𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗣𝗣 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝟳𝟱 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝟴𝗧𝗛, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬'𝗦 𝟳𝟱𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬

by Jim Barton    Source: Valley Central

Whataburger is celebrating its 75th anniversary in a big way this Friday, August 8, with a special throwback deal for fans. For one day only, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., customers who are members of the Whataburger Rewards program can get a classic #1 Whataburger for just 75 cents. The offer is available only through the Whataburger app and is limited to one per person. Customizations and extras will cost a little more, but it’s a rare chance to enjoy a beloved burger at a 1950s price.

The deal is part of the company’s broader celebration of 75 years since it served its very first burger in Corpus Christi, Texas. Back in 1950, Harmon Dobson had a simple idea: serve a burger so big it took two hands to hold and so tasty that people would exclaim, “What a burger!” That dream turned into a fast-food icon, especially across Texas and the southern U.S.

Whataburger’s President and CEO Debbie Stroud says this milestone is about more than just marking time, it's about honoring the memories and traditions that have made Whataburger a favorite for generations. “This anniversary is our way of saying thank you,” she said in a statement. “Thank you for your trust, your loyalty, and for letting us be part of your table.”

For me, Whataburger brings back some personal memories too. Back in the late ’60s, my friend Alex, who managed the Whataburger on Palm Blvd. where it butts into Boca Chica, used to hand me a couple of “free Whataburger” tokens whenever he came into Glen's Supermarket where I worked.That was back when a Whataburger cost a dollar and McDonald's regular burger sold for 25 cents. I still remember the unique smell of a fresh Whataburger from those days.

Today, Whataburger continues to pride itself on fresh, made-to-order meals using 100% pure, never-frozen beef and that signature five-inch toasted bun. Whether you want extra bacon, grilled jalapeños, or to skip the tomatoes, they’ll make it just the way you like, 24/7.

Now with over 1,100 locations in 16 states, Whataburger has grown from a single burger stand into a place that millions call a favorite. With its orange-and-white stripes, signature Fancy Ketchup, and friendly service, it’s more than a restaurant — it’s a part of the community.

𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝗜𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢

     by Jim Barton, Source: City of Brownsville website

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The City of Brownsville is poised to undergo a major transportation transformation in 2026 with the launch of a new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), made possible by $27.8 million in funding secured from the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. The investment marks a significant milestone in the city’s efforts to modernize its infrastructure, improve traffic flow, and enhance public safety across its growing urban landscape.

An Intelligent Transportation System is a technology-driven approach to managing and improving transportation networks. By integrating advanced information and communication technologies into roadways, traffic signals, vehicles, and public transportation, ITS optimizes traffic flow, reduces congestion, and improves the overall travel experience for drivers, pedestrians, and public transit users.

The system relies on real-time data from sensors, cameras, and communication devices to monitor traffic conditions, detect incidents, and dynamically adjust traffic signals or reroute vehicles. This allows for quicker response to road conditions and accidents, resulting in safer, more efficient, and more sustainable transportation.

Brownsville’s ITS improvements will include adaptive traffic signals, real-time traffic monitoring, smart surveillance systems, and signal upgrades along key corridors. These initiatives aim to streamline traffic management and reduce delays while also supporting broader goals related to public safety and environmental sustainability.

The following major projects will be funded through the newly secured $27.8 million:

• Citywide ITS Capital Improvement Project – $10.3 million

• International Boulevard Traffic Signal Improvement – $5.4 million

• E. 12th Street Traffic Signal Improvement – $5 million

• Deployment of Traffic Signal System Equipment – $4.5 million

• Traffic Monitoring and Signalized Roads Management – $2.4 million

“This investment marks a pivotal moment for Brownsville,” said Mayor John Cowen, Jr. “We’re taking bold action to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and ensure our growing community can move even more safely and efficiently. I’m proud to have championed this initiative alongside our City Commission, city management, and multimodal transportation teams.”

City Manager Helen Ramirez added that the upgrades would address long-needed improvements across the city’s traffic infrastructure. “This major investment allows us to advance system-wide improvements that will make our roads safer for all motorists. It also underscores our commitment to building a more connected and responsive transportation network that supports regional economic growth.”

The ITS projects align with Brownsville’s broader strategic goals of mobility, public safety, and Smart City integration. In partnership with NTT DATA, the city is also working to deploy a Private 5G network, enabling real-time data analytics and artificial intelligence to further enhance transportation efficiency and urban services.

