Latest on the Coronavirus
Valley lawmakers hopeful for Medicaid expansion
With the focus on health care growing stronger due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state legislators representing the Rio Grande Valley are hopeful that Medicaid...
BEARING WITNESS: Granddaughter of musician who died from COVID-19 cautions public
BY FRANCISCO GUAJARDO
Eighteen-year-old Hope Guerrero from Weslaco wanted to tell her grandfather’s story, so she emailed the Museum of South Texas History.
“My grandfather died...
UTRGV halts vaccine registration due to overwhelming requests
The amount of vaccine requests has overwhelmed the University of Texas School of Medicine and UT Health RGV, prompting the temporary suspension of registrations...
Hospital nurse deals with kidney disease while helping in COVID-19 fight
By DENISE CATHEY | Staff Photographer
BROWNSVILLE — With 2020 over, Frank Acevedo, the chief nursing officer for Valley Regional Medical Center Brownsville, has a...
5% of Edinburg schools staff test positive for virus
EDINBURG — The school board here approved a new calendar and discussed what to do about increasingly alarming signs of the effect the pandemic...
Starr County attempting to acquire more vaccines for mass distribution
In an attempt to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to more people, Starr County officials are hoping to obtain more doses from the state to...
Cameron County holds first community vaccination clinic
HARLINGEN — For nearly 11 months, the coronavirus has turned Juan Cobos and his family into prisoners who’ve rarely left their home for fear...
State orders Valley businesses to reduce capacity, halts elective surgeries
Businesses in the Rio Grande Valley will have to drop to 50% capacity and elective surgeries will be halted because the state now considers...
US loses 140,000 jobs, first monthly loss since spring
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers shed jobs last month for the first time since April, cutting 140,000 positions, clear evidence that the economy is faltering...
COVID-19 hospitalizations reaching levels seen during summer
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Rio Grande Valley have reached levels not seen since August.
As of Tuesday, COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley...
SPI extends beach operations order
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — While on the beach of this coastal city, the public will still need to continue following these rules that were...
Roma police chief laid to rest after succumbing to COVID-19
ROMA — As the cold January winds shifted toward the area, family and community members shared in the warmth of their love and admiration...
As Valley virus activity rises, first case of new strain in Texas
COVID-19 cases in the Rio Grande Valley climbed by 871 on Thursday with 11 more deaths attributed to the virus, while elsewhere in the...
Texas sees 1st case of new variant amid push for more shots
By JIM VERTUNO and JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas reported its first known case of a person infected with the...
Forecast sees pricier gas, eventually
It feels wrong to use “silver lining” and “global pandemic” in the same sentence, though one slightly less terrible aspect of the terrible year...
Oncologist, fire chief stress safety of COVID vaccine for cancer patients
It’s safe for cancer survivors and patients undergoing chemotherapy to take the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a local specialist.
DHR Health oncologist Dr. Lee Drinkard...
Eleven COVID-19 related deaths, 540 positive cases in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County officials reported 11 COVID-19 related deaths and an additional 540 positive cases of the virus on Wednesday, raising the total number of...
Second community vaccine clinic to open in La Joya
A second community clinic for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations is scheduled to open Thursday in La Joya.
The clinic will administer Moderna COVID-19 vaccines...
DHR Health administering second dose of Pfizer vaccine
People who received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine through DHR Health will be receiving their second vaccine starting Thursday.
“These doses are...
Overwhelming response to first Hidalgo County vaccine clinic
MERCEDES — The first person showed up to Hidalgo County’s initial community COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Mercedes almost 30 hours early. A few minutes...
16 more people succumb to virus in Valley
Sixteen deaths due to COVID-19 across the Rio Grande Valley were reported on Tuesday, along with 842 new cases.
Ten of those deaths along with...
Hidalgo County’s vaccination clinic ended before it began
MERCEDES — Before doors opened to Hidalgo County’s first community COVID-19 vaccine clinic at 8 a.m., they announced they had reached their limit on...
