A Bexar County election worker was assaulted Thursday, officials said. In Tarrant County, officials encouraged voters to review their ballots before voting.

Denton has renamed itself Halloween, Texas, and has planned 31 days of events to drive up tourism and family entertainment.

The AG’s office sought to depose the leader of Team Brownsville, which provides water, shelter and basic necessities to asylum-seeking migrants.

Local leaders began debating a household limit on the number of pets after two residents were arrested for having 93 dogs and a cat in their home.

Many of the solutions are costly, putting them out of reach for small towns. But the region's most populous cities are getting innovative.

After years of competing with each other for new businesses, Valley cities want to present a united front to highlight the region’s assets.

Texas is losing an estimated 1,000 acres of farm land a day, mostly to other industries. The Rio Grande Valley is losing land at a faster clip.

A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers are demanding appropriators withhold funds for the country until Mexico lives up to its end of a 1944 water treaty that requires it to send 1.75 million acre-feet to the U.S. every five years.

Conservation groups found a sign of hope, but scientists say it's too soon to celebrate.

A state-appointed board of managers overseeing the La Joya Independent School District is set to consider the policy this week.

Some environmental experts are skeptical that Texas can meet the new rules on particulate matter, which can cause serious respiratory problems.

A Texas jury has recommended that a south Texas man be sentenced to death for fatally shooting a state trooper in 2019.

A Texas ranch that was originally part of a land script of The Republic of Texas is on sale for the first time since the 1800s.

The Pharr brothers accused in the 2022 vigilante killing of their stepfather appeared in court just one year after the murder.

A Canadian woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington to mailing a threatening letter containing the poison ricin to then-President Donald Trump at the White House.

For some local relief programs, a lack of staffing, political support and effective community outreach got in the way of spending federal funds to prevent evictions, a new report found. More than $30 million went unspent and had to be returned.

A teacher in the Rio Grande Valley has been arrested a month after a 5-year-old boy died because he was left inside a vehicle on campus, according to media reports.

In Texas, married couples generally can claim only one such exemption, meant to provide some tax relief on properties considered “principal residences.” Homestead exemptions cannot typically be claimed on commercial properties, second homes or income properties.

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.

Two brothers are in jail in Hidalgo County accused of beating their stepfather to death for sexually abusing their 9-year-old sister.

In some voting locations where a party’s appointed polling judge didn’t show up, election officials allowed the other party’s judge to operate both parties’ voting machines in an effort to keep the polling place running.

Public health officials have played a crucial role in vaccination efforts and tracking the spread of the virus. But different needs from their communities and insufficient aid have complicated the work.

A petition addressed to Gov. Greg Abbott to release a teenage trio accused of murdering 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla is quickly gaining momentum online.

Two brothers are in jail in Hidalgo County accused of beating their stepfather to death for sexually abusing their 9-year-old sister.

It’s not an animal you would expect to see in Texas, but for residents in Hidalgo County, this animal sighting had some calling local authorities.

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

The executive order allows DPS troopers to reroute vehicles back to their origin point or a port of entry. Critics say citing the coronavirus as justification is hypocritical since the governor won't let local officials require masks in public.

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.

Three medical professionals discuss what they have learned about where Texas is — and where it is going — in the COVID-19 pandemic.

A man is charged with manslaughter after Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies said he fatally shot his 21-year-old cousin last week.

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.

Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? The first known case of a new and possibly more contagious coronavirus strain has been reported in Texas, in an adult male resident of Harris County who had no history of travel, according to the state health services department and Judge Lina Hidalgo. It does not cause a more severe disease and vaccines “are expected to be effective against it,” the health services department said of the variant. But “the fact that this person had no travel history suggests this variant is already circulating in Texas,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the state’s health services department. The case is being investigated by the state health services department and Harris County Public Health.

HIDALGO COUNTY – More than 2,000 people in Hidalgo County have died as a result of COVID-19. They’re now a part of a photo collage on the billboards for the entire Rio Grande Valley to see and to remember. Three billboards in Hidalgo County memorialize hundreds of COVID-19 victims. The billboard is a... Posted by Hidalgo County on Monday, December 21, 2020Cortez is no stranger to coronavirus, having recently tested positive himself. Three billboards in Hidalgo County memorialize hundreds of COVID-19 victims.

Among these cases, nearly 3 in 10 people were charged only for the emergency order violation, the district attorney said. In the initial month of the virus’ spread in Texas, orders were coming out every few weeks or even days. Fines pile up, and cases are dismissedOutcomes for violating COVID-19 orders varied from community to community in the Valley. Daisy Alvarado was one of more than 340 people cited by Cameron County sheriff’s deputies for violating COVID-19 orders. The virus’ toll hasn’t changed Alvarez’s opinion that rules like the emergency orders need to be applied cautiously.

