Category: News

By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS The City of San Benito will install new residential water meters in strategic areas as part of a $25,000 pilot program. If the pilot proves successful after four months, the city could expand it to the entire city, including commercial properties. The city’s finance department introduced the pilot program, …

Continue reading

Special to the NEWS HARLINGEN—The South Texas Emergency Care Foundation (STEC) Board of Directors announced the retirement of longtime Executive Director William “Bill” Aston, whose career in emergency medical services has spanned more than five decades and whose leadership has helped shape emergency medical care in South Texas. Aston has been a fixture in emergency …

Continue reading

By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS The language in a non-profit organization’s status, which allows no-cost use of City of San Benito facilities, hindered an amended Comprehensive Schedule of Fees ordinance from passing after discussion at a Sept. 15 regular meeting of the San Benito City Commission. The issue arose when various organizations and individuals …

Continue reading

Special to the NEWS Two men were arrested in connection with a recent drug bust in San Benito’s Bent Tree area. According to a San Benito Police Department (SBPD) social media post, on Friday, Sept. 18, at around 4 p.m., members of the SBPD SWAT team, the SBPD Special Investigations Unit, and the Cameron County …

Continue reading

Special to the NEWS LOS FRESNOS—Organizers of the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center (NMCAC) are celebrating the center’s 33rd annual conjunto festival on Oct. 2-3. This unique cultural program draws more than 2,500 attendees each year to Los Fresnos to honor the sounds, traditions, and community spirit that define Conjunto music. This year’s festival showcases …

Continue reading

Joe Rodriguez is a San Benito resident, a local citizen watchdog, and a former candidate for the San Benito City Commission. Section 3, Chapter 11 of Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, titled “Department of Education” and authored by Lindsey M. Burke, discusses dismantling the federal role in education, eliminating federal programs, and …

Continue reading

The following is the second of a three-part series. Part III will be published next week. Abel Fonseca, II, is a lifelong San Benito resident and community advocate who has served students and families for more than two decades. Through his “Heart of San Benito” series, he shares stories celebrating the people who make the …

Continue reading

By JACQI LEYVA-HILLSpecial to the NEWS RIO HONDO, TX—A community-led effort is helping ensure Rio Hondo students can take part in Homecoming festivities without the cost of formalwear keeping them from the celebration. Rio Hondo parent Brenda Beasley helped organize a Homecoming Attire Donations initiative that collected dresses, suits, dress pants, shoes, ties, jewelry, and …

Continue reading

By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS RIO HONDO, TX—Now that Cameron County has officially announced that a worksite permit has been issued for a data center near this community, leaders here, citing citizen concerns, have chimed in, stating that no one currently with the city has been contacted about it, although there could be future …

Continue reading

By RAY QUIROGApublisher@sbnewspaper.com Days after an alleged quadruple homicide occurred at a property just south of the San Benito city limits, a small group of the victims’ friends and family gathered outside the unassuming home where three of the four victims were allegedly killed. As they strategized on how best to help the family, the …

Continue reading