Hospitalizations continue to spike in Hidalgo County, state
Hidalgo County reported seven additional COVID-19 related deaths and 448 new cases Monday as the rate of hospitalizations continues to climb both locally and...
Have you received your $600 stimulus check?
The Internal Revenue Service has set up an online portal so you can get an update on your $600 stimulus check.
The IRS says the...
Roma police chief dies from COVID-19
Roma Police Chief Jose H. Garcia died due to complications from COVID-19 on Monday.
Garcia’s family first reported he had tested positive for COVID-19 on...
BEARING WITNESS: Friend honors memory of farmworker, musician, jack of all trades
Editor’s note: After John Garza of McAllen read several Bearing Witness articles in The Monitor, he decided to write about his dear friend Pedro...
Edcouch-Elsa schools to test all staff for COVID-19
EDCOUCH — Edcouch-Elsa ISD plans to test all campus and district staff Monday as a preventative measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus,...
McConnell, Pelosi homes vandalized after $2,000 relief fails
By TIMOTHY D. EASLEY and TRAVIS LOLLER | The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Vandals lashed out at the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate...
Pandemic causes run/walk cancellation
The COVID-19 pandemic is already putting a damper on 2021.
The annual Causeway Run and Walk scheduled for Jan. 9 has been canceled, officials said.
An...
Hidalgo County judge’s leadership tested during pandemic
When Richard F. Cortez took office as Hidalgo County judge in 2019, he had four goals in mind: win the public’s trust, be efficient...
Edinburg school district delays spring semester over COVID concerns
Fearing a COVID-19 spike related to holiday gatherings, the Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees voted to defer the beginning of the district’s spring semester...
Nonprofit provides internet access to rural families
SAN JUAN — A local nonprofit provided 60 Rio Grande Valley families with access to the worldwide web via a campaign that provided either...
Cameron County reinstates curfews
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. has signed a 10th amended Emergency Management Order that includes reinstating curfews and limitations on gatherings.
The order states...
Texas hospitals hit new COVID high for fifth straight day
AUSTIN (AP) — Texas hit a new record high for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for the fifth consecutive day Friday, in a continued surge...
US hits 20 million mark in coronavirus cases
BALTIMORE — The number of confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases has surpassed 20 million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
That’s nearly twice as many...
Calamity comes: How COVID-19 left its mark on the Valley
“It’s safe to say that things are getting a little strange out there,” read the first line on the front page story of The...
2020 ends with 51,662 COVID-19 cases, 2,201 deaths in Hidalgo Co.
Cases, deaths and hospitalizations continue a steady climb in Hidalgo County as officials on Thursday released new data that shows the uptick in these...
COVID-19 prompts cancellation of SPI’s Causeway Run
The COVID-19 pandemic is already putting a damper on 2021.
The annual Causeway Run and Walk scheduled for Jan. 9 has been canceled, officials said.
“The...
UTRGV exhausts its 900 COVID-19 vaccines
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has run out of its Moderna vaccine, halting vaccinations at several locations this week.
According to a university...
Cities hoping for more federal relief funds
Nearly half of Hidalgo County cities that received a portion of the nearly $152 million in federal funds sent for pandemic-related expenses are requesting...
Starr County hospital nearing COVID-19 capacity
In the last week, Starr County is reporting they had 325 new cases of COVID-19 within one week and now the county hospital is...
Hidalgo County to open COVID-19 vaccination clinic Tuesday
Hidalgo County will be opening its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic, which will begin distributing doses to healthcare workers and residents older than 65, on...
Wiser resolutions? Lessons from COVID’s unfulfilled ones
She’d wanted to frame and hang them — just three printed pictures that had been sitting in Lucy O’Donoghue’s suburban Atlanta house since the...
COVID-19 vaccinations in Mercedes, Harlingen for specific groups
COVID-19 vaccinations using the new Moderna vaccine are underway at UTRGV inoculation sites in Mercedes and Harlingen.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley received...
