Erin Sheridan
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Past articles by Erin:
Schwarzenegger gives county $250K grant for more polling places
Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance at the Cameron County Commissioner’s Court meeting on Tuesday morning. Schwarzenegger logged on to the virtual meeting to announce a $250,973.66 grant from the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for more polling places. The money will fund two voting super centers where 20,000 to 24,000 county residents will be … → Read More
TEA says Santa Rosa ISD accreditation be lowered
A preliminary report detailing an investigation into the Santa Rosa Independent School District by the Texas Education Agency found that the SRISD Board of Trustees failed to report allegations of child abuse, failed to fingerprint all employees, and recommends that the district’s accreditation be lowered. TEA’s Special Investigations Unit initiated its on-site investigation into the … → Read More
Migrants continue to wait for asylum
A camp of asylum seekers along the Rio Grande in Matamoros has seen a significant reduction in population over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with aid workers and camp residents counting just over 650 residents in the last census. This is in comparison to an estimated population of 2,500 asylum seekers formerly living along … → Read More
Appeal denied in intoxication manslaughter case
BROWNSVILLE — An appeals court on Tuesday denied a petition seeking the release of Jorge Ivan Arellano, 41, convicted of intoxication manslaughter and assault in the deaths of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, her husband, and a Border Patrol agent in a drunken driving accident in 2006. In May 2007, District Judge Leonel … → Read More
Former assistant district attorney expected to take plea in bribery case
BROWNSVILLE — A former Hidalgo County assistant district attorney charged with making a false statement to authorities in a bribery investigation over immigration detainee rosters is expected to take a plea agreement in the next 45 days. Cynthia Alanis, 27, of McAllen, faces one federal count stemming from a bribery investigation in which her brother … → Read More
Getting flu shot this year more important than ever
Health experts are warning against the possibility of a “twindemic” come flu season this fall. Influenza is a dangerous but preventable virus, and the symptoms it shares with COVID-19 mean that getting the flu vaccine this year is going to be more important than ever — both for individuals and to protect the public. The … → Read More
Case against former Santa Rosa coaches ongoing
BROWNSVILLE — Attorneys representing a former Santa Rosa High School student in a civil lawsuit filed against the Santa Rosa Independent School District, current and former officials, and two former teachers accused of engaging in sexual relationships with the student and her friend appeared in federal court in Brownsville on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Fernando … → Read More
Bodies recovered from Rio Grande
BROWNSVILLE — A body was found in the Rio Grande on Wednesday afternoon, according to reports from local media, humanitarian aid workers, and asylum seekers who discovered the body. A video shared by residents of a camp of asylum seekers in Matamoros past the Gateway International Bridge showed Mexican authorities recovering the body by towing … → Read More
Zoo continues on despite COVID-19
BROWNSVILLE — The Valley’s beloved Gladys Porter Zoo has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic with minimal staff and far less funding than would be normally available to provide for its collection of animals. Gladys Porter Zoo has been around for nearly 50 years. Construction began in 1968 and was completed on Sept. 3, 1971. Its concept … → Read More
Reports: Migrant drowned trying to rescue pregnant woman
New information on the body of a young man from Guatemala found in the Rio Grande on Tuesday suggests that he may have drowned attempting to rescue a pregnant woman who tried to cross the river. Matamoros-based outlet Noticias Fronteradice reported on social media that the man was identified as Edwin Rodrigo Castro de la Parra, 20, … → Read More
Sheriff Lucio endorses Republican Chambers over rival Garza
After losing to Democratic challenger Eric Garza in a primary runoff, Cameron County’s incumbent Sheriff Omar Lucio has endorsed the Republican candidate. Lucio is throwing his support behind former Chief of the Indian Lake Police Department John Chambers, who is running on the Republican ticket against former Cameron County district clerk Garza, who defeated Lucio … → Read More
Storms, dramatic skies inspire local photographer
Los Fresnos-based photographer Daniel Sanchez’s photos are striking. The colors, textures, and beauty he finds in the deep South Texas landscape are a source of relaxation for the longtime artist, and the fleeting moments captured through his lens can at times appear almost surreal. Sanchez is always on the lookout for inclement weather, monitoring various … → Read More
Petition to remove Atkinson from BISD school board ongoing
Attorneys representing Sylvia Atkinson in the case to remove the trustee from her position as vice president of the BISD Board of Trustees appeared in court on Friday to discuss the status of the removal petition. Atkinson faces eight federal counts including conspiracy, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and violation of the Travel Act-State … → Read More
Center ready to serve area patients
HARLINGEN — A COVID-19 recovery center here opened Thursday, with county officials working with local hospitals to begin the transfer of patients to the new facility. The center’s opening paves the way to begin treating non-critical patients, freeing up beds at Cameron County’s four major hospitals. Delays in signing a contract with involved parties was … → Read More
Appeals court denies pretrial order in murder mistrial case
BROWNSVILLE — A state appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling denying a pretrial writ of habeas corpus in the case of Paola Michael Martinez, 20, whose murder trial ended suddenly in mistrial last April when two different versions of a police report and evidence supporting her plea of not guilty by insanity surfaced during … → Read More
Remote training overcomes virus challenges
BROWNSVILLE — As COVID-19 swept into the Rio Grande Valley this spring, UTRGV’s graduate class of social work students faced a unique dilemma: how do social workers engage with struggling communities to empower residents and facilitate social change when in-person meetings are off-limits? The university’s cancellation of in-person classes, on top of local and statewide … → Read More
Plasma still in high demand for Valley coronavirus patients
Plasma collected from recovered COVID-19 patients is in great need in the Rio Grande Valley, where cases continue to rise. The treatment, using the liquid part of the blood containing antibodies against the novel coronavirus, is part of an FDA-backed clinical study investigating convalescent plasma’s potential as a life-saving treatment in critically ill patients. Shortages … → Read More
Prayer vigil held for hospital patients, front line workers
BROWNSVILLE — Medical staff at Valley Regional Medical Center gathered outside the hospital’s entrances on a recent evening for a mobile church service and prayer vigil organized in support of both patients and front line workers who are witnessing the toll of COVID-19 every day inside local emergency rooms. Those fighting to save lives also … → Read More
Study indicates local beaches least polluted
Cameron County beaches are some of the least polluted in Texas, according to a new report released by the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center. Researchers who worked on the study’s 2020 edition analyzed fecal indicator bacteria, sampling data from beaches in 29 coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico. They found that 386 … → Read More
Virus forces county jails on lockdown until end of July
Officials with the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department have responded to the nearly 400 positive COVID-19 cases among inmates inside the county jails by instituting mass testing for both inmates and employees. All of the facilities have been placed on lockdown until the end of July in an effort to prevent further spread of the virus. Captain of Operations Javier Reyna said on Friday that medical… → Read More