Alerts VMS

AUSTIN — House Speaker Dade Phelan created a special committee Monday to examine President Joe Biden’s executive order pausing new permits for facilities that export liquified natural gas, a move that has drawn backlash from the oil industry, Republicans and some Democrats.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will join the Southland Conference as a full-time member beginning in July 2024, the UTRGV athletics department announced Monday.

HARLINGEN — Mirna Agado expertly curled the hair of fellow student Desiray Flores.

McALLEN — Medium range weather models from the National Weather Service in Brownsville indicate that the Rio Grande Valley will again experience a hot and dry spring this year, further exacerbating historic low water levels at the two international reservoirs that supply the region.

Doors just keep opening for W.F. Strong, Brownsville resident, Falfurrias native, author and gravelly voiced narrator of the National Public Radio program "Stories From Texas."

Robert and Janet Vackar have long made a name for themselves in running and expanding the Bert Ogden Auto Group across the Rio Grande Valley; it's named after Janet Vackar's father, who founded the business decades ago. The Vackars' name also will live on as a result of their continued generosity to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

HARLINGEN — Some low-income residents might be getting $25 discounts on their water bills as officials propose boosting rates about 50% to help fund a $130 million sewer system overhaul.

Texas' SB 4 sent the state swirling into confusion this week as the Supreme Court briefly allowed the immigration law to go into effect for several hours before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals placed the legislation's implementation on hold.

EDINBURG — The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Thursday announced it is renaming UTRGV Stadium, formerly H-E-B Park, to the Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium.

HARLINGEN — While the city’s car washes are free to keep booming, city commissioners are mulling their water conservation, parking areas and surrounding traffic flows.