Construction on the ITS projects is expected to begin in May 2026, setting the stage for a smarter, safer, and more connected future for the residents of Brownsville.

𝗔 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙-𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗘𝗟 𝗝𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗟 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗔 𝗙𝗘𝗪 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗢

     by Jim Barton   

Mike Hernandez III checking out the hotel

Since my arrival in Brownsville in 1966, I've been intrigued by our city's legendary El Jardin Hotel.  

A close friend, Iowa farm boy Martin Jensen, worked at the hotel back then as a bellman and I listened wide-eyed to his many stories.

Like others in Brownsville, I've fallen for the false hopes over the years of would-be saviors, promising to restore the edifice to its former grandeur, only to be brought back to Planet Earth by their failures.

Who can forget Captain McCurry of 2014, who'd scraped up enough nickels to purchase the building, but lacked the money needed for restoration.

The Captain held a "hunger strike," waiting for Brownsvillians to cough up the dough needed for remodeling, but Brownsville was not in a giving mood and Cap decided instead to buy himself a Big Mac and sell the building.

A couple years later, Colleyville, Texas used car dealer Mike Hernandez III flew into Brownsville business class, promising to bring our city "out of poverty by 2033."

Taken on a tour of the city by Carlos Marin, Hernandez noticed a dilapidated, eight story building on Levee Street and reportedly asked the driver of his black Cadillac Escalade to stop.  

Hernandez III got out of the vehicle, found his way inside, taking a pigeon-toed stance for photographers, and declared to any who would listen that he was restoring the building, pending the report of a structural engineer.

That engineering report, like the hunger strike before it, kicked Brownsville's proverbial ass, dashing its hopes, but allowing the ghosts of Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart and Joan Crawford to continue their haunt of the musty, asbestos-contaminated rooms of the 1927 hotel.

Then, in 2019, we heard rumblings that the Brownsville Housing Authority was making goo-goo eyes at the old structure, thinking about usage for low-income housing.

By 2021, apparently federal grants were in the offing, so we messaged then Mayor Trey Mendez for details.  He directed us to  Brownsville Housing Authority CEO  Carla Y. Mancha.

Ms. Mancha's secretary said her boss appreciated our interest in the project and was "excited" to share the new developments.  She said Ms. Mancha would call us the next day at 3:30 PM.  We gave her our phone number and email for a call or message that never came.

A self-guided tour seemed our only option.

Once inside, the devastation was obvious.  Criminals had ripped out the copper piping and porcelain lavatories, leaving gaping holes in the concrete.

Taggers had spray painted obscenities on the walls.  

Worn-out, upholstered furniture was left behind.

The painted words on one door window promised "air-conditioning," once inside the restaurant.

The concrete steps were reliable, but each of the eight stories offered a quick trip to the ground floor with one dangerous slip through the large holes created by toilet and sink thieves.

The views of our town and Matamoros across the river were stunning.

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗙𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗬𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗫𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗥

        by Jim Barton 

Ernesto Vasquez Reyna, his firebombed vehicle, the Tamaulipas Attorney General's office in Reynosa

Mexican authorities have dismantled a massive fuel theft operation in the border city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, just days before the city's top federal prosecutor was brutally murdered in what many are calling a chilling escalation in cartel violence.

As reported by the Brownsville Observer, which has covered the rising problem of oil theft in Mexico extensively, including the case of the Utah-based Jensen family tied to Arroyo Terminals in Rio Hondo, the recent bust marks one of the largest seizures of stolen crude oil in the country’s recent history. The operation, conducted between July 25 and 27 under "Operation Northern Border," resulted in the seizure of nearly 1.9 million liters of hydrocarbons and the arrest of multiple individuals linked to organized crime.

Mexican federal authorities released images showing dozens of tankers, mobile storage containers, and other industrial equipment confiscated during a coordinated raid in Reynosa’s La Escondida neighborhood. In total, nine tractor-trailers, 39 tank trucks, and a significant amount of fuel-handling equipment were taken into custody, along with the property where the operation was based.

This enforcement action follows growing concern from U.S. authorities, including the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations, about cartel-controlled fuel theft on both sides of the border. According to the U.S. Treasury’s FinCEN, crude oil theft, known locally as huachicoleo, has become the second-largest source of cartel income, just behind drug trafficking. Criminal networks have been exploiting corrupt brokers and small U.S.-based firms to move and launder stolen petroleum, costing both countries millions in revenue.

