Border Patrol arrests fell again in July, data shows
Border arrests along the Southwest border reportedly fell for a second consecutive month and remain among the lowest levels in decades.
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NFL suspends Falcons' James Pearce Jr. 8 games
Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. will be suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday. Pearce was arrested in February following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend and WNB...
'Felt like a hot oven': Man left chihuahua inside truck in 100-degree heat, docs allege
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man was arrested on an animal cruelty charge after McAllen police say he left his chihuahua inside his truck in 100-degree heat while he was inside a Cheddar's restaurant, according to an offense report obtained by ValleyCentral. Jonathan Dani...
Dallas man caught trying to smuggle 21 guns to Mexico from Brownsville
A Dallas man was found to be attempting to smuggle more than 20 firearms into Mexico from Brownsville for financial gain while knowing that it’s illegal to do so without a license, according to a criminal complaint. Francisco Hernandez-Herrera is charged with knowingly facilitati...
Soldiers killed in helicopter crash identified
Fort Hood, Tx (FOX 44) - Fort Hood officials have identified the two soldiers killed in the crash of a helicopter near Salado and now say it occurred during a maintenance test flight. The pilots have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer S...
Deaf, non-verbal man reported missing out of Brownsville
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The Brownsville Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing man. Mario Alberto Soto, 76, was last seen at his home located at the 1800 block of Palm Blvd. in Brownsville. Police believe Soto was last seen wearing a g...
Bell Co. Sheriff's Office issues updates on Ft. Hood chopper crash
BELL COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) - The Bell County Sheriff's Office is hosting a press conference regarding the U.S. Army "Apache" helicopter crash in Salado on Wednesday afternoon. FOX 44 News has learned that this was a 1st Cavalry Division “Apache” helicopter with two soldiers on b...
Medical emergency causes driver to strike pillar in Edinburg
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A driver hit a pillar after experiencing a medical emergency behind the wheel Thursday morning, according to a spokesperson for the city of Edinburg. At approximately 9:35 a.m., emergency responders with the city of Edinburg were dispatched to t...
Cause of fire that destroyed La Feria home still under investigation
Editor's note: The video attached is from previous coverage of the fire. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The cause of a fire that destroyed a home in La Feria on Wednesday is being investigated by the Cameron County Fire Marshal's Office. Cameron County Fire Marshal Juan Marti...
Crews working to repair water line breaks in Weslaco
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Crews are working to repair three water line breaks that have caused water disruptions across the city of Weslaco. The city alerted residents of two water breaks on Wednesday afternoon. A third water break was reported on Wednesday evening. Tem...
Edinburg Police Department reminds public about school zone safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Now that many schools across the Valley are back in session, some may want a refresher course on safety in school zones. School zone driving safety tips include: But it isn't just drivers who need to be alert in school zones: Children and parent...
Weslaco responding to dual waterline breaks
T he city of Weslaco alerted the public Wednesday, at around 2:30 p.m., that they were responding to two water line breaks as communications contractors perform work in various areas of the city. During the work, inadvertently, underground water lines were disrupted, causing some...
Two dead in Fort Hood military chopper crash
BELL COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) - UPDATE: Authorities are responding to a Fort Hood military chopper crash in Bell County. FOX 44 News has learned that this was a 1st Cavalry Division Apache helicopter with two on board. Both have been pronounced dead. The crash happened around 1:30 ...
Harlingen, La Feria firefighters respond to structure fire
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Harlingen and La Feria firefighters are battling a fire at a home Wednesday afternoon. According to Harlingen Assistant Fire Chief Ruben Balboa, the structure fire is located near Bass Boulevard and Glenn Way and is 50% contained. No injuries ha...
Brownsville Fire Department welcomes new fire engine, brush truck
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Fire Department on Wednesday morning welcomed two new units into service during a push-in ceremony, a fire service tradition of formally welcoming new emergency response vehicles. Brownsvillle firefighters pushed in Fire Engine 3...
