Editorials

The McAllen Planning and Zoning Committee on Wednesday is expected to consider a request to change a southside property from agricultural to light industrial use. The zoning change would enable the city to offer the 90 acres of city-owned land for possible sale and development.

We come to the Fourth of July amid times that arguably are the most unstable since the 1960s.

We wish all fathers a happy day. It’s a day worth celebrating — even more now, as positive trends are being reported regarding fatherhood.

Weather is a big part of life in the Rio Grande Valley. The fate of local farmers — and the local economy they help support — depends largely on the amount of sunshine and rainfall that descends upon the area. Too much rainfall, however, hurts tourism-related businesses on South Padre Island, local ecological museums and other venues.

Graduation season is upon us. It’s one of the first major rites of passage in the lives of most people, a time to celebrate the achievement of finally completing the dozen years of formal education; for most students these days the time has been even longer when we factor in kindergarten, preschool and Head Start programs.

The political tumult within the La Joya school board, sadly, is not unusual in the Rio Grande Valley. As board members spend their time grandstanding and bickering with each other, they seem to ignore the very reason they were elected in the first place — the educational welfare of the districts’ students.

Rio Grande Valley residents have a special regard for those who have passed on; that is evident in the level of activity seen on and around the Día de los Muertos and the popularity of votive candles that are frequently bought to commemorate birth and death anniversaries of deceased loved ones.

The airport in Harlingen is a true international facility, with airlines that serve destinations outside the continental United States, including Mexico and other counties farther away. It’s even in the name — ValleyInternationalAirport.

This is a farm bill year — get ready to lose money.

Texas’ annual energy warning — that high demand during the hot summer months could cause blackouts — came with a bit of a twist this year. It also includes information that could offer interesting insight into the thinking that contributes to some of the problems that hinder the nation’s most energy-productive state.