Mayor Óscar Montoya of Mercedes announced on Monday that the city will hire an executive search firm to find a new city manager, after the resignation of former manager Alberto Pérez, effective August 14. Fire chief Javier Campos has been appointed interim manager while the search continues. The measure aims to ensure continuity of projects and services for area residents.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $25 million in methamphetamine concealed inside a shipment of cabbage, tomatillo and cilantro at the Pharr International Bridge on Sept. 8. A tractor‑trailer coming from Reynosa, Mexico, was sent to secondary inspection, where a physical search uncovered 1,164 packages weighing a total of 2,815.30 pounds. The seized narcotics are valued at about $25.2 million.

Mayor Omar Ochoa of Edinburg announced on Facebook Thursday that the city has revised employee health‑insurance premiums after earlier quotes showed steep hikes. The updated rates, released before the enrollment period beginning Monday, Sept. 7, cap the largest increase at $90 a month, with some plans seeing virtually no change, down from previously reported increases of up to $400. The city said it will cover part of a $2 million cost gap.

Christian Joel Maldonado Pacheco, de 25 anos, foi apresentado à juíza Janet Leal na Detenção Carrizales‑Rucker, onde recebeu prisão preventiva sem fiança por quatro acusações de homicídio qualificado e três de abandono e risco a criança. Segundo o xerife Manuel Treviño, ele se entregou após ligar para o 9‑1‑1 por volta das 3 h de domingo, na rodovia 819, bloco 3200, fora de San Benito, e foi apreendido sem incidentes.

Edinburg police chief Jaime Ayala announced his retirement, effective Oct. 30, after five years leading the department. Ayala, who began his career as a volunteer reserve officer in Edinburg and spent 32 years with the Arlington Police Department, will return to North Texas to be with his family. He highlighted the city’s 2025 homicide‑free year and a 16 % drop in major crimes.

Cameron County began work on the expansion of Old Alice Road, a $31 million project that will convert 4.9 miles from two lanes to four lanes with a left turn lane, plus sidewalks and shoulders. The construction, which started on Monday, aims to improve connectivity and safety for residents, workers and emergency services between Los Fresnos and Brownsville. According to the county, the work is scheduled to be completed in March 2029.

The Mission Economic Development Corporation appointed its financial officer, Joe Salazar, as acting chief executive officer effective Wednesday, two days before former CEO Teclo Garcia’s retirement on August 31 after more than 19 years of municipal service. Salazar, a Mission resident with 15 years of public‑sector finance experience, will oversee daily operations while the board searches for a permanent CEO, continuing the organization’s economic‑development projects and partnerships.

In rural Hidalgo County, a group of 19 women gathered for a 12‑week Strengthening Families class, a faith‑based program aimed at helping parents in colonias heal trauma and improve parenting. Participants discussed recent ICE vehicle sightings in the colonias, with one woman urging others to keep headlights and brake lights fully functional to avoid drawing attention, as the organization has recently seen about 238 arrests.

A suspect was taken into custody Sunday as the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation of a quadruple homicide that took place on the outskirts of San Benito. The killings occurred in the 3200 block of Road 810, and the suspect’s first court appearance is scheduled for Monday afternoon, followed by a news conference, according to Sheriff Manuel Treviño.

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 district court judge in Edcouch, Texas denied Melody Saldana’s request for a temporary injunction, ruling against her effort to appear on the November ballot for Place 1 alderman. The judge found Saldana had not shown irreparable harm after she was barred because of an unpaid 2018 ticket, and questioned her credibility regarding a recorded phone call. This means the city’s debt requirement kept her off the ballot.

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.

The City of Port Isabel will hold a free public ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center, 317 E. Railroad Ave., to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 15 collapse of the Queen Isabella Causeway that killed eight people. Marketing director Valerie Bates said the program will feature a color guard, speakers, a panel discussion and a Texas Department of Transportation documentary.

Harlingen, Valley Baptist Medical Center‑Harlingen and San Benito will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on Friday with public ceremonies. Harlingen’s Patriot Day service begins at 10 a.m. on the North Tarmac of Valley International Airport, while Valley Baptist will host a 9 a.m. stair‑climb at Medical Arts Pavilion Stairwell #23. Rio Grande Valley residents can attend the free events.

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.

J&S Construction Management, a Valley‑based construction firm, announced a giveaway tied to the Netflix premiere of "Say a Little Prayer," which debuted on September 3. Three winners will receive a $650 staycation package that includes a two‑night stay at a McAllen hotel, a movie‑night snack bundle, a limited‑edition bracelet, a branded blanket and a jewelry box; the promotion is meant to thank the local community.

The Dinsburg school board met on Tuesday and voted unanimously to issue a request for qualifications for an independent forensic audit, amid a $15 million deficit in the proposed next‑year budget. Board members Leticia “Letty” Garcia, David Torres and President Xavier Salinas also approved soliciting public bids for the sale of a 113.35‑acre property originally slated for low‑ and moderate‑income housing development.

East Point Energy said its 100‑megawatt battery storage plant on a six‑acre site off Grimes Street and Loop 499, south of Valley International Airport in Harlingen, is ready to power the grid and can serve up to 80,000 homes for two hours. Officials said the plant will bring $19 million in tax revenue over its 20‑ to 30‑year life, was built with fire‑department training, and Rep. Janie Lopez urged more battery projects.