'This could take months': Jury selection begins in Martinez capital murder trial
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Jury selection began Tuesday in the capital murder trial of Rogelio Martinez Jr., who is accused of fatally shooting San Benito Police Lt. Milton Resendez during a 2023 vehicle pursuit. The case is expected to draw a lengthy jury-selection pro...
CBS Sports president says there's no timeline for a decision on Tony Romo's future
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS Sports president David Berson said Tuesday he does not have a timeline for a decision about Tony Romo's future. Romo, the network's lead NFL analyst, is on leave following his arrest last month in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the i...
Hazmat team responds to gasoline tanker spill in Edinburg
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Edinburg Fire Department and Pharr Fire Department are on the scene involving a gasoline tanker on Raul Longoria Road, according to the city of Edinburg. Both northbound and southbound lanes on Raul Longoria Road, between Canton Road and Wis...
Edinburg Fire Department hosts 'Sparky's Back to School Bash'
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Edinburg Fire Department is inviting children across the Valley to close out their summer with a free end-of-summer celebration on Thursday. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Promenade Park Amphitheater located at 201 W. McIntyre St. 'Sparky...
Palmview to host National Night Out event
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Palmview Police Department is hosting its annual National Night Out event on Thursday. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the parking lot of the Palmview Parks & Recreation Gym located at 406 Veterans Boulevard. The event promis...
Brownsville PUB: Emergency water repairs underway near El Lago area
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Approximately 1,000 customers are impacted by the emergency water reports, according to the Brownsville Public Utilities Board. On Tuesday afternoon, BPUB announced that residents near the El Lago area may experience a water service interruption...
MLB-worst Angels fire pitching coach Mike Maddux, 2 assistants in staff shakeup
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pitching coach Mike Maddux, bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott have been fired by the Los Angeles Angels. Interim front-office leader John Mozeliak announced several changes Tuesday to first-year manager Kurt Suzuki's coaching...
Accused smugglers in fatal Brownsville crash indicted on state charges
A 40-year-old man and 20-year-old woman accused in a fatal rollover crash in Brownsville that killed a man following a vehicular pursuit with Border Patrol have been indicted on state charges. Fernando Alejandro Rivera Rojas and Cynthia Dominique Gonzalez were indicted June 24 on...
Man accused of aggravated assault in Edcouch
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man was taken into custody on Sunday following a disorderly conduct call, according to the Edcouch Police Department. Kevin Contreras Ochoa was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with/fabricating physical eviden...
Jury selection begins in trial of man accused of killing San Benito cop
B ROWNSVILLE — Jury selection began Tuesday morning in the death penalty trial of a 20-year-old Brownsville man accused of fatally gunning down a San Benito police officer following an hourslong chase across Cameron County. Rogelio Martinez, who was 18 at the time of the shooting...
Texas THC ban continues as federal judge rejects emergency motion
By Stephen Simpson | The Texas Tribune A federal judge denied an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order sought by hemp businesses and consumers, allowing the Texas ban on THC products to continue until the case is resolved. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown of Galvest...
'Began by giving her hugs': Edinburg pastor accused of inappropriately touching girl at church
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An arrest affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral reveals what led to an Edinburg pastor being arrested and charged with indecency with a child. Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, 49, of Iglesia Internacional Poder y Gloria was arrested July 27 without incide...
Donna residents may experience low water pressure during emergency repair, city says
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The City of Donna is advising its residents that crews will be conducting an emergency water leak repair on Tuesday morning. The repairs began at 9:30 a.m. and will affect the areas from the 100 to 200 Block of S. 3rd St., including the Donna IS...
Fire at C&C Wings in Brownville under investigation
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Fire Department Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of a fire at the C&C Wings on Central Boulevard on Tuesday. At approximately 5:30 a.m., six fire department units, two command staff officers and one ambulance resp...
