BROWNSVILLE

A traffic stop by Brownsville police led to the arrest of a 39-year-old Brownsville man accused of possessing cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute the drugs, federal court documents reflect. The officers said Reyes-Cano appeared nervous and they asked him if they could search the vehicle, the federal criminal complaint states. The canine indicated a “positive alert” for the presence of drugs near the driver-side rear quarter panel, the federal criminal complaint states. Reyes-Cano provided his home address to Brownsville police, and Brownsville police contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration for assistance. When the federal agents arrived at the residence, they met with Reyes-Cano’s wife who provided consent to search the home.

A 31-year-old Brownsville man has been arrested on warrants charging him with aggravated robbery, theft and resisting arrest.

In a news release, Expanding Frontiers announced that its Space Entrepreneur Summer Academy (SESA) will create the National Space Society-Club for the Future (NSS-CFF) Scholars program, in which 10 high school students from this year’s SESA cohort will receive internships at Expanding Frontiers. Participants engage with NASA experts, retired NASA engineers, NewSpace thought leaders, SESA alumni who are now professionals in the field, and NewSpace business people from across the nation, Expanding Frontiers said in the release. Anita Gale, a retired NASA Space Shuttle engineer and CEO of the National Space Society and its International Space Settlement Design Competition, said she is pleased to be working with Expanding Frontiers. This is an investment in the future of humanity, and we’re pleased to be working with Expanding Frontiers on their important program,” she stated in the release. Expanding Frontiers is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization developing an innovation ecosystem with emphasis on space and energy technologies in Brownsville and supports local entrepreneurs.

Brownsville police are trying to identify a man who died of injuries he received in an auto-pedestrian accident. The Hispanic man is said to be between 50 to 60 years old, weighs between 180 to 200 pounds and is 5 feet 7 inches tall. The accident happened at about 10 p.m. Saturday at the 2100 block of Minnesota Avenue. The man was walking across Minnesota Avenue when he struck by a vehicle, said Investigator Martin Sandoval, spokesman for the Brownsville Police Department. The man did not use the crosswalk at the corner of Minnesota and Padre Island Highway to cross the street, Sandoval said.

Brownsville police said they arrested a brother and sister on charges of aggravated assault and injury to elderly.

Two women remain in federal custody after they were charged with smuggling cocaine across an international bridge in Brownsville in two separate incidents, authorities said.

More than a year after a 32-year-old Brownsville woman was found dead inside the Brownsville City Jail an investigation into how she died continues. Texas Rangers are still investigating the death of Veronica Carmona Peranez, Sgt. Carmona Peranez was booked at the city jail at 6:20 p.m. June 17, 2021. Carmona Peranez was arrested at 6:07 p.m. after her Suburban crashed into the S&F apartment complex. At approximately 10:17 p.m. Mrs. Peranez was declared deceased at the city jail,” the report states.

A 60-year-old Brownsville man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute almost 26 pounds of cocaine. Munoz pleaded guilty to the charge Sept. 15, 2021, officials said. According to the media release, on March 13, 2020, Munoz arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint located in Sarita driving a pickup truck. At inspection, law enforcement opened the driver side door and immediately noticed a large duffel bag laying on the front passenger seat. They ultimately found 10 bundles wrapped in brown tape consistent with narcotics located inside the bag, the release said.

Anti-union sounding language in the city of Brownsville’s new Employee Handbook will be dropped after a June 21 city commission regular meeting in which no commissioner voiced support for retaining the language.

Brownsville City Commissioners Tuesday approved discounted BMetro fares that will benefit veterans and active-duty members of the military.

Police arrested a 20 year-old Brownsville man in connection to multiple stabbings at a local bar. Salazar told police that several men attacked him in the restroom at the bar and that he walked out, Sandoval said. Salazar alleged that those men again attacked him while he was outside and that he stabbed them in self defense, Sandoval said. The victim stepped in between the men to “maintain the peace” and Salazar took out a pocket knife and stabbed that victim twice in the chest, police allege. According to police, Salazar claims he “took action by stabbing several males in self-defense.”Security staff at the bar detained Salazar until police arrived, according to police.

