MCALLEN

McALLEN — McAllen High came out swinging during its Region IV-5A Division I semifinal playoff matchup against Corpus Christi Veterans on Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium. The start signaled Corpus Christi Veterans to be ready for a four-quarter dog-fight. Corpus Christi Veterans (11-2) will face the winner of Brownsville Veterans and PSJA North’s regional semifinal contest next week in the regional final. The Eagles’ rushing attack proved too much to handle during the third and fourth quarters as Corpus Christi Veterans running backs Jaiden Castaneda and Luke Moya went to work. Now we know.”Corpus Christi Veterans awaits the winner of Friday night’s Region IV-5A DI semifinal showdown between Brownsville Veterans and PSJA North in next week’s Region IV-5A DI final.

The Veterans Memorial ground game helps the Eagles pull away for a victory against McAllen to return to the regional finals.

It's all too easy to have a cooking accident, and with the arrival of one of the year's biggest holidays for cooking, the McAllen fire department is offering tips for how to stay safe inside and outside the kitchen.

The Mission Consolidated Independent School District sued McAllen contractor Holchemont and subcontractor Sturdisteel last month, claiming they “fumbled the ball” with the much delayed renovation of Tom Landry Stadium.

Telenovela, film and musical star Ariadne Diaz and telenovela actor, model and singer David Zepeda will take part in McAllen’s annual holiday parade, city officials announced Friday. Bands from the McAllen school district — from McAllen High School, Memorial High School, and Nikki Rowe High School — will feature in the procession as well as Edinburg school district bands such as those from Economedes High School and Robert Vela High School. Bands from the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district, including PSJA North High School, PSJA Memorial High School and PSJA Southwest High School, will also perform during the parade. The other featured high school bands will be from La Joya, Palmview, Sharyland, Sharyland Pioneer and Valley View. The McAllen Holiday Parade is scheduled at 6 p.m. Dec. 3.

McAllen police say they found a collection of firearms inside the home of a man accused of shooting four neighbors after fighting over palm fronds in their yard last week.

A McAllen man pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Monday for a 2016 bar fight that left a 53-year-old man dead. Humberto Ramirez Sanchez, 40, had initially been facing a murder charge, but instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received 10 years deferred adjudication. Should Sanchez violate any of the conditions of his community supervision, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Sanchez was charged alongside 29-year-old McAllen resident Kevin Bustamante Pineda for fighting Anastacio Calderon Ramirez on Oct. 8, 2016. Pineda told investigators he punched Ramirez in self defense and said Sanchez kicked Ramirez on the head after the initial punch.

A 39-year-old Pharr man will spend 18 years in prison for his role in the beating death of a 54-year-old man in McAllen more than two years ago.

A 39-year-old Pharr man will spend 18 years in prison for his role in the beating death of a 54-year-old man in McAllen more than two years ago.

After finally flipping the Democratic district, Monica De La Cruz vowed to “represent all of South Texas” and likely will be influential on border issues.

The president of Hidalgo County Water Improvement District No. “I have no desire, and our board has no desire, other than to be servants of the community that we serve,” Brand told the legislators who held a hearing in Weslaco on Monday. The city, however, accuses the water district of unfairly raising its water rates and filed a lawsuit against it in May. The McAllen Public Utility purchases raw water from that district and three others — Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. “The other three districts have been extremely reliable of delivering water to us — United Irrigation District, District 1, District 2 have been extremely reliable,” Vega said.

McALLEN — The sound of patriotic music carried through the air as dozens of veterans and supporters filled the bleachers here at the Veterans War Memorial of Texas. The city of McAllen hosted a Veterans Day ceremony Friday morning at the foot of the American Spire of Honor, the centerpiece of the war memorial located at 3129 Galveston Ave. The ceremony brought veterans from all branches together to be recognized for their service, and to honor those who did not make it home. “We put this one on every year,” Jesse Rodriguez, Veterans War Memorial of Texas board member, said Friday. “It was a great ceremony,” Rodriguez, 94, said.

The construction of the Rio Grande Valley’s first standalone children’s hospital is one step closer to completion.

