The nine Merlin engines on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket ignite briefly before shutting down during a rare, post-ignition abort on Monday, July 20, 2026. Image: SpaceX. Update July 20, 11:18 a.m. EDT (1518 UTC): SpaceX aborts the mission after ignition. SpaceX suffered its second launch scrub in less ...
Recent coverage curated from local and regional sources.
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- A major roadway in Donna is closed until further notice as a team of first responders work to put out a fire that broke out on Monday night. According to authorities, FM 1423, also known as Val Verde Road, is closed until further notice as crews work to put out...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Tropical Storm Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic Season and the second storm to form along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Bertha is not expected to develop into a hurricane but to remain a tropical storm. On Thursday, Bertha will encounter land on the L...
MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — For the first time, a sitting secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce visited the Rio Grande Valley. Howard Lutnick was in McAllen on Monday to announce a $6 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). “You guys have the land. You guys h...
MISSION, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A global initiative to make healthier choices easier and more accessible for communities is one step closer to coming to the Rio Grande Valley. The founder of Blue Zones, Dan Buettner, discovered five regions around the world where people were living better and lo...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Local attorney Ricardo "Rick" Salinas announced he is running for Mayor of Mission. According to a news release from Salinas, he filed his paperwork on Monday to run for Mayor of Mission at Mission City Hall. Salinas has over 30 years of legal experience as a tr...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Transportation Pharr District welcomed a group of local business owners during its annual outreach event on Monday. The annual event was geared towards small business owners, offering a chance to connect with local TxDOT engineers, prime ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees officially named its new superintendent during a meeting on Friday. The school district approved an employment contract for Timothy E. Cuff following a state-mandated 21-day waiting period. Cuff was n...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Residents can get a variety of free health and veterinary services during Operation Border Health events happening across the Valley this week. The events are happening in all four Valley counties from Tuesday, July 21, through Thursday, July 23. Cameron County ...
Editor's note: The video above is from previous ValleyCentral coverage. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Starr County Judge Eloy Vera signed a disaster declaration on Monday following the county's first reported case of New World Screwworm. The case was found on the northwestern side of the cou...
On Thursday, July 23, Brownsville Metro (BMetro) will celebrate Customer Appreciation Day by offering free rides on all BMetro fixed-route buses throughout the day, allowing residents to travel across the city at no cost.
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Transportation is alerting drivers of lane reductions in Progreso this week due to irrigation crossing installation. From Monday through Friday, FM 1015 (International Blvd.) between US 281 (Military Hwy.) and the Progreso Port of Entry w...
STARBASE, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- As SpaceX transitioned into final preparations for Starship Flight 13, Ship 40 gave a wave as it was put through a round of actuation testing of its flaps. That afternoon, the chopsticks released Ship 40 and were open and raised into the launch position. The lan...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Laredo Public Health Department has confirmed seven cases of cyclospora in Webb County. According to a spokesperson for the Laredo Public Health Department, no confirmed hospitalizations have been associated with the cases. Cyclospora is a parasite that infe...
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man who threatened a federal agent with “lights out” avoided prison Monday. In June 2025, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a taqueria in San Benito, bystanders recorded the confrontation — and posted the video on Facebook. Anastacio Castillo ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez on Monday introduced legislation seeking to bring transparency to the federal renaming process. The "Hands Off Our Boca Chica Beach Act" aims to protect the site from unnecessary name changes and would require the Domestic Names Commit...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — With back-to-school season just around the corner, Driscoll Health is partnering with dozens of sponsors, including the RGV Vipers, to get thousands of Valley families ready for the coming school year. On Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., all Valley families are in...
The City of Brownsville Engineering and Public Works Department’s Streets Division began roadway and concrete improvements today at the intersection of Morrison Road and Pablo Kisel Boulevard.
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Brownsville, has introduced a new bill that aims to protect Boca Chica Beach from “unnecessary name changes.” The Hands off Our Boca Chica Beach Act was announced on Monday morning. According to a news release from the congressman’s office,...
Students looking to elevate their musical talents and prepare for All-State Mariachi auditions are invited to participate in the Texas Southmost College (TSC) Mariachi All-State Clinic.
Get ready for a wild and unforgettable experience at the Brownsville Public Library! Families are invited to join the library as it welcomes the Gladys Porter Zoo for a special educational visit featuring live animals and hands-on learning.
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Caution is being advised for afternoon outdoor activities as the combination of heat and humidity will be raising the heat index to 108-112 in many areas. This is what it will feel like to us during the hottest part of the day today. Remember these tips to help ...