Police have released a 20-year-old Brownsville man who posed bond following his arrest on an assault charge in connection to a fight outside a Whataburger in Brownsville. The video shows the 16-year-old girl being kicked in the head by one of the men during the fight. “He (Padilla) just started picking a fight with him for no reason at all, is what she (the victim) said,” the investigator said. The video shows a man kicking the teenage girl and she is knocked out. Padilla was charged with one count of assault and his bond was set at $2,000.

Despite the threat of a sudden morning shower Saturday, spirits were high at Jubilee Leadership Academy as runners prepared to tackle the Run With the Coyote 1-Mile Fun Run through the grounds of the new campus on Main Street in Brownsville.

Skateboarding with be the aim of the day Tuesday as local skate parks celebrate national Go Skate Day. Local Brownsville residents and long-time skaters Raul Valdez Jr. and Tom Gómez, have brought back the annual Go Skate Day celebration at Oliveira Park after a brief hiatus in previous years due to COVID-19, with the last occuring in 2019. The event comes before the 2 p.m. Beach Bash Skate Jam event on South Padre Island at Tompkins Park. So the duo decided to bring back the Brownsville event in the morning to connect with local skaters at Oliveira skatepark. Healthy Communities of Brownsville, Inc. has donated 20 skateboarding helmets for local skaters after completing the event’s helmet safety clinic.

A federal jury has found a Brownsville man guilty of smuggling more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico to the United States.

Skateboarding with be the aim of the day Tuesday as local skate parks celebrate national Go Skate Day.

A Cameron County jury found a McAllen man guilty in the capital murder of his mother-in-law on Thursday in Brownsville. Monte Eric Jordan, 64, stood accused of causing the death of 53-year-old Martha Beatrice Adams, whose body was pulled from the Laguna Madre in May 2017. Cameron County court records indicate Terry Adams entered a guilty plea to the murder charge on Sept. 10, 2019. The couple had been married for 12 years but had recently separated at the time of the murder. According to those indictments, the suspects were accused of possibly injecting Martha Adams with some type of substance.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has dismissed a post-conviction writ of habeas corpus filed by a Brownsville man who was found guilty of murdering a 20-year-old Harlingen woman. A Cameron County jury on Dec. 13, 2013, found Cadriel guilty in the murder of 20-year-old Brisna Mireles of Harlingen. Mireles’ body was found March 31, 2012, on the side of U.S. Expressway 77/83 near Combes, according to court documents. The documents indicate that while authorities were investigating the crime scene investigators found a hotel key near Mireles’ body. It was registered to Robert Castillo, a name Cadriel used to register at the hotel.

Republican Mayra Flores will fulfill the remainder of the term for Texas Congressional District 34 in South Texas.

A 22-year-old Brownsville man is being held without bond in connection to a road rage encounter in which someone was shot and injured.

SpaceX will have a Starship prototype rocket "ready to fly" by July, Elon Musk says, for a crucial milestone that is pending a regulatory license.

A weekend brawl caught on video in the parking lot of a Whataburger in Brownsville has caught the attention of police. The video, posted and now viral on social media, shows two couples fighting, initially a pair of women fighting on the ground and a pair of men trading blows. A car obscures the view of what happens to the woman next, but when the view clears that woman is shown knocked out on the pavement. “Through social media, we were made aware of the assault that occurred,” police said. Prior to the woman filing a report, police were monitoring social media in efforts to identify the people in the video.

A fairly new concept known as microtransit may be coming to Brownsville to help plug holes in the city’s public transportation system. The city has received a $300,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to conduct a MicroTransit Implementation Study. Microtransit is meant to improve the transit rider’s experience via small-scale, on-demand public transportation services, according to the city. The concept is similar to Uber or Lyft, but in public transportation setting. The city said Brownsville Metro will use the completed study to implement microtransit in parts of the city currently without bus routes.

The developers behind the Madeira master-planned, mixed-use community project in north Brownsville are asking the city commission for more help in ensuring the project moves forward on an aggressive timetable.

