Texas troopers renew inspections of commercial vehicles at Brownsville border bridge, triggering long delays
Truckers have reported waiting up to 24 hours to cross the border because of the inspections. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered similar inspections last year to stop smuggling, but troopers found no contraband after checking more than 4,000 vehicles.
Federal agency failed to weigh possible environmental impacts of SpaceX rocket launch, lawsuit claims
Environmental groups claim the Federal Aviation Administration let SpaceX do its own environmental assessment before its rocket self-destructed above the Texas coast and debris rained down over a wide area.
In South Texas, opponents say planned natural gas export facilityโs carbon capture promises are โgreenwashingโ
A company planning to build a massive liquefied natural gas export facility near Brownsville says carbon capture technology will reduce its pollution, but some locals say itโs a โBand-Aid on a bullet hole.โ
Why some Texas cities and counties had to return millions of dollars meant to help renters during the pandemic
For some local relief programs, a lack of staffing, political support and effective community outreach got in the way of spending federal funds to prevent evictions, a new report found. More than $30 million went unspent and had to be returned.
Cameron County Sheriffโs Office seeks missing 81-year-old man with diagnosed cognitive impairment
The Cameron County Sheriffโs Office is searching for a missing 81-year-old man who is diagnosed with cognitive impairment and whose disappearance poses a credible threat to his own health and safety.
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Brownsville mayor responds to Elon Muskโs promise of millions in donations
On Tuesday, Elon Musk said on Twitter that he would donate $20 million to Cameron County schools and $10 million to the City of Brownsville for โdowntown revitalization.โ The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX said he would release more details next week.
![Mountain Lion hit, killed by car in Rio Grande Valley over the weekend, Texas wildlife officials say](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/HQPNzxm7gJK4_I0zsyhDcvEwVb4=/1600x813/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/YVU542GI3VEPXMTED2GK3BX3PE.jpg)
Mountain Lion hit, killed by car in Rio Grande Valley over the weekend, Texas wildlife officials say
Mountain lions, like this one pictured on the US Forest Service website, are not known for consuming human flesh. HARLINGEN, Texas โ A mountain lion was hit and killed by a car traveling near Highway 77 in Cameron County in the Rio Grande Valley over the weekend, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials said. According to a statement from TPWD provided to KSAT, the mountain lion was killed north of Harlingen. He said when a young mountain lion does that it can go as far as 300 miles from where it was born. And thatโs really important to remember.โTo date, officials have reported two mountain lion sightings in Cameron County within the last year and 36 across the state.
![Tell us how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting you](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/9Jp08cK24yu6x_5W5_jJmTfbFmo=/1200x803/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/NC6B6UEPOVHD7IIDCQAOFIM6JI.jpg)
Tell us how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting you
Cameron County residents line up in the early hours of the morning to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-in distribution site in Los Fresnos. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Almost a year into the pandemic, COVID-19 is still rampant across the state. While doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have begun to arrive โ and more are coming โ it will be months still before it is broadly available to the public. And for the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic, you can sign up for our newsletter here.
![Texas county threatened with lawsuit over COVID-19 order](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/84JMXRxGQjPlp7PyUjuU8XfNxPA=/1280x853/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/YRUN35LL2FA7RHQ7MFF53SIYPA.jpg)
Texas county threatened with lawsuit over COVID-19 order
BROWNSVILLE, Texas โ Efforts by officials in one South Texas county to delay the start of face-to-face classes due to the coronavirus pandemic could face a legal challenge on claims of religious freedom. But attorneys for two private religious schools have told the county that the order is unlawful and goes against Republican Gov. Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviรฑo Jr. said First Liberty is misconstruing the countyโs order regarding schools as an attack on religious freedom. The number of reported coronavirus cases in Texas increased by 3,493 and there were 104 more deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, Texas health officials reported Sunday. State health officials reported 114,391 active cases of the virus and that 451,776 people have recovered.
![South Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Hanna amid pandemic](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/Xx4HUTLmAMabVjzzYY0Dqvwg-WE=/793x398/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BR2432ZS6ZDNRDW2CCSUOYCKCY.jpg)
South Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Hanna amid pandemic
HOUSTON โ Officials in South Texas, hit by the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks, said Friday theyโre also prepared to handle any challenges from Tropical Storm Hanna, which was headed their way and expected to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall this weekend. Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said she understands that the tropical storm would exacerbate already difficult times the county, which has about 362,000 residents, has been experiencing during the pandemic. South Texas officials' plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind. In the Mexican city of Matamoros, located across the border from Brownsville, volunteers worried whether the tropical storm would impact a makeshift migrant camp near the Rio Grande River. Greg Abbott has announced that various resources to respond to the tropical storm are on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft.
![Cameron County hospitals struggle to make room for COVID-19 patients after reaching capacity](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/9sAvRAXH0tmbrh1CmcrUvZVMp04=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/07-24-2020/t_e91a2c7a01834747a66f17118d207e74_name_image.jpg)
Cameron County hospitals struggle to make room for COVID-19 patients after reaching capacity
SAN ANTONIO โ Hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley have been at capacity and are making major adjustments to treat COVID-19 patients. Dr. Christopher Romero with Valley Baptist Medical Center said they have to get creative to make space for patients. Romero said EMS units are waiting with COVID-19 patients for a long time because thereโs no room in the hospital. โThe Rio Grande Valley, we have a lot of obesity. And these are risk factors for having more severe disease and worse outcomes with COVID-19,โ Romero said.
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County park, boat ramps at Medina Lake closed for July 4th weekend
SAN ANTONIO โ Medina Lake Park in Bandera County will be closed this Fourth of July weekend due to the coronavirus pandemic. The park, which is operated by the county, will stay closed until Wednesday, July 8, due to the virus, according to officials. The boat ramp at the park will also be closed to the public. Medina Lake Park is just one of the dozens of recreational areas in Central and South Texas that will not be open during the biggest holiday of the summer due to the virus. Cameron County, which includes South Padre Island, has also announced all county parks and county beaches will be closed over the weekend.
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Cameron County closes county-operated parks and beach accesses
Cameron County, Tx โ Cameron County announced Monday that effective at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, all County Parks and County Beach access area will be closed. Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviรฑo Jr. has ordered the closure of county parks and beach access areas until 12:01 a.m. on July 13. The Department of Health and Human Services has reported 2,183 cases in Cameron County as of June 29. The closure of the parks does not affect parks and beach accesses that are owned and operated privately. The following parks and beach access areas will be closed to the public: