EDINBURG – A state of disaster exists in Hidalgo County because of the bitterly cold weather, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez declared in an emergency order that he signed Tuesday. In conjunction with the declaration, Judge Cortez implemented price controls to address reports of price gouging in the midst of the cold weather. “We will not tolerate people being taken advantage of during this cold spell,” Judge Cortez said. The state of disaster will be in effect as of midnight on Tuesday, February 16 and will stay in effect for seven days. “The County Judge has determined that extraordinary emergency measures must ...