Area News

A grant that is part of the CARES Act will assist the county in aiding individuals and families who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. Hidalgo County was awarded a Homeless Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) in the amount of $4,242,374 that will be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic…

Damian Gonzalez is ready to take the next steps on his academic journey. Gonzalez, the valedictorian of the Veterans Memorial High School Class of 2020, is one of 300 students in the country to earn a Gates Foundation Scholarship. A “last-dollar” scholarship that will fund every other expense not covered by other scholarships, the Gates…

Matthew Perez, a senior in the Mission Career Tech Early College High School program at MHS, earned an accomplishment not many seniors can claim. Perez, who will join his Class of 2020 at the Tom Landry Hall of Fame Stadium for their first outdoor graduation in years, had already graduated from college at the end…

The amount of COVID-19 testing in Hidalgo County surpassed the 16,000 mark as 24 people tested positive for the virus Wednesday. Starr County reported an additional four cases, bringing the county total to 42. As of Wednesday, 22 cases in Starr County have recorded with 20 individuals hospitalized. The total number of known cases of…

The total amount of COVID-19 cases has increased to 610 after 26 more people tested positive for the virus, the county announced Tuesday. The rise in new cases is being attributed to an increase in testing following a state mandate to test two percent of the state’s population and all nursing home residents and their…

A 60-year-old McAllen woman with a history of medical complications died Monday after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez announced in a news release. Her death makes her the 11th individual who has died in Hidalgo County after testing positive for this strain of coronavirus. “Today’s tragic development illustrates the…

Valedictorian Katia Lizet Montemayor The 2020 Mission Collegiate High School valedictorian, Katia Montemayor, is the daughter of Arturo and Maria Montemayor. She plans to attend the University of Texas in Austin and study Clinical Psychology.  Montemayor says she hopes to obtain her doctorate degree and someday open her own practice. When asked about what she…

Valedictorian Damien Gonzalez Veterans Memorial High School valedictorian, Damien Gonzalez, is the son of Rodolfo and Maricela Gonzalez. Damien plans to attend Rice University and pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Gonzalez said his dream job would be to work at Space X as an engineer, but he also has aspirations to one day be…

Valedictorian Yazmin Cortez Mission High School has named Yazmin Cortez as their Class of 2020 valedictorian. She is the daughter of Vicente and Maria Cortez. Cortez’s plans are to attend the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and pursue a degree in engineering. Her ultimate goal is to obtain a doctoral degree in the same…

Each principal of the three high schools in the Mission Consolidated Independent School District has seen their students, teachers and staff adjust tremendously in the wake of an unprecedented spring semester. When discussing the new routines and issues faced at each campus, all three expressed pride in the district population for everyone’s continued unity throughout…