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Crunch Fitness in Pharr has reopened after the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts closed the gym for unpaid taxes. The facility resumed operations on Friday, Sept. 11, following a payment agreement that settled $398,133.76 in delinquent taxes accumulated from September 2019 to July 2025. A Comptroller spokesperson confirmed the gym can now serve its members again.

Progress Times’ Game of the week: Pioneer vs Grulla After losing key players through the first two weeks of the season, the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks are focusing on building up and getting healthy before district play begins in two weeks. Progress Times spoke with Pioneer head football coach Eddie Galindo. In an…

Lady Lobos dominate Lady Patriots in district opener The Palmview Lady Lobos volleyball team completed the latest step in their program maturation in their Tuesday night district opener after winning the final three sets against the rival Mission Veterans Lady Patriots (21-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21). The now 17-6, 1-0 Lady Lobos will carry…

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The DEA McAllen office seized over 2,000 pounds of methamphetamine, the DEA Houston office announced Thursday. According to the DEA Houston office, the methamphetamine was found hidden within a shipment of cabbage. "This major seizure is part of a Homeland Security Taskforce Investigation, conducted jointly with HSI, FBI, CBP, USB, and [...]

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A woman accused of counting cash at a stash house was held without bond Tuesday. Leila Lizette Vallejo, 21, of Donna 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 counting [...]

Board members, staff and contractor Rolando J. Perez Garcia of REA General Contractors broke ground Thursday on a new two‑story, 4,000‑square‑foot annex for the McAllen Heritage Center. The building will rise on the northeast corner of the center’s campus at Main and Chicago in downtown McAllen, with completion aimed for June 2027. The project is funded through collaborations with the city, local families and donors.

Cyndi Beltran has been appointed the inaugural chief of staff for the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, beginning this month. In the role she will support the leadership team, coordinate strategic initiatives and oversee executive events. Beltran brings a decade of experience at four Rio Grande Valley law firms and ten years with the Texas A&M School of Public Health.

The Mission City Council voted 4‑1 on Tuesday to continue negotiations on a meet‑and‑confer agreement with the Mission Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 3609, after a two‑hour executive session. Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza cast the sole vote against further talks. The council will consider the agreement again at a special meeting later that day, with public comments from supporters and opponents.

Educators in Rio Grande Valley school districts say the statewide cellphone ban is yielding positive results after its first full year. Obed Leal, principal at Rivera Early College High School in Brownsville ISD, notes better student behavior and focus, while English teacher Kimberly Kizer reports that pupils now write notes by hand, boosting study skills and memorization. Deputy Superintendent José Valdez added that parents have welcomed the law.

South Texas fortune‑teller Fernie Salinas celebrated the launch of his debut book, *The Joy of Tarot*, with a vibrant party at the historic Cine El Ray in McAllen. The event featured wrestlers, drag queens and community members, while Salinas, a former school principal, described the 300‑plus‑page volume as a love letter that demystifies tarot, offering clear explanations of all 78 cards and practical exercises.

The Monitor’s archive shows that after the September 11, 2001 attacks the Rio Grande Valley saw La Plaza Mall close, McAllen’s bus terminal cancel trips to Mexico, and a surge of drivers at gas stations fearing price hikes. Schools kept classes but dropped after‑school programs, the Bentsen Tower federal courthouse tightened security with U.S. Marshals on alert, and officials reassured residents that fuel prices would stay stable, a key concern for commuters.

Fluidstack has broken ground on a $4 billion data center campus in Cameron County near Harlingen, promising over 2,500 jobs, closed-loop water cooling, and full property tax contributions.

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- We are now in the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, yet conditions remain remarkably quiet across the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. A combination of a strong El Niño pattern and persistent Saharan dust has helped suppress tropical development, limiting storm activity across the basin. While the [...]

La Villa is targeting run-down and abandoned properties for demolition under a new city ordinance aimed at removing safety hazards and improving neighborhood appearance.

Metro McAllen has launched a new $3 bus route connecting the downtown Central Bus Terminal directly to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge to provide a safer, affordable transit option.

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Congressman Vicente Gonzalez and U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego visited Harlingen on Thursday to host a lunch for all Veterans. The lunch was held at VFW Post 2410 and served as a token of appreciation to all Veterans. "I should say to all of our family members and service members that served, [...]