Valley and State
- Man shoots self, involved in head-on crash in McAllen
- By JARED TAYLOR, The Monitor
- McALLEN — Police are investigating a man who has a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was involved in a head-on collision early Thursday afternoon.
A brown Cadillac sedan and a four-door Honda Accord collided head-on along Nolana, just west of J... Full story
- Man dies after scuffle at Stiletto's
- By ILDEFONSO ORTIZ, The Brownsville Herald
- Brownsville police are investigating the death of a man following an overnight scuffle in the parking lot of a local strip club.
Alberto Longoria, 30, died early Thursday at Valley Regional Medical Center, said police spokesman Eddie Garcia. Longori... Full story
- Mexican navy helicopter reportedly flying over Hidalgo County
- By JARED TAYLOR, The Monitor
- HAVANA — Sheriff's deputies are investigating a Mexican navy helicopter reportedly flying over western Hidalgo County.
The helicopter was apparently heading east near the Rio Grande, south of La Joya and Peñitas, about 12:50 p.m. ... Full story
- Water rates may go up in San Benito
- By FERNANDO DEL VALLE/Valley Morning Star
- SAN BENITO — A consultant has proposed increases in water and sewer rates for the next five years to help offset a deficit in the city’s utility department.
Most of the city’s utility customers would see 1 to 3 percent increases in... Full story
- RGC investigators continue sorting out events leading up to murder-suicide
- By LINDSAY MACHAK/The Monitor
- RIO GRANDE CITY — Investigators continue to piece together what unfolded Tuesday on the 1700 block of Main Street, where three women were fatally shot.
Francisco Pinal, 51, went on a shooting spree late that afternoon, killing his estranged wi... Full story
- Gas prices fall 3 cents in Texas to $2.52 a gallon; $2.43 in Brownsville
- IRVING (AP) — The cost of gasoline dropped 3 cents this week in Texas as motorists prepare to hit the road for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
The weekly AAA Texas gasoline price survey released Thursday showed that a gallon of unleaded regul... Full story
- White wants 1,250 more officers to secure border
- By MICHAEL GRACZYK, Associated Press Writer
- HOUSTON (AP) — Democratic candidate for governor Bill White said Thursday he would secure the U.S.-Mexico border by hiring 1,000 new local law enforcement officers and 250 state troopers.
His plan calls for the new positions to be paid for t... Full story
- ATF agent shot during warrant sweep
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
- DALLAS (AP) — A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesman says an agent who was shot during a warrant sweep on suspected gang members has injuries that aren't life-threatening.
Tom Crowley says the agent was taken to Park... Full story
- Pallbearer for murdered Texas man charged in death
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
- GALVESTON (AP) — A slain Galveston man's best friend who was a pallbearer at his funeral has been charged in the 2007 apparent drug-related killing.
Eric Calvert Kirby was in the Galveston County Jail on Thursday on a murder charge. Bond was... Full story
- Public speaks out against city tax hike
- By EMMA PEREZ-TREVINO, The Brownsville Herald
- Outspoken residents who appeared at a public hearing Tuesday unanimously rejected the city of Brownsville’s proposal to increase property taxes some 8 percent for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
“We need to be able to live within our m... Full story
- Grant to identify potential gang members
- By ILDEFONSO ORTIZ, The Brownsville Herald
- Brownsville police are using a grant from the governor’s office for a new program aimed at identifying young men and women who are involved, or run the risk of becoming involved, in gangs, said police spokesman Detective Eddie Garcia.
The Gang... Full story
- All-in-one shot available early
- By LAURA B. MARTINEZ, The Brownsville Herald
- With temperatures hovering near 100 degrees, it’s hard to think about flu shots and flu season. Still, health officials are urging the public to get vaccinated against the virus as early as they can.
This year’s flu shot – which pr... Full story
- Voters gear up for election
- By LAURA B. MARTINEZ, The Brownsville Herald
- With the November general election just two months away, the Cameron County Elections Department is gearing up for another period of voter registration.
The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 2 general election is Oct. 4, according to the Secr... Full story
- Drone makes first complete pass of Texas border
- By JAZMINE ULLOA, The Brownsville Herald
- Local law enforcement authorities say they can do nothing to stop shootouts in Mexico or bullets from crossing the border into the United States.
The best preventive measure they can take against drug war violence surging on the other side of the Ri... Full story
- 15-year-old is second arrested in robberies
- By MICHAEL BARAJAS/Valley Morning Star
- SAN BENITO — Another teenager is in police custody in connection with a string of robberies in the Harlingen and San Benito area, police said Wednesday.
