By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS The San Benito Lady Greyhounds are among the top teams in the Rio Grande Valley, thanks to their performance on the field against teams from across the state. The Lady ‘Hounds participated in tournaments in Portland (near Corpus Christi) and Converse (near San Antonio) in late February. The results …

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Special to the NEWS On February 25, 2026, Cameron County’s long-term vision for strategic infrastructure and economic growth took center stage as County Administrator Pete Sepulveda, Jr., participated in a regional transportation and trade panel hosted by the RGV Partnership. The session brought together leaders from across the Rio Grande Valley to discuss the region’s …

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Joe Martinez, Ed.D., is a Doctor of Curriculum & Technology, a U.S. Military Veteran, and a San Benito native. In previous commentaries, I suggested ways to enhance tourism and raise our city’s profile by highlighting our resacas and honoring local heroes like Freddy Fender, Bobby Morrow, and Dolly Vinsant with memorial statues. Therefore, I decided …

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NEWS Staff Report HARLINGEN, TX—The community is mourning the loss of a San Benito teen who was struck down by a motor vehicle late Sunday night. The young man, identified as 17-year-old San Benito High School Junior Cobretti Rae Rodriguez, was taken to the hospital by emergency medical services shortly after being hit by a …

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NEWS Staff Report BROWNSVILLE, TX – Out of Cameron County’s 237,794 registered voters, 48,451 (20.38%) cast ballots in Tuesday’s primaries, compared to less than 5% in the last election, according to numbers from the Office of the Cameron County Elections Administrator, Remi Garza. Cameron County, along with the rest of the Rio Grande Valley, which, …

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By JACQI LEYVA-HILLSpecial to the NEWS PORT ISABEL, TX—Navigation District commissioners convened on Thursday, February 26, for a regular board meeting that included updates on an Economic Development Administration (EDA) infrastructure grant project and a new grant application related to a proposed mobile travel lift for the port. The board received an update on the …

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Special to the NEWS WASHINGTON, D.C. —Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Roberto Garcia Villarreal, 59, of San Benito, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 criminal fine for his involvement in a long-running, violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency industry in the …

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By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS Despite clear evidence that Rangerville Elementary School is operating at a financial loss due to declining enrollment over the past five years, heartfelt pleas from the community to keep the historic educational institution open were heard during a San Benito CISD Town Hall meeting on Wednesday. Now, San Benito …

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As 2025 came to an end, it was clear it was a year of gifts for us. Our governor recently noted that Texas’ economy continues to thrive, thanks to our business-friendly climate and common-sense regulatory environment. In 2025, the state slashed red tape and burdensome regulations, allowing free enterprise to flourish and Texans to thrive. …

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Joe Martinez, Ed.D., is a Doctor of Curriculum & Technology, a U.S. Military Veteran, and a native of San Benito. The Small Business Administration (SBA) performs many functions. Its main purpose, however, is to promote business ventures by supporting willing entrepreneurs and small businesses in attaining the American Dream by helping them secure financial support. …

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