KRGV Top Stories

Valley Soldiers Return After A Year In Iraq

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:34:24 GMT

MCALLEN - Fourteen Valley soldiers attached to the 961st Quarter Master Company are back home after a year in Iraq.

They were greeted by a song from Edinburg's Avila Elementary School Choir, and all their family.

"It's great, it was a long year but y'know we're finally we all made it back in one piece." says Jesus Pena

All 14 soldiers say they plan to spend time with their families, then go back to their regular lives.

5 On Your Side: Neighbors Want Help Fixing Bad Road

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:30:19 GMT

NORTH OF MERCEDES - If you drive a few feet down Diaz Street, you'll see why neighbors want help.

Neighbors there have invested their own money into caliche to help fix the road in the area.

Emilio Rincon called 5 On Your Side. He's lived on Diaz Street, north of Mercedes, all of his life.

"I'm 42 years old, so it's been like this all this time. It's gotten worse here in the past few years," Rincon said.

Rincon says the road has gotten so bad that school buses rarely come onto the street.

Rincon says he talked to a bus driver today, and the driver said he doesn't like driving down the road because it's so bumpy that kids bump their heads in the school bus.

Rincon also says the road damages his car.

He's called the county, but has had little success. The county says it's a private road. Rincon says he doesn't understand, since they pay county taxes.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS checked and Diaz Street is indeed a private road. The county can't do a thing until every neighbor signs a petition and agrees to give up the rights to the road.

The neighbors need to work with the Hidalgo County "Right of Way" Director to start the process.

For now, Rincon and his neighbors will have to continue repairing the road themselves.

Neighbors Want Help Fixing Bad Road

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:25:00 GMT

Woman Gets Caught Driving Without Insurance

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:35:35 GMT

LA FERIA - Theresa Ramirez took a stretch of Business 83 a little too fast. A state trooper caught her for speeding. He also gave her a ticket for not having insurance.

Ramirez says it slipped her mind to get her insurance renewed. She got cited for speeding, one for no insurance and another for failing to appear in court. The fines totaled closed to $1,000. She thought she was finished paying, but she later got a letter telling her that starting at the beginning of last week, that if she does not pay $260 for the next three years, her drivers license would be suspended.

She has five days to pay. Ramirez wants to fight, but isn't sure it's worth it. Ramirez says she called the drivers license department and asked why she wasn't told about this when she first got the ticket, but they couldn't tell her anything. CHANNEL 5 NEWS called DPS in Austin.

They're a contract, the vendor that works for the DPS to collect funds under the driver responsibility program, which has been in place since 2003.

DPS spokesperson Tela Mange says the surcharge is real.

Ramirez is left with little choice, but to pay it.

It was a costly lesson, one that Ramirez says she'll never forget.

Police Investigating After Fight Sends Girl To The Hospital

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:17:02 GMT

ELSA - Authorities are investigating another fight at Edcouch-Elsa High School. One of the girls involved ended up in the hospital.

A student afraid for her safety called CHANNEL 5 NEWS to report the fight.

Interim Superintendent Frances Rocha says she isn't sure what led to it. She tells us it happened during lunch yesterday.

Both girls involved are described as good students. We're told teachers and security guards found out about the fight. Both of the girls ended up in the nurse's office.

Neither allegedly had serious injuries.

District officials didn't know one of the girls went to the hospital until we told them.

The fight comes just a week after a brawl between students. Amateur video caught some of the struggle.

One student went to the hospital. Two were detained and are facing charges. Several other students got tickets.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS wanted to know what the district is doing to get the security situation under control.

We reviewed their security measures today. The superintendent tells us seven district security guards are stationed at the high school during the school day.

The district also has a contract with an Elsa police officer to be stationed at the school every day. Another guard works overnight to try to keep vandals away.

The superintendent says she's constantly re-evaluating security and will do whatever it takes to make sure students and staff are safe.

Autopsy Ordered for Body Found Partially Burned

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11:08 GMT

SAN JUAN - Authorities are waiting for autopsy results to determine if a woman’s death was foul play.

A neighbor says the property manager at Palm City Mobile Home Park found the 58-year-old woman dead in an efficiency apartment.

The mobile home park is near I Road and Business 83.

We’re told the woman’s body was burned below the waist.

Police are treating this as homicide at this time.

Suspect in $30 Holdup Charged

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:08:54 GMT

SAN BENITO - San Benito police arrested a suspect for the $30 stolen in a convenience store holdup.

Paul Burnett was charged in the case. He's now being held on a $30,000 bond. Authorities say the 17-year-old used a shotgun to hold up a Stripes store.

A tip from a CHANNEL 5 NEWS viewer led police to the Los Fresnos teen.

He's now being transferred to the Cameron County jail.