Hidalgo Co. judge orders temporary curfew for residents 17 and younger
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez has ordered a temporary curfew for individuals 17 and under for the New Year’s holiday weekend.
The order came...
Sunshine vitamin observed to lower coronavirus risks
Several studies conducted recently by national health organizations observed that people with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to contract COVID-19 and...
Hidalgo County youth curfew expected as holiday surge imminent
Anticipating a potential increase of COVID-19 cases due to holiday gatherings, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said the county is poised to issue...
Trump signs massive measure funding government, COVID relief
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump has signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and...
Lower Valley health care workers get their shots
HARLINGEN — Pam Frasier sighs as she waits for her 90-year-old mother and the staff at her mother’s nursing home to receive the coronavirus...
Workforce commission has plan to aid restaurants
HARLINGEN — The Texas Workforce Commission has approved a new initiative aimed at helping the state’s restaurants negotiate their way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The...
Requests for state resources show Valley on brink of disaster amid pandemic
Face masks, isolation gowns, surgical caps, and small, medium and large gloves — 500 of each. These were the first State of Texas Assistance...
RGV COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise, up 50% since Halloween
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Rio Grande Valley continue to fluctuate but they are undoubtedly on the rise, having increased by 32% since Thanksgiving and...
Grieving daughter touched by billboard campaign honoring COVID victims’ memories
Hidalgo County chose to honor what seems like the innumerous victims of COVID-19 with the launch of a billboard campaign that pays tribute to...
Roma employees partake in plan to raise vitamin D to combat COVID-19
Employees with the city of Roma are participating in a health initiative to raise vitamin D levels as a way to combat the symptoms...
‘We are struggling’: A bleak Christmas for America’s jobless
NEW YORK — Last Christmas, Shanita Matthews cooked up a feast for her family of three: Roast chicken, barbecue spareribs, spinach, macaroni and cheese.
This...
Hidalgo County inches closer to virus case milestone
Hidalgo County confirmed an additional eight deaths due to COVID-19 on Thursday as cases continue to inch toward the 50,000 mark since the onset...
State urges COVID-19 vaccine providers to aggressively use up doses
A letter from the Department of State Health Services was sent Wednesday urging COVID-19 vaccine providers to use up their doses “with all deliberate...
COVID Confessions: Be kind and considerate — musings from a former retail worker
Holidays are typically seen as a festive and joyous time of year where families can get together to eat plentiful, open presents, watch the...
22,000 Moderna vaccines bound for Valley
More than 22,000 doses of the most recently approved COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna will be shipped to the Rio Grande Valley this week.
Most...
Texas official urges people to stay home as virus cases soar
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Health officials in the Texas state capital on Wednesday again urged people to avoid holiday gatherings to slow the spread...
Rental assistance program designed to avoid evictions extended until March 15
By Kate McGee, Texas Tribune
The Texas Supreme Court has extended its emergency eviction relief program for tenants behind on rent through at least March...
Texas inmates haven’t received coronavirus vaccine
By Jolie McCullough, Texas Tribune
Texas’ prisons and jails have been coronavirus hot spots throughout the pandemic. At least about 200 Texas inmates have died...
Starr County health authority encourages providers to vaccinate as many as possible
Following criticism of state Sen. Eddie Lucio who was photographed over the weekend receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the Starr County Health Authority came to...
COVID-19 cases exceed 49,000 in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County’s total number of likely coronavirus cases breached 49,000 Tuesday as the county reported 293 more positive cases and four more deaths.
Out of...
UTRGV vaccine information campaign combats conspiracies
The COVID-19 vaccine is not a medium of control such as implanting a microchip in the blood, UTRGV School of Medicine Dean Dr. John...
UTRGV film student’s documentary selected for Moscow film festival
Sitting in the living room of her house, McAllen native Joann González was trying to decide what story she wanted to tell in a...
