Pictured are the first Registered Nurse Apprenticeship cohort graduates of Rio Grande Valley College surrounded by leadership from their campus and DHR Health. A special event was held in their honor at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance as they now stand ready to join the healthcare workforce. Courtesy image
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PHARR, Texas – Rio Grande Valley College proudly celebrated a historic milestone in nursing education and workforce development today with the graduation of its first-ever Registered Nurse Apprenticeship cohort. The special ceremony took place this morning at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance.
A total of 12 students completed the groundbreaking program, which uniquely combines rigorous academic instruction with paid, hands-on clinical experience at DHR Health. Endorsed by the Texas Board of Nursing, this innovative apprenticeship model was designed to directly address the region’s critical nursing shortage while offering students real-time clinical training and mentorship.
“Today, we don’t just celebrate graduates — we honor a movement: where perseverance meets purpose, where community meets opportunity, and where the future of healthcare is being built right here, by us, for us,” said Dr. Annabelle Palomo, chief executive officer and president of Rio Grande Valley College.
This prestigious recognition is part of The 100 Best Fleets in North America program, which honors high-performing public fleet operations. Image courtesy of PSJA ISD
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PHARR, Texas– Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD)’s Transportation Department has earned national recognition for the 13th consecutive year by being named one of the Top 100 Fleets in North America by Government Fleet magazine, a leading publication in the transportation industry.
This prestigious recognition is part of The 100 Best Fleets in North America program, which honors high-performing public fleet operations. The program highlights organizations that demonstrate excellence in areas such as accountability, technology integration, staff training and development, maintenance efficiency, and resource management.
PSJA ISD operates one of the largest transportation fleets in the Rio Grande Valley, with over 100 school buses transporting more than 10,000 students each day. Over the years, the district has continually worked to improve route efficiency and lower operational costs by adopting advanced tools and software.
“Being recognized among the Top 100 Fleets for the 13th consecutive year is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the dedication and hard work of our entire team,” said Jose Rivera, PSJA ISD Transportation Director. “We take great pride in continuously improving our operations to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable transportation for our students every day. This recognition motivates us to keep striving for excellence.”
PSJA ISD – Top 100 Fleets Recognition History:
2013 – Honorable Mention
2014 – Ranked #26
2015 – Ranked #51
2016 – Ranked #74
2017 – Honorable Mention
2018 – Ranked #43
2019 – Honorable Mention
2020 – Honorable Mention
2021 – Ranked #94
2022 – Ranked #71
2023 – Honorable Mention
2024 – Honorable Mention
2025 – Honorable Mention
As PSJA ISD continues to grow, the Transportation Department remains focused on adopting innovative practices and technologies that not only enhance operational efficiency but also support the district’s mission of student success.
“Texas is No. 1 in the nation for attracting new business investments because we offer businesses the freedom to succeed,” said Governor Abbott. Courtesy image
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AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott celebrated Texas winning the 2025 Prosperity Cup awarded by Site Selection magazine to the top-performing state for attracting new business investments.
“Texas is No. 1 in the nation for attracting new business investments because we offer businesses the freedom to succeed,” said Governor Abbott. “For industry leaders and job-creating businesses from across the country and around the world, the path to prosperity begins in Texas. With America’s best business climate and a booming Texas economy powered by our skilled and growing workforce, we will build on this momentum for a stronger, more prosperous Texas for decades to come.”
Site Selection touts this new win as a “Triple Crown Trophy” for Texas. In March, Governor Abbott accepted Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup recognizing Texas as the No. 1 state for attracting the most new and expanded business facility projects for an unprecedented 13th consecutive year. Last November, Site Selection recognized Texas as having the Top Business Climate in the U.S.
The Prosperity Cup is awarded annually by Site Selection to the most competitive state based on an investment-attraction index that includes rankings for new business location and expansion projects, capital investment, job creation, business and tax climate, and workforce readiness.
The man responsible for sex crimes against two young girls in Texas and Arizona will now spend the rest of his life behind bars. Nearly 40 years after the first of the two crimes was committed, a Rusk Co. Grand Jury gave David Roy Mundt, 62, of Longview, Texas, that sentence last week. Photo: Texas DPS
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AUSTIN – The man responsible for sex crimes against two young girls in Texas and Arizona will now spend the rest of his life behind bars. Nearly 40 years after the first of the two crimes was committed, a Rusk Co. Grand Jury gave David Roy Mundt, 62, of Longview, Texas, that sentence last week.
