Two months after Harlingen’s $72 million general‑fund budget passed without raises, City Commissioner Daniel Lopez said about 400 employees could receive a one‑time 5 % pay increase costing roughly $845,000. Lopez discussed the proposal with Finance Director Robert Rodriguez and City Attorney Mark Sossi, noting that if the raise continues, the city may need to raise property taxes. Residents will watch for any tax impact.

Jeremiah and Maria Luisa Yzaguirre, 47, of Harlingen, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit health fraud by billing Medicare roughly $14 million for power‑wheelchair parts and repairs that were never provided. Jeremiah received more than nine years in prison and Maria nearly seven years; they were ordered to pay $9,248,976 in restitution and a $25,000 fine. The scheme affected 37 Medicare beneficiaries.

City commissioners in Harlingen rejected Cameron County’s proposal to act as a middle‑man for a $7 million canal‑widening project serving Valley International Airport. Mayor Norma Sepulveda and Commissioner René Perez urged data‑center developer Fluidstack to hold a town‑hall meeting and said the improvements could be done without any taxpayer expense. The discussion took place at the Wednesday city‑council meeting.

Harlingen city commissioners will consider a $7 million proposal to widen the 90‑foot canal that drains Valley International Airport, a project backed by data‑center developer Fluidstack, which also seeks permission to discharge its storm‑water runoff into the channel. The offer, presented at a Sept. 2 commission meeting and again on a Wednesday session, includes a $20 million pledge for other infrastructure. Rio Grande Valley residents will want to know that the canal widening and runoff discharge could affect the area around Gomez Road, FM 1595, near Rio Hondo.

Robert Vackar, board chair and chief performance officer of Bert Ogden Auto Group, was nominated for Time Magazine’s Dealer of the Year award in a press release on Wednesday. The nomination highlights Vackar’s tens‑of‑millions‑dollar donations that created a new program for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley students, and he will be honored at the National Automobile Dealers Association Show in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 19, 2027.

Garver Engineering, a civil‑engineering firm, is opening a $5 million, 25,000‑square‑foot office on the southeast corner of Ed Carey Drive and Hale Avenue in Harlingen, moving from its previous location at 1906 E. Tyler Ave. The firm expects to increase its Harlingen payroll from 49 to about 100 employees within five years, adding 50 new jobs, and Mayor Norma Sepulveda said the project will boost the economy and support the Rio Grande Valley.

Harlingen’s Economic Development Corporation announced Tuesday that a $97 million, five‑year‑planned project will convert a 71‑acre parcel in the medical district into a mixed‑use ‘live‑work‑play’ community with homes, offices, retail and restaurants. About $9 million in bonds will finance roughly $15 million for streets and utilities, a detail expected to increase property and sales tax revenue while adding new dining and shopping options for locals.

Physicians Dr. Muhammad Khan and Dr. Ameer Hassan at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville and Harlingen performed a world‑first bilateral Onyx 12 MMA embolization to treat a subdural hematoma on Aug. 21. The procedure uses a low‑viscosity liquid embolic glue to block blood vessels causing the bleed, and the doctors said it brings advanced care directly to patients in the Rio Grande Valley.

Emails obtained from a September 2025 open‑records request reveal that Roy Rodriguez, then interim general manager of Harlingen WaterWorks, and former assistant manager David Sanchez discussed with John Metz, senior vice president of Eneus Energy, whether the WaterWorks agreement could be kept out of the public arena. The deal would provide Rio Grande Valley Property Group up to 4.7 million gallons of treated sewer water daily in exchange for roughly $1.2 million a year.

Students from Lee H. Means Elementary Fine Arts Academy are staging the musical “Trolls The Musical Jr.” at the Harlingen Performing Arts Academy. Fine‑arts coordinator Sandra Luna says rehearsals are going well and the production, which features 167 children, follows a storyline where Princess Marie Bergenette still intends to eat trolls despite a peace treaty. The show includes nine songs and extensive dancing.

The Texas Education Agency released in August the 2026 accountability ratings, showing that the Harlingen and San Benito school districts are improving their scores. Harlingen moves up to the "B" tier with eight "A" campuses and receives the Postsecondary Preparation Distinction; San Benito reaches the high end of the "C" tier with three "A" schools. The results reflect gains in STAAR testing, graduation rates, and college and career readiness.