DHR Health stresses need for Type O plasma
The DHR Health Institute for Research & Development in Edinburg is urging local COVID-19 survivors to step forward and donate plasma, a component of...
Lives lost to COVID-19 to be displayed on billboards
Hidalgo County announced six additional COVID-19 related deaths and 411 new cases of the virus Monday.
The deaths include two men and a woman over...
Biden to receive COVID vaccine as Trump remains on sidelines
By JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden will receive his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part...
$5M gifted to United Way of Southern Cameron County
United Way of Southern Cameron County has a received a major recognition of its work in the form of a $5 million gift from...
BEARING WITNESS: Family in funeral business loses mother to COVID-19
BY FRANCISCO GUAJARDO | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
Yolanda Guerra and her husband George last saw each other in person on Nov. 25, 2020, the...
Some of the first to be vaccinated in RGV reporting mild side effects
A medication that does not come without a side effect doesn’t exist, not leaving out the two COVID-19 vaccines recently approved by the Food...
Starr Co. to get Moderna vaccine as health officials address concerns
As COVID-19 cases continue to mount, Starr County is set to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the state's...
Surrounded by death and division, Valley medical workers emerge triumphant
Time faded inside Fermin Herrera’s hospital room at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. Stricken with COVID-19 and heavily medicated, the Missouri gentleman who...
BISD teachers to receive $400 bonus
The Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees has approved a one-time payment of $400 to all full-time employees as bonus compensation for working...
Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccines hangs on honor system
Distribution of one of history’s most highly sought-after vaccines relies on an “honor system” in Texas. In the Rio Grande Valley, that system is...
US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, 2nd shot in arsenal
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal Friday, boosting efforts...
TEA nixes proposal to allow continued online education
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath has rejected a proposal submitted by dozens of South Texas superintendents earlier this week that would have given...
Bidens to get first vaccine dose on Monday
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will be getting their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday.
That’s according to Biden’s...
5 more COVID-19 deaths, 505 new cases reported in Hidalgo Co.
Five more Hidalgo County residents died due to COVID-19 related complications and 505 tested positive, the county reported Friday.
The five individuals included an Edinburg...
COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Brownsville: healthcare workers first to receive it
It is the moment they have been waiting for over the past several months.
Healthcare frontline workers received their COVID-19 vaccine Friday at Valley Baptist...
Pence, wife Karen, surgeon general get COVID-19 vaccines
By ZEKE MILLER and JILL COLVIN | The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence was vaccinated for COVID-19 on Friday in a live-television...
Extra doses may give a boost to vaccination capabilities
Extra doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are being found in the vials sent by Pfizer BioNTech that, if used, would allow more people to...
Four more virus deaths, 522 new cases in Hidalgo Co.
Four more deaths linked to COVID-19 were reported in Hidalgo County on Thursday, according to a news release.
County officials also announced 522 new cases...
Edinburg hospital breaks ground on $100M patient tower
EDINBURG — South Texas Health System Edinburg broke ground on a $100 million hospital tower that will not only expand its bed capacity, but...
DHR Health to host drive-thru flu shot event
Now you can get your flu shot in a drive-thru thanks to an event DHR Health is planning Saturday.
Scheduled from 8:30 to 11 a.m.,...
FDA advisory panel endorses Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine
By MATTHEW PERRONE and LAURAN NEERGAARD | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, paving the way...
Superintendents seek distance learning waiver
BISD Superintendent Rene Gutierrez and other superintendents in the Region One Educational Service Center have sent a letter to Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath...
1 million vaccine doses expected in Texas by year’s end
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More than 1 million Texans are expected to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by the end of the month as part...
As mass vaccinations begin, more say they are willing to get it
EDINBURG — No furrowed brow nor squinting eyes.
Dr. Alex Feigl, an Edinburg-based urologist, held up his sleeve as the COVID-19 vaccine injection pierced his...
STC counselors lead virtual ‘12 Days of Wellness’
The best gift this holiday season is a sound and healthy mindset.