Back on Oct. 28, 1992, a male suspect—now identified as Mundt—broke into a home in Rusk Co. and dragged a 7-year-old girl from her bed, sexually assaulting her in the backyard of the residence before fleeing. DNA collected during the investigation was submitted to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)—a national database to check for possible DNA matches between arrestees and unsolved cases nationwide—through the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Crime Laboratory Division. Despite the Henderson Police Department’s continued investigation, a suspect was never identified, and no arrest was ever made.
Then, in December 2022, the DPS Crime Laboratory in Garland notified the Texas Rangers of a possible DNA match between the 1992 Texas case and a similar kidnapping and child sexual assault cold case from 1986 in Phoenix, Ariz. The Texas Rangers began coordinating with the Phoenix Police Department and determined DNA samples from the 1986 case were eligible for Advanced DNA testing and genealogy research through Bode Technologies.
On June 15, 2024, that testing and research identified two brothers as possible suspects. The first brother was eventually ruled out because his DNA was already in the CODIS database and would have previously produced a positive match. Investigators then obtained a DNA sample from the second brother, David Roy Mundt, for testing and comparison through DPS’ Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program. The program is funded by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA), which provides investigative funding for agencies across the United States to further unsolved sexual assaults and sexually related homicides, aiming to bring justice to the victims and their families.
Using SAKI grant funds, the sample collected from David Roy Mundt was sent to Bode Technologies for expedited DNA testing, which gave a positive match. On Aug. 7, 2024, the Texas Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol and Longview Police Department arrested Mundt at his home in Gregg Co., Texas.
In August 2024, Mundt was indicted by a Rusk Co. grand jury on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child in the 1992 Texas case, and on April 25, 2025, he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.
Cases like these highlight the importance of collaborative investigative work between the Texas Rangers and our partner law enforcement agencies to bring justice and closure to victims and their families in unsolved crimes. The department would like to specifically thank the Henderson Police Department, Phoenix Police Department, Longview Police Department, DPS’ Crime Laboratory in Garland and Bode Technologies for their dedication that ultimately led to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Corona-Corona to serve 37 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Image for illustration purposes
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals.
Julio Cesar Corona-Corona pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Corona-Corona to serve 37 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard how Corona-Corona was arrested in 2022 for smuggling aliens after he fled from police in a vehicle carrying eight others, creating dangerous conditions for the vehicle occupants as well as the community. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal noted Corona-Corona’s motivation to come to the United States, be it for work or family residing here – is not unique. The court added that, despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. Corona-Corona also received a three-year-term of supervised released to commence after completion of his prison sentence as an added deterrent to unlawful reentry into the United States.
Corona-Corona has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as human smuggling. He was first removed from the United States Jan. 25, 2014, and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018.
Corona-Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“What those outside our country need to understand is that despite what they may have heard in the past, our immigration laws are being strictly enforced,” said Ganjei. “If somebody breaks our laws by sneaking across the border, they are going to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported. The sooner that message spreads, the better it will be for everyone.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
“We want to cut the government. We want to cut federal spending. We want to bring down inflation, which was exacerbated by the spending spree that we saw the last four years.” – Senator Cornyn. Image: YouTube
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WASHINGTON, DC – On Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed his priorities for the reconciliation package, including cutting government spending, extending the Trump Tax Cuts, and leading the charge to reimburse the State of Texas for border security costs incurred during the Biden administration. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here, and below:
“We’ve got a lot to do in this one big, beautiful bill, but this is our one chance to get not only an extension of the expiring tax provisions, but to cut some of the mandatory spending programs that have driven our debt to $37 trillion and to do other things like the President’s priorities that he campaigned on.”
“It’s important that Texas get reimbursed for what was and is a federal responsibility, which is to secure the border—which didn’t happen during the Biden administration, so Governor Abbott and Texas leaders had to step up and fill that gap.”
“We’re working with the President, the Speaker, and Senator Thune to get this done.”
“If we were to fail—and we cannot fail—that would be a multitrillion-dollar tax increase on the American people, on top of 40-year high inflation as a result of the incredible spending spree that the Biden administration went on.”
