STARR COUNTY

Starr County residents received welcome news on Tuesday, with nearly $16.5 million in federal aid heading their way. About $9.9 million will be used to reimburse the cost of summer meals for 3,500 children who benefited from the program last year. Of that, about $6.2 million was spent on lunches and $3.6 spent on breakfast through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, respectively. The pandemic also compelled funding for South Texas College, which will receive $6.8 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Solis said they also plan to use the money to provide mental health services to help students struggling from pandemic-related stressors.

Three men pleaded guilty to federal charges Friday following a drug bust where authorities found over 2,000 pounds of marijuana hidden inside the roof of a recreational vehicle on a Starr County ranch last year.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a two-vehicle crash in Starr County that left one person dead Tuesday. The crash occurred at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on Woods Bros. Road near La Sagunada Road, DPS said in a news release Wednesday. Authorities said a brown Nissan Altima traveling southbound collided with a red Hummer H3 heading north on Woods Bros. Road. However, the driver of the Nissan, who was later identified as 27-year-old Pamela Pena of Rio Grande City, died from her injuries after being transported to McAllen Medical Hospital. Authorities are still currently investigating the crash.

An appellate court upheld the two life sentences without parole for a 23-year-old man a jury convicted in 2019 for firing more than 40 shots into a truck at a Starr County intersection that killed a 41-year-old man and is 3-year-old son.

Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance is expanding its presence in Starr County.

Starr County, one of the four counties that make up the Rio Grande Valley, has not been able to produce campaign finance reports that it is required to maintain, according to a GOP group targeting the area.

COVID-19 cases in the Rio Grande Valley are on the rise and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the level of coronavirus is high in three Rio Grande Valley counties. According to the CDC, COVID-19 cases are high in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties. The hospital numbers are up but not in a terrible way.”On Friday, Cameron County reported 250 new cases and one death. He said those individuals who decided not to get vaccinated and are high risk, will likely contract COVID-19. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up health officials anticipate the COVID-19 cases will increase because of gatherings that will be held to celebrate America’s birthday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations across the Rio Grande Valley are continuing their upward trend with the majority of the region now being at an increased risk of spread according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros remained neck and neck Tuesday night in the Democratic primary runoff in District 28.

South Texas College partnered with Trancasa, an international ground transportation company, to enroll students into a commercial driver’s license program that has now expanded to Starr County.

Following a string of errors in Starr County during the March Primary election, the county’s elections department underwent a change in leadership this week with the appointment of a new elections administrator and the resignation of the former administrator who rejected the demotion. On Monday, the Starr County commissioners court agreed to appoint Human Resources Director Armandina Martinez as the new elections administrator, essentially demoting Elections Administrator John L. Rodriguez within the department. The decision was done at the recommendation of the Starr County elections committee which met last week to discuss the issue. The county elections department mailed out outdated carrier envelopes that did not prompt voters to provide identification as required under Texas’ new voting law, Senate Bill 1. Starr County Republican Party Chair Claudia Alcazar was more generous in her assessment of Rodriguez’s handling of the primary election.

An interim Starr County attorney took office Monday to replace Starr County Attorney Victor Canales who retired last week.

Starr County Attorney Victor Canales retired from his position Wednesday after more than 15 years in office. Canales submitted a letter of retirement Wednesday, notifying Starr County Judge Eloy Vera that he would be leaving office effective that day. Though the letter lacked details behind his resignation, Canales did recommend that the county commissioners court consider appointing Assistant County Attorney Jennifer Vasquez Gonzalez as his replacement. “She is a tireless worker and extremely capable Attorney and would assist in the continuity for the Office,” Canales wrote. “The County Attorney position will now have to be on the November 8, 2022 General Election ballot in Starr County,” wrote Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications.

The full and often unchecked power of the prosecutor was on display when a South Texas woman was charged with murder for a self-induced abortion.

The Rio Grande Valley, often seen as a reliable vote against abortion, has a long history of advocacy to increase access to the procedure.

Interviews with several people in the community closely following the situation, as well as statements from leaders in the Texas antiabortion movement, suggest this was not part of a broader antiabortion strategy, but instead a hasty error by a first-term Democratic district attorney.