The construction of the Rio Grande Valley’s first standalone children’s hospital is one step closer to completion.

McALLEN — The defense team for Dr. Jorge Zamora Quezada, who was convicted of healthcare fraud in 2020, achieved a major development towards his sentencing. During a hearing Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa granted a request by Zamora Quezada’s attorneys to compel government prosecutors to turn over medical billing records. The defense wants those records to dispute the prosecutors’ claim about how many of former patients Zamora Quezada misdiagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. An attorney for the government, Emily Gurskis, confirmed that the government is alleging Zamora Quezada misdiagnosed “thousands” of patients but could not provide an exact number. For the allegedly misdiagnosed patients who were privately insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, the judge signed a subpoena ordering the turnover of their billing records as well.

De La Cruz defeated Democrat Michelle Vallejo, a political newcomer who ran on a platform of progressive social policy and close family ties to the region.

McAllen police said a 50-year-old man shot four neighbors, including a 16-year-old, after fighting over palm fronds Monday evening. Officers responded to a call about a dispute at a home in the 4700 block of Jasmine Avenue about 8:21 p.m. The caller, a man, told dispatchers that a fight had broken out after his wife cut their palm trees, and that their neighbor threw them all over their front yard. The caller told police he didn’t see when their neighbor threw the leaves over the front yard and added that Heckman wasn’t on their property. Five minutes later, at 8:26 p.m., “the reporting person” said the neighbors were physically fighting, that “males were bleeding” and that the “neighbor shot his father,” police said in a news release Tuesday.

McALLEN — McAllen High had the weight of the world riding on its season finale against crosstown rival McAllen Memorial on Friday night. A Bulldogs win would secure their spot in the playoffs, bring a city championship to McHi and snap a 12-game losing streak against the Mustangs. The Bulldogs checked all three off their list with a 27-14 victory over the Mustangs at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium to punch their postseason ticket as the No. A rivalry game — we knew it was going to be tough,” McHi head coach Patrick Shelby said. “The kids get up for this and that’s what makes it so great — McHi and McAllen Memorial.

Whole Woman’s Health, which owned the building for nearly two decades, said they were “duped” after the doctors who bought the building sold it to the McAllen Pregnancy Center.

Top Republican leaders will be visiting McAllen on Sunday to stump for the three Republican congressional candidates running to represent the Rio Grande Valley. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel will be attending a rally here hoping to inspire more people to vote in the midterm elections, which will be held Tuesday. The rally will feature Monica De La Cruz, the candidate for Texas’ District 15; Cassy Gacia, candidate for District 28; and U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores who is seeking a full term as the representative for District 34. The event will be held Sunday at the Radisson Hotel McAllen Airport, located at 2721 S. 10th Street. It is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m and end at 6:30 p.m.

Colorado and McAllen authorities have identified a McAllen woman who had been missing for nearly 36 years, solving a cold case.

Residents behind on their mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, utility bills or homeowner/condominium association fees can now receive in-person help to apply for up to $65,000 in state funds. About $500 million dollars were allocated for the Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund, a program meant to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic after January 21, 2020. Residents who struggle with a disability, internet accessibility or limited computer literacy can also receive help from the intake centers, which can submit applications on their behalf. Each household can receive up to $65,000 in total assistance for mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, homeowner/condo association fees and/or utility bills. That can be determined by those helping at the intake centers.

Mark your calendars because H-E-B is bringing back its in-person Feast of Sharing this year with the first gathering scheduled Sunday in McAllen. Launched in 1989, the H-E-B Feast of Sharing gives the company an opportunity to give thanks to its loyal customers and invites everyone to our holiday dinner table. The following is a list of Feast of Sharing events scheduled in the Rio Grande Valley:>>Nov. 6, McAllen- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center, 700 Convention Center Blvd>>Nov. 16, Harlingen – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harlingen Convention Center, 701 Harlingen Hts.

Cleofas Alberto Martinez-Gutierrez, also known as “El Guero,” made a first appearance Monday morning in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker on a 10-count indictment from 2012 charging him with money laundering and smuggling approximately 13,624 pounds of marijuana between 2009 and 2012, court records indicate.