Early voting ends Friday for the June 14 special election for the U.S. District 34 congressional seat. As of Wednesday, 6,759 early votes had been cast, according to Cameron County’s office of Elections and Voter Registration. There are 19 early voting locations across Cameron County. Greg Abbott on April 4 called for the special election following Vela’s announcement that he was resigning. Vela’s term ends in January.

Yes, it’s going to be a cruel, cruel summer, according to the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley, with hot temperatures expected to stay around for a long while.

The flashing red and blue lights in a motorist’s rearview mirror did not belong to a police officer, according to Brownsville authorities.

The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation has announced the finalists for its third annual Startup Texas Pitch Summit, scheduled to take place June 16.

A Brownsville man has been arrested by federal officers after he did not declare more than $27,000 in cash he was carrying on his way to Mexico. Julian Abel Contreras appeared Monday before Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III who ordered he be detained until his next court appearance. Contreras told the officers he had $9,000 in his pocket. Contreras told the officers: “That is everything,” according to the federal criminal complaint. A further inspection of Contrera’s vehicle led to the discovery of more cash found in a cologne box and a white envelope, the federal criminal complaint states.

The Board of County Commissioners for Adams County, Colorado approved an employment agreement Friday with Brownsville City Manager Noel Bernal as the government's new county manager.

FC Brownsville starts season wellBy EDWARD SEVERNStaff WriterBROWNSVILLE — FC Brownsville is not the same team as last year. FC Brownsville, in the National Premier Soccer League, sits in third place in the Lone Star Conference and is in position for one of four playoff spots in their conference. Last season, FC Brownsville picked up seven points during its first five matches but faded out, only picking up a draw in the final five matches of a 10-match season. FC Brownsville gave up the winner during the 98th minute. FC Brownsville plays Fort Worth Vaqueros FC at 7:15 p.m. today at Brownsville Hanna.

Administrators at Veterans Memorial Early College High School in Brownsville detained a student Thursday morning for having a gun and several boxes of ammunition in his vehicle, the Brownsviille Independent School District said. BISD said the student was detained at 9:10 a.m. after Police and Security Services Department personnel discovered the items during a routine inspection of vehicles entering the campus. In a statement, BISD said there was “no threat to the campus, students, or staff.”The district said the case was under investigation by the BISD Police and Security Services Department. BISD said it continues to take “all necessary safety measures to keep our students and staff safe and secure as a number one priority.”

With the recent resignation of U.S. Rep. Filemon B. Vela, Gov. Greg Abbott called a special election for the Congressional District 34 seat.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Hernandez on April 4 attempted to cross Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville in a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Her vehicle was referred to a secondary inspection area, where a CBP canine alerted authorities to the presence of drugs in the Jeep, the federal criminal complaint states. She stated she had met with Compa on several occasions, the federal criminal complaint read. The federal criminal complaint states Compa would pay Hernandez $900. Hernandez claimed she did not know she had narcotics in the vehicle, the federal criminal complaint read.

A recent study ranked the best and worst places in the U.S. for summer jobs and a number of Texas cities rounded out the bottom of the rankings with Lubbock, Texas claiming the last spot in the roundup.

Early voting continues in a special election for the Congressional District 34 seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. Greg Abbott on April 4 called for the special election following Vela’s announcement that he was resigning. Running for Harlingen city commissioner District 1 are Richard Uribe and Ford Kinsley, District 2 are Ernesto Cisneros and David Nemecio Lopez. Registered voters wanting to cast ballots in the special election for Congressional District 34 may vote at any early voting location in Cameron County. Voters wanting to cast early ballots in the run-off elections must go to an early voting location in their jurisdictions, Garza said.

A 37-year-old Brownsville man was arrested by police after he was accused of firing a weapon at three people riding in a pickup truck. Police said David Rodriguez, 37, was also found in possession of crack, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and Xanax. The officers spoke to the three victims who said Rodriguez shot at them. They identified Rodriguez as the person shot at them, Sandoval said. Cameron County jail records indicated Rodriguez remained incarcerated in a county facility, as of Monday afternoon.

