The McAllen
safety
RIO HONDO — In a federal lawsuit, longtime City Administrator Ben Medina claims former Police Chief William Bilokury arrested him without probable cause, while his sergeant “lied” in affidavits used to obtain search warrants for a cellphone along with city recording equipment whi...
parks
McAllen’s new downtown circulator will officially start running this weekend. The circulator offers a free, air-conditioned ride around downtown on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s an effort toward improving mobility in a dense retail sector with limited parking and one of the city’s ...
Local
By Berenice Garcia | The Texas Tribune McALLEN — A South Texas community once cited as the poorest in Texas is courting an Austin-based defense technology startup that promises to bring 10,000 jobs over 10 years, more than SpaceX’s initial promise of 300 back in 2014. The Cameron...
safety
Rogelio Campos Leal A Los Fresnos truck driver charged with two counts of criminal negligence homicide was sentenced to six months in jail this Tuesday for a deadly 2023 stop sign crash. On Sept. 26, 2023, Rogelio Campos Leal, who was 66 at the time the crash, ran a stop sign whi...
library
Are you a Book Babe? Three South Texas sisters have discovered that the Rio Grande Valley’s reading culture is much bigger than it seems. To meet a growing demand for literary events and strengthen the local reading community, Three Sisters Co., founded by Maria, Linda and Nayell...
government
The Brownsville Public Utilities Board has awarded 11 graduating high school seniors with Project SHARE Scholarships of $2,000 each to help pay the cost of attending an accredited university this fall. BPUB’s Project SHARE was created in 1985 to help local families with utility b...
News
Mission native Dulce Leal Rodriguez’s passion for art has led her to compete in “The People’s Artist,” a nationwide competition in which the winner gets $25,000, a feature in Artforum Magazine and to display their artwork at The Art of Elysium’s Salon in Los Angeles. Currently in...
News
Gaurav Chopra, who is charged with killing his parents and grandmother, appeared for a bond hearing Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Edinburg (Delcia Lopez | dlopez@themonitor.com) Jail records indicate the suspect accused of gunning down three people in an Alton subdivision on Tuesda...
government
PALMVIEW, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A tragedy involving an Alton family is sending shockwaves through both Alton and Palmview, where friends and community leaders are remembering Sweeta Ram as a businessman, friend, and longtime supporter of the community. Hidalgo County investigat...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — From using a closet as a soundproof room to getting national attention on a popular TV show, a Rio Grande Valley artist is on the rise and putting the 956 on the map. Staarz, a 25-year-old Los Fresnos native, recently had her cover of "Therefore...
Local
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man who attempted to cross the border with three AK-47s pleaded guilty Thursday. Edgar Emanuel Reyes Balderrama, 32, of Mexico attempted to cross the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in December. During a search, officers discovered three AK-4...
News
By JOSEPH KRAUSS | Associated Press The agreement struck between the United States and Iran aims to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ease sanctions on the Islamic Republic and relaunch nuclear talks with a 60-day deadline. But the brief document signed by U.S. President ...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The McAllen Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a suspect in an ongoing assault investigation. The assault was reported on April 29 on the 7600 block of North 10th St. in McAllen. Police identified Joanna Coronado, 35, ...
business
Cafecito’s Espresso ...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man known as "Rick the Vet" was arrested almost six years after he was accused of posing as a veterinarian during the COVID-19 pandemic, records indicate. Ricardo Arispe Chavez, of Mission, was charged with violating veterinary regulations, a ...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — With a heat spike sending temperatures into the triple digits, cities in the Rio Grande Valley have opened cooling centers to help residents find relief. According to the Valley Storm Team, an extreme heat warning is in place from noon to 7 p.m....
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley was ranked in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-2027 Best Global Universities list. UTRGV was ranked No. 1,153 in the Best Global Universities ranking, out of more than 2,250 universities from 105 countrie...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A 19-year-old man accused of shooting and killing his father, mother and grandmother inside their Alton home was charged with capital murder of multiple persons on Thursday. Gaurav Chopra has also been charged with attempted capital murder, a fi...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A strong subsidence pattern, where large‑scale sinking air warms as it compresses, is driving temperatures sharply upward across the Valley. This setup produces extremely hot conditions, with heat index values climbing even higher. Forecast hig...
Local
WESLACO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Recent rainfall across the Rio Grande Valley has created ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive, prompting local governments to begin spraying operations. Officials are urging residents to eliminate standing water around their homes as mosquito...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The loss of two young girls in a Harlingen house fire last year remains a painful reminder of how quickly fire can turn deadly. Now, the Harlingen Fire Department is taking steps to help prevent similar tragedies by taking part in the American R...