Questions remain after the Starr County District Attorney’s Office backpedaled Monday on an indictment they sought against a woman who they said had a “self-induced abortion,” but legal experts wonder what law gave prosecutors confidence in their initial charge. QUESTION OF STATUTEAttorneys, legal advocates and pundits pontificated this weekend over which law was used to charge Herrera with murder. When the law isn’t clear, Kirschner said charges are raised in the absence of case law, but said it wasn’t the case when considering Chapter 19, Sec. “It’s not like there was some absence of law in Texas,” Kirschner added. “If they need to seek medical attention after a self-induced abortion, if they have taken abortion pills by mouth, there’s not a way for medical providers to ascertain that it’s not just a natural miscarriage,” Sepper said.

Herrera was arrested and charged with "intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by a self-induced abortion."

A motion was filed Monday morning to dismiss the murder indictment against a Starr County woman who had a “self-induced abortion,” according to the district clerk’s office. The motion was filed at 9:30 a.m., the staff said. The motion comes a day after Starr County District Attorney Gocha A. Ramirez announced that his office would drop the indictment against Lizelle Herrera, who was arrested Thursday and charged with murder. “In reviewing applicable Texas law, it is clear that Ms. Herrera cannot and should not be prosecuted for the allegation against her,” the release read. Her arrest caused outrage throughout the Rio Grande Valley and generated interest across the country.

Texas law exempts a pregnant person from being charged with murder or any lesser homicide charge for an abortion.

Little else is known about what exactly led to Herrera’s arrest. In the indictment obtained by The Monitor, Herrera is accused of “intentionally and knowingly causing [sic] the death of an individual J.A.H., by a self-induced abortion,” on Jan. 7. Her arrest caused outrage throughout the Rio Grande Valley and generated interest from national media outlets. On Saturday morning, a protest was held outside the Starr County Jail, where Herrera was in custody, calling for her release. “Although with this dismissal Ms. Herrera will not face prosecution for this incident, it is clear to me that the events leading up to this indictment have taken a toll on Ms. Herrera and her family,” Ramirez said in the release.

Lizelle Herrera, 26, was released from custody Saturday night on $500,000 bond.

The local sheriff’s office said that the 26-year-old was charged after “intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by self-induced abortion,” though it didn't provide details about which law was broken.

Law enforcement authorities in Starr County confirmed that a woman was arrested on a charge of murder over what they called an "illegal abortion."

Starr County leaders gathered on the steps of the courthouse Wednesday afternoon to receive earmarked federal funding, symbolizing renewed efforts to renovate the building.

It was all hands on deck as local, state and federal agencies responded to a large brush fire near the Starr County – Hidalgo County line Friday afternoon.

It was all hands on deck as local, state and federal agencies responded to a large brush fire near the Starr County – Hidalgo County line Friday afternoon.

Cuellar had received 46.4% of the votes while Tannya Benavides, an educator who also ran as a progressive candidate, received 4.8% of the votes. There he received just under 70% of the votes while Cisneros received 26.4%. In Webb County, which includes the candidates’ hometown of Laredo, Cuellar also received the majority of support with nearly 60% of the votes while Cisneros received 37%. Benavides received 3% of the votes there, according to the county’s unofficial election results. The runoff election is scheduled for May.

Republican uprisings have been sweeping across Democratic areas of the state, born of frustration with one-party rule, the influence of GOP state leaders and the shifting brands of the national parties.

In the same murder trial, a federal ATF agent also testified in court that he thought Terry Palacios was the one who leaked the informant’s identity. At no point did The Monitor or any of its employees link Palacios to the disclosure of the informant’s identity, nor did The Monitor convey that impression to readers. The Monitor simply reported in-court testimony by individuals — who have no relationship to The Monitor — in a murder trial and allowed readers to form their own conclusions. Any criticism by another news organization that The Monitor wrongly reported the testimony of these trial witnesses is completely unfounded. Readers are assured that, in the future, The Monitor will continue sourcing and reporting important news in the community, consistent with the highest journalistic standards.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule earlier this week to list the prostrate milkweed, which lives along the Texas-Mexico border, as an endangered species. The rare plant is threatened in part by border security activities, scientists say.

Here's how many Nueces County residents have received the COVID-19 vaccine as of Feb. 15, according to data.

The sentencing of a Starr County drug trafficker’s wife Thursday became a cautionary tale for those adjacently profiting from the drug trade.