The Reynosa raid was part of a broader crackdown across northern Mexico, involving agencies such as Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense, National Guard, Pemex, and the Criminal Investigation Agency. Additional seizures occurred in Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Sinaloa, where cartels were also stockpiling drugs, weapons, and armored vehicles. In total, the operations delivered what U.S. and Mexican authorities described as a significant financial blow to transnational criminal organizations.

But the momentum from the bust was violently overshadowed just days later by the murder of Ernesto Cuitláhuac Vázquez Reyna, the Tamaulipas state delegate for Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR), who had played a key role in prosecuting organized crime, including fuel theft.

Vázquez Reyna was attacked Monday evening while driving alone through Reynosa’s Miguel Hidalgo Boulevard. His black Cadillac SUV was firebombed reportedly with a grenade, forcing him to exit the burning vehicle, where he was then executed on the street. Video footage showed a man dragging his body away from the wreckage moments before more gunshots were heard. The attack occurred near the FGR’s Reynosa office and caused chaos in the city, with reports of gunmen simultaneously blocking streets and hijacking civilian vehicles.

No suspects have yet been identified, but Tamaulipas is a known battleground for the Gulf Cartel and the Northeast Cartel. Authorities have not confirmed whether Vázquez’s murder is directly linked to the recent fuel theft bust, though the timing and nature of the attack have raised serious concerns.

Governor Américo Villareal and President Claudia Sheinbaum both condemned the killing, promising full cooperation between state and federal agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice. The FGR and Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office have launched a joint investigation.

Vázquez Reyna had served as the FGR's delegate in Tamaulipas since 2019, overseeing investigations into federal crimes, including drug trafficking, electoral fraud, and organized crime. While not widely known outside government and law enforcement circles, he played a central role in federal prosecutions in one of Mexico’s most dangerous states. Just days before his death, he had participated in a ceremony with the governor after the FGR donated a helicopter to help bolster local security efforts.

As the federal government intensifies efforts to combat organized fuel theft and cartel activity, the assassination of one of its leading prosecutors underscores the enormous risks faced by those working to dismantle the criminal infrastructure thriving along the U.S.-Mexico border.

𝗨.𝗦. 𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔/𝗖𝗜𝗨𝗗𝗔𝗗 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙-𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧

    by Jim Barton                                      

Southbound pedestrian walkway for Roma/Ciudad Miguel Aleman International Bridge

In a story that raises troubling questions about the limits of border enforcement and the meaning of “self-deportation,” a Mexican citizen attempting to leave the United States voluntarily was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while walking southbound on an international bridge from Roma, Texas, to Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Jose Luis Perez Lopez, who had a lengthy immigration history in the U.S., said he was simply trying to return to Mexico, not sneak in, not evade detection, just leave. His defense attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Yvonne M. Gomez, said in court that Perez was “trying to do the right thing,” responding to the federal government’s own calls for undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily.

Indeed, the Trump administration had spent millions on public messaging and a smartphone app encouraging “self-deportation.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem even issued a stark warning in a nationally broadcast ad: “Leave now. If you don’t, we will find you. And we will deport you.” That message was echoed by Trump’s immigration officials and widely covered by conservative media.

Perez, according to his attorneys, took the message seriously. After years of trying to build a life in the U.S. through labor jobs and failed attempts to reunite with his daughter in North Carolina, he gave up and headed for the bridge.

Instead of being allowed to cross, Perez was stopped by CBP agents conducting what they call “southbound enforcement.” Agents asked his nationality, and when Perez answered that he was from Mexico and lacked legal status in the U.S., they arrested him.

To most observers, it may seem illogical that someone walking out of the country would be detained by border agents whose mission, at least publicly, is focused on stopping illegal entries into the United States. But CBP insists that enforcement works both ways, especially when criminal history is involved.

CBP's southbound operations are aimed at intercepting people who may be smuggling weapons, bulk cash, or involved in organized crime, not just migrants entering illegally. A former CBP officer, now immigration attorney Douglas A. A’Hern, told reporters that in practice, the agency doesn't draw much distinction based on direction. “If you’re encountered and you’re in the United States, it doesn’t seem to matter if you’re walking south or north… They’re going to pick you up and charge you.”

