Opinion

As a veteran civil rights attorney, I have often been struck about how quickly a leader’s legacy disappears from one generation to the next. Perhaps this is because, as a society, we do not do a good job of creating a narrative about important leaders to pass on to our children and those who come after them. All that remains, at best, is their name — not the history of their struggle or the depth of their impact on society.

Since the beginning of this year, measles cases have been reported in 11 states spanning both coasts and heartland. The situation warrants enough concern that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning to doctors about renewed measles risk.

On Sunday Christians everywhere will celebrate the event that legitimizes their faith: Jesus' resurrection.

Even with recent developments in retail, finance and aerospace, agriculture remains the biggest part of the Rio Grande Valley’s economy, and three crops have dominated our agriculture market: citrus, cotton and sugar cane.

Last month, the Biden administration announced a pause on new liquefied natural gas export approvals while it reconsiders the impacts these projects have on the public’s health and safety, the climate, the economy and national security. This “pause” is a baby step in the right direction.

New York City’s mayor Eric Adams canceled a trip to the Rio Grande Valley this past weekend over concerns of cartel-related violence here. Guess he hasn’t read FBI reports that consistently show this is one of the safest regions in the United States.

Texas’ economic partnership with Mexico is an integral component of our state’s long-term economic prosperity, and it’s imperative that we continue to foster cross-border collaboration. For border cities like McAllen, strengthening this bilateral relationship is a major determining factor in reaching our region’s full economic potential.

As the four Texas state senators who live along the Texas-Mexico border, we understand that border security is essential not only for the safety and welfare of everyone who lives in or visits the border region, but also for the efficacy of state services and the strength of our national security.

Letter writers this week addressed politics and politicians and water scarcity — and safety, among other topics.

A major element of the Rio Grande Valley’s economy is used car sales. Some local streets might have a dozen or more lots selling pre-owned vehicles. The used-car market is big everywhere — they outnumber new car sales nearly 4-to-1 nationwide — but it seems to be even more pronounced in low-income areas such as ours. It’s no surprise: A lot of people just can’t afford a new car.