Local
This file photo shows the Harlingen Interchange in the foreground as traffic flows. (Maricela Rodriguez/Valley Morning Star) UPDATE (12:16 p.m. Thursday): TxDOT officials said the closure has concluded and the flyover is reopened. ORIGINAL STORY: Motorists heading to McAllen from...
Local
McAllen wants the public’s input on their vision for the future of downtown. Downtown McAllen has been the center of a polarizing conversation regarding nightlife, public safety, and city investment for nearly a year now. Earlier this year, the city hired Mend Collaborative, an u...
government
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — City leaders in Harlingen are calling on residents to help with input on city projects and development. The city of Harlingen currently has more than 20 advisory boards and committees for residents to take part in. "We're encouraging all Harling...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Rio Grande Valley duo is ready to win gold in pickleball at the Special Olympics USA Games. Athlete Beatriz Marez will be joined by her unified partner, Eve Hinojosa, to represent Team Texas at the Games, which will be held in Minneapolis. Uni...
Local
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hoes were a hot topic at the federal courthouse in Brownsville last week. Francisco Javier Palafox Jr., a man in his 40s from Brownsville, told Border Patrol he planned to visit “his friends and hoes.” When they searched his car, however, agents f...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — After recent rainy days, mosquitoes are coming out. To help residents protect themselves from bites, the Cameron County Public Health is providing free bug spray while supplies last. The department will distribute the bug spray at the San Benito...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — If you were caught up in traffic Wednesday morning between Brownsville and any city heading north, there’s a reason for it. A Texas Department of Transportation spokesman said SpaceX is moving a massive tank from the Port of Brownsville to McGre...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — One person is in custody after police say two people were found dead inside a home in Alton following a disturbance call on Tuesday night, according to the Alton Police Department. A third person who was taken to a local hospital for treatment w...
government
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The Brownsville City Commission named Alan Guard as its new city manager on Tuesday night. The city manager position is one of the several roles that Guard has served in the city of Brownsville. Guard formerly served as the Brownsville deputy c...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The recent rain from a tropical low-pressure center left behind a soggy soil across deep South Texas, creating the theme of high-humidity for the next couple of days. As water evaporates, out of the soil, humidity will increase. Meanwhile, the ...
Local
WESLACO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A day after several inches of rain fell across the Rio Grande Valley, city crews in Weslaco spent Tuesday cleaning up storm debris and working to reduce the risk of additional flooding if more rain moves into the area. Public works crews cleared d...
Local
Looking to decrease traffic congestion and increase roadway safety, the city of McAllen is investing in roundabouts to keep traffic moving as the population continues growing. Late last month, McAllen announced the completion of a modern traffic circle — or roundabout — located a...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Emergency Management opened an iSTAT damage survey for June 14 severe weather and flash flooding. Residents, businesses, or agricultural property impacted by the severe weather are encouraged to fill out the survey here. ...
Local
McALLEN — With our summer weather being as unpredictable as ever, sometimes all you want is a good simple burger. There’s no food more synonymous with summer than hamburgers, an American classic. Maybe the most American thing I’ve searched up, I typed “hamburgers near me” in Appl...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — R&B artist Baby Bash and the rock band Fuel are among the notable artists coming to a new festival at the Cameron County Amphitheater on South Padre Island. The inaugural Seltzer Island festival is taking place on Saturday, June 20, from 4 p.m. ...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Multiple power outages were reported as heavy rainfall moved across the Rio Grande Valley on Monday. At the peak of the storm, American Electric Power Texas reported that about 4,000 customers lost power. However, AEP Texas Director of Communica...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- A boil water alert impacting residents in Palmhurst has been lifted, the Sharyland Water Supply Corporation stated on Tuesday. The alert was first issued on Friday, affecting approximately 48 customers along Glasscock Road, Cynthia Lane and Eas...
government
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Cameron County Commissioners approved a tax break for Saronic Technologies, an Austin-based maritime defense technology company, during a Tuesday court meeting. The company is considering the Port of Brownsville as the site of a $3.2 billion shi...
business
Help Shape the Future of Downtown ...
parks
McAllen’s newest investment in downtown isn’t a building or streetscape project. It’s a free ride. Following months of tension over public safety, nightlife, and the future direction of downtown McAllen, the city held a workshop on June 8 to look beyond enforcement and regulation...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of McAllen announced Monday the launch of a new emergency notification system that will provide residents with real-time alerts via phone and email. The new alert system is powered by Everbridge and will deliver real-time alerts for eme...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — As the Rio Grande Valley experiences heavy showers and thunderstorms, several cities across the Valley are helping residents prepare with sandbags. ValleyCentral put together a list of locations giving out sandbags. City of PalmView City of McAl...
Local
How Gas Prices Have Changed i...