And that’s what happened to Perez. Despite being steps away from Mexican soil, he was still technically on the U.S. side of the bridge, and to CBP, that was enough. His record, which included multiple deportations, voluntary returns, and a 10-year-old drug conviction, gave the government all the justification it needed to prosecute him for illegal reentry.

Gomez, his attorney, argued that there was no danger, no flight risk, no intent to harm, just a man, with a mop and a shovel for a résumé, who decided to walk away from a life that had become increasingly untenable.

“Mr. Perez knows that he did wrong,” Gomez acknowledged. “As far as trying to come back into the United States.” But this time, he was doing the opposite. “In the moment of everything happening in the news, he felt a need to self-deport. So he actually went.  He was trying to do that.”

Yet even that wasn’t enough to spare him prosecution. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Perez to eight months in federal prison. After serving his time, he will again be deported, officially this time.

The irony is hard to ignore. A man responded to the federal government’s call to “self-deport,” walked to the border on his own, and was taken into custody for doing exactly what authorities had encouraged. The question for many now is whether “self-deportation” was ever a genuine option or just a talking point in a broader strategy of deterrence.

As for Perez, the court record suggests he never expected mercy, just a path back to his country. What he got was another prison sentence in the nation he was trying to leave.

𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊, 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐀 "𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇-𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒," 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐈.𝐂.𝐄.

 by Jim Barton

Just two weeks after the White House called SouthPark a desperate, irrelevant, and "fourth-rate" comedy series, Donald Trump’s personal security forces are now launching a recruitment campaign using South Park photos. On July 23, the show’s 27th season premiered two weeks behind schedule, delivering a harsh critique of the president and executives at Paramount, who had recently supported Trump’s use of lawsuits to silence critics and solicit bribes. 

The episode targeted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which President Trump recently boosted with $170 billion in taxpayer money, a move that further ballooned the national deficit.  The Department of Homeland Security has unexpectedly leaned into the show’s satire as the DHS account on the platform X posted a still from the South Park promo featuring masked characters in vehicles marked “ICE.” The caption simply read “JOIN.ICE.GOV,” linking directly to the agency’s recruitment page

The trailer also appears to feature a character resembling DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, shown pointing a gun in the air while wearing a “POLICE ICE” vest and posing for the media. Noem has faced criticism in the past for using ICE operations as political photo opportunities.

In a statement to Newsweek, DHS thanked South Park for assisting with ICE recruitment, saying it appreciated the attention the show brought to law enforcement hiring. The spokesperson called on “patriotic Americans” to help remove violent criminals from the country and noted that new ICE recruits are eligible for benefits like up to $50,000 signing bonuses, student loan forgiveness, and retirement packages.

𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗟 𝗝𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟴-𝟮𝟵

 submitted by Rene Torres

In the 1920's, Levee Street, the section closer to the Rio Grande, took on a different look as Brownsville moved into a more progressive period.  Within this business district stood the beautiful Spanish Mediterranean Chamber of Commerce building in close proximity to the Missouri Pacific passenger station.

In 1917-28, next to the train depot, with 300 rooms and a price tag of $800,000, the El Jardin Hotel, with its ballroom wing, parking garage and Spanish garden, was the gathering place for the socialites of Brownsville.  And, just across the street, with a Las Vegas type movie sign, was the glamorous Capitol Theater.

During its glory days, the hotel attracted business people from around the world; movie stars, professional baseball teams and the up and coming, all mingling in the lobby of this once palace.

In 1929, the question was how to attract people to Brownsville to come and stay at the El Jardin Hotel.  The answer was bringing Babe White, the "Human Fly."

Babe was a daredevil who had attracted a throng in his first visit to the city in 1928 when he scaled the El Jardin Hotel.  He was one of the best in the country with 15 years of experience.

Among his notable achievements were the ascent of the Woolworth building, 63 stories, New York, the U.S. Smith building, 42 stories, Seattle, Washington and the cathedral of Mexico City, where he attracted 60,000 people in each of his performances.

The El Jardin Hotel, which only stood eight stories high, was an elementary climb for the Babe, but made it exciting just as well by creating such dramatic slips.  

During his first climb in 1928, he thrilled the crowds with what appeared to be narrow escapes from falls as he hugged the projections of the building.  At one point of his climb, the crowd murmured in excitement when the "Human Fly" apparently slipped and almost took a dive.

