Week in Review

HARLINGEN — Sales tax receipts for December were $188,000 higher than the year before, which officials largely attribute to the newly opened Bass Pro Shops.The increase, more than 8 percent, is higher than other Rio Grande Valley cities saw,...... Full story

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The University of North Dakota will resume using its contentious Fighting Sioux nickname despite threats from the NCAA, the school's president said Wednesday, marking the latest twist in a protracted fight about a name...... Full story

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner accused the Obama administration Wednesday of an "unambiguous attack on religious freedom," promising that Congress will reverse a new policy requiring religious schools and hospitals to provide...... Full story

The Valley Sportsmen Club will be holding its 63rd Annual meeting 1t 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Rialto Reception Hall, 103 W. Jackson, Harlingen. There will be barbecue dinner with refreshments, short business meeting, bucket raffle, door...... Full story

BROWNSVILLE — Attorneys will be back in state District Judge Janet Leal’s courtroom Feb. 15 to consider an amended lawsuit filed by opponents to the city of Harlingen’s reannexation of areas west of the city. Annexation opponents...... Full story

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Federal authorities say young housewives who bought assault rifles from Texas gun dealers are among nearly two dozen charged in an alleged plot to smuggle firearms into Mexico. The Department of Justice said Wednesday...... Full story

AUSTIN (AP) — Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says state sales tax revenue for January was up almost 10 percent over last year. Combs reports 22 consecutive months of increased revenue. Wednesday's sales tax report showed revenue for January...... Full story

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (AP) — A tip from an 8-year-old boy has helped deputies recover a plane reported stolen from an East Texas airport. The Cessna 182 turned up missing Jan. 28 from a hangar at Athens Municipal Airport. Nacogdoches County...... Full story

Formerly a fugitive on Texas' top ten most wanted list, Dennis Wayne Capps, 58, has entered a guilty plea in the murder of a man whose body was found on South Padre Island in 2006. Capps, who faced a capital murder charge, agreed to a 20-year...... Full story

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a 43-year-old man has died after being wounded by officers during a gunfight at an upstate New York courthouse. A court officer was wounded. Middletown police say the gunman went to the vestibule at...... Full story

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Officials at an elementary school rocked by teacher sex abuse claims are investigating yet another allegation of misconduct, this one involving a 50-year-old teacher's aide accused of sending love letters to an 11-year-old...... Full story

SEATTLE (AP) — A social worker pleaded with a 911 dispatcher throughout a nearly seven-minute call to quickly get police to Josh Powell's house after he locked himself inside with his two sons. It took almost two minutes from the start of...... Full story

HARLINGEN — Carolyn Harvey was looking forward to learning how she can do an even better job revitalizing her downtown area.“They’ll give us different approaches we haven’t tried before,” said Harvey, executive director...... Full story

* Winter Texans wanted for beach clean up.The Texas General Land Office will hold a beach clean up Feb. 10 at Edwin Atwood Park, Beach Access 5 on South Padre Island.Registration: 8:30-9 a.m. Clean up: 9-11:30 a.m. “What did you...... Full story

SAN BENITO — City commissioners Tuesday said they will request that the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office investigate criminal allegations in an ethics complaint filed last month against Mayor Joe Hernandez.In a meeting,...... Full story

 Valley Morning Star SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — The Cameron County Parks and Recreation System will hold another “Cash for Trash” program at beach access points No. 5 and 6, officials said.The program will begin March 1 and...... Full story

It’s a long way from Connecticut to San Benito, but since Marianna Nelson and her husband first began spending the winters here, the Rio Grande Valley has grown on them.“We just love it there,” said Nelson, 77, who spent her first...... Full story

HARLINGEN — Economic Development Corporation CEO Bill Martin announced Tuesday that he is resigning and taking a job for the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce in Iowa and Illinois.Martin will be president of Quad Cities First, the economic...... Full story

EDINBURG — An Edinburg North High School junior found dead at the foot of an external staircase at the University of Texas-Pan American committed suicide, a pathologist ruled Tuesday.University officials announced the manner of death of Brenda...... Full story

SAN BENITO — The San Benito school district’s students and staff Monday were mourning the death of a 14-year-old Miller Jordan Middle School student killed in a car crash that occurred Saturday.Pedro Pugo was killed in the accident that...... Full story