(Hidalgo County (Texas) Sheriff's Office, via AP)BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Canadian woman accused of mailing packages containing the deadly poison ricin to the White House and several Texas law enforcement agencies has been indicted on new federal charges of making interstate threats and violating prohibitions on biological weapons. A grand jury in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday handed up sixteen counts against Pascale Ferrier, court records show. In September, Ferrier pleaded not guilty to making threats against President Donald Trump by mailing a package containing ricin to the White House after she was arrested at the U.S.-Canada border. Ferrier is also alleged to have sent ricin to six detention centers and law enforcement agencies in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The package was intercepted before it reached the White House.

Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston received COVID-19 vaccine supply kits in December. El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said he’s concerned about community spread continuing as the vaccine begins to be administered. The pandemic has disproportionately affected El Paso and Hidalgo counties compared to areas of similar or larger sizes in Texas. As of Wednesday, there had been more than 91,000 cases recorded in El Paso County, the fourth-highest total in the state. This is an exciting time,” said Mielke, the University Medical Center of El Paso spokesperson.

The Edinburg High School senior defensive linemen who knocked a referee to the ground for ejecting him from the game was booked into jail Friday, Hidalgo County records show. Duron was tossed from the game Thursday night during the matchup between the Edinburg High School Bobcats and the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Bears. Unfortunately this type of blind-sided assault on an official while working on the field is not new to Texas Football,” the statement read. In 2015, two John Jay High School football players hit a referee in the middle of a play. READ MORE FROM KSAT.COM:Edinburg High School pulls out of football playoffs after player attacked refereeSouth Texas high school football player attacks referee after being ejected from game

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – Hidalgo County became the second Texas county keeping its polling locations open an extra hour, until 8 p.m. Central, after technical problems slowed voting early in the day. The county’s elections department said 10 of their locations experienced technical issues. "Making sure our voters have the opportunity to cast their ballot is our utmost priority," said Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Yvonne Ramón in a statement. “Extending the closure of the polls to 8 p.m. will provide that opportunity to the voters of Hidalgo County.”The elections department said the problems were due to “laptop check-in issues.” Although currently all 74 county polling locations are operating, several of them had to postpone opening this morning, according to the Texas Civil Rights Project. — Juan Pablo GarnhamRELATED:

EDINBURG, Texas – Hidalgo County health officials reported four new West Nile Virus cases and three new cases of Dengue Fever on Monday. In September, 18 Texas counties reported having a case of West Nile virus, including Bexar County, according to state data. According to Olivarez, the West Nile cases were found in the Mercedes, Weslaco and Edinburg areas. County officials said that additionally, three other cases were reported to Hidalgo County a week ago. To protect yourself against either West Nile or Dengue, you must protect yourselves against mosquitoes.

As daily case counts and hospitalizations across Texas tick upward, local health officials are cracking down on Halloween. If families still choose to go trick-or-treating, Austin health officials are asking that they only go with household members, keep 6 feet from others and use hand sanitizer between houses. “This year, we are encouraging families to make new traditions,” said Austin Public Health director Stephanie Hayden. “There’s some [parents] that are screaming and yelling about how can we keep their children from enjoying Halloween traditions, and there’s some that say thank you for keeping us safe,” Cortez said. It’s not quite the same, but it’s hopefully good enough to give him a little bit of a Halloween experience.”

The lawsuit alleges that injuries he sustained from an early morning arrest on April 12, and lack of care after his arrest, led to his death. The deputies named in the lawsuit are Steven Farias and Marco Guerrero, along with two unidentified deputies referred to as John Doe 1 and 2. Deputies approached Zuniga “and when they discovered he lived elsewhere they told him to go home.”A statement from Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. A photograph provided in the lawsuit shows Zuniga prior to his release from the hospital on June 5. Photograph from a wrongful death lawsuit shows the condition of Jorge Zuniga immediately prior to his release from the hospital.

But he’s frustrated as he struggles through his online classes at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley when he should be sitting in the front row, he said, where he learns best. In fact, Rio Grande Valley cities consistently rank near the top of nationwide surveys of households without internet. The situation is similar throughout the Rio Grande Valley, which also includes Harlingen and McAllen, among other cities. She took a full load of classes online over the summer while working two jobs. Disclosure: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – Hidalgo County reported its first COVID-19 related pediatric death on Friday, according to county officials. The child’s death is one of the 20 deaths related to COVID-19 complications announced Friday. This brings the total number of cases in Hidalgo County to 21,806. To learn more about the COVID-19 numbers in Hidalgo County, click here. RELATED: Bexar County adds 150 new COVID-19 cases

MCALLEN, TX – Hidalgo County health officials reported a single-day high record of 64 deaths due to complications related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 531. Hidalgo County Health officials reported a single day high record of 64 deaths due to complications related to COVID-19 bringing the total number of fatalities to 531. For full release: https://t.co/Vpdb1K5DO7 pic.twitter.com/l4MWYRlJvs — Hidalgo County (@HidalgoCounty) July 29, 2020“I am saddened by the passing of our Hidalgo County residents. Read the county’s full announcement below:Related: Hidalgo County judge tries slowing coronavirus, but Gov. Greg Abbott has limited his optionsRelated: Hidalgo County: New order issued Monday includes shelter at home, curfew

Elisa Soliz, front right, sat with her sisters in Hidalgo County in May. Her oldest sister, Beatriz Gonzalez, front left, died from the new coronavirus later that month. Courtesy of Elisa Soliz(Audio unavailable. Elisa Soliz lost her sister to the new coronavirus in late May and says at least nine other family members have tested positive. The 63-year-old school bus driver lives in Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley an area thats been devastated by the pandemic.

