for all employees
The La Joya ISD administration proposed a balanced budget and a possible 3% midpoint raise for all employees, pending board approval next week. This is the second year the district presented a balanced budget to the board of managers since the Texas Education Agency appointed Superintendent Dr. Marcey Sorensen in February 2024. Going into the…
Read MoreArjona named interim city manager in Palmview
The Palmview City Council last Friday authorized its legal counsel to negotiate an interim city manager agreement with Ben Arjona following the resignation of City Manager Michael Leo last month. Arjona is currently interim city manager of Progreso. Council selected Arjona after interviewing him and three other candidates for interim behind closed doors…
Read MorePalmview hires lobbyist
Palmview City Council last month agreed to pay legislative consultant Lee Roy Loya $2,500 a month to advocate for the city’s interests in Austin. Loya and his company — The L Firm — specialize in “combining subject matter knowledge and expertise with a well-established, highly respected reputation and relationships within the industry” in a…
Read MoreMission school board picks new officers in split vote
The Mission school board voted 4-2 to elect new officers on May 26 after an awkwardly contentious transition of power on the board. After much conversation, the board voted to name Natividad “Nati” Sosa as president, Abby Reyna as vice president and Victor O’Caña as secretary. Humberto “Beto” Garza voted to nominate those…
Read MoreHigh praise for Rattlers
Coaches Pompa, Garcia and Thompson share accolades The Sharyland Rattlers’ baseball team is one win away from the UIL 5A DII State Championship. They entered the UIL State Playoffs as District 31-5A champions. They’ve since proceeded to claim Bi-district, Area, Regional Semifinals, Regional Finals and State Semifinal championships; all in the course of…
Read MoreVeterans Memorial High School team wins global title at Destination Imagination Finals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Veterans Memorial High School DI Quick Thinkers captured first place at the Destination Imagination Global Finals, earning top honors in both the Instant Challenge and their Team Challenge, event organizers announced. Competing May 22-23, the Mission CISD team posted the highest score in the Instant Challenge, a fast…
Read MoreMission may dismantle Historical District to rebuild it
The Mission city council in two weeks will consider repealing an ordinance that created the historic preservation overlay district, to move into compliance with its own rules. The city established its historic commission in June of 2021 through ordinance 5035, and that group has not met for a couple of years, city records show.…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD launches dashboard to track district progress
La Joya ISD launched a new tracking tool to promote transparency and ongoing accountability throughout its five-year strategic plan. Chief Technology Officer Haissam Mayasi developed an online dashboard to monitor the district’s progress in executing the strategic plan, also known as Achieving Excellence Together 2030. The public can view the current status on the district…
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