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Editorial: Mexico isn’t only culprit for lack of sufficient water, damage to Valley economy

After more than a half century as one of the Rio Grande Valley’s biggest cash crops, injecting up to $100 million into the region’s economy every year, the South Texas sugar industry has come to a bitter end — unless creative growers opt for alternative sweetening sources such as sugar beets or even stevia.

Editorial: Cornyn could bring reasonable thinking back to border issues among US Senate Republicans

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has announced his desire to replace the retiring Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader. We hope his efforts — and tenure as the Senate’s top Republican member — are successful.

Editorial: Schools increasingly finding they are having to address smaller enrollment, budgets

Public school districts across the country are dealing with revenue shortfalls, and the Rio Grande Valley is no different. McAllen is looking to end cooperative agreements with the city of McAllen and other entities, and cancel planned construction of theaters at McAllen, Memorial and Rowe high schools.

Commentary: Working to secure Mexico’s compliance with 1944 water treaty

As your representative in Washington, I am acutely aware of the challenges our farmers and ranchers face in the Lower Rio Grande Valley due to water shortages. A recent report from Texas A&M’s Center for North American Studies highlights the potential for over $993.2 million in lost economic output for 2024, attributed largely to Mexico’s failure to comply with the 1944 water treaty. This issue is not isolated to our agricultural sector; it is a crisis that threatens our community’s livelihood, our economy, and our way of life.

Commentary: Who gets patent for AI?

The ability of artificial intelligence models to generate text and images that look like the work of human beings has captured public attention as the latest and possibly greatest revolution in technology — in areas ranging from medical diagnosis to clean energy.

Commentary: Paxton’s attack on migrant shelter is an attack on religious freedom

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent legal assault on El Paso’s Annunciation House should set off alarm bells across Texas’ religious community. He claims, absurdly, without proof that the Catholic non-profit organization is illegally “smuggling” undocumented immigrants. This is because Annunciation House provides immigrants with food, shelter and advice on how to legally apply for asylum to immigrants regardless of their legal status.

Letters to the Editor | Week of March 4-9, 2024

Contributions this week included comments on children and schools’ difficulties facing budget shortfalls, in addition to the continued debate on political parties and political positions. Common topics among them addressed immigration and the fate of those who come to our border.

Editorial: McAllen ISD could lose more than mere opportunity by leaving city projects

When you’re in trouble it’s best to ask for help. McAllen public school board members should do just that, and not be so hasty to bail out of promising cooperative agreements with the city of McAllen and other entities.

Commentary: Texas remembers: Reflecting on COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day

On March 4, Texas will celebrate the inaugural COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day to remind us of our state’s strength, sacrifice and unwavering spirit during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As the author and sponsor of Texas House Bill 2166, which established the COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day during the 88th Legislative session, we are honored to reflect on the profound significance of this historic event.

Editorial: Recent phone system outage shows reliance, vulnerability of communications systems

It was a bit unnerving that last week’s phone system outage occurred just days after we learned that Russia plans to deploy armed missiles — some perhaps with nuclear warheads — into space, and as well as a weapon system that could send out energy waves that could take out other satellites.