As a strong cold front continues to impact the Rio Grande Valley, a hard freeze watch has been issued for some portions of the area. Starr County and portions of northern Hidalgo and Willacy counties are included in the watch area, the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley reports. The watch will begin at midnight and will continue until 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Freezing temperatures as low as 24 degrees are anticipated. A freeze watch for the southern half of Hidalgo County, all of Cameron County and coastal portions of Willacy County will be in effect from midnight until 10 a.m. Saturday.

Chick-fil-A applied for a building permit with the Rio Grande Planning Department on Friday morning, the city announced in a news release, to begin construction of the fast-food chain on the corner of U.S. Business 83 and Farm-to-Market Road 755.

Chick-fil-A applied for a building permit with the Rio Grande Planning Department on Friday morning, the city announced in a news release, to begin construction of the fast-food chain on the corner of U.S. Business 83 and Farm-to-Market Road 755.

Statements made by a defendant in a Starr County murder case will not be admissible during trial, an appeals court affirmed Tuesday. Additionally, on two warning forms, Barrera checked off a request for law enforcement to return Torres to him after questioning so he could determine whether Torres’ statements were made voluntarily. However, Barrera testified that he didn’t meet with Torres afterward and he never determined he voluntariness of his statements. 51.095 of the family code and by not making a determination of voluntariness of Torres’ statements, they are now inadmissable. In their conclusion, though, the appellate justices acknowledged their ruling could lead to an unjust outcome in the case.

Abbott unveiled the first 900 feet of border barrier Saturday. But the state has been mum on where it plans to build additional barriers and how many miles it can afford.

Abbott launched the construction of a wall along the Texas-Mexico border using state...

Twenty-two days ago, the first contract was awarded to begin construction of a border wall in Starr County, a mile and a half north of the Rio Grande. By Saturday, the construction already spanned 800 feet.

Abbott launched the construction of a wall along the Texas-Mexico border using state money and crowdfunded private donations. The state has at least $1.05 billion for the border barriers.

A third person has been arrested in Starr County’s ongoing investigation into voter fraud. Belinda Garcia, 45, turned herself in to the Starr County Special Crimes Unit Tuesday afternoon, confirmed 229th District Attorney Omar Escobar. Garcia was charged with one count of election fraud and one count of fraudulent application for ballot by mail. Escobar said this was another case of an application for a mail-in ballot indicating the voter is disabled. However in Garcia’s case, the district attorney said more than one voter was identified so more charges could be forthcoming.

A temporary restraining order was partially granted against Starr County’s electioneering regulations. The decision allows the county to continue banning electioneering in parking areas under the county’s building and property use policy, adopted Feb. 12, but temporarily blocks the section of the policy which requires a permit to use other county property. Their application and lawsuit, filed on behalf of a Starr County candidate and the Starr County Republican chair, argued that the policy violated First Amendment rights. The lawsuit initially focused on an electioneering ban adopted in January, which prohibited electioneering on all county property. “When Starr County improperly tried to impose a blanket ban on electioneering, they also silenced Texas voices,” Olivares said in a statement.

The Texas attorney general’s office has offered to assist Starr County in its investigation into voter fraud. Omar Escobar, the 229th district attorney, launched the investigation after the Starr County Elections Department was notified of questionable applications for mail-in ballots. During a special session last year, the Texas legislature passed changes to the election laws through Senate Bill 5. On Monday, the attorney general’s office sent a letter to Escobar agreeing to assist in the county’s efforts. “Some people have and some people have not, so we’re going to continue working with the attorney general’s office to make sure that the new laws are implemented.”

Construction is expected to begin soon on a 1.7-mile portion of the Texas border wall.

Two defendants accused of belonging to a Starr County drug trafficking organization are set to go to trial next week.

A Starr County grand jury formally indicted a man for his participation in a murder that went cold for nearly two decades.

A Starr County grand jury formally indicted a man for his participation in a murder that went cold for nearly two decades.

A federal grand jury has indicted three men in relation to the seizure of more than a ton of marijuana in Starr County in late October, while prosecutors dismissed the charges against the owner of the ranch where the drugs were found hidden in a recreational vehicle.

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced a lease agreement Monday that will allow the state to build a border wall in Starr County. The commissioner held a news conference in Starr County in July to talk about a lawsuit filed by his office over the unfinished border wall in a property stretching 3,099 acres. Greg Abbott visited Del Río, he announced his plans to create a border wall and barriers. That same day Bush said the construction would receive emergency authorization on state lands. During Bush’s visit to Starr County in July, he announced the General Land Office would be making its 20,000 state-owned border acres available to his plans.

