Miriam Valdez, 21, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after she shot her boyfriend Damián Bazán, 20, in the head while they were playing with a gun inside a car at 1300 Hermosa Vida Drive, Donna. At a Friday hearing, the judge reduced her bail from un millón to 250 mil dólares and ordered that she not possess firearms while the case is pending.

Christopher Lee Soto pleaded guilty to the October 30, 2023 murder of 38‑year‑old Brittany Kay Ireland at the Acacia RV park in Alamo and was sentenced to 40 years in prison by District Judge Bobby Flores. The killing involved a bloody, silver serrated knife, and Soto had previously been found incompetent in July 2025, a status later restored for trial. The 40‑year term is the key penalty for the case.

Lenín González Montalvo, detained for the stabbing of a youth in Donna, now faces a charge of lethal weapon possession while in prison and could receive two to ten years if found guilty. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August; he remains in solitary confinement and his lawyer is requesting a psychological evaluation, which worries the local community.

A grant is expanding Donna North High School’s veterinary science program, more than doubling its hands-on surgical training capacity and preparing students to address regional veterinary shortages.

Donna corn farmer John Billman and Texas A&M Agrilife experts discuss how severe Rio Grande Valley drought conditions are cutting corn yields by over 50% and threatening livestock feed supplies.

Hope for Small Farm Sustainability is expanding its free community gardening program from Harlingen to Plaza Amistad in Donna, providing hands-on agriculture education and plot access.

Donna Police Department is investigating a domestic dispute involving a stabbing on East North Avenue. One victim was found, and one suspect is detained.

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- One person is in jail in connection with a stabbing that happened in Donna, according to Donna police Chief Gilbert Guerrero. Guerrero confirmed that police were dispatched to the stabbing incident Friday night. Police did not release the suspect's or the victim's name. As of Saturday morning, the victim remains in [...]

Rebecca Castañeda, born and raised in Donna, Texas, was named interim superintendent and the sole finalist to fill the superintendent position of the Donna Independent School District. With 30 years of experience, 29 of which she has spent at DISD, she has held roles from bilingual teacher to executive director and recently deputy superintendent. Her appointment reflects her deep ties to the local community.

Avan Ruben Mendoza, 21, was sentenced to 38 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2022 murder of 22‑year‑old Ryan Michael Serna outside the No Manches Wuey bar at 211 S. 17th Street in McAllen, where the shooting occurred just before 2 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2022. The case follows earlier convictions of co‑defendants Alejandro Gomez (18 years) and Joel Gonzalez Jr. (38 years), while remaining suspects had their charges dropped for lack of evidence.

The federal government filed a motion on September 3 seeking to dismiss a lawsuit that attorney Raed Gonzalez filed on February 18 on behalf of the Donna family after ICE agents raided their home on the morning of January 9. The complaint alleges Fourth and Fifth Amendment violations and names ICE, DHS and former officials as defendants. A status hearing is set for November 19 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A woman accused of counting cash at a stash house was held without bond Tuesday. Leila Lizette Vallejo, 21, of Donna, Texas, allegedly recorded herself counting cash at a stash house in Mission. When federal agents searched the stash house, they found about $903,000 in cash — and videos of Vallejo [...]

The Donna ISD School Board appointed deputy superintendent Rebecca Castañeda as acting superintendent and said it will conduct a comprehensive search for a permanent superintendent.