NEWS Staff Report Upcoming commencement ceremonies for the San Benito, Los Fresnos, and Rio Hondo High School classes of 2026 are scheduled for the coming days. San Benito High School is hosting its ceremony this evening, Friday, May 22, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with an inclement-weather make-up date scheduled for Saturday, May 23, at 7:30 …

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By RAY QUIROGApublisher@sbnewspaper.com The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum (TCMHFM), located at 402 West Robertson Street in San Benito, is accustomed to welcoming international artists and guests due to its proximity to the US-Mexico border. In fact, museum staff have welcomed European guests in the past. But last Thursday’s guest was special …

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By JACQI LEYVA-HILLSpecial to the NEWS Velma De Los Santos has been named the 2026 San Benito News Citizen of the Year for decades of volunteerism, civic leadership, and community service across San Benito and the Rio Grande Valley. A lifelong San Benito resident, De Los Santos graduated from San Benito High School in 1981, …

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Joe Rodriguez is a San Benito resident, a local citizen watchdog, and a former candidate for the San Benito City Commission. In December 2022, the House Ways and Means Committee released six years of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns, which showed he paid relatively little in federal taxes during and before his first term …

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Abel P. Fonseca is a San Benito native, boxer, boxing coach, and a longtime Site Coordinator for the San Benito CISD ACE Program at Miller Jordan Middle School and Collegiate Academy. He can be reached at afonseca@sbcisd.net. Growing up in San Benito in the 1980s and early 1990s, we didn’t need cell phones, social media, …

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By FEDERICO FONTANELLATrace One The following is based on research conducted by Trace One, a global leader with over 30 years of experience in regulatory compliance and PLM solutions for the food and beverage industry. Its work has been featured in Newsweek, MSN, USA Today, ABC, and more. A new study on behalf of Trace …

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Special to the NEWS Until the development of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, the United States was dotted with small towns along state highways, each with its own personality. Now, as people hurry down the interstate, they pass dozens, or even hundreds, of these towns, bypassing the people and stories that make each …

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Special to the NEWS HARLINGEN, TX—The Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDoT) is investigating a two-vehicle crash that killed a 22-year-old motorcyclist from San Benito last week. According to TXDoT, the accident occurred at approximately 6:20 p.m. on Friday, May 15, at the intersection of San Jose Ranch Road and FM 509, just outside Harlingen’s …

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By RAY QUIROGApublisher@sbewspaper.com Voters are heading back to the polls on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, to decide the winners of joint primary runoff elections stemming from the March Primaries. Runoff voters must remain with the same party they voted for in March; however, those who did not vote in the March primaries may vote in …

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By ALBERT VILLEGASSpecial to the NEWS Substantial changes occurred within the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District’s Board of Trustees following recent elections. During the board’s most recent meeting, two newly elected trustees and as many incumbents expressed how highly they regard SBCISD students, staff, and administrators, and the awesome responsibility of continuing to act …

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