FEATURED: Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo/Starr County, received legislative approval for House Bill 4219, of which she was the Senate sponsor, that will require government agencies to respond to public information requestors or face consequences – an important step in making government more accountable. Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, was a cosponsor of the measure. “Once again, our Valley state legislators are in key leadership positions, serving as champions to make all state, regional and local governments in Texas transparent to the people,” Ochoa noted. As sponsor and cosponsor. In this image, taken Tuesday, February 13, 2024, Zaffirini addresses Laredo leaders in their hometown at La Posada Hotel during an event honoring her for appointment as Dean of the Texas Senate.
FEATURED: Scholars from around the world are fascinated with the Rio Grande Valley, a region whose political beliefs often are covered by newscasts and newspapers, but not through published research. To combat that information gap, a group of University of Texas Rio Grande Valley professors have collaborated on a new compilation book, Politics of the Rio Grande Valley: An Insider’s Perspective to Regional Politics, in an effort to showcase the area’s complex and deep-rooted politics.
FEATURED: AIM Media Texas recently announced its plan to move its personnel and printing press out of the current home facility for The Monitor, which is located at 1400 East Nolana Avenue in McAllen, and is in negotiations that could lead to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley buying that newspaper’s 88,970-square foot office and warehouse/production building and surface parking lot, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa. As the process moves forward, The Monitor leadership will begin looking for a new location for their office and reviewing their printing facility.
FEATURED: Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, announced the Texas Legislature’s passage of his Senate Bill 1967, which will increase the state’s ability to manage flood risks and improve water resource management, including helping finance the Delta Reclamation Project in Hidalgo County. When completed, the Delta Reclamation Project will convert daily drainage runoff into a new source of drinking water while also providing flood mitigation through proposed detention ponds. Hinojosa is seen here about a year ago on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi for the groundbreaking of the university’s new Arts and Media Building.
FEATURED, FROM LEFT: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, meets with Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, March 22, 2025 at the Texas Capitol to discuss key legislative priorities for the South Texas lawmaker. A legislative measure authored by Canales would require the Office of the Attorney General to establish, maintain, and improve an existing toll-free hotline to provide Texans with information regarding open records, according to South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa.
FEATURED: A drone with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is used for search and rescue work. With the 89th Texas Legislature in the final half of its 140-day regular session, the Texas Association of Broadcasters is leading efforts to have state lawmakers restore the ability of Texas newsrooms to use drones for aerial photography in their news gathering mission, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa.
Photograph Courtesy TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
FEATURED: Kendall Scudder, newly-elected Chair of the Texas Democratic Party, will meet with Rio Grande Valley residents and mainstream and social media journalists on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at the McAllen Public Library, located at 4001 North 23rd Street. The event, which will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., will be held in the auditorium. The gathering is free and open to the public.
FEATURED: The Texas Legislature passed a resolution on Thursday, April 3, 2025, honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s upcoming 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of growth and impact in the Valley. UTRGV President Guy Bailey praised the recognition as a testament to the university’s achievements and community support. Included in this image in the front row, along with UTRGV leadership, students, staff, from left, are Dr. Maggie Hinojosa, Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Student Affairs; Rep. Ryan Guillén, R-Rio Grande City; Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo; Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen; and Bailey.
FEATURED: Manish Singh, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director, DHR Health, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, signals his support for successful efforts by DHR Health officials with local, regional and state leaders on bringing advancements in medicine and health care to deep South Texas. In this image, Singh was in attendance for Mayor Ambrosio Hernández, M.D’s 2025 State of the City Address at the Pharr EMS Headquarters. https://www.facebook.com/cityofpharr/videos/484176384424491
FEATURED: Valley State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, whose District 21 includes all of Starr County, has filed (introduced) at least two major proposals that aim to make local, county and state governments in Texas more transparent, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa. In general, government transparency is defined as when a government is open and honest with its citizens about how it spends money and makes decisions. It’s a way to promote accountability and reduce corruption.