It was a proud moment for Joyce Rubio Alvarado as she recently earned her certificate of completion as a certified nursing assistant from Texas Southmost College during the program’s traditional pinning ceremony.

At least two Memorial Day events will be held on Monday honoring those troops killed in the various wars.

A horror on the magnitude of what took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24 is felt around the world.

Brownsville will hold a free tire collection event, as part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council’s “Road to Recycling” Regional Tire Collection Project.

A 39-year-old Brownsville police officer was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated with his daughter inside the truck.

So says Angelica Soria, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley station. Neither did it do much to raise the levels of Falcon Reservoir in Zapata County, less than 19 percent full as of Wednesday even after the recent rains, she said. “You never know if it’s going to be enough forcing for it to initiate storms but it definitely was (Wednesday). It’s called forcing but, what it is, it’s just a trigger for those storms to start. I would say the (long-term) outlook … is still the same as of right now.

BROWNSVILLE — Wiley College added Brownsville Porter’s Jesus Maciel and Andy Hinojosa to its long list of Rio Grande Valley recruits when the pair agreed to join the college Monday. “I am excited to play more soccer and go to a good school.”The forward plans to study computer science at Wiley. “It was a very special day,” Hinojosa said about joining Wiley. “I tell these kids, if you play soccer at Porter, you can compete anywhere,” Espitia said. Wiley College is located in Marshall and has signed multiple Valley soccer players to revive its re-established team.

Thirty graduating seniors from area high schools have been selected to receive scholarships through the 2022 Port of Brownsville Scholarship program. The 30 students each will be awarded $1,000 upon enrollment in a college, university or technical school. The students are from 15 public and private high schools in the Brownsville/Los Fresnos area. Created by the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners in 2020, the program so far as awarded $94,000 to 94 high schools students within the navigation district. The 2022 Port of Brownsville Scholarship recipients from Brownsville Independent School District are: Victor Contreras and Jennifer Garcia-Prado, Brownsville Early College High School; Amy Castro and Lizeth A. Castillo Pineda, Gladys Porter Early College High School; Dan Thanh Cao and Luis Lopez, Homer Hanna Early College High School; Rubi Alicia Logan and Karyme Itzel Garza, James Pace Early College High School; Manuel Candanoza and Jonathan Rodriguez, Lopez Early College High School; Kayla Guzman and Ethan Lai, Simon Rivera Early College High School; and Vivian Cardona-Orozco and Diego Preciado, Veterans Memorial Early College High School.

Many residents across the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday woke up to flooded streets and power outages.

Only have a minute? Listen insteadA flash flood warning has just been issued South for Central Cameron County that includes mainly Brownsville. A National Weather Service Brownsville/RGV employee reports outside lanes on Highway 48 were covered with more than 6 inches of water. The warning will remain in effect until 10:15 a.m. today. There are reports of streets flooding and resacas overflowing.

Flood advisories are in effect for three Rio Grande Valley counties slammed with thunderstorms overnight Monday and Tuesday.

Of the 85 educators, 45 were selected in 2020 but were not able to attend the program due to COVID restrictions. Each program is designed to inspire, challenge, and empower school leaders to bring lasting impact to their campuses and communities, the entire state of Texas, and beyond. “I am thrilled to have been selected as part of the 2022 Harvard Leadership Program for school principals. This learning opportunity will allow me to share all we can offer our school communities in a greater magnitude,” said Garza. Following the Harvard Institutes, attendees remain a part of the program’s statewide network of school leaders and are empowered to work together to create change at the campus and district levels.

Jorge Jasso, a senior at Hanna Early College High School in Brownsville, has been chosen as a 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholar, joining a group of 161 outstanding U.S. high school seniors chosen for the award. Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored approximately 7,900 of the nation’s top-performing students. Since 1983, each U.S. Presidential Scholar has been asked to name his or her most influential teacher, and that teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education. Jasso chose Xavier Gonzalez, an engineering teacher at Hanna, for this recognition. The Presidential Scholars Class of 2022 will be recognized for their outstanding achievement this summer with an online recognition program.

