Area News
Man wanted in ‘Operation Ice River’ arrested in Mexico
A man accused of sacrificing animals to “bless” drug shipments was arrested in Mexico last month. Hector Reyes, a man in his mid-30s from Rio Grande City, is charged with smuggling drugs and violating the federal Endangered Species Act. Reyes recruited drivers to transport drug shipments, according to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Patrick…
Read MoreSecurity guard who brought marijuana to Mission High School pleads guilty to drug charge
A security guard who brought marijuana to Mission High School pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge last month. James Guerrero, 26, of Alton pleaded guilty to possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana in a drug-free zone, a Class A misdemeanor, on April 3. Hidalgo County Court-at-Law Judge Federico “Fred” Garza Jr. placed…
Read MoreRGV culture celebrated in original theater production
Actor and director Augusto Contreras combined a classic Shakespearean story with 956 influences to create the original production “This is not Romeo & Juliet” — a play by the RGV, for the RGV. Whereas “Romeo and Juliet” is a dramatic story of star-crossed lovers from two opposing families who forbid the couple from being together,…
Read MoreCity council finalizes parking on grass ordinance
Mission City Council reinstated the no parking on grass ordinance that caused much debate for the last two years. City government originally created ordinance No. 5001 in 2021 to promote city beautification and allow code enforcement officers to issue citations. The ordinance stated that all residents needed to park their vehicles in the designated driveway…
Read MoreMission CISD discusses potential police department
The Mission CISD Board of Trustees explored the pros and cons of the district implementing its own police department. Following a presentation from Director for Safety & Security Martin Castañeda and a discussion in executive session, the board decided they would take a final vote on the item at the June school board meeting. Although…
Read MoreWhat the 2023 drainage bond means for Hidalgo County
When Hidalgo County constituents voted for the $195 million drainage bond during the May 6 election, they approved about 26 infrastructure improvement projects — without increasing their taxes. Drainage District General Manager Raul Sesin said the district managed the debt incurred, which is how they are able to issue the bond without increasing the tax…
Read MoreSISD inducts new trustees
The Sharyland ISD board of trustees made the May 6 election results official and inducted the two winners at the May 16 meeting. Meagan Sullivan took the Place 1 seat on the board, and Julio Cerda took Place 2. The official vote count is 1,584 for Place 1, with Sullivan defeating her opponent Sergio Saenz…
Read MoreLa Joya ISD plans to fight Texas Education Agency takeover
The La Joya Independent School District set the stage for a high-stakes showdown with the Texas Education Agency on Monday. During a contentious meeting on Monday afternoon, trustees voted 4-3 to “proceed with any action necessary” to stop the Texas Education Agency from replacing the elected school board with a state-appointed board of managers. “I…
Read MoreAs part of settlement agreement, La Joya ISD approves seven-year contract with Ruth Villarreal Insurance
The La Joya Independent School District and Ruth Villarreal Insurance settled a long-running lawsuit in March. As part of the settlement agreement, La Joya ISD approved a seven-year contract with Ruth Villarreal Insurance and coughed up $600,000 to cover the company’s legal bills. Ruth Villarreal Insurance, meanwhile, agreed not to collect nearly $2.7 million in…
Read MoreFormer La Joya school board trustee arrested on assault charge
A former La Joya school board trustee accused of assaulting a political opponent was arrested Wednesday on a misdemeanor assault charge. Rita Garza-Uresti, 56, of Palmhurst is accused of assaulting former Agua Special Utility District board Director Cesar Rodriguez Jr. on May 6, when Peñitas held a mayoral election. After investigating the incident, the Peñitas…
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