During this time of year, streets are lined with lights and radio stations...
Hidalgo County reports 8 deaths, 377 new COVID cases
A dozen deaths due to COVID-19 and 577 new cases were confirmed in the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday.
Eight of those deaths are Hidalgo...
Healthcare workers rejoice as COVID-19 vaccines arrive
Hope arrived in the Valley stored away in the back of a UPS truck on Tuesday.
Three white, oblong boxes packed with dry ice were...
Texas Citrus Fiesta to go forward with safety precautions
The events of the annual Texas Citrus Fiesta will go on as scheduled next month, though with some modifications in the face of the...
Hidalgo County COVID-19 case tally reaches 48,000
Hidalgo County reported seven additional COVID-19 related deaths and 447 new cases Tuesday.
The seven deaths raise the county’s death toll to 2,137 and include...
Virus cases continue to rise in Texas as vaccine rolls out
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The top health official in Austin warned Tuesday that Christmas and New Year’s are likely to be grim as the...
DHR Health gets Valley’s first vials of COVID-19 vaccine
The first vials of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech arrived at DHR Health in Edinburg on Tuesday morning.
Staff gave members of the local...
9 deaths, 453 more COVID-19 cases reported in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County announced on Monday nine additional COVID-19 related deaths and 453 new confirmed cases of the virus.
The deaths include a man in his...
14,600 COVID-19 vaccines arriving Tuesday in RGV
The Rio Grande Valley region is set to receive about 14,600 COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers as early as Tuesday.
Six locations will be...
BEARING WITNESS: Daughter laments not being able to comfort dying mother
BY FRANCISCO GUAJARDO
When Maria Elena Saenz died of COVID-19 complications on Aug. 23 at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen, she died alone. Her...
COVID-19 vaccine ‘on its way’ to Hidalgo County
State officials have confirmed that COVID-19 vaccines are on their way to Hidalgo County.
The vaccines will be sent to the University of Texas Rio...
COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin in historic US effort
By MATTHEW PERRONE, MIKE STOBBE and MORRY GASH | The Associated Press
KALAMAZOO, Michigan — The first trucks carrying a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use...
National/World News
Abbott orders bars shut amid surge in confirmed virus cases
AUSTIN — Republican Gov. Greg Abbott shut down bars in Texas again on Friday and scaled back restaurant dining, the most dramatic reversals yet...
More than 1,000 new virus cases, 39 more deaths in Texas
AUSTIN — Texas health officials on Sunday reported more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus and 39 additional deaths due to COVID-19, the disease...
Texas hair salons to reopen Friday, gyms to open May 18
By Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott will allow hair salons in Texas to reopen Friday — and gyms will be allowed to open...
Census says restart to field operations will be in phases
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. Census Bureau's return to field operations for the 2020 national head count will take...
Oil price goes negative as demand collapses; stocks dip
NEW YORK — Oil prices plunged below zero on Monday as demand for energy collapses amid the coronavirus pandemic and traders don’t want to...
College seniors face job worries, family stress amid virus
Sent home from college because of the coronavirus outbreak, Carter Oselett is back in his childhood bedroom, paying rent on an empty apartment near...
Reports suggest many have had coronavirus with no symptoms
A flood of new research suggests that far more people have had the coronavirus without any symptoms, fueling hope that it will turn out...
As mail voting pushed, some fear loss of in-person option
ATLANTA — Scrambling to address voting concerns during a pandemic, election officials across the country are eliminating polling places or scaling back opportunities for...
Lockdowns ease worldwide, but political heat rises in US
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Tattoo parlors and hair salons in Denmark. Beaches in Australia. Bookstores in Germany. Countries around the world that have seen...
Texas governor begins easing restrictions to reopen economy
AUSTIN — Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday began a slow reopening of Texas with orders that allow retail shops to sell items curbside,...
`LIBERATE!’: Trump goads states to lift virus restrictions
WASHINGTON (AP) — One day after laying out a roadmap for gradually reviving economic activity, President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “LIBERATE” three...