AUSTIN, Texas While some big cities in Texas are reporting signs that an alarming surge in cases of the coronavirus may be leveling off, officials in counties along the border with Mexico said Tuesday that the outlook there remains bleak. Greg Abbotts past mandates that do not allow local officials to set their own stay-at-home restrictions. Texas on Tuesday reported more than 9,300 confirmed new cases and 131 deaths, the states second deadliest day of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Texas is pressing ahead with plans for high school football this fall. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

MCALLEN, TX – Hidalgo County issued a new county order Monday mandating all individuals to stay at home and shelter in place as cases in Hidalgo County spike significantly. Additionally, the order mandates a curfew for all persons ages 18 and over from 10 p.m.-5 p.m., imposing essential travel limitations and requiring residents to wear facial coverings pursuant to the governor’s executive order issued July 2. The county reported 524 additional positive cases Monday and noted that 34 people died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll to 318. Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said he offered his deepest sympathies and asked the community to do their part to mitigate the spread of the virus. Please continue to Shelter-at-Home, wear facial coverings and limit mass gatherings.”To date, Hidalgo county has reported 12,263 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

As 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. But the emergency order he issued Monday mandating that people shelter in their residences, restricting travel and limiting gatherings remains an unenforceable recommendation, according to Gov. In the new Hidalgo emergency order, it also is “highly encouraged and recommended that all commercial businesses” cease their activities, unless they are essential, like activities related to health, safety or necessary supplies. “However, this order does not force businesses to shut down in the Rio Grande Valley.”Cortez did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. U.S. Navy teams were deployed Sunday to the Rio Grande Valley, a region that includes Hidalgo County.

SAN ANTONIO – Officials in Hidalgo County on Tuesday put a hold on in-person instruction for students on the same day that more than 30 COVID-19 deaths were announced for the county. Dr. Ivan Melendez, the chief physician of the Hidalgo County Local Health Authority, has ordered that all school districts, both public and private, must keep campuses closed to students until after Sept. 27. The schools can provide virtual or remote learning until then, the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court said in a release. “I commend Dr. Melendez for putting the safety of our students, teachers and district staff first,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said. San Antonio doctor, teacher, psychologist weigh inDue to the alarming increase in COVID-10 cases, deaths and hospitalizations, Texas Gov.

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – Hidalgo County, Starr County, and Valley Baptist Health System hospitals have now reached capacity due to the influx of COVID-19 cases in the area, according to a report from KRGV. The Valley Baptist Health System has reached its capacity as well with COVID-19 patients, according to a report from KRGV. KRGV reports the Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen had 141 COVID-19 related patients as of Friday afternoon, and Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville had 97. According to KRGV’s report, every hospital in the Valley is full and patients are being taken to other parts of Texas. As of Friday, the county announced a new daily high of COVID-19 cases with 1,334, totaling 14,212 cases total in the community.

More than a third of Texans speak a language other than English at home, according to census data. In Austin, city officials regularly post updates and infographics on Facebook and Twitter in Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. A third of people in the capital city speak languages other than English at home, according to census data. Unlike Texas' Spanish speakers, who can depend on a handful of local Spanish-language TV news and radio stations, Burmese speakers have fewer options. Thats information officials should be communicating to their constituents, said Josephine Lopez Paul, lead organizer for Dallas Area Interfaith.

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – A Texas man is now behind bars after officials say he killed a puppy that wasn’t his “out of boredom.”According to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Claudio Gomez, 21, was arrested Wednesday after a concerned citizen reported seeing a video on Facebook of a man torturing a dog. Upon further investigation, officials reviewed the video, claiming it showed a man hanging a small puppy by its neck from a tree, resulting in its death. Media Release-Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 21-year-old, Claudio... Posted by Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office on Friday, February 14, 2020Deputies were able to find the address of where the video was recorded and met with Gomez, who admitted to hanging the dog out of boredom, authorities say. Gomez was arrested and taken to the county jail. The investigation is still ongoing and anyone with more information on the case is urged to contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 956-383-8114.

HIDALGO COUNTY – The Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector remains the busiest in the county with more than 14,000 apprehensions just last month. While on a ride along with the RGV Sector, Border Patrol agents spotted a group of immigrants who had crossed over the Rio Grande illegally to the United States. Border Patrol agent Marcelino Medina found a man who eventually walked out of the brush he was hiding in and surrendered to the agents. Often times, we refer that as potential threats in the mix … wanted for murder, MS-13 (gang) members (or) 18th Street gang members," Medina said. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the number of apprehensions along the Southwest border was more than 34,000 in June.