His second visit to Brownsville was more thrilling.

Hotel officials scored a success with White's first visit and he was invited back in 1929.  But this time around, the weather played a vital role in his performance.  The weather forecast for the Friday climb at 2:30 PM and the other at 7:30 PM, called for a wet and windy day.

The weather was bad enough to postpone the climb, but Babe said it would make it even more exciting so the show went on.

A small crowd started gathering by 2:00 PM and it grew by the hundreds as the "Fly" took the stage.  White's dangerous climbs were made doubly so by the high winds and wetness of the walls caused by the steady light rain.

The crowd quivered with emotion at both performances as the daredevil slipped on several occasions as he clamered and climbed his way to the top bringing the young and old to a panicked silence.  Although some slips looked as prearranged, to the crowd they appeared authentic.

As if climbing to the top of the hotel was not enough, White extended his luck in giving the crowd an extra thrill.  What really electrified the crowd, however, came when White climbed the flag pole on top of the hotel.

Once he conquered the flag pole, White went on to balance himself on the knob of his stomach with hands and legs outspread.  What made this more spectacular was that the wind was blowing hard and the pole swayed as the daredevil balanced himself.

The wind was blowing toward the street and the pole bent out over the structure as the screams of the crowd got louder and louder.

White also scaled the cathedral in Matamoros.  The Human Fly was no stranger to our sister city as he had climbed the cathedral once before in 1921.  It was also in this same year that he went up the Merchant National Bank in Brownsville.

"The cathedral will test my skills," White said.

White said his first venture in climbing the church spires in 1921 was no easy task.  But his doubts were erased as the Sunday afternoon climb was as smooth as his ascent up the El Jardin Hotel.

After his Matamoros climb, the super fly went on to perform in Mexico City.  

𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗧: 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗫 𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗢, 𝗥𝗨𝗕𝗘𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗔, 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗬 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗭 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗔 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗭𝗔 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗔'𝗦 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

 

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗡, 𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗡, 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟, 𝗔𝗧𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗦

 submitted by Rene Torres

Charles "Charlie Vaughan, Brownsville High School, Atlanta Braves, b. October 6, 1947

𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗣𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗜𝗡, 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗢𝗡. . .𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗗

  

Brownsville folks are talking about President Trump's handling of the Epstein scandal, many saying it feels like being promised filet mignon and getting hamburger instead as Trump promised a full release of the Epstein Files during the 2024 campaign and now is backing off.

Non-MAGA Brownsvillians still remember Trump’s old ties to Jeffrey Epstein and how, in the past, he called Epstein “a terrific guy” who “likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” So when Trump supporters and others pushed for the release of files related to Epstein’s crimes, they expected the full truth: names, connections, maybe even accountability. Instead, what they're getting is a mess involving Ghislaine Maxwell, the only person actually convicted in the whole scheme.

Trump’s decision to trot out Maxwell is recognized, even by third graders at Sharp Elementary as a mere DISTRACTION, Trump's notorious default position on anything substantive.  Anyway, she’s confined in a Texas facility now, some say a slight upgrade, more comfy accommodations than federal prison and opinion polls show that a pardon or sentence reduction is not popular, not to mention immunity.  Sex offenders are not very popular unless they're President.

It seems there wasn't much effort put into gleaning info from Maxwell's testimony as only two witnesses testified to the grand jury, an FBI agent and a NYPD detective.  Now, Trump feigns transparency by offering to release the heavily redacted transcript of Maxwell's recent interview.  Again; hamburger, not filet mignon.

𝐉𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐊𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘

              

Drone training in the Ukraine, the Brownsville Observer editor

The Brownsville Observer, using the Borderland Beat and the TWZ Newsletter as sources, reports that Mexico's drug cartels are learning drone technology by fighting in the Ukraine War. 

The First-Person View (FPV) drone academies in Ukraine teach drone assembly, electronic warfare, and low-altitude strikes using simulators and live drills and their effectiveness has not gone unnoticed by Mexico’s drug cartels, particularly the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), joining the war effort to learn drone techniques.

A memo from Mexico’s National Intelligence Centre (CNI) warned Ukraine’s SBU that Spanish-speaking “volunteers” could be entering the warzone to study FPV drone tactics, not to support Ukraine. 

