Cameron County announced that the Los Indios International Bridge project received nearly $9.2 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s INFRA program to build a commercial truck‑parking facility near the bridge entrance on Rio Grande Avenue. The plan includes over 300 parking spaces, roadway upgrades, driver amenities and an automated weight station, which officials say will cut fatigue‑related accidents and boost freight efficiency in the Rio Grande Valley corridor.

Dr. Antolin Llorente testified Tuesday that Rogelio Martinez, 21, convicted of killing San Benito police Lt. Milton Reséndez, had more than 75 interactions with Child Protective Services starting at four months old. He also said Martinez was hospitalized at Edinburg’s DHR Health at age 12 for depression, received intermittent antipsychotic medication, and suffered brain damage from abuse, neglect and malnutrition, which the doctor said impaired his developing brain.

The city of Mercedes hired Altiva Management Group of Edinburg to run the search for its next city manager, who oversees 163 employees and a $29.6 million budget. Applications are open until Nov. 13; interviews start in January and the new manager is expected to begin in late February, inheriting water and wastewater projects, street upgrades, park facilities and a retail center opening on Interstate 2.

During the sentencing phase in Brownsville, opening arguments were presented in the trial of 21‑year‑old Rogelio Martinez, accused of shooting San Benito police Lt. Milton Resendez during a high‑speed chase that began on South Padre Island on Oct. 17, 2023. Prosecutors in Cameron County are seeking the death penalty, and a recent ceremony honored the fallen officer.

Bobby Pulido, Tejano singer and Latin Grammy winner, greeted fans at the UTRGV football tailgate on Saturday, signing photos and urging them to vote as he campaigns for the Democratic seat in Texas’ 15th Congressional District. Pulido, a Valley favorite, is challenging the Republican incumbent in a seat Trump won by 18 points in 2024, stressing border security and Latino financial goals, a pitch Rio Grande Valley voters are watching.

On Saturday before 10 a.m., Melissa Reséndez and several San Benito police officers gathered at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in San Benito for a Mass remembering Lt. Milton Reséndez, who was shot on Oct. 17, 2023. The court found 21‑year‑old Rogelio Martínez guilty on Thursday, Oct. 8, and prosecutors said Monday’s sentencing phase will pursue the death penalty, a key point for local residents.

A man believed to be in his 40s was killed at about 11:21 a.m. Friday after being struck by a freight train in Lyford, according to Police Chief Marcos Garcia, who said the victim’s name is being withheld. The incident occurred on Hidalgo Street, with the body recovered near City Hall on Main Avenue; the search lasted roughly 20 minutes and no other people, cars or trucks were injured.

Roy F. “R.J.” Mitte III, a 34‑year‑old former Los Angeles resident and actor who played Walter “Flynn” White Jr. on Breaking Bad, died in Brownsville on October 12. While living in the city he directed the Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation, which funded the Children’s Museum of Brownsville, a park beside the Cannery Public Market, and the Gladys Porter Zoo master plan. Residents will recall his impact on community projects.

Brownsville voters will decide on 15 city‑charter amendments on Election Day, November 3, after early voting began Monday and ends October 30. Proposals cover new ethics rules that could remove officials for misconduct, creation of an ethics board, and a pay increase for city commissioners; a town‑hall was held Thursday and another is scheduled for October 26 at the Brownsville Events Center.

The American Association of University Professors‑American Federation of Teachers at UTRGV issued a statement saying academic freedom and shared governance are vital to the university’s mission and that Texas Senate Bill 37 endangers those principles. The union, representing 77 faculty members and led by President Professor Fuat Firat, warned the bill expands oversight of curricula and degree programs and called for dialogue with UTRGV administration after core‑curriculum review guidelines were released.

