PHARR - Students in a 4th grade class at Berta Palacios Elementary in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) recently won 2nd place in the Texas Association of School Board’s (TASB) 2021 Student Video Contest.

EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande City Border Patrol (RGC) station agents encountered two large groups of illegal aliens entering in Starr County, Texas. This morning, RGC agents working near Roma, Texas, responded to a report of a large group of illegal aliens crossing the Rio Grande. As agents arrived, they observed dozens of people consisting of family members and unaccompanied alien children (UAC) crossing the river. Responding agents apprehended 145 illegal aliens in total. 121 family members and 24 UACs were identified within the group.

Even before the pandemic, Texas schools faced daunting challenges. About 88% of students were economically disadvantaged. Two ethnic groups that comprised about two-thirds of enrollment (and rapidly growing) held less than 8% of the state's wealth. Many districts had massive infrastructure deficiencies, while others struggled to keep pace with explosive growth. As if that weren’t enough, Texas ranked 41st nationally in spending per student.

While women have shattered some glass ceilings, other barriers are still a work in progress when it comes to a female-friendly workforce. It may be hard to believe, but the U.S. Department of Labor still lists more than 100 occupations as “non-traditional careers” for women, which means 25 percent or less of those in the field are female. From computer programmers to engineers, these higher-paying careers have historically been harder for women to enter … unless they have outstanding support.

On Thursday, April 1, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and I took a tour along the US-Mexico border.

What’s better than free? Extra money in your pocket. South Texas College has announced a new $600 Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) grant just in time for summer 2021. Stemming from funds authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations act (CRRSAA) signed into law in December 2020, the emergency grant is intended to provide financial assistance to eligible students who are experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could adversely affect their educational success.

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas– Within hours, Rio Grande City Border Patrol (RGC) agents seized more than $660K worth of marijuana in two failed narcotics smuggling attempts.

A second video memorial honoring those who have died from the COVID-19 virus is being launched today, the anniversary of the first death from the virus in Hidalgo County, Judge Richard F. Cortez said Wednesday.

Hidalgo County will begin pre-registering homebound residents to receive COVID-19 vaccines in their homes beginning today, April 7, 2021, said Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez.

Mims Elementary student Lina Villarreal has made campus history after setting a new record for most words read in a single year.