The winner of the special election will replace former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, who resigned last month to work for Akin Gump.

The South Texas Democrat announced last year that he wouldn’t seek reelection. He’s leaving early to take a job at a law firm.

A search is underway for a 75-year-old woman last seen in Brownsville on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The Brownsville Democrat said his resignation will be effective Jan. 31. That sets up a potential special election to finish his term, though whoever wins would only serve for a short time.

Lucio announced Thursday that he is not seeking reelection after three decades in the Senate.

The Brownsville Democrat, who made the announcement Thursday, has served in the upper chamber since 1991.

For 19 months, business owners along the Texas-Mexico border have seen a drastic drop in customers because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. With land borders scheduled to reopen Nov. 8, they are banking on a return to pre-pandemic sales.

The likely new district comes as Texas Republicans continue to try to make new inroads in South Texas after the 2020 election.

Congressional Democrats are going bigger than ever on the environment, with a spending package they're trying to muscle through.

Another Texas inmate has had his execution delayed over claims the state is violating his religious freedom by not letting his spiritual adviser lay hands on him at the time of his lethal injection.

A search is underway for a 13-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man wanted in connection with her abduction, according to Brownsville Police Department.

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 “downtown revitalization.” The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX said he would release more details next week.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, emerged as a Republican target in 2022 after President Donald Trump performed better than expected along the Texas-Mexico border. Vela was first elected in 2012 and represents much of the South Texas Gulf Coast. Ad"Filemon was extremely dedicated to the people of South Texas during the time he has served in Congress," Borjon added. Vela won reelection in 2020 by nearly 14 percentage points in a district that has generally been considered safe for Democrats. AdBorjon acknowledged that the race to replace him will likely be tougher than in the past, given Republicans' over-performance in South Texas.

A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. President Joe Biden’s administration has been sharply criticized for its response to a surge in crossings of unaccompanied immigrant children. “I feel like I have to wait and try again.”The Biden administration is not expelling immigrant children unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian. But Pfluger and other Midland officials said the Biden administration wasn’t answering their questions or giving them assurance that officials would keep the surrounding community safe. HHS opened the Midland site without notifying some top local officials who say many of their questions aren't being answered.

Team Brownsville, a humanitarian group, is helping the migrants reach their final destination in the U.S. A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families remain lower than at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019. They deride the policies Trump implemented to deter asylum as cruel and inhumane and an abdication of the country’s humanitarian responsibilities. "The Trump administration did everything in their power for four years to make the already broken immigration system as cumbersome and ineffective as possible. ... You leave yourself nowhere to go.”Ad“They’re kind of stuck in a corner,” agreed Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank, which advocates on behalf of more restrictive immigration policies.

Team Brownsville, a humanitarian group, is helping the migrants reach their final destination in the U.S. A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families remain lower than at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019. They deride the policies Trump implemented to deter asylum as cruel and inhumane and an abdication of the country’s humanitarian responsibilities. "The Trump administration did everything in their power for four years to make the already broken immigration system as cumbersome and ineffective as possible. ... You leave yourself nowhere to go.”Ad“They’re kind of stuck in a corner,” agreed Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank, which advocates on behalf of more restrictive immigration policies.

Abbott and Biden have been fighting for days over coronavirus safety protocols and whose actions have been putting the health of Texans at risk. After Abbott announced this week that he was lifting Texas' statewide mask mandate and capacity restrictions on businesses, Biden called that decision "Neanderthal thinking." Ad"The Biden Administration is recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants who have COVID into Texas communities," Abbott wrote in one tweet Wednesday afternoon. He argued in a statement that border security is “strictly a federal responsibility,” and thus the Biden administration alone should "test, screen, and quarantine" migrants who may have COVID-19. “Instead of doing their job, the Biden Administration suggested it did not have the sufficient resources and, remarkably, asked Texas to assist them in aiding their illegal immigration program,” Abbott said.