The Harlingen Independent School District announced that health insurance costs will rise for many employees as the board adopts a $21.2 million self‑insured plan with higher employee deductions, discussed at a special meeting on Sept. 16. The new Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Essentials HMO and Blue Choice PPO plans take effect Jan. 1, after a $5.3 million shortfall in the 2025‑2026 fiscal year. A key point for Rio Grande Valley residents is that employee premiums will increase under the new policy.

Harlingen ISD announced a new $21.2 million self‑insured health‑insurance policy that raises employee deductions to offset a $5.3 million shortfall. The board approved a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan with a Blue Essentials HMO and a Blue Choice PPO, effective Jan. 1, after a Sept. 16 meeting where Superintendent Veronica Kortan and Assistant Superintendent Ida Ambriz explained the changes to staff through Oct. 5.

The Valley Baptist Medical Center School of Vocational Nursing in Harlingen says enrollment for the January LVN class is low and that applicants must submit TEAS exam results by October 20. Program director Stephanie Hamby notes the test is the only requirement besides a high school diploma or GED, with a criminal background check needed. Rio Grande Valley residents should note the October 20 deadline to be considered for admission.

The Harlingen Performing Arts Conservatory will stage the musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” opening Friday at 7 p.m., featuring 14‑year‑old Charlie Strohmeyer as Evan Hansen. The production also includes 16‑year‑old Javier Cabello‑Corona as Connor Murphy and 17‑year‑old Nadia Vento as Evan’s mother, and emphasizes that a helping hand is always available for the characters facing mental‑health struggles.

Harlingen City Hall announced that City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez is eliminating the deputy city manager post while reshuffling duties after a year of changes. Deputy City Manager Oscar Garcia has been moved back to assistant city manager for external affairs and will not be replaced, and the city is seeking a new downtown manager following Alexis Riojas’s resignation. Residents will note Garcia’s salary was cut by roughly $10,000.

Two suspects, Tamya Jones and Shmair Williams, were arrested Wednesday morning after TSA agents and a K‑9 unit uncovered nearly 92 pounds of cocaine hidden in four suitcases at Valley International Airport in Harlingen. The bags were found during a routine baggage inspection before a flight to Houston, and investigators say the drugs were sealed in vacuum‑packed bundles wrapped in blankets and pillows.

Harlingen city commissioners voted 4‑1 on Wednesday to keep the property‑tax rate at 0.5260 per $100 valuation for the coming year, rejecting a proposed half‑cent increase. The decision follows a $72 million general‑fund budget that includes a $33.6 million fund balance and avoids the first tax hike in seven years, a point of interest for local homeowners.

Fluidstack has started construction of a 1,100‑acre data center on the Harlingen‑Rio Hondo corridor, with a $4 billion first phase near Gomez Road and FM 1595, after Cameron County issued a worksite permit late last week. Mayor Norma Sepulveda said the project involves a $27 million investment, including a $20 million city contribution and a $7 million drainage‑improvement plan, and she has requested a town‑hall meeting to address resident concerns.

Harlingen may raise its property‑tax rate from 0.5260 to 0.5310 cents per $100 valuation to fund a $2.7 million police‑union contract, park upgrades and a larger payroll. The change, discussed in Wednesday’s public hearing, also supports the fire‑fighters’ contract, a $300,000 health‑insurance increase and a $72 million general‑fund budget, projecting about $1.2 million extra revenue.

Harlingen’s Economic Development Corporation is considering asking promoter Louie Guillen to repay the $5,000 sponsorship it provided after the three‑day Frontera Fest 2026 was cancelled the day before it was to begin on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Harlingen Sports Complex. Vendors and ticket‑buyers were left without refunds, and the city warned it could take legal action to recover the funds.

Harlingen held a ceremony on Friday morning on the tarmac of Valley International Airport to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Guest speaker Mansur Plumber, who was a block away from the towers when they fell, recounted his experience while the event honored the victims and the courage of first responders. The gathering took place at the airport in the Rio Grande Valley.

A developer, Fluidstack, has launched the $4 billion first phase of a 1,100‑acre data‑center project east of Valley International Airport between Harlingen and Rio Hondo. The company offered Harlingen $20 million for a storm‑water discharge permit and $7 million to widen the 90‑foot canal, while commissioners consider a town‑hall meeting. Rio Grande Valley residents will note the massive data‑center plan.

Harlingen school trustees are using a state disaster‑relief program to raise the district’s property tax rate by about 3.17 cents for one year, from 0.9182 to 0.9499, to pay for repairs after the March 2025 flood. City commissioners are also proposing a half‑cent increase, from 0.5260 to 0.5310 per $100 valuation, with a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.