Record 22 million have sought US jobless aid since virus
WASHINGTON — The wave of layoffs that has engulfed the U.S. economy since the coronavirus struck forced 5.2 million more people to seek unemployment benefits last...
US relief checks begin arriving as economic damage piles up
WASHINGTON — Government relief checks began arriving in Americans’ bank accounts as the economic damage to the U.S. from the coronavirus piled up Wednesday...
As lockdowns ease, virus fears persist for shoppers, workers
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The first tentative steps in winding back economically crippling coronavirus restrictions in Europe are running into resistance. Shoppers are staying away...
In nod to governors, Trump walks back total authority claim
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he’s open to some states “reopening” before federal social distancing guidelines expire at the end of month, as he...
Hopeful birdsong, foreboding sirens: A pandemic in sound
NEW YORK — Hopeful birdsong and foreboding sirens. Chiming church bells and bleating ferry horns.
The coronavirus crisis has drastically transformed the world in sound....
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to intensive care
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to the intensive care unit of a London hospital after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.
Johnson’s...
Faint glimmers of hope as virus deaths slow in places
NEW YORK — The steep rise in coronavirus deaths in New York appears to be leveling off in a possible sign that social distancing...
Economic fallout mounts, along with competition for masks
NEW YORK — The economic damage from the coronavirus crisis piled up as an unprecedented 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits, and the...
The beat goes on: Locked-down Berlin clubs take party online
BERLIN — Locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the nightclubs in the German capital have decided to keep the beat going — at...
Spain’s hospitals at breaking point, US cities brace
MADRID — Bells tolled in Madrid's deserted central square and flags were lowered in a day of mourning Monday as Spain raced to build...
Trump signs $2.2T stimulus after swift congressional votes
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an unprecedented $2.2 trillion economic rescue package into law Friday, after swift and near-unanimous action by Congress this...
3.3 million seek US jobless aid, nearly 5 times earlier high
WASHINGTON — Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week — nearly five times the previous record set in 1982 — amid...
Washington agrees on unrivaled $2 trillion virus rescue bill
WASHINGTON — The White House and Senate leaders announced agreement Wednesday on an unparalleled, $2 trillion emergency bill to rush aid to businesses, workers...
LA County reports first possible death of a coronavirus patient under 18 as COVID-19 cases top 660
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County confirmed four more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus Tuesday, including what appears to be the first fatality...
Trump says he hopes US will be reopened by Easter amid virus
WASHINGTON (AP) — With lives and the economy hanging in the balance, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is hoping the country will be...
Congress closing in on nearly $2 trillion virus aid package
WASHINGTON — Top congressional and White House officials say they expect to reach a deal Tuesday on a nearly $2 trillion measure aimed at...
Over 1.5 billion globally told to stay home to avoid virus
NEW YORK (AP) — With masks, ventilators and political goodwill in desperately short supply, more than one-fifth of the world’s population was ordered or...
Hunt for medical gear to fight virus becomes all-consuming
PARIS — The hunt for masks, ventilators and other medical supplies consumed the U.S. and Europe on Monday, as new coronavirus infections soared and...
Trump moves on invoking powers to spur virus supplies
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to get needed medical supplies on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak,...
US and Mexico to curb border travel to control coronavirus
SAN DIEGO — Mexico and the U.S. announced plans Friday to sharply limit travel over their busy shared border as part of efforts to...
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton tests positive for coronavirus
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton learned Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, he told ESPN.
Payton is...
Texas governor orders schools closed and bans dine-in eating
AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered schools closed statewide Thursday until at least until April 3 and a ban on dine-in eating and...
Trump works to steady nation over coronavirus pandemic
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump worked to steady a fearful nation, reporting Thursday on therapeutic drugs that might hold potential to treat those...
‘Quarantine shaming’: US navigates radical new social norms
The chairman of Arizona's Asian Chamber of Commerce didn't see much downside to attending a small dinner at a local restaurant to bolster the...