(Hidalgo County (Texas) Sheriff's Office, via AP)BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Canadian woman accused of mailing packages containing the deadly poison ricin to the White House and several Texas law enforcement agencies has been indicted on new federal charges of making interstate threats and violating prohibitions on biological weapons. A grand jury in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday handed up sixteen counts against Pascale Ferrier, court records show. In September, Ferrier pleaded not guilty to making threats against President Donald Trump by mailing a package containing ricin to the White House after she was arrested at the U.S.-Canada border. Ferrier is also alleged to have sent ricin to six detention centers and law enforcement agencies in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The package was intercepted before it reached the White House.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Brownsville will get a new 14,000-square-foot Tesla location, Mayor Trey Mendez confirmed on Sunday. Mendez said the announcement was the culmination of “months of secrecy” and that the project shows that “Brownsville is undoubtedly the innovation capital of the RGV.” The Tesla location will feature a service area and showroom. After several months of secrecy, we can finally reveal that we are getting a Tesla location in Brownsville. The city of Brownsville is nearest to SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s Boca Chica launch facility. Related: Tesla seeks to sell $5B in stock; CEO Elon Musk moves to Texas

In the border wall funding case, the high court will consider a challenge to the Trump administration's use of about $2.5 billion earmarked to pay members of the U.S. military to instead fund construction of part of his long-promised wall on the southern border. That case, Sierra Club v. Trump, was brought by the ACLU on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. Gloria Smith, managing attorney at the Sierra Club, said the Supreme Court will hear the larger case that challenges the use of both types of Pentagon funding. "Stopping this wasteful and irreversible damage is long overdue, and we look forward to making our case before the Supreme Court,” she said in a statement. Implemented as a way to deter migrants from seeking asylum, the policy has sent about 60,000 asylum seekers, most of them from Central America and Cuba, across the southern border.

MEXICO CITY The Mexican army said Thursday that soldiers patrolling along the Rio Grande river have found an unfinished tunnel that was apparently dug under the river bed in a bid to reach U.S. territory. The army said a small pump was found at the mouth of the structure and was apparently used to clear water from it. The army said the tunnel was found earlier this week near the city of Matamoros, across the border from Brownsville, Texas. The tunnel was apparently used for illegal activities. The river, known in Mexico as the Rio Bravo, is a frequent crossing point for drugs and migrant smuggling.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – 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 Treviño Jr. said First Liberty is misconstruing the county’s 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.

It was on this day in 1980 that Hurricane Allen made landfall just north of Brownsville. The hurricane achieved Category 5 status three separate times (the only Atlantic hurricane to do so). It also ranks as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes with sustained winds near 190 mph at its peak. When Allen made landfall, it had weakened to a Category 3 storm. Still, it brought damaging winds and torrential rainfall.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX launched a prototype of its Mars rocketship hundreds of feet into the air, then landed it upright in a successful test flight. Mars is looking real, SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk tweeted after the short hop. Progress is accelerating.Musk said several more short hops are planned before a test version of Starship aims for a high altitude. On Sunday, SpaceX safely returned two NASA astronauts from the International Space Station following a two-month test flight. We're going to send people to Mars and make life multi-planetary," Musk said following splashdown.

Chris Headen battles with his umbrellas as Hurricane Hanna begins to make landfall, Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Some areas in South Texas had already reported receiving up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain, including Cameron County, which borders Mexico and where Brownsville is located. First responders in Corpus Christi proactively placed barricades near intersections to have them ready to go if streets began to flood, Mayor Joe McComb said. More than 43,700 people throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, were without power Saturday evening, according to AEP Texas. Other counties and cities throughout South Texas had also opened shelters, with many requiring face masks.

Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, spoke during during a Senate State Affairs committee hearing on July 23, 2017. According to early returns from the Texas Secretary of State, Lucio was leading Stapleton-Barrera 54%-46%. Another Senate runoff that drew considerable attention was the Democratic race to go against state Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton. Flores fell short in his bid to upset state Sen. Carlos Uresti for the seat in 2016. As of late Tuesday evening, the special election to replace former state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, remained fluid.

