HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Sandcastle Days is returning to South Padre Island in October. The annual event is a family-friendly celebration featuring a weekend packed with sand sculpture exhibits, live music, vendors, and beach activities. Sandcastle Days 2026 will get a head start on Monday, Sept. 28 to welcome artists for a group sand sculpture. [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A kayaker who was reported missing over the weekend on South Padre Island was recovered on Tuesday by Cameron County Park Rangers. A search for the missing kayaker was initiated by the U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon near Cameron County Beach Access No. 6 after the kayaker reportedly disappeared offshore. [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Police Department on Tuesday identified the man accused of stabbing his 71-year-old father. Ernesto Stuart Owen, 36, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury, according to an update from the Brownsville Police Department. Owen was issued a bail of $200,000. An investigation into the [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office is leading a death investigation after a man's body was found in a ditch in rural Mercedes. Deputies responded to a call at 7 p.m. on Monday about a report of a body found along FM 491, south of Mile 10 Road. At the scene, deputies [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Multiple Valley fire department agencies and the Texas A&M Forest Service are responding to a brush fire in Kenedy County. According to the Willacy County EMC, the Raymondville and Sarita Fire Departments are on the scene of a big brush fire at El Canelo Ranch, 12 miles north of Raymondville, west of [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- First responders are at the scene of an emergency plane landing in Weslaco. Hidalgo County Emergency Management Coordinator Ricardo Saldana confirmed that the plane landed on a field off Mile 13 and 6 1/2 West on Tuesday. According to Saldana, one pilot was on board. The pilot was not injured. This [...]

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — As data centers expand across the country — including several projects planned for the Rio Grande Valley — concerns over how much water they use are growing. The facilities are designed to store and process massive amounts of information, including the computing power behind artificial intelligence. Jacob Garza, a principal engineer with [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Will the Rio Grande Valley change area codes? The National American Numbering Plan, also known as NANP, has filed a relief plan for area code 956. According to the NANP, a relief plan is a strategy to introduce a new area code when an existing area code runs out of phone numbers. [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Willacy County Sheriff's Office is seeking help to reunite a horse with its owner after it was seen in two locations in Raymondville, according to the sheriff. A first report said the horse was seen one mile east of Expressway 77, on FM 490. Then, a second report said it [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the inland areas of the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday from noon until 6 p.m. The combination of high temperatures and humidity will drive the heat index as high as 115 in some locations during the hottest part of the day. [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An investigation is underway after a man was found unresponsive with apparent injuries on Tuesday, according to the Donna Police Department. Officers responded to the 500 block of Oak Ridge Street, where the man was later pronounced deceased, police said. The case remains under investigation.

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Another unseasonably hot day unfolded across the Rio Grande Valley, and while no records were broken, temperatures once again climbed well above what’s typical for early September. McAllen topped out at 104°F compared to its normal of 96°, Harlingen reached 100°F against an average of 94°, and Brownsville hit triple‑digit heat [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A traffic switch is scheduled in Edinburg, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The traffic switch is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on SH 107 from Sharp Road to Cesar Chavez Road, according to a news release from TxDOT. The traffic has been scheduled for construction work. Motorists driving [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man stabbed his father outside their home, according to the Brownsville Police Department. The stabbing took place at the 100 block of Candlewick Ct. A preliminary investigation revealed that a man stabbed his 71-year-old father outside their home. Both were transported to a local hospital, police say. Galveston Road and Candlewick [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Nightly closures have been scheduled in the Donna and Weslaco area, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. According to a news release from TxDOT, all eastbound lanes of I-2 will be closed from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. starting Sept. 8, through Sept. 18, between FM 493, also known as Salinas [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — It's Week 2 of High School Football and ValleySportsCentral has nominated three high school football teams to claim the title of Team of the Week! The nominees for Week 2 are Harlingen High, Weslaco High and McAllen High. Here are some recent highlights of this week's nominees. Harlingen High Harlingen High got [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Police Department is investigating two separate shooting incidents that took place Sunday evening. According to a news release from Brownsville police, officers responded to the area of Crestview Drive, where a vehicle driving through the neighborhood had fired multiple shots into the air before leaving the area. Officers responded to [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man accused of murdering his wife is pending an arraignment, according to a news release from the Cameron County Sheriff's Office. Aldo Vargas, 45, was charged with murder, a first-degree felony, according to the Cameron County Sheriff's Office. On Sunday, Cameron County deputies responded to a 911 call at the 29000 [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Happy Labor Day! This Monday started in the upper 70s to low 80s with dew points sitting in the 70s. While its not exactly topping out the muggy meter, it will absolutely play a role in how we feel later today. Highs will climb above normal for early September normals, between 5 [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Have a bucket, a pozole pot or a favorite popcorn tub? You're in luck, Cinemark has brought back "Bring Your Own Bucket" in celebration of National Popcorn Day! Cinemark is letting movie and popcorn lovers get creative and bring a clean bucket of their choice, up to 400 ounces, and enjoy the [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its six-hour search for a kayaker who went missing off South Padre Island on Saturday. According to U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Edward Wargo, the agency received a report of a missing kayaker at approximately 4:30 p.m. Saturday and conducted a search for six hours. [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A truck fell into a canal before catching on fire, resulting in one man's death, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety. At approximately 5:50 a.m., DPS troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Trenton Road east of Tower Road near Edinburg. A preliminary investigation revealed a [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a fatal auto-pedestrian hit-and-run crash in Brownsville. At approximately 12:02 a.m., DPS troopers responded to a crash near Boca Chica Boulevard, also known as State Highway 4, and west of FM 511 in Brownsville. A preliminary investigation revealed a silver 2024 Jeep Wrangler, driven [...]

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — McDonald's launched its Texas bundle meal on Sept. 1, featuring collectible cups designed by Texas-based artist Avery Orendorf, with different areas of Texas and the 956 Valley is one of them. The meal includes 10-piece spicy or regular Chicken McNuggets, medium fries and a medium drink, plus one of the collectible [...]