Dina Arévalo

Texas

Reporter at The Monitor (McAllen, TX)

Tejana. Baylor alum. Professional question asker. @MonitorNews reporter covering Edinburg, McAllen & Hidalgo Co. gov’t. I punch above my weight. DM for Signal.

Articles

South Texas hotel among most endangered historic sites in U.S.

5 days ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

A beloved hotel with ties to South Texas’ racist past has made the list as one of the most endangered historic places in the nation, according to a report by NPR. The dilapidated San Juan Hotel was named one of 2025’s 11 most endangered historic places in the United States by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP). Originally built in 1920, the hotel is slated to be demolished so that the city of San Juan can build a conference center next to San Juan City Hall.
South Texas teacher roped students into $323K copper wire theft: police

6 days ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

When police reached out to Borrego later that day to ask if they could speak with him about the missing wire, he told them that he used spools of coated copper wire in his electrical technology class. Nonetheless, Borrego had been using the copper spools in his classroom, telling his students they’d receive a “participation grade” for stripping it. Borrego would then allegedly gather the stripped wire that students had thrown in the trash to sell it and pocket the profits for himself.
Amazon plans new South Texas distribution center. Here's where

6 days ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

Former Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez announced via Facebook on Thursday, May 8, that the company had recently finalized a purchase of a 13-acre tract of land in Brownsville. “It’s official. Amazon has purchased about 13 acres on Farm-to-Market Road 511 with the intent of building a distribution center,” Mendez’s post reads. “I had been holding this news for about 3 weeks, but was told today by the attorney who handled the transaction that its (sic) public information now.
California burger chain sets sights on South Texas expansion

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

A California burger chain is making expansion plans in the Rio Grande Valley, and no, it’s not the one that’s known for offering “animal style” fries. Fatburger, the Los Angeles-based franchise burger chain that is part of the FAT Brands family of eateries, will soon arrive in Pharr, according to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations records. The 2,200-square-foot restaurant will be located at 309 W. Nolana Loop, just blocks away from Interstate 69-C and immediately west of a Starbucks.
FAA approved more Starbase launches. Here's how South TX reacted

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

“We are extremely disappointed. We believe that there should be a full environmental study, especially with the 25 launches a year possible, which… is also going to entail closing the road to Boca Chica Beach for numerous days out of the month,” Stuart Diamond, chair of the South Texas chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, told MySA on Wednesday, May 7.
Arrested Texas student modified handgun to be automatic weapon

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

A South Texas high school student is facing federal and state criminal charges after he allegedly took a handgun modified to be an automatic weapon and a 10-round clip of ammunition to campus on Tuesday, May 6. He further told Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents that Tuesday’s incident wasn’t the first time he had brought the gun on campus, according to the complaint.
'For motion picture purposes:' Fake cash lands South TX man in jail

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

A South Texas man is facing criminal charges after allegedly using movie prop money to purchase a car and jewelry from private sellers on social media in what law enforcement says was a string of funny money purchases. Isaac Romo, 32, of Edinburg, is facing two counts of theft and two counts of forgery, both state jail felonies, for allegedly using counterfeit U.S. currency to buy the high-dollar items from sellers on social media late last year. The first purchase occurred on Nov.
FAA gives SpaceX nod to exponentially increase Starbase test flights

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

SpaceX fans can expect to see a boom in activity out at Boca Chica after the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday granted the company permission to do as many as 25 launches and 50 landings per year at its Starbase facility. The agency cited President Donald Trump’s revocation of a Carter-era environmental protection law as the impetus for the new increased launch approval.
Hail-producing storm could hit Rio Grande Valley within hours

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

Severe thunderstorms may produce strong winds and hail in the Rio Grande Valley late Tuesday and into the early morning hours of Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The inclement weather also has a high chance of producing rip currents that will make swimming off the shores of South Padre Island and Boca Chica Beach hazardous.
South TX voters strike down a new arena again. What now?

1 week ago | mysanantonio.com | Dina Arévalo

Voters for the third time rejected a proposal to use hotel/motel tax revenues to partially fund the construction of a 10,000-person venue in South Texas, despite support from the University of Texas system and numerous elected officials. Proposition A, which would have given Cameron County officials the greenlight to use taxes paid by tourists to help fund the construction of an entertainment venue, failed at the ballot box for the third time this Saturday, May 3.