SpaceX is preparing for a potential 13th Test Flight of Starship on Thursday, July 23rd, between the hours of 5:45pm and 7:15pm CST.
The nine Merlin engines on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket ignite briefly before shutting down during a rare, post-ignition abort on Monday, July 20, 2026. Image: SpaceX. Update July 20, 11:18 a.m. EDT (1518 UTC): SpaceX aborts the mission after ignition. SpaceX suffered its second launch scrub in less ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) - SpaceX has announced it has rescheduled its thirteenth Starship test flight for the second time. The launch window has been moved to 5:45 p.m. Thursday, July 23, from Starbase. The thirteenth Starship test flight will be the second flight test of 2026. Last week...
The first reported case of New World screwworm in the Rio Grande Valley was confirmed Sunday by Starr County officials. In a Facebook post, officials said the case was confirmed in the western part of the county, but did not specify any further. Officials also did not specify what animal was infe...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Nearly 500 Edinburg homes and businesses were without power after a truck hit a utility pole early Sunday morning. Edinburg police responded to a rollover hit-and-run accident at the 3300 block of North Sugar Road around 7 a.m. Police say a white Ford Maverick p...
By Nick McConnell | The Reporter, Vacaville, Calif. A rendering of Port Alpha, Saronic Technologies’s next-generation shipyard coming to Brownsville. (Courtesy: Saronic Newsroom) Saronic, an autonomous shipbuilding company long courted by California Forever, announced Thursday that its $3.2 billi...
Bryan Ramos | Staff Writer EDITOR’S NOTE: THE HERALD ALL-AREA AWARDS AND TEAMS FEATURES ATHLETES IN THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD AND VALLEY MORNING STAR’S COVERAGE AREA RANGING FROM BROWNSVILLE TO LA FERIA. THE MONITOR’S ALL-AREA AWARDS WILL BE PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY. Meet the Brownsville Herald and Valle...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Starr County officials have confirmed its first screwworm case in the western area of Starr County. Starr County Emergency Management spokesman Lenny Fuentes said the larvae was found in a baby calf. According to a social media post, Starr County officials say t...
The U.S. News & World Report has issued its annual ranking of universities in the country, and Rio Grande Valley campuses have earned respectable ratings. The data should give residents and prospective students confidence that the education they receive here compares well with institutions in oth...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man was arrested in connection with a series of burglaries in the downtown Brownsville area Brownsville police say Oscar Leonardo Urbina, 35, was charged with burglary of a habitation, a second-degree felony, and seven counts of burglary of a building, a state...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — On this week’s edition of ValleyCentral Weekend Report, Weekend Anchor Brian Svendsen breaks down all the biggest stories from the week. Starting with the biggest stories of the week, in case you missed them. In a massive announcement this week, Seronic Techn...
PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend trip to South Padre Island turned into a terrifying near-death experience for a McAllen police officer after a steel bed frame flew through his windshield while traveling on the expressway. John Montemayor said he was drivi...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The weekend is finally here, and good news: the forecast shows dry skies with no rain in sight. Also, the weather won’t be getting in the way of any plans. However, if you were hoping the Saharan dust had wrapped up its visit, not quite yet. While a break is on ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man was taken into custody for allegedly sending intimate photos through a deceased person's social media accounts, according to the Donna Police Department. On June 15, Jose Lara Jr. was charged with harassment, two counts of online impersonation, computer se...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a man with multiple warrants out of Combes. German Tanguma was arrested on Thursday while attempting to enter the U.S. at the Hidalgo International Port of Entry. The Combes Police Department said Tanguma was...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Federal charges against former Hidalgo County District Clerk Omar Guerrero have been dropped by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas. According to a criminal complaint, the order of dismissal for flight to avoid prosecution, a federal fel...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- First responders from Starr County and Hidalgo County provided mutual aid to La Casita Fire Department after a fire broke out in a community near Rio Grande City on Friday. Crews battled three separate fires that broke out on San Eulogio Street. The La Grulla F...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a deadly crash that occurred in Starr County. The crash happened on Friday afternoon on North FM 755 by FM 1017 in La Gloria. According to DPS, the crash involved two pickup trucks -- a Dodge Ram towing a tr...
The Kabab Karavan Mediterranean food truck is pictured Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Brownsville. (Travis M. Whitehead | Valley Morning Star) On July 1, a new statewide food truck licensing system went into effect, meaning that vendors no longer need separate permits for each city and county that the...
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