Holiday cheer spread in LI

By ALBERT VILLEGAS Special to the NEWS LOS INDIOS, TX—While patrolling their community on Christmas Eve, local law enforcement officers stopped more than two dozen motorists, but instead of issuing citations to those drivers, they were issued something surprising. LIPD officers switched things up this Christmas Eve by offering motorists gift cards instead of issuing …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2026/01/02/holiday-cheer-spread-in-li/

Pantry receives donation

By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the NEWS For families facing food insecurity in Cameron County, a new commercial freezer at the San Benito Food Pantry represents more than upgraded equipment — it means expanded access to nutritious food and greater support during times of need. ACCIONA Energía recently donated $24,250 to the San Benito Food …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/pantry-receives-donation/

Beloved baker passes

By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the NEWS Enrique L. Ornelas Jr., 87, longtime owner and steward of La Especial Bakery, widely known as Ornela’s Bakery, passed away over the weekend, marking the loss of a beloved figure behind one of San Benito’s most enduring family businesses. For generations, La Especial Bakery has been synonymous with …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/beloved-baker-passes/

TCEQ warns City

By ALBERT VILLEGAS Special to the NEWS San Benito Commissioners unanimously acted on two city utility concerns involving funding, one of which garnered a warning from the State of Texas citing a local health hazard. The decisions, which were independent of one another, were made during a regular city commissioners’ meeting on December 16. One …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/tceq-warns-city/

Ex-’Hound Medina battles leukemia

By ALBERT VILLEGAS Special to the NEWS As a football player in various levels of competition, Frank “The Tank” Medina knows what it’s like for people to cheer him on. These days, Medina, who graduated from San Benito High School in 2023 and was the team captain of the Greyhounds’ varsity football program, has a …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/ex-hound-medina-battles-leukemia/

Trustees approve school calendar

By ALBERT VILLEGAS Special to the NEWS The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District’s first day for the 2026-27 school year is Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, and San Benito High School’s graduation day is on Friday, May 21, 2027, in accordance with a decision made by the Board of Trustees during a regular December meeting. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/trustees-approve-school-calendar/

Hoops teams earn victories

By ALBERT VILLEGAS Special to the NEWS Boys’ and girls’ basketball teams for San Benito and Rio Hondo high schools are playing games that count toward their district standings, while others are still playing non-district games. The Lady Greyhounds’ most recent home game this week against the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Lady Bears, came down to the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/26/hoops-teams-earn-victories/

Library hosts Fort Brown exhibit

By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the NEWS The San Benito Public Library is closing the year with a significant cultural milestone: the opening of UTRGV’s traveling museum exhibit, “Discovering Fort Brown.” The exhibit, developed by the UTRGV Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) Program, showcases the complete historical timeline of Fort Brown through bilingual …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/19/library-hosts-fort-brown-exhibit/

$2M to boost student mental health

Special to the NEWS WASHINGTON, D.C.—Earlier this week, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released a statement after the U.S. Department of Education announced that Region One Education Service Center was awarded a federal grant of $1,198,055 through the Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Program, which helps recruit, train, and employ mental health service …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/19/2m-to-boost-student-mental-health/

Program graduate serves SBPD

By STC COMMUNICATIONS Special to the NEWS In 2014, South Texas College (STC) alumnus Michael Cortez made history as the first-ever graduate of the college’s Law Enforcement Associate of Applied Science program. This accomplishment has led to many opportunities throughout his 21-year career with the San Benito Police Department, where he currently serves as police …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2025/12/19/program-graduate-serves-sbpd/