Attracting manufacturers is only part of building the Rio Grande Valley's industrial economy. Developing skilled workers, adapting to emerging technologies, and strengthening industry partnerships are equally important, Lilvette Santos, economic and business development director of the Pharr Economic Development Corporation (Pharr EDC), told regional leaders during a Manufacturing Day Roundtable.

The Pharr Economic Development Corporation (EDC), led by President and CEO Victor Perez, hosted a Manufacturing Day Roundtable on October 22, 2026, at the Pharr Global Business Hub.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Mario Alberto Morales voluntarily surrendered in a Harris County courtroom Monday, November 2, 2026, following his indictment on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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. 

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.

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.