Officials believe cartels are bypassing vetting by using fake IDs, private military contractors, and shell companies. One figure, “Aguila-7,” allegedly used a false Salvadoran passport to train at the city of Lviv's Killhouse Academy and was later linked to a special forces unit with known cartel defections.

Ukraine has since ramped up background checks at drone academies, cross-referencing foreign applicants with Interpol and DEA records. Several individuals reportedly showed ties to narco-paramilitary groups, raising fears that Ukraine's war is becoming a training ground for future cartel drone warfare.

The CJNG has already deployed FPV drones in regions like Nayarit, targeting a Sinaloa cartel leader. 

“Flying FPV drones is closer to piloting than playing with toys,” said an analyst to the TWZ Newsletter.  “That’s why cartel operatives are seeking experience in Ukraine.”

“We welcomed volunteers in good faith,” an officer explained. “Now we see Ukraine becoming a global classroom for weaponized drones, some come here to learn how to kill with a $400 rig, then monetize it elsewhere.”

As cartels move from rifles to precision drone strikes, the skills picked up in Ukraine simply add to the threat in Mexico. 

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𝗣𝗨𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝟮 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗫𝗜𝗖𝗢'𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘

                                                      

MATAMOROS, Tamaulipas — After two decades of planning and construction, Puerto del Norte, also known as the T-MEC Terminal, officially began operations on August 2 with a ceremony led by Governor Américo Villarreal Anaya and attended by federal and local authorities, business leaders, and naval representatives. The inauguration marked a significant milestone in northeastern Mexico’s effort to strengthen its role in global trade, positioning the region as a key logistics corridor for the country’s industrial heartland.

Jim Barton, Editor

The port, said to be located in the city of Matamoros, but actually 50.4 miles from the city's center, represents an investment exceeding eight billion pesos, with funding from both public and private sources. The first phase of operations, referred to as “Phase Zero,” will focus on handling automobiles, steel, and both mineral and agricultural bulk cargo. This initial rollout is expected to immediately improve trade flow and reduce shipping costs for states like Nuevo León, Coahuila, and San Luis Potosí by connecting them more directly to international maritime routes.

Governor Villarreal described the opening as a historic moment for Tamaulipas, underscoring the state’s transformation into a new maritime frontier with direct links to Mexico’s highway and railway systems, as well as to the 18 international crossings with Texas. He emphasized that the port’s design, which includes deep-draft dredging and modern customs infrastructure, is tailored to handle large-capacity vessels and ensure agile, secure, and competitive operations. “This is a date that will be recorded in the calendar of historical events of the state,” he said, “as it marks the beginning of a new future for the promotion and development of this region.”

Matamoros Mayor Beto Granados echoed that sentiment, highlighting the port’s strategic location within the northeastern industrial corridor, which stretches from Monterrey to San Luis Potosí. He announced a projected additional investment of more than four billion pesos aimed at expanding the terminal and establishing it as a driver of foreign trade, energy, and industrial development. Calling on business leaders to support the initiative, he said, “Today we have a great port, and we must occupy it. We need to work together and establish alliances with the business sector.”

The ceremony drew prominent figures from Mexico’s maritime and business communities, including Admiral José Barradas Cobos, Undersecretary of the Merchant Marine; José Miguel Bejos, Chairman of Mota Engil México; Javier García Bejos, Director of Special Projects for Latin America at Mota Engil; and Captain Manuel Fernando Gutiérrez Gallardo, General Coordinator of Ports and Merchant Marine. Also in attendance were Rear Admiral Víctor Manuel Salas Hernández, Director of the Matamoros Naval Sector; Gustavo Guzmán Fernández, Director General of Comprehensive Administration-Tamaulipas; members of Congress, port personnel, and residents of the neighboring communities of Higuerillas and El Mezquita.

Governor Villarreal praised the role of President Claudia Sheinbaum and Navy Secretary Raymundo Pedro Morales in advancing the port’s development, and thanked the private sector partners who helped bring the vision to life. The first vessel to dock at the port will be the NFE Frontier, signaling the start of formal logistics and shipping operations. The port administration also announced plans to hire local residents for upcoming operational roles, reinforcing the port’s long-term commitment to economic development in the region.

“This port is not just for Matamoros or Tamaulipas,” Mayor Granados said, “but for all of northeastern Mexico and even Texas. It’s a new gateway for trade, built on vision, unity, and the promise of shared prosperity.”

𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦; "𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟯, 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗔"

 submitted by Rene Torres