Police earlier this week arrested Eric Gaytan, 17, saying he and another male suspect robb... Full story
- Harlingen extends amnesty for settling warrants
- By MICHAEL BARAJAS/Valley Morning Star
- HARLINGEN — The City Commission Wednesday approved extending the city’s warrant amnesty program for another month, forgiving fines for skipping court for those who willingly decide to settle their debt with the city.
Still, as previously... Full story
- Study sheds light on assimilation of immigrants
- By NAXIELY LOPEZ/The Monitor
- PHARR - Maria Leanos first arrived to this country as an 8-year-old immigrant child who couldn’t write or speak English. But after almost 16 years of persistence, dedication and education, the 23-year-old social worker is on her way to achievin... Full story
- Inmate dies after escape attempt at jail
- The Associated Press
- TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say a federal inmate has died after falling five stories while trying to escape from a jail in Texarkana, Ark.
The U.S. Marshals Service says 30-year-old Anthony Lewis of Springhill, La., escaped from a fence... Full story
- CBP: Juveniles forced to carry drug loads in exchange for food, water
- By LINDSAY MACHAK/The Monitor
- LA GLORIA — U.S. Border Patrol agents seized five backpacks full of marijuana Monday morning, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Agents at the Rio Grande City station tracked footprints for about 13 miles befo... Full story
- Ecuador says 2nd migrant survived Mexico massacre
- The Associated Press
- QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's president says a second person survived a drug gang's massacre of 72 migrants in Mexico.
President Rafael Correa made the statement late Tuesday while welcoming the return of the only previously identified survi... Full story
- Man kills three women, then kills himself
- By LINDSAY MACHAK/The Monitor
- RIO GRANDE CITY — Homicide investigators cringed Tuesday evening as Ruth Gonzalez cried over her sister’s body.
Lydia Pinal died from several gunshot wounds just hours earlier. Gonzalez was the family member responsible for identifying h... Full story
- Ortiz under investigation on travel funds, newspaper says
- By EMMA PEREZ-TREVINO, The Brownsville Herald
- U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz is one of several lawmakers under investigation for allegedly misusing travel funds, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal published Tuesday.
The report states that an inquiry by the House of Representatives&rsq... Full story
- 812th return home after Iraq deployment
- By ALLEN ESSEX/Valley Morning Star
- HARLINGEN — After a long wait in the broiling South Texas sun, wives, girlfriends, moms, dads and children rushed forward to greet soldiers from the Harlingen-based Army Reserve 812th Quartermaster Company returning home from a one-year tour of... Full story
- PGR: Teen arrested in San Fernando massacre is an adult
- THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
- Mexican authorities have announced that the teenage member of the Zetas who was arrested in San Fernando in connection with the murder of 72 migrants is not a minor but is 18 years old and thus an adult.
According to the Mexican attorney general&rsq... Full story
- Nesting bird delays station’s return to airwaves
- By STEVE CLARK, The Brownsville Herald
- KMBH interim general manager John Ross had hoped to have KMBH-FM 88.9 back on the air within a couple of weeks after the station’s 300-foot tower was damaged by high winds from Hurricane Alex, which made landfall June 30.
However, two months h... Full story
- CBP seizes cocaine, arrests one
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $371,000 worth of cocaine at the Gateway International Bridge and arrested one man, according to court records.
Jesus Sandoval, 33, of Dallas, was arrested Monday afternoon by CBP and late... Full story
- Police looking for Taco Bell robbers
- Brownsville police are on the lookout for two men in connection with an armed robbery at a fast food restaurant.
According to a police press release, the robbery took place Sunday night at the Taco Bell on the corner of Ruben Torres and Central Boul... Full story
- City OKs bonds for Sports Park upgrades
- By EMMA PEREZ-TREVINO, The Brownsville Herald
- Amid feared decreases in sales tax revenues, a divided City Commission on Tuesday gave the nod to the Brownsville Community Improvement Corp.’s issuance of $1,905,000 in sales tax revenue bonds to finance upgrades to the Brownsville Sports Park... Full story
- CBP: Couple arrested at Gateway with $371,000 in cocaine
- By DIANA EVA MALDONADO, The Brownsville Herald
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $371,000 worth of cocaine at the Gateway International Bridge on Monday.
During a secondary inspection officers say they discovered 10 packages of cocaine weighing 11.6 pounds in the SUV.
... Full story
- Respected auto dealer Van Burkleo dies
- By JARED JANES, The Monitor
- James “Jimmy” Van Burkleo, who started in the parts department on his path toward owning a car dealership and eventually forged a reputation in the auto business for his professionalism and honesty, died Saturday. He was 86.
The son of ... Full story