A 25-year-old Georgia woman is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning on an indictment charging her with driving drunk and killing a Louisiana Army National Guardsman in McAllen last year. Bianca Farmer is charged with intoxication manslaughter for the death of Spc. After the crash, the Army Times reported that both Farmer and Berry were with the Georgia National Guard and that they and Whitaker were in the Rio Grande Valley because they were assigned to a federalized National Guard border mission. She bonded out of the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on Sept. 8, 2021, on a total of $190,000 in bonds. Her status with the Georgia National Guard was not immediately clear as of Saturday morning.

Industry behemoth Starbucks already was being challenged in the Valley by the arrival of new Dutch Bros. Coffee shops in three cities. Now PJ’s Coffee is looking to expand beyond its two operating stores in McAllen and Palmview and into Mission and Edinburg. PJ’s Coffee specializes in exotic coffees from places like Sumatra, Ethiopia, Colombia and Papua New Guinea. The coffee shops carry a complete line of espresso-based beverages, flavored coffee, and cold brew iced coffee and bags of coffee by the pound. Along with its growth in Texas, PJ’s Coffee is expanding in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The two-time Democratic presidential candidate visited Central Texas and South Texas amid concerns that young and working-class voters are not mobilized enough for the midterm election.

McALLEN — AIM Media Texas is reopening the doors to the public at The Monitor’s headquarters here after more than two years. The newspaper closed its doors shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread in March 2020, shuttering all types of businesses alike. Since then, the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 4,000 residents in Hidalgo County alone and thousands more across the Rio Grande Valley. But after careful consideration, The Monitor is ready to welcome the public into its offices at 1400 E. Nolana Ave. again. The newspaper’s front lobby will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott will be in McAllen Nov. 8 to watch the election returns in the state's governor's race.

Construction on cargo facilities for the Anzalduas International Bridge is finally set to begin, converting the bridge into a full-service commercial cargo port of entry which will enable increased trade between the U.S. and Mexico. Officials marked the beginning of construction on the bridge expansion project with a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday morning. Though there are five international bridges in Hidalgo County, only the Pharr International Bridge currently allows cargo to pass through. “Most importantly, the total international trade for Texas is over $1 billion on a daily basis. When the bridge was built 12 years ago, it was built with the intention of facilitating commercial traffic, Rodriguez said.

McALLEN — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer allegedly showed a pornographic image to a group of seventh graders while giving a Red Ribbon Week presentation at Sharyland ISD on Tuesday. In a statement, CBP Public Affairs Officer Roderick Kise said the officer was using his personal phone at the time. The release also said local, state and federal law enforcement are customarily invited to campuses for Red Ribbon events, and that support services are available for students. “The student body was addressed and advised that counseling services are available should they feel the need to speak to someone,” the statement said. The Sharyland ISD Administration and its counseling team are addressing any concerns from families and are offering counseling support regarding this incident.

McALLEN — The mood inside the RBG Bar & Grill at the Radisson Hotel McAllen Airport was festive as friends and family gathered to honor Dr. Albert H. Gutierrez. “We’ve been very impressed with the number of high-quality, really dedicated people that we have down here in the RGV helping our communities. Born and raised in Rio Grande City, Gutierrez has spent over 55 years practicing medicine, including 24 years in the Valley. He has spent 15 years serving as the medical director at the Hope Clinic, a nonprofit that offers affordable healthcare services for the uninsured. Whether it’s work or a substance, share.’”The 83-year-old doctor continues to work part-time at the Hope Clinic.

The return of a festival celebrating Latino culture over the summer fell short of financial projections and saw a decrease in attendance. But despite the shortfalls, McAllen officials are still calling it a success.

A McAllen man accused of fatally shooting his passenger following a crash in Alton last week had two handguns inside the truck he was driving. “The witnesses stated they saw two males exit the pickup truck and observed the driver of the vehicle shoot the passenger,” the affidavit said. Then, they said the driver, who was later identified as Perez, drove off northbound in the truck. While deputies were responding to the scene of the crash, they learned Alton police had pulled over a blue GMC Canyon that had front-end damage. Officers with the Alton Police Department made contact with Perez and then immediately detained him after seeing two handguns in plain view.

