McALLEN — Community leaders, local officials and international representatives gathered here at the convention center Friday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge.
By Gregg Wendorf Advance News Journal
So last Friday, I was racing around the house trying to get ready to go to the physical therapy center for treatment for my arthritis, which has been hurting like a mother lately.
By Gregg Wendorf Advance News Journal
Whatever the term for gas, we are running out of it
By Gregg Wendorf | Advance News Journal
The summer of 1902 in Brooklyn, New York, wasn’t just hot; it was wet, heavy, suffocating. Like South Padre in August at noon with no offshore breeze.
Today's News
EDINBURG — A former Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District employee turned themselves into the authorities Wednesday after allegations involving an inappropriate relationship between an educator and a student.
By Staff Report | Advance News Journal
A sweeping 2023 Texas immigration law that lets state authorities arrest and deport people suspected of having illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border can go into effect after a federal appeals court on Friday lifted a lower court's stoppage of certain provisions.
By Alejandro Serrano And Alex Nguyen | The Texas Tribune
The Pharr Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC), will host Doing Business in Pharr, an upcoming business roundtable designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners better understand how to start and grow within the city.
By Special To The Advance
News
McALLEN — Community leaders, local officials and international representatives gathered here at the convention center Friday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge.
Heralded as an international gateway, the bridge has served not only as a physical connection between the United States and Mexico, but it also symbolizes a relationship that continues to grow.
By Staff Report Advance News Journal
Edinburg man sent to prison after using child sexual abuse material to entice a minor McALLEN — A 20-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced for distributing child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Carlos Genaro Rodriguez- Luna Jr. pleaded guilty April 23, 2025.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.2 billion in local sales tax allocations for July, 5.6% more than in July 2025.
These allocations are based on sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly. How did other cities fare?
Through a comparative lens between the same reporting period last year (July 2025) and this year (July 2026), certain cities saw some changes.
By Staff Report Advance News Journal
Sports
EDINBURG — As July bounces into the halfway mark, two local organizations are helping the local community in preparing for the return to school.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers, along with Driscoll, will hold the sixth annual Back to School Expo on Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinbur g.
By P.j. Hernandez Advance News Journal
EDINBURG — The Rio Grande Valley Vipers have been making some off-season moves to prepare for the upcoming season. The team announced on Friday that they have selected two new players — Kacper Klaczek and Yura Melikyan — from the 2026 NBA G League International Draft that took place the day prior.
Out of the 20 players who were drafted during the event, the Vipers had both the 6th and 16th pick, in which they selected Klaczek and Melikyan, respectfully.
By P.j. Hernandez Advance News Journal
EDINBURG — For the second- straight season, UTRGV has sold out on its season tickets for its football program. The university announced earlier in the month that it has sold 7,600 season tickets for the upcoming football season. That is an 8.57% increase from last year where 7,000 season tickets were sold.
As of now, there are still roughly 3,000 individuals who are on the waitlist to purchase season tickets.
By P.j. Hernandez Advance News Journal
Opinion
Two weeks ago, I had to text somebody, but being a responsible driver (most of the time), I pulled over to the side of Pecan just opposite the McAllen post office.
I was headed westbound, and there’s a big pull-over lane, apparently so drivers who encounter breakdowns have somewhere to pull over without blocking traffic. My truck was still working, but I figured it would serve my purpose: I needed a place to park for a brief minute and text.
By Gregg Wendorf Advance News Journal
A number of people have voiced concern that the border wall will prevent animals from crossing the river. They believe this will particularly affect places like the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge by interfering with natural migration. That, of course, assumes that a significant number of migratory animals live in the area and that those animals are too large to be able to squeeze between the border wall’s bars.
By Tom Haughey Advance News Journal
One of the first interviews I ever did was with Lincoln Borglum. It never appeared in one of these columns but (instead) was televised to the Rio Grande Valley.
By Tom Haughey Advance News Journal
Lifestyle
Absurdity in modern-day America is…
“The fact that the San Antonio Spurs managed to blow a 29-point lead last week as they lost the NBA championship to the NY Knicks?”
No, that’s not it.
“How about a guy like Texas AG Ken Paxton, who has enough baggage to sink a naval carrier, beat a relatively decent guy like John Cornyn in last month’s GOP primary?”
By Gregg Wendorf | Advance News Journal
This week, Cinderella is featuring two great dogs, Little Laddy and Sweet Sammie. Both were born in 2024 and are affectionate, as well as friendly. He’s a small male and she’s a medium-sized female.
Laddy, the lovable boy
Born in December 2024, Laddy is an adorable fellow who weighs only 15 pounds. He’s a cross between an Italian Greyhound and a Chihuahua.
By Cory Raymond | Cinderella Pet Rescue
Matthew 5:14-16 (Jesus speaking), “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
By Chris Voss | First Christian Church
Obituaries
Alfredo “Fred” Castañeda Jr., 66, passed away Sunday, July 5th, 2026, at South Texas Health System in McAllen.
EDINBURG — Rebeca De La Garza, 82, of Edinburg, Texas, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2026, in her hometown of Edinburg.
Victoriano Garza, 89, of Linn/ San Manuel passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in McAllen, Texas.
Photo Galleries
SAN JUAN — The PSJA Bears, who are arguably the best team in the RGV, won their first postseason game against the Harlingen Cardinals on Thursday by the score of 13-0.
The second game is set for Harlingen on Friday. If there is a third game needed, it will be on Saturday in San Juan at 1 p.m.
The UTRGV Vaqueros (5-8. 0-3) took a regular season series against the Texas Southern University Tigers during a home stretch in Edinburg.
On Wednesday, the Vaqueros took the commanding win, 10-4. The night before that, they won 5-3.
This weekend, starting on Friday, UTRGV will host a Southland Conference three-game series against New Orleans University.
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