Area News
Rattler baseball players graduate in special ceremony
The eight seniors on Sharyland High School’s baseball team graduated in their own special ceremony May 26, just days before the biggest series of their high school baseball careers. While the rest of the SHS seniors graduated May 22, the Rattlers were busy bringing home a victory against Cedar Park, advancing to the state semifinals…
Read MoreFalse alarm — no pay discrepancies found at La Joya ISD
The La Joya ISD administration disproved the possible pay discrepancies linked to a data integrity issue that originated with the previous administration. In February, Chief of Business, Finance & Administrative Services Mirgitt Crespo reported finding errors in salary data and years of service across more than 900 employee files. Staff also found some employees had…
Read MoreOpinions more positive in McAllen ISD employee survey
The McAllen school board last week heard results from this year’s employee opinion survey that largely point to growing contentment amongst its staff. A total of 1,537 employees completed surveys, most of them teachers. That survey, conducted in March, asked employees to respond with how much they agree about various statements in different…
Read MoreFormer LJISD board member’s ex-wife’s suit dismissed
A judge last week dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by the former wife of a former La Joya ISD School Board trustee against the district and its superintendent. Juliana Garza initially sued the district in September, alleging in that suit and an amended complaint early this year that she had been wrongly terminated, slandered…
Read MoreSharyland finalizes election results, reorganizes board officers
The Sharyland ISD Board of Trustees canvassed the May 2 election results, declaring Meagan Sullivan and Julio Cerda the respective winners of Place 1 and Place 2, and finalizing the vetoed bond election. After Judge Keno Vasquez conducted the oath of office for the trustees’ new terms, Cerda expressed his dedication to the position. “I…
Read MoreMission CISD resignation notice incentive draws 48
A total of 48 employees decided to take the Mission Consolidated Independent School District up on a $500 incentive offer to tell the district they planned to resign early. According to a release from the district, the incentives supported “proactive staffing efforts” for the upcoming school year. Essentially, if school districts know who’s…
Read MoreFormer Edinburg school board member, South Texas wind energy consultant dies
Former Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District School Board Trustee and well-known South Texas renewable energy consultant Robert Peña Jr. died Tuesday. A 1986 Edinburg High School graduate, Peña was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and developed some of the first wind farms in the Rio Grande Valley. “Today we lost a hometown…
Read MoreTwo Mission CISD trustees sworn in, recount demand prevents third
Two new Mission Consolidated Independent School Board trustees were sworn in Tuesday, though a recount petition for the Place 1 race prevented anyone from being sworn in to that seat. According to the district’s legal counsel, Mission CISD received that petition just 55 minutes before the board’s meeting started Tuesday. Unofficial totals from…
Read MoreSuit over Edinburg priest’s affair settled
The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville last week settled a lawsuit filed by a man who says an Edinburg priest’s affair with his wife tore his family apart. According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez and the diocese agreed to dismiss all claims and counterclaims against each other, with each side paying for its own…
Read MoreSTISD board approves new superintendent’s contract
The South Texas ISD Board approved on April 29 a $235,000 three-year contract with Sandra Ochoa. Ochoa, who the board named lone finalist for the position in early April, is slated to start on June 1. School Board President Henry LeVrier said the board was pleased to approve the contract. “We’re…
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