McAllen, Edinburg and Alton will benefit from the Department of Justice’s COPS Hiring Program, otherwise known as the Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. The program aims to reduce and prevent crime by providing communities with funding to hire or rehire law enforcement officers. McAllen will receive $1.875 million to hire 15 officers, Edinburg will receive $1 million for eight new officers and Alton will get $781,029 for five new hires. “The Rio Grande Valley is one of the safest regions in the country thanks to the efforts of our local law enforcement,” Gonzalez said in the release. I am proud to announce this funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure local police departments can hire more officers and keep our communities safe.”

Photo Gallery: La Joya Palmview battle for the close win against McAllen...

Sticking with tradition, city officials Friday announced the participation of the Dallas Cowboys for the upcoming McAllen Holiday Parade, this time bringing legendary Super Bowl champs Nate Newton and Tony Hill to the Rio Grande Valley’s largest Christmas shindig. McAllen city leaders made the announcement Friday that Newton and Hill would be in attendance for the parade, which is in line with previous parades bringing former and current Cowboys to the city. “Our love of the Dallas Cowboys runs deep,” Rodriguez added. The city also credited Dr. Raul Peña and the Peña Eye Institute for the “Dallas Cowboys‘ fan experience” by bringing the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Hall of Fame Museum and Rowdy, the team mascot. The parade is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, located at 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd.

Fiesta de Palmas is celebrating its sweet 16 this weekend and the city of McAllen is calling it the “biggest fiesta yet.”

Staff for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared to confirm on Wednesday his plans to make a stop in McAllen as part of an eight-state tour to rally young voters for the midterm elections. Though the New York Times report did not provide details about his McAllen visit, a reporter with the Texas Tribune later reported that Sanders planned to attend a McAllen event on Oct. 30. We’re not so fond of breadlines though.”The Sanders camp replied to De La Cruz just a few hours later. Sanders is just the latest high-profile political figure expected to make an appearance in South Texas. Having already earned Trump’s support during the primary election, De La Cruz received another high-profile endorsement Wednesday from Gov.

McAllen police arrested a woman after officers found one of her two dogs dead by strangulation. The other dog, a brown pit bull mix named Scarface, was struggling to get loose from the entangled cables. “Warden Garcia stated that Scarface seemed to have severe signs of dehydration and was gasping for air,” the complaint said. Garcia provided photos to police that showed the makeshift collar wrapped around Scarface’s neck was made into a knot to restrain the dog, according to the document. Gonzalez said she knew the dogs were getting tangled up since 6:30 a.m. that day and had untangled them before leaving her residence.

A new report found that Brownsville and McAllen residents pay less when it comes to their monthly bills than the national average and spend nearly half a household’s income doing so. On average, McAllen residents spend $1,904 per month on household bills — nearly 5% lower than the national average of $2,003 per month. The least expensive was the city of Detroit, whose residents spend an average of $1,634 per month, which is 18.4% lower than the national average. For McAllen residents, 49% of a household income was used to pay those bills, according to the report. More detailed information on the monthly bills in each city can be found at www.doxo.com/insights/regional-bill-comparison/.

Police arrested a man who allegedly slammed a puppy against the window of a convenience store after an employee refused to buy it last week, according to a criminal complaint.

Maddie's Pumpkin Patch continues to attract people far and wide to McAllen for a little piece of autumn in a warm climate.

Rodriguez said comparisons between border cities and the largest cities in the state are due to the Valley being under a microscope for years because of border issues. SAFE CITIESAmong Texas’ four largest border cities, and five of the state’s largest cities, which include El Paso, Laredo and Brownsville, McAllen was recognized as the city with the least crime in 2021, based on the FBI report. In the analysis of 2021 Texas UCR crime data, McAllen also ranked the lowest among Texas’ four largest border cities as well as its five largest cities, such as San Antonio and Austin. Rodriguez credits the residents and the city he serves as the reason McAllen was reported as the lowest in crime compared to other large border cities. All in all, good news for the region as crime continues to cool down despite “border crisis” rhetoric heating up.

