To be considered a ‘no kill’ shelter, there’s a magic threshold: save 90% of the animals. Del Rio Animal Services (DRAC) has long gotten a bad rap for euthanization rates being a far cry from no-kill status. However, a new culture of collaboration and networking is being fostered in the department in recent years, helping connect them to nationwide rescue organizations — and the results will inspire you. So far in 2025, DRAC has managed an 83% save rate. Through these connect

The Texas Secretary of State Elections Division conducted an audit on Val Verde County’s 2023-2024 election period. The first phase of investigation concluded in July 2025, and the State just published a “Preliminary Findings Report for November 5 2024 General Election.” Evidence provided within the report proves Val Verde County violated a half dozen Texas Election Codes. The State said, “this has impeded the free exercise of Val Verde County citizens’ voting rights.”

Del Rio, TX — The Rotary Club of Del Rio, with the support of community partners, local organizations, and businesses from across the city, has donated a total of $20,000 to help two fire departments in Hunt and Center Point, Texas, recover from the severe flood damage that struck the region earlier this summer.

The 2025 flash flood season has been Texas’ deadliest in over a decade, and it is only halfway through the storm. Risk of flooding peaks annually each summer, June through September. With two months of this deadly flood season still ahead of us, and the tragic 1998 Del Rio flood in our rearview mirror, there is a sense of urgency to reactivate the Emergency Warning Siren System. The City Council voted to approve the project but delayed funding until after the state’s special

The Devils River — just an hour north of Del Rio and widely regarded as Texas’ most pristine waterway — has won landmark protections under Texas House Bill 3333, a new law that shields it from wastewater pollution starting this September. Authored by Val Verde County’s State Rep. Eddie Morales and backed by multiple Texas Senators, the true force behind the bill is the Devils River Conservancy (DRC), the grassroots conservation group that inspired the legislation giving a voi

The promise of the Miranda Warning, “If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you," will now be better upheld by Val Verde County. The creation of a new public defender office helps address attorney shortages and provides a more consistent system of legal counsel for those who cannot afford it. This action fulfills the fundamental constitutional right to legal representation, as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment.

It has been proposed that reconstructing the Romanelli Park “Pedestrian Bridge” and repairing the "Blue Wall" near Moore Park be included in the 25-26 fiscal year City of Del Rio budget. Funding originally approved in 2016 for the San Felipe Creek Stabilization project, can be reappropriated the fix the bridge and blue wall. Stabilization project delays involving endangered species concerns, water displacement challenges, and engineering miscalculations appear to be the main

A significant human smuggling case originating from a traffic stop near Del Rio has concluded with a 10-year prison sentence for Cezanne Megel Patterson, age 29, of Jackson, Mississippi. Patterson was sentenced on July 24, 2025, after being convicted of smuggling 17 undocumented immigrants. Patterson was apprehended after a DPS Trooper stopped what appeared to be a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store delivery truck (coined as a “cloned truck”) on US-277 outside of town.

Horses can help with various methods of psychological and physical therapies. Third-generation horseman Virginia Vargas has personally experienced mental and emotional benefits from her connection to horses, and she wants to share the “magic” with the community. Through demonstrations, supported riding lessons, and horse encounter experiences, Vargas now offers Equine-Assisted Activities (EAA) focused on healing, well-being, and community.