LATEST NEWS

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A drug-resistant fungus that doctors had hoped to contain has now spread to more than half the nation.   The fungus, Candida Auris, can be extremely dangerous to those with a weakened immune system. Dr. Ivan Melendez, Hidalgo County health authority, believes the deadly fungus has reached the Rio Grande Valley community. […]

This article originally ran in the March 10 issue of the Progress Times. One of Mission’s ongoing roadway expansion projects is at Inspiration Road and Military Parkway Loop. Although the city has had the project in the pipeline for several years, the site is nowhere near the construction phase. But the Mission planning department has been working behind the scenes to accelerate the process to meet the growing city’s needs.

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The recent $35 cap on monthly out-of-pocket costs for insulin is great news for people with diabetes. It’s a relief for many who struggle to afford the medicine. Experts say the prices were so high many people were sharing insulin to keep costs down. “The main concern when it comes to […]

MISSION, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Dutch Bros. Coffee is opening its newest location in Mission on Wednesday. The coffee shop is located at 512 N. Shary Road. The company’s news release said the drinks available at the new store include specialty coffees, smoothies, teas, freezes, lemonade, exclusive Dutch Bros RebelTMenergy drink, and Nitro Cold Brew coffee. […]

A 32-year-old man wanted in connection with a shooting near Edinburg that happened last week turned himself in to authorities, according to a news release. Oscar Ivan Ortiz was identified as the man the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said shot at a residence near Edinburg, according to a news release.

Firefighters and city officials unveiled a new fire truck on Tuesday that will be used to respond to any emergencies at the McAllen International Airport. Firefighters and city officials unveiled a new fire truck on Tuesday that will be used to respond to any emergencies at the McAllen International Airport.

Officials from the Texas General Land Office were in the Valley to provide a total of $13 million that will go toward multiple projects to prevent future flooding. The funds from the 2019 disaster recovery funds were split between cities and entities based on community need. Hidalgo County Precinct 1...

Hidalgo County was this close, this close to opening its new courthouse when the whole thing fell apart. Not literally, mind you, since it’s still standing, kind of, sort of, but why the county is now apparently looking at pursuing litigation against the contractor, who knows for sure. The Commissioners Court is keeping its cards close to the vest, but if it does enter into litigation, the question still remains: When will the new building officially open for business?Looking back over the project, going back 10 years, the story looked like it might follow a rocky path from the get-go.

The pride flag won’t fly at City of Mission facilities for the foreseeable future. At Monday’s (March 20) council meeting, the council voted 5-1 to exclusively raise the Canadian flag, provincial flag and municipal flag at city locations. The lone exception will be the replacement of the municipal...

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The fourth and final suspect in a 2017 murder kidnapping case was sentenced on Monday. Sandy Lutz was sentenced to 18 years in state jail on a charge of murder, according to Hidalgo County Jail records. Lutz, along with Gabino Salinas, Benjamin Chavez Sanchez and Hector Ruben Guerra were sentenced in […]

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Three men have been charged in connection to a firearm robbery at a hotel, federal officials said. McAllen resident Nathan Garza, 24, was indicted on charges of robbery and illegally possessing a firearm, a news release from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said. Edinburg residents Jahiro Sarmiento Martinez, 29, and Oscar […]

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Edinburg fourth-grade teacher and mother of a child with Down Syndrome is advocating for change in her community, starting in her classroom. Nereyda Ruiz, mother of Camila, a 5-year-old with Down Syndrome, told ValleyCentral about the ways in which she celebrates World Down Syndrome Day to spread awareness in her […]

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — McAllen police identified the victims killed in a fatal stabbing that happened early Saturday morning. The man accused of the killings, Carlos Antonio Cardenas, 26, of Alamo. was arraigned Monday on charges of capital murder, criminal attempt murder and burglary of vehicle. Authorities identify the murder victims as 42-year-old Luis Eduardo […]

A McAllen family is adding a new addition to their family after their dogs were killed in a bee attack last week. The dogs died after being stung over 100 times on March 15, the Cantu family said. When Roxanne Puente and her fiancé heard of what happened to the...

I watched with great interest the televised hearing that the House Homeland Security Committee held in McAllen on March 15th. It was a real slap in the face of Valley residents, however, that all the Democrat members of the committee decided to stay in Washington and boycott the proceedings. One could conclude, however, that at least that gave additional time to the Republican majority to ask some really salient questions of the border workers who gave testimony. Witnesses included the head of the border patrol workers’ union as well as local law enforcement. I was particularly interested to learn that ...

This article originally ran in the March 10 issue of the Progress Times. After weeks of parents speaking out against Sharyland ISD reassigning Shimotsu’s long-time principal to another campus, the district responded to allegations made against them. Sharyland ISD removed Adrian Limon from his role as principal of Shimotsu...

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Finding ways to combine art and educating the community on healthcare is a goal for UT Health RGV. And they are doing just that with a program called Vida Saludable. “Vida Saludable is a healthy lifestyle campaign that showcases local artists and their talents,” said Amanda Garcia, program specialist […]

Drug smugglers who called themselves the Suicide Squad are headed to federal prison. A U.S. District Court judge in McAllen sentenced Elias Herrera to more than seven years behind bars Monday. Investigators say Herrera and two others stuffed packages of heroin and fentanyl into their car’s secret compartments and drove...

The Rio Grande Valley now has its first artificial lung machine. The ECMO machine is at South Texas Health System Heart Hospital in McAllen and gets oxygen into a patient's blood while outside the body. During the pandemic, a lot of hospitals were asking for this life-saving device, and it...

A Hidalgo County judge is denying a request to remove the head of the county Republican Party from a sexual harassment lawsuit. The judge ruled late last week that Adrienne Pena-Garza will not be dismissed from a suit accusing her brother of sexually assaulting a volunteer campaign worker. An attorney...