HEADLINE: Municipal Drainage Committee urges others to join effortsWEBHED: Drainage committee comprised of Hidalgo County cities urges others to join effortsBY BERENICE GARCIASTAFF WRITERMcALLEN — A group of Hidalgo County cities hoping to bring consistency in their drainage systems is getting bigger, and they’re hoping to recruit more into the fold. City leaders from across the county assembled Thursday in their continued efforts to regionalize drainage plans, hoping that having everyone on the same page will minimize blind spots in drainage systems. The cities of McAllen, Edinburg, Mission and Pharr had created the Municipal Drainage Committee about a year ago aiming to establish uniformity in the way they enforce rules and regulations for their drainage infrastructure. He also reviewed a master drainage study the city of McAllen is currently undertaking and available funding sources. “It’s so important and we’re going to keep on pushing until we have the drainage system that our community deserves.”

McALLEN — “The day you leave that office, you’re gonna be a nobody.”Former District 1 Weslaco City Commissioner John F. Cuellar said that’s what his cousin, Arturo “A.C.” Cuellar Jr. told him when he expressed reservations about continuing to serve on the Weslaco City Commission. The bribes would be disguised as payments for legitimate services, John Cuellar testified. “Yes,” John Cuellar said simply, but added that the word “bribe” was never expressly used. In November 2014, John Cuellar was again bidding to keep his seat on the commission. In 2019, four months after the indictment against them was unsealed, John Cuellar changed his plea to guilty.

The city is hosting a community meeting Tuesday evening during which residents will be encouraged to give comments that will inform the city’s comprehensive plan. Specifically, it will guide the city’s decisions when it comes to transportation, infrastructure, land use, parks, economic development, community identity, development standards and incentives and implementation. In addition to attending the community meeting, residents can also provide feedback by completing an online survey at www.mcallen2040.com. The community meeting will be held at the McAllen Public Library Auditorium which is located at 4001 N. 23rd St. It will take place on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.For more information about the community meeting, residents can contact the city’s planning and zoning department at (956) 681-1260 or by email at [email protected]

The history of U.S. cities scrambling to address a humanitarian crisis when thousands of migrants arrive at their doorstep is now playing out far from the border in New York City where the mayor just announced a state of emergency on Friday.

Authorities in Iowa on Thursday arrested one of Texas’ most wanted, a McAllen man with ties to the Latin Kings who is wanted on warrants for aggravated assault and sex crimes against children. Marshals Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force and police from Council Bluffs, Iowa arrested 35-year-old Paul Anthony Basaldua. McAllen police have been looking for Basaldua since Aug. 10, 2021, on a warrant for aggravated sexual assault. On July 15, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office issued warrants for Basaldua’s arrest on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Basaldua has a long criminal history dating back to 2004 that begins with arrests for escaping from the Texas Youth Commission and aggravated robbery.

Ryan Michael Serna, the 22-year-old Donna man who was shot following an altercation at a McAllen bar on Sunday, has died.

The Broadway megahit “The Book of Mormon” is coming to McAllen as part of Broadway in McAllen’s 2022-23 season.

HEADLINE: Two more charged in Sunday’s downtown McAllen shootingBY XAVIER ALVAREZSTAFF WRITERThe McAllen Police Department made two additional arrests in Saturday’s shooting outside the No Manches Wuey bar, where a man was shot in the chest. Naila Reyes, 28, has been charged with attempted murder, a second-degree felony, and engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony. Police also charged Avan Ruben Mendoza, 17, for attempted murder and engaging in organized criminal activity. McAllen police said in a news release Wednesday that they were seeking Reyes’ location along with two other individuals but didn’t mention Mendoza. If anyone has any information regarding Gonzalez’s whereabouts or about the crime, police urge the public to call McAllen Crime Stoppers at (956) 687-8477 or submit an anonymous tip through the smartphone app “P3 Tips.”

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick will be attending a campaign stop in McAllen on Tuesday at the Hidalgo County Republican Party Headquarters, located at 4900 N. 23rd St.

