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.

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.

The Mission City Council held a public hearing on its preliminary budget on Tuesday afternoon, during which resident Manuel Pescador confronted Mayor Pro Tem Ruben Plata about using his phone while speaking. Council members, including Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza and City Attorney Eden Ramirez Jr., addressed the complaint and clarified that no tax increase is being considered, with the final budget vote scheduled for Sept. 15.

On Sept. 1, Cameron County commissioners approved the 2026‑2027 budget and kept the property‑tax rate at about $0.42 per $100 valuation. The $265 million budget, a rise of over 8 percent, starts Oct. 1, and the board also reviewed Border Patrol agent Omar Vidal’s request to test a hidden rescue beacon at EK Atwood Park’s Beach Access 5, which commissioners said lacked agency markings.

Harlingen Independent School District announced that Superintendent Veronica Kortan will serve under a new contract extending to June 30, 2029, with a salary of $260,100, up from $255,000. The agreement adds a $700 monthly transportation stipend, a $200 phone and internet allowance, and a $1 million term‑life insurance policy, while retaining benefits. Kortan, who was appointed in March 2025 after a two‑month internal search, will continue leading the district through its financial recovery.

The South Texas Book Festival, hosted by the McAllen Public Library, announced a rebrand as the South Texas International Book Festival for its edition in 2026, emphasizing a platform for cross‑border cultural exchange. The festival is scheduled for October 24, with kickoff events beginning September 19, including a local author showcase and a library‑wide “Read Around Town” series. Organizers note the program draws families from sister cities across the U.S.–Mexico border.

The Texas Commission on the Arts officially designated Brownsville’s Mitte Cultural District as a “Texas Cultural District,” joining three other newly announced districts and bringing the state total to 61. The designation creates a new source of funding for nonprofit arts groups operating in the Mitte District, a benefit highlighted for local residents and cultural organizations.

Connie Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant who moved to the Rio Grande Valley after the 2008 financial crisis, opened Café Ngon two months ago at 700 W. Ferguson Avenue in Pharr, offering authentic Vietnamese coffee, food, snacks, sugar‑cane refreshers and ramen. The cafe’s simple menu features pictures for each item, and its location next to the highway makes it easily accessible for Valley residents seeking a new coffee spot.

Melody Saldana sued the city of Edcouch, its election officials and mayor, alleging they prevented her from appearing on the November 3 ballot for the Place 1 city‑commission seat currently occupied by Alderman Joel Medina Jr. She says her application was rejected for alleged 2018 tickets despite offering payment, and she was barred from filing until the last day of the July 18‑August 17 filing period, prompting the lawsuit after a Facebook post on August 26.

The Brownsville Independent School District and the Flight Academy of South Texas (START) announced on Friday a CTE aviation pathway for BISD students. Senior Camilla Olvera flew a Tecnap P‑Mentor trainer from the airport’s historic Hunt Pan Am hangar to South Padre Island and back, showing a program that will start with a private‑pilot PPL requiring at least 40 flight hours. START plans a 60,000‑sq‑ft hangar for the flight school and an aviation‑mechanic school.

Eighty‑year‑old Arturo Gómez, a retired mechanic in Rio Grande City, says he and his wife must turn off the air‑conditioner after 9 p.m. to afford the $600 electric bill. They use a fan and endure heat that makes their three dogs “follow me around with their tongues out” when the A/C is off. Rising electricity costs and temperatures have forced seniors to choose between paying the bill and buying food.

Cameron County authorities charged 45‑year‑old Aldo Vargas with murder after he allegedly beat his 43‑year‑old wife, Dulce Vargas, to death with an unknown blunt object. Deputies responded Sunday to the 29,000 block of Siesta Lane in Bayview after Vargas called 911; Dulce was found unresponsive with multiple injuries and pronounced dead at the scene. Aldo Vargas is being held at the Cameron County Carrizales‑Rucker Detention Center awaiting arraignment.

Police reported that someone fired at the home of a sitting Brownsville city commissioner early Saturday morning and that an active investigation is underway, though the commissioner has not been identified and no suspects have been named. Mayor John Cowen Jr. said the incident is being taken seriously amid a tense political climate and urged the community to cooperate with investigators.