Area News
Local trustees discuss public dollars funding private schools
It’s not a legislative year in Texas if private school vouchers aren’t a hot topic of discussion, and this year is no different. School vouchers, school choice and education savings accounts (ESAs) are all terms used to describe the concept of using public tax dollars to fund students not in public schools. Governor Greg Abbott…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD teacher quietly resigned, kept teaching certificate after inappropriate relationship investigation
A La Joya ISD middle school teacher kept her teaching certificate and quietly resigned from the school district in 2023 after an administrative investigation found she had violated policy by sending messages and photos to a former student. Rut Damaris Kazmierczak, a sixth grade reading teacher at J.D. Salinas Middle School, resigned in…
Read MoreMission says it’s made “significant progress” in bringing systems online after ransomware attack
The city of Mission said in a press release Wednesday that it’s made significant progress toward bringing systems back online after a ransomware attack crippled the municipality’s operations. According to the Mission’s release Wednesday, the city believes it will “be back to full operational capacity soon.” “We are continuing to work with industry experts to…
Read MoreHidalgo school board accepts interim superintendent’s resignation in split vote
The Hidalgo school board voted 4-3 Monday to accept a resignation letter submitted by Interim Superintendent Fernando Castillo that night after just four months on the job. Castillo’s resignation will become effective on April 4. The board named Castillo interim superintendent in late October after former Superintendent Xavier Salinas retired from education.…
Read MoreMEDC Boasts RGV’s Top Sales Tax Revenue
The City of Mission is leading the region in retail sales tax revenue, according to a report provided by the Mission Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to the council on Monday. MEDC CEO Teclo Garcia said the citrus city is ranked number one in the Rio Grande Valley in sales tax revenue for the month…
Read MoreA Legacy of Athletic Excellence
Sharyland ISD honors individuals and teams Last Friday the Sharyland Independent School District held its Inaugural Athletics Hall of Honor induction ceremony at the Mission Event Center. It was billed as an, “…exclusive event to honor distinguished individuals and teams who have made a lasting impact on Sharyland ISD athletics,” and it certainly…
Read MoreThree SISD trustees retain seats, look to future
Sharyland ISD canceled their May election after no one threw their hat in the ring to run against the three incumbents. With the stress of the election out the window, the trustees prepare themselves for what lies ahead in this next term. Place 5 Trustee Hector Rivera begins his third term after six years on…
Read MoreUTRGV asks judge to dismiss social work school discrimination suit
Attorneys representing the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley asked a judge last month to dismiss a lawsuit filed by three former employees of the institution’s School of Social Work who allege they were discriminated against by the university and its employees prior to their terminations. In a lawsuit filed in October, the…
Read MoreCity of Mission victim of “cybersecurity incident”
Criminals targeted portions of the city of Mission’s network in a security breach last week that brought parts of the city’s systems offline. Some of those systems remained offline this week, the city announced in a release Tuesday, in order “to preserve their security and integrity.” The incident, which happened last Friday, left…
Read MoreSpeer Memorial Library To Observe Author’s Birthday With Free Family Event
Hey, everyone! We’re all invited to a birthday party! Speer Memorial Library will hold its annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration on Thursday, March 6 from 5 to 7 pm. “This is a free event to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s 121st birthday,” said library director Yenni Espinoza. “It’s open to all ages and we’ll…
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