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Pharr Manufacturing Roundtable Examines Industrial Growth and Workforce Challenges

Growing demand for skilled workers, increasing automation, and competition for manufacturing investment are challenging the Rio Grande Valley's industrial expansion, according to government, business, and education leaders who gathered in Pharr to discuss how the region can prepare for new industries and emerging technologies.

House Speaker Mike Johnson to Return to McAllen for Election Day Visit

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to visit McAllen for the second time in less than a month, joining Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) for an Election Day campaign appearance on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

DPS Modernizes Access to Crime Laboratory Records with Texas CLR Connect

Texas Border Business AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) statewide rollout of the new Texas Crime Lab Records (CLR) Connect Discovery Portal is complete. Texas...

Navigating the Texas SOS Election Night Returns Portal

The Office of the Texas Secretary of State will publicly provide election night results for statewide and district-level races on the evening of Nov. 3.

Brownsville City Manager Selects Angel L. Figueroa, Jr. as Next Chief of Police

Brownsville City Manager Alan Guard, ICMA-CM, CGFO, has selected Angel L. Figueroa, Jr. as the next Chief of the Brownsville Police Department.

UPDATE: Indicted ICE Officer Previously Ran for Congress in South Texas

Mario Alberto Morales, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who surrendered to Harris County authorities on November 2, 2026, following an indictment for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, previously pursued public office in South Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, Morales campaigned for a Brownsville City Council seat before seeking the Republican nomination for Texas' 34th Congressional District. Federal Election Commission records confirm that Morales, who campaigned as “Bam Morales,” registered as a congressional candidate on May 16, 2025.

Adult Charged in Furnishing Alcohol to Minors

A McAllen homeowner was arrested early Sunday morning after police responding to an underage drinking call found multiple intoxicated juveniles fleeing a residence, with three teens requiring on-scene medical attention. 

Rapid DNA Pilot Scores First Hit Days After Launch

Days after launching the second phase of the state’s Rapid DNA Testing Program, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Crime Laboratory Division announces a positive Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) “hit” in Montgomery Co. The second phase launched on Oct. 15, 2026, after more than a year of training and preparation. That’s the day participating agencies in both Williamson and Montgomery counties began entering arrestee samples into CODIS.

Brownsville BCIC Earns Four International Economic Development Awards

The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation received four 2026 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council, recognizing its strategic planning, community grants, public reporting, and business education programs, BCIC announced Aug. 20.

ICE Officer Mario Alberto Morales Surrenders Following Harris County Indictment

Mario Alberto Morales, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer indicted by a Harris County grand jury on October 30, 2026, surrendered to authorities Monday, November 2, and appeared before a judge in Houston, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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