Daniel A. Flores

Edinburg city secretary Ludivina Leal is no longer the point of contact with Hidalgo County for the upcoming Nov. 2019 municipal election, according to county elections administrator Yvonne Ramón.  Leal faces a second-degree felony charge of illegal voting connected to Edinburg’s 2017 mayoral race.  City manager Juan Guerra confirmed the move, and said it maintains the integrity of the election by shifting the responsibility to the city attorney’s office, which is apolitical. But he downplayed potential of impropriety because the county is contracted to run the election.  Councilmember Gilbert Enriquez motioned to remove the city secretary last week during a city council meeting, but the motion failed with a 2-2 vote. Another meeting is expected to take place next week to finalize any changes, if any, Guerra said. Read the full story at themonitor.com.

Marshall’s intake paperwork identified him as a Shepherd mix, but one wouldn’t know by looking at him. Dry cracked skin covered his head and frail, skinny body. Ribs protruded from his emaciated torso. “Smells like mange,” said an intake staff member on June 5. His dark, hairless tail swung behind the two-year-old dog who walked on a leash like he’d done it before. Despite his poor condition and “severe skin infection” staff noted, Marshall was friendly and cooperative during the process. Read the full story on TheMonitor.com.

McALLEN — Jesiah Ramirez, 5, sits in a barber chair squeezing a squishy toy in each hand. Clippers buzz as hair from the side...

A former Robert Vela High School track star sued the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District after fracturing his skull and losing a part of his brain following a pole vaulting accident. According to the lawsuit filed in June, Nick Larsen was seriously injured preparing for the Region IV meet in April, when he was a senior at Vela High School. Larsen, 18, earned the 2019 District 31-6A and 31 and 32-6A area pole vaulting championship his senior year. The suit alleges that on April 24, during an attempt to clear the 14-foot, 6-inch bar during competition, Larsen was “propelled” off the mat and hit his head on the concrete. Read the full story on themonitor.com.

Cages holding about 40 dogs, cats and rabbits were scattered around the Boys & Girls Club gym in McAllen on Saturday. Yaqui Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization based in Sullivan City, has about 300 animals in their care — dogs, cats, horses, cows, chickens, pigs and rabbits. The group brought a few closer to the Rio Grande Valley population centers to participate in the national Clear the Shelters campaign involving over 1,200 facilities in the United States. “If it helps get animals out, it’s very important,” said shelter founder Sonia Venecia, “but we still follow our regular adoption procedure” which includes a home visit. Visit themonitor.com for the full story.

Multi Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winner Pepe Aguilar brings his Jaripeo sin Fronteras to Bert Ogden Arena on Saturday. He described the event as a “Mexican circus” and an ode his heritage and his father’s shows where the prolific entertainer got his start.  Aguilar is the son of famed Mexican singers and actors Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre. “It’s a family tradition,” Aguilar said in a phone interview. The “huge production” which he said spans three-and-a-half hours, featuring musicians like his brother Antonio Aguilar and kids Angela and Leonardo Aguilar, but also bucking bulls, bullfighting, trick horse riding and more.  “It’s more like a spectacle than a music show,” Aguilar said. “It’s like a Mexican circus. Read the full story at themonitor.com.

McALLEN — U.S. and Texas flags waved at half-mast behind a crowd of about 100 gathered Wednesday at Archer Park in McAllen to memorialize...

When McAllen native Hayley Muñoz walked into her dressing room before shooting her season 5 scenes on the CW show “Jane The Virgin,” she...

Handcrafted figures peppered Alba Cuevas’ tables on Thursday during MXLAN’s free Artisan Mercado at the McAllen Convention Center exhibit hall. Clay shot glasses, stylized...

McAllen kicks off its inaugural five-day festival this week honoring the Hispanic culture and the city’s historic relationship with Mexico, dubbed MXLAN. The program will...