BROWNSVILLE — Big plays on special teams in the first-half and even bigger plays in the passing game in the second-half fueled the Edcouch-Elsa Yellow Jackets to a 56-20 non-district win Thursday night at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville. “We challenged our offense,” Edcouch-Elsa head coach Victor Cardenas said about the offensive explosion in the second half. “We had four possessions inside the 30-yard line and we were not converting them and I know we were much better than that. We challenged them in the second half to come out fired up in the third quarter and they did just that.” Yello ..read more

EDINBURG — It was the Jamal Polley show Thursday night as the Edinburg Vela senior running back rumbled for 300 yards and six rushing touchdowns to lead the SaberCats over the Weslaco East Wildcats 42-35 at Richard Flores Stadium in Edinburg. Polley scored his touchdowns from distances of 4, 67, 69, 18 and 12 yards before scoring the game-winner on a 72-yard run down the right sideline to give Vela the 42-35 lead with 1:58 remaining. Edinburg Vela’s Jamal Polley, left, gets past Weslaco East defender , Aiden Gonzalez, right, during the first half of a non-district football game at Richard R. F ..read more

MISSION — Sharyland High’s defense forced five turnovers and quarterback Bo Krell accounted for three touchdowns as the Rattlers defeated the McAllen Rowe Warriors 22-7 during a non-district game Thursday at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission. Defense stole the show during the first quarter, with both offenses unable to get things going. A late first-quarter interception by Sharyland High’s Homero Garcia set the Rattlers up inside enemy territory to start the second quarter. The Rattlers capitalized on Garcia’s pick, converting it into six points on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Krell to Fabi ..read more

Sharyland High’s Fabin Garza (1) carries the ball against McAllen Rowe in a non-district game at Richard Thompson Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Mission. (Joel Martinez | jmartiez@themonitor.com)Sharyland High’s Fabin Garza (1) carries the ball against McAllen Rowe in a non-district game at Richard Thompson Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Mission. (Joel Martinez | jmartiez@themonitor.com)Sharyland High wide receiver Eric Gonzalez (11) carries the ball against McAllen Rowe in a non-district game at Richard Thompson Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Mission. (Joel Martinez ..read more

The Texas Department Transportation’s 10-year Unified Transportation Program, the state’s roadmap for building current and future projects, has surpassed $100 billion for the first time in history. This impressive amount is reflective of the booming Texas economy and rapid population growth. Clearly, more people are moving to Texas to live and do business. Because of that, my Texas Transportation Commission colleagues and I made history last month with the approval of the record amount. The commission, under the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott, continues to dedicate an unprecedented level of fun ..read more

Republicans celebrated Are we going to re-elect a Democratic representative who is more loyal to their party than to the protection of women and girls in sports? Are we going to re-elect a Democrat who says it’s OK for us, our daughters or little sisters to compete against men? Are we going to subject ourselves or them to undress in the locker room with a biological male strutting his stuff and staring at us? That is where we are with Henry Cuellar, who voted “Nay” and Vicente Gonzales who cleverly didn’t vote at all on House Resolution 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act! The ..read more

Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Ellie Torres speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new drainage project in north Edinburg on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Dina Arévalo | The Monitor) EDINBURG — Officials here celebrated another win in the yearslong effort to improve stormwater drainage by breaking ground on a new phase of Hidalgo County’s Main Drain system Thursday morning. The groundbreaking, which was held alongside a portion of the current North Main Drain along Rogers Road in Edinburg, was hosted by Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Ellie Torres. “It truly is a wonderful da ..read more

Jesus Bernal and Amy Villanueva An Alton man and a McAllen woman will have their initial charges of aggravated assault enhanced to murder after they allegedly beat a man to death, according to police. Jesus Bernal, 43, and 36-year-old Amy Villanueva were originally arrested on one charge of aggravated assault, but that charge has now been enhanced due to the death of 45-year-old Roman Andres Meza. According to a press release from the Alton Police Department, on Monday, at approximately 8:40 a.m., officers responded to a report of an unresponsive man at 915 North Oak Street. Upon arrival, offi ..read more

Guy Anderson HARLINGEN — Family and friends are remembering Guy Anderson as a loving husband and father who became the longest-serving police chief in the city’s history, helping to transform the police department. Anderson died in his home Aug. 22. He was 89. Anderson was born Oct. 7, 1933, in Friday, Texas, the youngest son of Earl B. Anderson and Althea Hayes Anderson. On Aug. 30, 1952, he married Marilyn Lucille Wilson, with whom he had six children. He and his family were members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Harlingen. Anderson is preceded in death by his wife Marilyn; his son Michael A ..read more

Come on, let’s go! Lou Diamond Phillips, best known for his roles as Richie Valens in “La Bamba” and Chavez in the “Young Guns” movies, will be co-hosting this year’s South Texas International Film Festival alongside Valente Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a Weslaco native who played Ernie Cardenas alongside George Lopez in his sitcom that ran for six seasons, in addition to “McFarland, USA,” “The Mentalist,” and in “Bound By Honor” (otherwise known as “Blood In, Blood Out”). This city of Edinburg is hosting the annual film festival, which celebrates and promotes visual arts locally, from Sept. 14 to ..read more