Six mayoral candidates in Mission—incumbent Norie Gonzalez Garza, Mayor‑Pro Tem Ruben Plata, former mayor Armando “Doc” O’Caña Sr., Ricardo “Rick” Salinas, Natalie “Nati” Garza and Juan Jesus Gines Crispin—appeared at a candidate forum on Wednesday evening at Freedom Life Church. The event, organized by Village in the Valley with Leadership Mission and the John Lewis Voters Coalition, let each explain why they seek office and answer six community‑derived questions on districting, division, transparency, mayor‑manager relations, economic development and infrastructure.

The ACLU of Texas released a report titled “Gone Too Far” based on a poll of 1,031 adults conducted Aug. 25‑Sept. 2 in El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy. It found that over 60% of Texans—52% of RGV respondents—believe ICE tactics have gone too far and make life harder without improving safety, while 64% want law‑enforcement to focus on crime prevention rather than immigration enforcement. The poll highlights regional opposition to current ICE practices.

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.

The Edinburg School District’s School Health Advisory Council met on Wednesday to approve a wellness policy that bans the sale and consumption of high‑energy drinks and other caffeinated foods on district property. Director of Health Services Diana Davila explained that staff will confiscate or discard such items and then call parents to provide information, emphasizing education rather than in‑school suspension. The measure aims to prevent illness among middle‑and high‑school students.

Chef Celia Galindo at Gourmet Central by Cel in Brownsville taught a new recipe to the Port Isabel ISD culinary arts team after the World Food Championships in Indianapolis asked team captain Gulmaro Alvarez to compete individually. The team, which won first place at the Texas Food Championships on Oct. 5 in Corpus Christi, is now preparing for the Indianapolis competition and hopes to finish in the top three.

The city council unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday establishing a policy that governs the responsible, secure, ethical, and lawful use of artificial intelligence in municipal business. The policy, enabled by Texas Senate Bill 1964 and House Bill 3512, applies to city employees, elected officials, interns and volunteers, requires AI risk officer appointment, and mandates state‑required AI awareness and practical training.

First Stop Bagels opened a few weeks ago at 4113 South Sugar Road, introducing New York‑style hand‑rolled bagels to the Rio Grande Valley. Owners Jesus Alvarado and Melissa Blanco, who learned the craft at the New York Bagelfest, say the shop will give locals a fresh alternative to the region’s beloved breakfast tacos.

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.

The Brownsville Independent School District said a student was found with a gun at Brownsville Early College High School, adjacent to Texas Southmost College, on Monday morning. The campus was placed on lockdown and the student was safely taken into custody, with the Brownsville Police Department leading the investigation. District officials thanked law‑enforcement agencies and urged parents to monitor students’ belongings.

Brownsville police reported that officers arrived at 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday night to a major crash on the 2300 block of Coffee Road involving a white Chevrolet Suburban and a gray Hyundai Elantra. The collision sent all four occupants to a local hospital, the Elantra driver, 24‑year‑old Daniel A. Morin, died, and Suburban driver Dania Martinez, 26, was arrested for intoxication manslaughter, given a $55,000 bond and charged with assault.

The Mission City Council met in an executive session Tuesday evening to discuss the ongoing search for a new city manager, reviewing applicant selection, interview procedures and scheduling, but took no formal action before adjourning. Residents voiced opposition, noting that hiring a manager before the November election could lead to a costly severance package if the incoming officials replace the appointee, as happened with former manager Randy Perez.

Mayor Pro Tem Pepe Cabeza de Vaca and city officials unveiled the largest mural in deep South Texas on Tuesday morning at the downtown parking garage on Chicago Avenue and South 15th Street in McAllen. The 14,000‑square‑foot piece, painted on both sides, portrays many bird species that live in the Rio Grande Valley, a feature that residents say showcases the area’s natural heritage.

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.

The Mitte Cultural District will hold a vigil on Friday at 10 a.m. at The Mitte: Arts and Cultural Center, 600 E. Ringgold Street in Brownsville, to honor RJ Mitte, the actor and disability‑rights activist who died Monday in Brownsville. Known for his role as Walter White’s son with cerebral palsy on ‘Breaking Bad,’ Mitte also led the Mitte Foundation, and the community will remember his impact on local arts.