On the lower Rio Grande, a glimpse at the border Trump wants

In this Aug. 12, 2017, file photo, hundreds of people march along a levee toward the Rio Grande to oppose the wall the U.S. government wants to build on the river separating Texas and Mexico, in Mission, Texas. As hundreds of National Guard troops deploy to the U.S-Mexico border, residents of Texas' southernmost border region are fearful of the impact President Donald Trump's border wall will have.

Texas Democrat risks rising-star status in long-shot race

He's running for U.S. Senate but as the Sunday morning sun rose over a park near the Texas-Mexico border, Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke had another run in mind. Wearing well-worn shorts and sneakers, the onetime punk rock guitarist was leading a group of supporters on a jog around a duck-dotted pond.

Mission mayor supports modified anti-border wall resolution

As President Donald Trump threatens to shut down the U.S. government if congress doesn't include funding to construct additional walls between the U.S. and Mexico - including 11 miles in Mission - Mission Mayor Norberto "Beto" Salinas said he plans to support a resolution against building new fencing along the Rio Grande River but not the resolution a citizen's activist group has submitted. During the council's Aug. 14 meeting a group of five area residents submitted a draft resolution titled, "Denouncing the Border Wall," and asked the mayor and city council to put its adoption on their Aug. 28 council meeting agenda for approval.

Alabama’s 9 most challenging high schools and how they rank nationally

Nine Alabama schools landed on the Washington Post's list of the most challenging high schools in America, with one making an appearance in the top 20. The list ranks schools based on the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given, divided by the number of seniors who graduated that year. At the top of the list is BASIS Phoenix followed Mickey Leland College Prep in Houston, IDEA Frontier College Prep in Brownsville, Texas, IDEA Mission College Prep in Mission, Texas and IDEA San Juan College Prep in San Juan Texas.

Officials question if flurry of political visits really matter

U. S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, talks with the media, along with, left to right, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, U.S. Representative John Carter, R-TX, U.S. Representative Mike Conaway, R-TX, and U.S Representative David Rouzer, R-NC, before touring the Rio Grande at Anzalduas Park on Feb. 20, 2017 in Mission. photo by Joel Martinez/jmartinez@monitor.com U. S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, talks with the media, along with, left to right, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, U.S. Representative John Carter, R-TX, U.S. Representative Mike Conaway, R-TX, and U.S Representative David Rouzer, R-NC, before touring the Rio Grande at Anzalduas Park on Feb. 20, 2017 in Mission.