Seven candidates are hoping to defeat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar in the 2022 elections and become the representative for U.S. House District 28 which includes Starr County, Laredo, and stretches up to east of San Antonio.

Nearly $3 million in federal funding will be going toward border security efforts in Starr County. This week, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, announced that the Operation Stonegarden program will be receiving over $2.9 million in federal grant money, funding which will impact Starr County residents, according to the congressman’s office. Under Operation Stonegarden, local law enforcement agencies, including the Starr County Sheriff’s Office, assist state and federal agents with border security measures. According to Cuellar’s office, the funding in Hidalgo County had exceeded previous years, which between 2018 and 2020 ranged from $4.5 million to $4.9 million. Like Starr County’s funding, the grant went toward equipment and personnel in Hidalgo County.

A Starr County justice of the peace received a public reprimand Friday from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for using his public office to help his wife’s political campaign and violating other government codes.

Three more men are now facing federal charges in relation to the bust of a little more than a ton of marijuana found hidden last month in the roof of a recreational vehicle on a ranch in Starr County.

The complaint provides details into the large Oct. 27 bust that netted 2,157 pounds of marijuana, which Border Patrol and the Starr County Sheriff’s Office publicized in news releases. Border Patrol agents reportedly saw drug smuggling at the property while conducting surveillance on the ranch. Back at the sheriff’s office, the investigator began drafting a search warrant while Border Patrol set up a perimeter outside the ranch. According to the complaint, Muñiz told Border Patrol they could search his property but was informed that a search warrant was being obtained. During the search, the investigator, Border Patrol and DEA agents entered the recreational vehicle and found the frame molding of the interior walls had been tampered.

A self-employed baker from Zapata became the latest defendant named and arrested Wednesday as part of a drug trafficking operation based in Starr County that resulted in multiple arrests in September.

The entire Rio Grande Valley is under an Elevated Fire Risk because of the extremely low humidity.

Two structures and several vehicles have already been caught by a massive brush fire in northwestern Starr County, but no injuries have been reported.

Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost.

Soldiers with the Texas National Guard work at a drive-through COVID-19 testing center in Smithville on May 5, 2020. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that National Guard troops will vaccinate residents in five rural counties as part of a new pilot program. Credit: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORKStarting Thursday, state mobile vaccination teams staffed by Texas National Guard members will be deployed to five rural Texas counties to administer coronavirus vaccines to qualified residents. National Guard teams will visit DeWitt, Marion, Real, Sherman and Starr counties as part of a newly-created State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program announced by Gov. On Wednesday, President Biden ordered full reimbursement to states that use the National Guard to increase the pace of vaccinations nationally.

In order to build the border wall, the ranch’s front gate and the fence will have to be moved back. The situation could become even more complicated if President-elect Joe Biden makes good on his promise to stop border wall construction. The agreements are to build 146 miles of border wall and install nearly three dozen gates. Under the Trump administration, Starr has become one of the agency’s top priorities for the border wall. But Starr County, which lacks a levee system, had no wall before the Trump administration first proposed building there in 2017.

Dr. Jos Vzquez has resigned from his position as Starr Co. county health authority. Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas TribuneNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? The top doctor advising Starr County on local health policy resigned abruptly Monday, leaving temporarily vacant a key position in a rural border community already battered by the coronavirus. Starr County, population 65,000, is one of the poorest counties in the country. Starr County has had 68 confirmed coronavirus deaths and 2,213 cases as of Monday, according to state data.

AUSTIN, Texas Texas surpassed 4,000 deaths in the coronavirus pandemic Monday but officials in Houston, one of the hardest-hit cities in the U.S., say they are cautiously optimistic about recent trends following weeks of alarming surges at hospitals. Texas reported more than 7,400 confirmed new cases and at least 62 new deaths. The virus continues taking a particularly hard toll along the Texas-Mexico border: Hidalgo County has reported more than 140 deaths over the past week, and the county judge on Monday signed a shelter-at-home order. This action will help us do the right thing to save and protect each other from this deadly disease by sheltering at home, said Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez. But in Houston, officials say they are seeing signs of optimism.