Area News

A 39-year-old male from Escobares became the 24th person from Starr County to test positive for COVID-19. Starr County Health Authority Dr. Jose Vasquez said Friday the man is a relative of an individual in Starr County who previously tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of active cases in the county to 10,…

Hidalgo County municipalities looking for financial relief from expenses accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic will see some aid in the form of $63 million. During Tuesday’s Hidalgo County Commissioners Court meeting, county commissioners voted 4-1 to provide $63 million in federal funding under the CARES Act to reimburse the county’s 22 municipalities for COVID-19 related…

Two weeks before socially-distant graduations, the La Joya ISD wanted to ensure every senior was celebrated. Last Thurs. May 14, the La Joya Independent School District took several buses and vehicles in a Caravan of Hope around the area. Superintendent Dr. Gisela Saenz, LJISD administration and the board of trustees were in tow, making a…

A familiar face in Mission will be handling a project in the La Joya Independent School District. Last Wed. May 13, the LJISD school board held a regular meeting. One of the items under business and finance had to do with renovations for the roof of Rosendo Benavides Elementary School, located at 1882 El Pinto…

Growth in the finances of the Agua Special Utility District and new infrastructure contributed to the utility district turning in a “favorable” audit despite operating under a deficit of nearly $1.9 million. The audit for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2019, was presented to the Agua SUD board of directors Monday by Guillermo Reyna…

After purchasing $100,000 worth of Wi-Fi hotspots for students earlier this past spring, the Sharyland Independent School District will continue to offer tech support to students attending school from home. During the district’s upcoming school board meeting, trustees will vote on purchasing new Chromebooks for students to assist them in schoolwork. The meeting, set for…

Myra Gougér, a Mission resident of just one year, hopes to encourage children of all ages to be open to trying new things. Gougér, who moved to the area from Las Vegas to be closer to her family, has seen her dream of writing come to fruition with her first children’s book: “I Don’t Like…

The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission will join other state veterans’ cemeteries in holding a virtual Memorial Day Service. The Veterans Land Board announced in a news release they will be hosting a ceremony via Facebook Live Monday, May 25 starting at 10 a.m. “The year 2020 has brought many unforeseen changes.…

Hidalgo County health officials reported five more people tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the total number of known cases of the virus to 472. Hidalgo County also surpassed the 8,000 mark in COVID-19 testing with 6,914 cases coming back negative and 616 pending results. “Don’t let this serve as an indication to let your…

City of Peñitas officials announced in a Thursday social media post of the first positive case of COVID-19 in the community with a population of approximately 4,400. “With the increase in available testing throughout the county, a positive case of coronavirus in our community was inevitable,” Peñitas Mayor Rigo Lopez stated in the social media…