McAllen police have charged three people who they believe were involved in the shooting that occurred outside the No Manches Wuey bar on Sunday. Bryan Vasquez, 23, and Humberto Ojeda Jr., 22, have been charged with criminal attempt murder and engaging in organized criminal activity. McAllen police is also asking the public for assistance in locating three other individuals they believe were involved in the shooting. Naila Reyes, 28, is about 5 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs about 165 pounds and has black hair with brown eyes. Lastly, Viviana Gomez, 22, is described as being 4 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs about 140 pounds and has brown hair with brown eyes.

A 5-year-old died in a vehicle outside his Texas elementary school Thursday as triple-digit heat was recorded in the region, officials said.

Texans on both sides of the abortion debate marched, rallied and chanted after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Olivia and Liam are once again America’s most common baby names.

Cheap regulated and unregulated medication is available over the counter at Mexican pharmacies, including abortion-inducing drugs that are strictly regulated in the U.S.

Texas has led the legal fight against the Biden administration’s immigration policies, filing numerous lawsuits that have led to judges overturning or altering those policies.

The delays caused by the state’s inspections are the latest blow to farmers and produce businesses in the Rio Grande Valley recovering from the pandemic and losses from last year’s winter storm.

Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores.

The governor is pushing for more border security measures, some of which he acknowledges will slow traffic across the Texas-Mexico border.

Two Houston-area residents have pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 777 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery on Tuesday.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, $8.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds has been awarded to support the health care workforce in Texas.

The Republican governor officially announced his reelection campaign Saturday in McAllen, while likely Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke campaigned in El Paso.

O’Rourke has ground to make up after his own underwhelming performance with voters there in 2018 when he ran for U.S. Senate — and turning out more Latino voters has long been key to Democratic hopes statewide.

A 27-year-old McAllen man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after admitting he intended to engage in sexual activity with a minor female, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced Thursday.

The U.S. Justice Department is in talks to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to each child and parent who was separated under a Trump-era practice of splitting families at the border.

Texas lawmakers made Gonzalez’s current 15th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans. The representative now plans to run in the 34th District, which is safer for Democrats.

Designed more than a century ago, the Rio Grande Valley’s canal system in South Texas was built to irrigate the booming agricultural industry that once dominated the local economy.

Amid the heated rhetoric around an increase in migrants, people on opposite ends of the Texas-Mexico border see the problems — and solutions — differently.

Democratic Congressman from Laredo, Henry Cuellar helped lead a meeting between several south Texas community leaders and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

A lot of the news from the last few days — about the Legislature, about COVID-19 and about immigration — has a real déjà vu quality to it. And there’s a good reason for that.

Affirming what we’ve all guessed at by now, a new report ranked the hottest urban heat islands across the U.S., and unsurprisingly, Houston ranked high -- like the setting most of us crank our A.C.’s at all summer long. This confirmation comes courtesy of Climate Central, a nonprofit news organization that analyzes and reports on climate science.

A 53-year-old U.S. citizen living in Tamaulipas, Mexico, was ordered to federal prison for importing meth into the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced Friday in a release.

While asylum-seeking families and children dominate public attention, single adults represent a growing number of encounters with U.S. border agents.

Data just released by Customs and Border shows the number of encounters along our southern border continues to rise and reached a level not seen since the year 2000.

The number of immigrants apprehended along the southern border rose to levels not seen in nearly 20 years. The sharpest increase in apprehensions came from February to March, according to Customs and Border Protection data.

MCALLEN, Texas – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that he’s hoping to increase the number of Texans getting COVID-19 vaccines after seeing a drop in people showing up for the shot. “We’re beginning to see a decrease in demand for vaccinations,” Abbott said at a news conference Thursday in border city of McAllen. “Seniors who contract COVID are the people who are most likely to either be hospitalized or lose their life because of COVID,” Abbott said. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3.3 million Texans have completed their vaccinations.