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, in Brownsville in 2018. "If we'd had a better federal response and state response, perhaps we would have already been around the quarter on this," Julin Castro said. Joaquin Castro said the number of beds, hospitals, and infections could have also been significantly reduced. "We're not saying that there would have been no consequences," Joaquin Castro said. All of the money that has been used is been money that's come from the federal government," Joaquin Castro said.

BROWNSVILLE, TX U.S. Border Patrol announced Monday that they seized an exotic bird while taking a group of people illegally smuggled across the board into custody. As agents arrived to the location, they discovered evidence of several of people who entered the country illegally, CBP said in a statement. Additionally, agents noticed a plastic bag carried by one of the aliens with a live bird inside.After agents inspected the bag they determined the bird to be a toucan. CBP officials stated that while it is uncommon for exotic animals to be discovered in human smuggling attempts, agents rescued a tiger cub stuffed in a duffel bag near Brownsville two years ago. Related: CBP: Agents at World Trade Bridge in Laredo seize over $11 million in narcotics

Published: May 16, 2020, 10:10 am Updated: May 16, 2020, 2:06 pmSOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – A massive fire completely destroyed a condominium complex on South Padre Island Saturday morning, according to a report from KRGV. The Valley Star reported firefighters were working to extinguish the flames by spraying water from a nearby parking garage. Firefighters from South Padre Island, Port Isabel, Los Fresnos and Brownsville were called to the scene to assist in the fire response, per KRGV. Praying it won’t spread 🙏🏼 Posted by Alvaro Costilla on Saturday, May 16, 2020The building was deemed a total loss with damages estimating around $7 million and no injuries were reported, according to KRGV. SAFD: Family of four loses home in massive fire on West Side

KSAT is traveling 1,700 miles along the U.S., Mexican border from Brownsville to San Diego to tell the stories about the people who live there and what the recent political climate has done to their day-to-day lives. Our team is also interviewing law enforcement officials, nonprofits and migrants who have crossed the border. Want to know more? Follow along each day as we update these stories:DAY 1See where Tiffany Huertas and Adrian Garcia are headed on the mapImmigrant surrenders to Border Patrol on camera; officials commend ‘zero tolerance policy’READ: Migrant father pens heartfelt letter after separated from daughterAdDAY 2Rio Grande Valley landowners living along the border share experiences with immigrantsDAY 3Undocumented mothers say they left violence; now fearing deportationFear of violence, deportation back in hometown haunts undocumented immigrantsDAY 4Deadline nears for migrant children to be reunited with parentsAdBillboards pushing for migrant family reunifications as deadline nearsDAY 5Deadline arrives for US to reunite migrant families following ‘zero-tolerance' policyEl Paso shelter offers hospitality to reunited migrant familiesCatholic Charities CEO: Reunification of separated families has been learning experienceAdDAY 6How Border Patrol is combating drug cartels, illegal activity from Ciudad JuarézHow officials identify deceased immigrants found along US-Mexico borderPICS: Arizona Sheriff shares images of drug cartel tunnels found in border townDAY 7Nonprofit organization receiving teddy bears for migrant children separated from familiesAdVolunteers hike deadly desert mountains to place water for migrantsFamilies separated at border reunite briefly in San Diego park​

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The stories of two undocumented mothers from separate countries may be different, but the constant emotion of living in fear is the same. She said the violence in her hometown has continued with her niece and cousin recently being kidnapped. “Me procupa que me separen de mis hijas (I'm worried about being separated from my daughters),” Heidi said. Heidi said she left her country to not only escape the violence but also poverty. “Que dios no los abandone (May God not abandon them).”AdAccording to the Center for Immigration Studies, the undocumented population was 10.8 million in 2016.

Eileen Blessinger said she has collected more than 30 letters written by parents being kept in the Port Isabel Detention Center. Blessinger shared one of the letters from a father who told his daughter that he loved her and not to lose faith. AdBlessinger said she and her five colleagues have been meeting with over 200 men and women who have been separated from their children. “The emotional toll that is taking on everyone is really extreme; not just the parents but the children as well,” Blessinger said. U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw imposed a series of deadlines for the administration to reunite hundreds of children.