Area News

Orlando Reyna, one of La Joya ISD’s executive directors of school leadership, will resign at the end of January after a months-long suspension prompted by the district’s discovery of a fatality wreck he was involved in in 2016.     In September of that year court documents say Reyna was driving down a highway in…

A Mission property owner has called off plans to develop a business plaza at the corner of Bryan Road and Griffin Parkway, after years of battling with local politics, he said.   Attorney Rick Salinas put the corner property on the market about two weeks ago out of frustration, claiming the city refuses to widen…

The Mission City Council unanimously approved the creation of a new job on January 13 to support the Texas Citrus Fiesta (TCF).   A part-time events aide position will offer a salary of $18,720 with a benefits package of $10,846 for a total cost of $29,566 and will be housed within the police department, along…

At least 13 current or former La Joya Independent School District employees alleged in federal court last week that they’d been victims of adverse employment action related to politics.   The allegations outlined in the 48-page suit took place from 2021 to 2024, though the lion’s share of them center on events in 2023, when…

The Mercedes Independent School District Board of Trustees named Benjamin Clinton lone finalist for superintendent during a special meeting Saturday.     Clinton is currently the deputy superintendent at Raymondville ISD.   Before that he served in a variety of other posts as an administrator, principal, educator and coach.   “I am deeply honored to…

Tuesday marked the first day of the Texas Legislature in Austin, and State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa will spend the next 140 days in a domed pink granite building, searching for funds needed in South Texas and reviewing proposed laws that could impact every day lives of his constituents.     Both the Texas House…

When Mission activist Virginia Townsend approached the city council in November 2024 to remark on the unpaid utility bills revealed after an extensive audit, the council committed to a workshop to discuss the matter in more detail. Two months later, that workshop has never been scheduled.   Townsend told the Progress Times that she has…

The La Joya school district began 2025 with a few realignments to the special education staff, giving the district a projected cost avoidance of $1,028,080.  When staff returned to school on Jan. 6 following the winter break, 26 teachers and paraprofessionals reported to new positions or new campuses. Three teachers from Juarez-Lincoln High School moved…

STHS is honored to support Texas State Technical College’s work in building a strong healthcare workforce in the Rio Grande Valley     Whether elective or emergency, surgery may be recommended to a patient for a variety of reasons, including to help with a diagnosis, take a biopsy of a suspicious lump, remove or repair…