Prosecutors drop DWI charge against former Peñitas cop who passed out behind the wheel
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Prosecutors dropped a drunken driving charge against a former police officer last week after he completed a “Drug & Alcohol Awareness Class.” The Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office dropped the case against Joseph James Granchelli, 37, of Ne...
Brownsville man arrested in home raid with 1,400 THC vapes
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Cameron County Sheriff's Office arrested a man Friday following the execution of a search warrant where investigators found THC vape pens, THC-infused gummies, marijuana and money inside a Brownsville home. Leonardo Villegas, 19, from Browns...
Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy returns to practice after wife's shooting at their Virginia home
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy returned to the team Monday for his first training camp practice since his wife was shot at their Virginia home and the couple's 27-year-old son was arrested in the shooting. Bieniemy was greeted by a h...
Woman crashes car into Mission restaurant while parking: Police
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A woman driver crashed into a restaurant as she attempted to park, according to the Mission Police Department. At approximately 2:48 p.m., authorities responded to a crash at a parking lot located at the 2300 block of East Expressway. According ...
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan plans to coach the exhibition opener following car crash
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday he is nearly fully recovered from the car crash that has limited him this summer and is ready to coach the team's first exhibition game on Thursday night. Shanahan has been working his way back to fu...
Repeat felon attempted to bite police during arrest, sentenced to 11 years in federal prison
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Edinburg man was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas. On April 27, 4...
Police seek help finding missing Edcouch woman
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Edcouch Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in searching for a missing woman. Adela Davila was last seen at approximately 3 p.m. on Friday at 900 West Adkins Avenue, wearing a gray shirt and black shorts. According to Edc...
Brownsville police warn of scam call surge
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Police Department is advising the public to watch out for scam calls. According to a public service announcement from Brownsville police, the department has been made aware of yet another surge of scam calls. Authorities say the ...
Woman had invalid license at time of Brownsville fatal collision: Docs
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Authorities discovered a woman had three holds over her license and her vehicle was uninsured at the time of a deadly Brownsville crash in June, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral. Pamela Ruth Taylor, 31, has been charged...
Memphis forward Brandon Clarke died from effects of heroin and cocaine, authorities say
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died in May from the effects of heroin and cocaine, authorities said Friday. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said the 29-year-old basketball player's death was accidental. Clarke was found dead insi...
Harlingen cancer treatment center employee accused of stealing $750K from company
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Authorities arrested a Brownsville woman accused of stealing thousands from her employer in a nearly year-long scheme. Yuliana Perez of Brownsville is facing charges after police say she stole $750,000 from Valley Cancer Associates in Harlingen,...
Brownsville woman charged with theft of $750K from Valley Cancer Associates
Yuliana Perez A Brownsville woman has been charged with stealing $750,000 from Valley Cancer Associates in Harlingen — her former employer. The Harlingen Police Department identified the suspect as Yuliana Perez and said she was arrested Tuesday. Authorities began the investigati...
Police find migrants inside truck at Donna Love's Travel Stop
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Donna police officers found migrants inside a truck parked at Love's Travel Stop on Friday morning. According to Donna Police Chief Gilbert Guerrero, at approximately 9 a.m., authorities received a welfare check from a truck owner regarding one ...
'Voices in his head told him to do it': Man told teller he had a gun during Brownsville bank robbery
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man accused of robbing a bank in Brownsville told police that "voices in his head had told him to do it", according to a criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral. Deion George James, 32, was charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree ...
More frequent marijuana users being treated with nausea and vomiting condition: Report
Frequent marijuana users are increasingly turning up in emergency rooms with a condition that causes severe bouts of nausea and vomiting, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....
District 32-6A Preview: Loaded league adds more firepower
IVAN PALACIOS | STAFF WRITER Teams across the Rio Grande Valley returned to the practice field this week for the official start of the 2026 football season, with sub-5A teams and 5A/6A squads that did not participate in spring ball holding their first workouts of the year. With W...