“Democrats are not going to help us at all. For some reason, they think a multitrillion-dollar tax increase is a good idea, but of course, they’re the party of bigger government.”
“We want to cut the government. We want to cut federal spending. We want to bring down inflation, which was exacerbated by the spending spree that we saw the last four years.”
“We must foster a competitive marketplace both amongst accreditors and colleges and universities in order to lower college costs and refocus postsecondary education on improving academic and workforce outcomes for students and families,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Image: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Bgd for illustration purposes
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The U.S. Department of Education announced initial actions to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education, which instructed the Department to allow institutions to more freely change accreditors and begin reviewing new accreditors. In response, the Department published a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) informing institutions of higher education that they will no longer have to undergo a lengthy process before changing an accreditor.
The Department also lifted the Biden Administration’s moratorium on accepting and reviewing applications for initial recognition of potential new accreditors and notified one applicant that its petition is no longer paused and will be reviewed.
“We must foster a competitive marketplace both amongst accreditors and colleges and universities in order to lower college costs and refocus postsecondary education on improving academic and workforce outcomes for students and families,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “President Trump’s Executive Order and our actions today will ensure this Department no longer stands as a gatekeeper to block aspiring innovators from becoming new accreditors nor will this Department unnecessarily micromanage an institution’s choice of accreditor.”
A copy of the DCL can be found here.
Background:
The Higher Education Act (HEA) and subsequent regulations require an institution to provide the Department with materials related to its prior accreditation and materials demonstrating reasonable cause for changing an accreditor. Implementing regulations list a series of adverse circumstances under which the Department may not approve an institution’s request for a change in accreditor, but they do not otherwise state the Department should withhold approval.
In July and September 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration released two DCLs which created a pre-clearance process to scrutinize the decision of an institution to choose a new accreditor. These have been revoked. The new guidance recognizes that institutions may choose to change accreditors for a variety of reasons, including:
To find an accreditor who better aligns with a religious mission;
If there is a shift in the type of academic programs offered;
If state law requires a change in accreditor;
If the institution wants to leave an accreditor for the types of standards it is imposing on the institution, such as requiring the institution to adopt discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices and principles, among a variety of other reasons.
Today’s DCL explains that: “the law and regulation describe the requirements regarding what constitutes reasonable cause for changing an accrediting agency. It is not the Department’s prerogative to infer any other meanings from the basic requirements or contrive a multi-step investigation. This guidance re-establishes a simple process that will remove unnecessary requirements and barriers to institutional innovation.”
Lifting the Moratorium on New Accreditor Review:
On October 29, 2024, the Office of Postsecondary Education, placed a temporary pause on accepting and reviewing applications of potential new accreditors for initial recognition, citing a large volume of existing accrediting agencies currently under review for the upcoming year. One prospective new accreditor that had filed an application was notified that its application would be temporarily paused.
The Texas General Land Office Coastal Resources Team at the 2025 Texas Coastal Roundup. Courtesy Image
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AUSTIN, Texas –Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is pleased to announce that the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) 2025 Texas Coastal Roundup and Adopt-A-Beach Spring Coastwide Cleanup were immensely successful for the South Padre Island community and across the Texas coast. Both events took place on Saturday, April 26, 2025 and included thousands of volunteers and attendees.
“As a proud Texan who spent over a decade living on our coast, I am thrilled to be able to give back to our beautiful beaches and coastal communities through the GLO’s Texas Coastal Roundup and Adopt-A-Beach Coastwide Spring Cleanup,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “Last Saturday, nearly 5,000 Adopt-A-Beach volunteers across the coast rolled up their sleeves and got to work, removing more than 53,000 pounds of trash. Later that day, at the Texas Coastal Roundup, the GLO and more than 30 coastal organizations from around South Texas joined forces to educate hundreds of attendees about our work to protect the coast and those who call it home. I want to thank all the wonderful sponsors who helped make these crucial events possible. Together, Texans will safeguard our coast for future generations to enjoy.”
Volunteers remove trash from South Padre Island beaches during the 2025 Adopt-A-Beach Coastwide Spring Cleanup. Courtesy image
The Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) Coastal Resources Team hosted the 2025 Texas Coastal Round-Up at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island. The event was filled with educational opportunities and fun activities for all ages, including face painting, music, and door prizes for the 500 attendees.
