Area News
Balanced budgets and pay raises at La Joya ISD
La Joya ISD will go into the 2025-26 school year with a balanced budget and 4% raises for all employees — a feat that some might have deemed far-fetched a year ago. Last year, the district faced a $20 million-turned-$10.4 million deficit, and it was about to enter a third school year without across-the-board pay…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD budgets for 4% pay raises
All signs point toward La Joya ISD employees receiving a 4% pay raise, pending the board of managers’ approval. Chief of Business and Administrative Services Mirgitt Crespo presented the proposed 2025-2026 budget, which included a $1.5 million revenue surplus and a 4% raise for all LJISD employees. If the board approves the budget, it would…
Read MoreNew mayor, councilman elected in Sullivan City runoff
Sullivan City voters elected a new mayor and a new councilman in the municipality’s June 7 runoff. Challenger Sylvia Castillo beat incumbent Alma Salinas in the race for mayor, raking in 53.13% of the vote to Salinas’ 46.87%. Isaac Sulemana, meanwhile, outran Elias Morales Jr. in the race for undefended Place 3,…
Read MoreUnder Congresswoman’s Plan, Moore Air Base Program Would Reactivate
The weekend barbecue is a staple in the Rio Grande Valley, but an outbreak in northern Mexico of the New World Screwworm (NWS), a parasite known for eating the flesh of cattle, could put out the fire if a solution is not found. The US House Committee on Agriculture will consider a bill filed…
Read MoreNo action on potential La Joya PD shift to digital citations
La Joya City Council took no action Wednesday on subscribing to a service that would transition citations issued by the La Joya Police Department to a new digital platform, a move that may save the city money and allow its officers to issue significantly more citations. Council heard a pitch from Trusted Driver,…
Read MoreSoftball field named after beloved Lady Coyotes coach
La Joya ISD dedicated the softball field at the Leo Garza Jr. Complex to the late Coach Carlos “Charlie” Rodriguez Jr. The newly named Coach Rod Field will have a specially designed archway and a billboard behind the dugout with the team’s accolades under Rodriguez’s leadership. The beloved coach spent 40 years with the La…
Read MoreCitrus Of The South Will Celebrate 89th Fiesta
Costumes reminiscent of the 1800s will be all the rage for the 89th Texas Citrus Fiesta (TCF) set for January of 2026. The TCF board voted unanimously on June 3 to adopt a theme of “Citrus of the South,” to celebrate the next citrus harvest. “It will be like Bridgerton, and Scarlet O’Hara,…
Read MoreRussian hacker group may be connected to Mission ransomware attack
A Russian-speaking group of cybercriminals may be connected to a ransomware attack that crippled the city of Mission in February. An engagement letter with a law firm the city hired to deal with the attack described it as the “Qilin Ransomware Incident.” Qilin doesn’t appear to be a word. Qilin, on the…
Read MorePotential SISD initiatives for 2025-26
With the budget planning process still underway at Sharyland ISD, the administrative team has been looking at new initiatives they want to implement for the upcoming school year. During the last budget workshop, the central office staff presented various programs they would like to bring to SISD, depending on the budget. At the time, everything…
Read MoreAudit reveals LJISD prematurely placed kids in special ed
A comprehensive audit of La Joya ISD’s special education program revealed a slew of problem areas that triggered the district to create a multi-year approach to correct all the issues. Bellwether Education Partners conducted a deep audit of the last four years of LJISD’s special ed program. In addition to examining data and paperwork, the…
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