The Regionals finals are upon us and whoever wins these matchups is going to the state tournament. Region IV - 6AIn Region IV - 6A, the Westlake Chaps will match up against San Antonio Clark. This is no surprise that the Greyhounds are in the regional finals and look to join the girl's team at the state tournament. On the other side is Somerset who beat last year's Region IV champion Stafford 57-50. This Somerset team hasn't lost a game in two months and hopes to avenge that early-season defeat.

Kamala Harris’ trip to Texas on Friday will include three stops across the state, including in the Rio Grande Valley, according to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign. Fort Worth’s Tarrant County was the state’s most populous county that Republican President Donald Trump won in 2016. Harris will be the highest-profile Biden surrogate to come to Texas in the general election yet, following visits in recent weeks by Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, and Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff. Harris’ visit is not the only notable activity by the Biden campaign this week in Texas. Sign up for The Brief, the Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

A COVID-19 testing site at the Nomad Shrine Club in McAllen. July 2, 2020. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune(Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Ross, Emma and Shannon about another change in how Texas reports its coronavirus data and the legal fights related to voting that have reached the state Supreme Court.

According to state data released Sunday, 5,038 people in Texas have died from the virus. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneTexas reached another grim milestone Sunday when it surpassed 5,000 deaths from the new coronavirus. In doing so, the state reported 1,000 deaths in six days, four days faster than it took to hit that total the previous time. According to state health data released Sunday, 5,038 people in Texas had died from the virus. In the past week alone, state data appears to show new daily infections leveling off, albeit at nearly record highs.

McAllen sits in Hidalgo County, whose top official issued an emergency order Monday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneAs the Rio Grande Valley grapples with an onslaught of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez is pushing hard for residents to stay at home. In the new Hidalgo County order, only a second violation to the statewide mask order can be punished by a $250, in accordance with the existing state rules. In Hidalgo County on Monday, 524 people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of infections there to 12,787, according to data released by the county. U.S. Navy teams were deployed Sunday to the Rio Grande Valley, a region that includes Hidalgo County.

(AP) Two police officers were shot and killed Saturday in a South Texas border town after reportedly responding to a disturbance call, authorities said. The McAllen police officers were shot on the south side of the city and transported to an area hospital, said Lt. Christopher Olivarez, spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. A suspect in the shooting was also shot, though that persons condition was not immediately available. We have lost two brave public servants who sought only to keep peace in our City," McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told The (McAllen) Monitor. Olivarez said DPS sent troopers to secure the scene after the McAllen Police Department requested their assistance.

HOUSTON This is something you would only see in Texas. A horse was spotted walking along State Highway 288 at McAllen Friday morning. Video from Instagram shows the horse meandering alongside cars just after 11 a.m. Friday. Houston police were dispatched to the scene but it was rectified. It is unknown how long it took to get the horse back to safety or how it got loose in the first place.

Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneNurses prepare to enter the COVID-19 unit at the DHS Health Center in McAllen. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneHealth care workers at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance prepare to enter the COVID-19 unit by donning personal protection equipment. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneWe're getting more and more and more, and that's the problem, said nurse Apryle Pelshaw. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneLocal officials eye the filling hospitals with trepidation. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneA nurse expressed fear of burning out from the long hours of treating COVID-19 patients.

And in the Rio Grande Valley, the lack of jobs is even more pronounced. In February, before the pandemic gripped Texas, the Rio Grande Valley's unemployment rate was 6.5%. Salvador Contreras, a professor of border economics at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said that in Texas, Black and Hispanic workers saw larger declines in employment than white employees. So this clearly had an impact on the number of Mexican visitors into the Rio Grande Valley, Contreras said. So we know that the retail sector is very important to the economy of the Rio Grande Valley.

McALLEN, Texas A man who was seen in a viral twitter video brandishing a chainsaw and yelling racial slurs at protesters is now in custody by police, NBC News and the McAllen Monitor reported. The video of a man with a long-sleeved shirt and jeans carrying a large chainsaw quickly gained over a million views on Twitter. He wielded the chainsaw and yelled racial slurs and profanity at protesters outside a store, McAllen Monitor reported. The tirade continued as he walked towards protesters with the chainsaw as they fled, NBC News reported. McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told McAllen Monitor that they were able to confirm the identity of the man in the Twitter video.