More than 30 organizations around South Texas brought various exhibit items, including a robot dog provided by Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Environmental Engineering department, a Mobi-Chair, and other life-saving devices from the Cameron County Parks Department’s Beach Patrol. Also on hand were some native coastal plants from the Coastal Transplants organization and a watershed model from the GLO’s Texas Beach Watch program.
Across the 21 locations along the coast, 4,958 Adopt-A-Beach volunteers removed an astounding 53,002 pounds of trash from Texas beaches on Saturday. During the 2025 Adopt-A-Beach Spring Coastwide Cleanup, volunteers also surpassed the significant milestone of cleaning over 10,000 tons of trash from Texas beaches since the program started in 1986.
This year’s sponsors include Valero, SLB, ExxonMobil, Texas Coastal Management Program, NOAA, Wild Spirit Wild Places, SESCO Cement, and MTC Management and Training Corporation.
The next Adopt-A-Beach coastwide cleanup is set for September 20, 2025. To stay up-to-date on upcoming Adopt-A-Beach events, sign up for the Adopt-A-Beach newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Adopt-A-Beach program began in the fall of 1986 when 2,800 volunteers picked up 124 tons of trash. Since then, nearly 600,000 Texas Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have picked up more than 10,000 tons of trash from Texas beaches.
The U.S. Census Bureau released today the 2023 Annual Survey of School System Finances. The data files and summary tables provide new data on current spending per pupil for public elementary and secondary education (pre-K through 12th grade) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Image for illustration purposes
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U.S. Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau released today the 2023 Annual Survey of School System Finances. The data files and summary tables provide new data on current spending per pupil for public elementary and secondary education (pre-K through 12th grade) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The report provides figures on revenues, expenditures, debt and assets (cash and security holdings) for the nation’s public elementary and secondary school systems. The report, which is released annually, includes detailed statistics on spending, such as instruction, student transportation, salaries, and employee benefits at the national, state and school district levels.
Authorities arrested 10 Most Wanted Fugitive David Rogers and 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Rodolfo Martinez Jr. on April 28 and 29, respectively. A Crime Stoppers reward will not be paid in either case. Photo: Texas DPS
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AUSTIN – Two of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted are back in custody following their arrests earlier this week. Authorities arrested 10 Most Wanted Fugitive David Rogers and 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Rodolfo Martinez Jr. on April 28 and 29, respectively. A Crime Stoppers reward will not be paid in either case.
Both Rogers and Martinez Jr. were captured within a month of being added to their respective lists.
David Earl Rogers, 56, was taken into custody at a residence in Converse on Monday. Working off investigative information, members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, including DPS Special Agents, Bexar Co. Sheriff’s Office, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s (TDCJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), located him at the property. Rogers has a lengthy criminal history in Bexar Co., including prior arrests for assault, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, terroristic threat, unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Rogers had been wanted out of Bexar Co. since December 2024 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a family/household member by impeding breath/circulation and interference with emergency assistance. More information on Rogers’ capture can be found here.
Rodolfo Martinez Jr., 42, was taken into custody at an apartment complex in Lubbock on Tuesday. Working off investigative information, DPS Special Agents, in coordination with the Lorenzo Police Department and Lubbock Co. Sheriff’s Office, located and arrested him. In 2008, Martinez Jr. was convicted of burglary of a habitation with the intent to violate/abuse the victim sexually following an incident with a 15-year-old girl. He was sentenced to 15 years of confinement in a TDCJ prison.
Martinez Jr. had been wanted out of Harris Co. since November 2024 for indecency with a child by sexual contact. Additionally, in March 2025, a warrant was issued out of Crosby Co. for his arrest for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. More information on Martinez Jr.’s capture can be found here.
Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders or Criminal Illegal Immigrants. So far in 2025, DPS and other agencies have arrested 27 Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders and Criminal Illegal Immigrants, including seven sex offenders and nine criminal illegal immigrants—with $25,000 in rewards being paid for tips that yielded arrests.
To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of the following three methods:
Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about then clicking on the link under their picture.
Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
All tips are anonymous—regardless of how they are submitted—and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.
DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders and Criminal Illegal Immigrants Lists. You can find the current lists—with photos—on the DPS website.
Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous.
