Star Special Reports

SOLAR-POWERED

TSTC goes GREEN with new energy panels

By DAISY MARTINEZ/Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — A flip of the switch and Texas State Technical College made history Friday with its first solar energy panels.The solar panels were activated after a ceremony attended by state representatives and city leaders who commended TSTC... Full story

WHEN EVERY MINUTE COUNTS

Help was on the way, but things started to go wrong

By COREY RYAN and FERNANDO DEL VALLE/Valley Morning Star

Angela Montiel had just finished lunch at El Gallito Mexican Restaurant when she found a man lying on the ground near her car.She thought he was checking under the car, until she noticed his broken glasses.Certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation,... Full story

DRUGS IN MEXICO

Officials say RGV likely unaffected by new law

By ANA LEY/The Monitor

REYNOSA — Officials here don’t expect this impoverished border city to become a tie-dyed, Amsterdam-like haven for throngs of stoned American tourists.In fact, officials on both sides of the Rio Grande agree the region will likely remain... Full story

Turning to Islam

Four mosques in Valley target Muslim community

By SPENCE KIMBALL/The Monitor

McALLEN — Islam came to Dante Peña late in life.Peña grew up in a Catholic home under the influence of his deeply religious mother. His Catholic faith played such a central role in his life that he decided to become a priest.But... Full story

Wind energy goes mainstream

Company, homeowners lean to wind

By COREY RYAN/Valley Morning Star

LOS FRESNOS — Three shimmering, bold fiberglass blades hum along side Charles Schmidt’s mobile home at 680 Ocean Blvd.Travelers to South Padre Island on State Highway 100 pass his home on their right side. His wind turbine stands 33 feet... Full story

As the drought continues, Valley wildlife fight for SURVIVAL

By STEVE SINCLAIR/Valley Morning Star

Even though the Rio Grande Valley’s severe drought is taking a toll on area wildlife refuges, it could be worse.At Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Resaca de la Palma State Park and Estero Llano Grande State Park, making certain there... Full story

INSPIRATION

Players honor former coach

By ED ASHER

HARLINGEN — Five men from across the country converged on Harlingen Sunday to pay tribute to the coach who inspired them when they were just boys growing up in a small Illinois town.Gordon McKenzie, 89, retired as head football coach at... Full story

DOLLY one year later

Harlingen preparing for worst-case scenario

By ALLEN ESSEX and DAISY MARTINEZ/Valley Morning Star

As peak hurricane season is bearing down on the Rio Grande Valley, Harlingen is gearing up for the worst-case scenario, Fire Chief Mike Rinaldi said.Rinaldi, who is also emergency management coordinator for the city, is going through checklists with... Full story

HOGS GONE WILD: They’re mean, they’re ugly, they’re everywhere

Feral hogs a challenge to hunters, menace to ranchers

By STEVE SINCLAIR/Valley Morning Star

Rancher Epimeno Atkinson knows the frustration of trying to control the feral hog problem on the 1,500 acres where he raises cattle east of Rio Hondo."You can catch a lot of them in traps, but you can't get rid of them," he said. "If you use poison,... Full story

At long last, PEACE

Victory brings end to Valley’s years of sacrifice

By ED ASHER/Valley Morning Star

EDITOR'S NOTE: More than six decades have passed since World War II, but memories of the upheaval and transformation it brought home to the Valley are still strong in the people here who lived it. In a five-part series that began May 17, resumed May... Full story

SOLAR-POWERED

TSTC goes GREEN with new energy panels

By DAISY MARTINEZ/Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — A flip of the switch and Texas State Technical College made history Friday with its first solar energy panels.The solar panels were activated after a ceremony attended by state representatives and city leaders who commended TSTC... Full story

'Star Special Reports' Archives