Area News

Now with eight cases of coronavirus in the county, Hidalgo county Judge Richard F. Cortez announced he is ordering all residents to stay at home unless they are conducting essential business. The order becomes effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 26. Cortez made the announcement Wednesday at  a virtual press conference where he said there are…

Mission pharmacist and city council member Alberto “Beto” Vela confirmed Wednesday he was positive for COVID-19. According to a press release from the city, Vela tested positive on March 24. Since then, Vela has been isolated at home, and will be self-quarantined for fourteen days. “I tested Monday evening,” Vela said. “We just need to…

An increase in testing has resulted in county officials confirming that two more people have tested positive for COVID-19,the county announced Wednesday. This brings the total number of patients who tested positive for coronavirus to seven. Federal law prohibits these people from being identified but county investigators will inform members of the public who may have…

Three more people in Hidalgo County have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, bringing the total of those infected in the county to five. Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez announced this in a Tuesday news release, which also said initial investigation suggests that two of the cases appear to be travel-related and could be…

The Hidalgo County Elections Department will not be conducting a May 2, 2020 election for any political subdivision, according to the Hidalgo County Elections Administrator. The Hidalgo County Commissioner’s Court voted on this measure during their Tuesday meeting. This is in accordance with Governor Gregg Abbott’s disaster declaration coupled with a Declaration of Local Disaster Due to…

Beginning next Monday, Hidalgo County will suspend “normal operations” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hidalgo County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to suspend these operations beginning Monday, March 30 through Monday, April 27, according to a news release from the county. The suspension of normal operations includes a provision in which county elected officials…

Citing nearly 1,000 illegal votes, Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner Jose “Joe” Flores has filed a lawsuit to contest the results of the March 2020 Democratic Party primary.  Flores filed the lawsuit Monday against challenger and local businessman Everardo “Ever” Villarreal, who beat him in the Democratic primary by 92 votes. “Villarreal built his political…

*Updated Monday, March 23, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.* Following two positive cases of the novel Coronavirus confirmed over the weekend, the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court held a Monday video press conference at 2 p.m. this afternoon to discuss the extension of the disaster declaration made in response to COVID-19, as well as lay out the…

In response to the seriousness of  COVID-19 health risks, Sharyland Water Supply Corporation announced Monday they’ve altered business transactions until further notice. Effective immediately the business office is closed to walk-in traffic and customers making payments are urged to instead use: the drive thru payment windows, the night deposit box at the front of the…

Updated Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 9:40 p.m. Just hours after a morning emergency county commissioner’s meeting to address coronavirus concerns, a second county resident tested positive for COVID-19, which will trigger a countywide curfew tomorrow. Health investigators said this case involves a woman whose age was not immediately available and it appears to be travel-related,…