Italian virus death toll nears China’s as outbreak spreads
ROME — The Chinese city where the coronavirus first took hold reported no new homegrown cases Thursday, while the death toll in Italy was...
US Census Bureau suspends field operations on virus concerns
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A week after starting its 2020 count, the U.S. Census Bureau on Wednesday suspended field operations for two weeks out...
Trump invokes act to marshal private sector against virus
WASHINGTON — Managing dual health and economic crises, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will invoke emergency powers that allow the government to...
Trump: US, Canada to close border to nonessential travel
TORONTO — The U.S. and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, and the...
Sources: White House seeks $850 billion economic stimulus
WASHINGTON — The White House is proposing a roughly $850 billion emergency stimulus to address the economic cost of the new coronavirus. The request...
Universal moves new releases to on-demand, AMC limits crowds
NEW YORK — The coronavirus pandemic has cracked Hollywood's traditional theatrical window. With theaters increasingly shuttering nationwide, Universal Pictures on Monday said it will...
US tells older people to stay home, all ages to avoid crowds
WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants...
MLB pushes back opening day to mid-May at earliest
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball pushed back opening day until mid-May at the earliest on Monday because of the new coronavirus after the...
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will close his country’s border to non-citizens amid pandemic
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will close the border to anyone not a citizen or a permanent resident amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trudeau...
US officials: Foreign disinformation stoking virus fears
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is alleging that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway aimed at spreading fear in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic,...
Gov. Abbott waives STAAR testing requirement
AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday shelved the state's requirement for high-stakes standardized testing, with hundreds of school districts having already canceled...
CDC recommends canceling gatherings of 50 or more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that gatherings of 50 people or more in US be canceled or postponed over the next eight weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The dramatic recommendation Sunday night came Americans struggled to come to terms with how to change their daily habits.
Read the full story at themonitor.com
Important Lists
Testing locations in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr counties
Free testing for COVID-19 is available at several locations in the Rio Grande Valley.
Symptoms for the coronavirus include fever and chills, cough, fatigue, body...
Current Reopening Guidelines
As the state, counties and cities begin to attempt to reopen, we'll post their provided guidelines here.
If a document for your city is not...
Valley schools roll out meals to-go programs
Following campus closures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, most Rio Grande Valley school districts have instituted meal pick-up programs to ensure that local students receive a meal despite campus closures.
Many districts have established pick-up locations at multiple campuses and are serving thousands of meals daily. On Tuesday, Sharyland ISD reported serving over 4,000 meals and McAllen ISD reported serving over 8,000.
“The programs are important because we want to make sure that as we are in this virtual environment where our students are learning from home that they still have an opportunity for a nutritious meal so they can work at their full potential and get their work done,” McAllen Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez said.
Read the full story at themonitor.com.
Several Upper Valley cities make disaster declarations
Local municipalities are taking proactive measures to help ensure that resources are available to local constituents in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following emergency...
List of local businesses that have changed hours, closures
The following businesses are changing their hours, closing or making other adjustments because of the coronavirus. This list will be updated as needed.
Chick-fil-A
Temporary Closure...
Area schools announce closures through April
School districts throughout the Rio Grande Valley are extending their spring break closures to April as calls to avoid gatherings of 50 or more people intensify.
Each district will continue to remain in communication with parents, students and staff to plan how they will continue past April.
Read the full story at themonitor.com
Rundown of local businesses offering curbside pick-up
The following local businesses have implemented a curbside pick-up option as a precautionary measure to mitigate the potential spread of the coronavirus.
>> Bonhomia, 920 N. Main St., Suite 160 in McAllen. Open Tuesday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call or DM them on Instagram to place an order. (956) 627-0594
>> Grind Coffee Co., 315 W. University Dr., Edinburg. They will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the next few weeks. Text or call to place a curbside order and set a pick-up time: (956) 888-7810
Read the full story at themonitor.com.