England forward Ivan Toney charged with assault after a London nightclub incident
LONDON (AP) — England forward Ivan Toney has been charged with assault after an incident at a nightclub, police said Friday. Authorities said Toney was charged July 31 with assault “causing actual bodily harm.” The alleged incident took place in December at a nightclub in the Soh...
Police investigate Mission Regional Hospital bomb threat hoax
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The Mission Police Department is investigating a bomb threat hoax that was allegedly made against the Mission Regional Hospital on Thursday. Police responded to the bomb threat call at approximately 8:10 p.m. A spokesperson with the Mission Pol...
Arrest made after shooting at Brownsville Golden Corral
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man was charged after he allegedly assaulted a Golden Corral employee in the rear parking lot Wednesday night, according to the Brownsville Police Department. William Lleo, 44, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second...
Valley attorney accused of stealing $700 from child custody client
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral reveals what led to the arrest of a Rio Grande Valley attorney accused of theft. Karina Michelle Cerda, 36, was arrested on a charge of theft of property, a Class B misdemeanor, after a warrant was ...
Hidalgo County EMC Ricardo Saldana announces bid for Mission city seat
Hidalgo County Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Saldaña speaks about disaster preparation during a hurricane preparedness fair in Weslaco on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Dina Arévalo | darevalo@themonitor.com) H idalgo County Emergency Management Coordinator Ricardo Saldana ann...
Mission asks AG to withhold complaints, grievances against police chief
Cesar Torres speaks following his swearing-in as police chief of the city of Mission on Monday, May 2, 2022. (Courtesy photo) T he city of Mission is asking the Texas Attorney General if it can withhold complaints and grievances filed against police Chief Cesar Torres because it ...
De La Cruz pushes for quicker approval of religious worker visas
U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, is asking the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the processing of religious worker visa applications and renewals. The request, written in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, comes after the recent arrests of...
Indiana Fever continue to thrive on the court despite constant barrage of off-court distractions
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham walked into practice Wednesday with every intention of talking basketball and only basketball. She still couldn't completely avoid the latest off-court firestorm — her belief that trans women should not be competing in wom...
Scottish police looking into reports of missing athletes at the Commonwealth Games
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Police in Scotland said they had received reports that “several” athletes were unaccounted for following the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Ugandan sporting news website NBS Sport said four members of the nation's boxing squad had reportedly gone missing ...
K-9 leads San Benito police to seven pounds of cocaine
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The San Benito Police Department seized approximately seven pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop, according to a news release. Daniel Cruz Cardenas, a Mexican national, is charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance PG1, a fir...
McAllen Masonic lodge member’s murder filmed, posted to social media by suspect
E DINBURG — The 38-year-old Alamo man accused of fatally gunning down a member of the McAllen Masonic lodge more than three years ago used a GoPro to film the shooting before posting that video to his Instagram. The testimony came from a McAllen police investigator Monday afterno...
Minnesota county attorney asks Gov. Abbott to extradite ICE agent arrested in Harlingen
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Months after an immigration officer was arrested in Harlingen on charges relating to a Minneapolis shooting, a county attorney is asking the Texas governor to extradite the man to face court proceedings in Minnesota. In a letter dated July 30, H...
This summer isn’t breaking heat records — yet. Wait until El Nino kicks in, scientists say
By SETH BORENSTEIN | AP Science Writer W ildfires are burning in North America and Europe. Deadly heat waves have parked over cities and the world’s oceans are the hottest ever recorded for this time of year. A strengthening El Nino is forecast to be off-the-charts, spiking globa...
Donna conducts emergency water leak repair
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Donna Utilities Department will conduct an emergency water leak repair Tuesday afternoon. Beginning at 1 p.m., water service will be temporarily interrupted on the 400 to 500 blocks of South 7th Street and South 8th Street as crews complete ...