eddie treviño

AUSTIN, Texas - When the Rio Grande Guardian exclusively interviewed Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., last week he alluded to some big news on the horizon.

Asked what 2024 might have in store, Treviño said: “We’re hoping to end (2023) with a bang and thankful for all of the progress and development that we’ve had over this past year. Hopefully we’re going to start the new year with some very exciting development and, as soon at it happens, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I don’t want to jinx it.”

Now we know what the judge was referring to. On Tuesday, the Texas Transportation Commission approved a minute order that adds a future roadway, State Highway 104, to the state highway system. The designation opens the door to additional funding sources to accelerate development and construction of the South Padre Island 2nd Causeway project. SH 104 will be built between FM 106 and Park Road 100 on South Padre Island. 

Treviño was at the TTC to hear the news. Indeed, he spoke at the meeting just before the new minute order was unanimously approved. Other speakers from the Rio Grande Valley included TTC Commissioner Alex Meade, and RGV Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairman David Fuentes.

Here is a podcast that features their remarks.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

At a luncheon hosted by the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño was fulsome in his praise of the guest speaker, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

“I want to thank you for your professionalism, your bipartisanship and your leadership over some very trying times,”  Treviño told Cornyn.

Later, however, the Treviño acknowledged there was daylight between where he and Cornyn stand when it comes to spending by the federal government. 

In a Q&A with moderator Julian Alvarez, senior vice president of Lone Star National Bank, Cornyn said the federal government was spending two much money and criticized two pieces of legislation supported by the Biden Administration that the Rio Grande Valley has benefited from. 

Asked about Cornyn’s comments later, Treviño said perhaps the government was spending too much money overall but it was not spending enough in the Valley.


Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website to read the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., says a proposal from one of his predecessors to build an arena on South Padre Island is not viable.

Former Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos has been vocal in his opposition to building an arena as part of the Madeira master planned project on the corner of I-69 East and State Highway 100. Instead, said Cascos, such an arena should be built on SPI.

Voters will decide on the Cameron County Arena project in the Saturday, May 7, elections. 

In an interview with Ron Whitlock Reports, Treviño said Cascos’ idea has already been considered by Cameron County Commissioners Court and deemed not viable.

“Perhaps he (Cascos) has not been to the island any time in the recent past but now it is bumper to bumper in the evenings,” Treviño said. “One of the issues we want to address with the location is to avoid that delay in getting to and from a particular concert.”

Treviño said even if a second causeway was up and running there could still, potentially, be bumper to bumper traffic. He also noted that concert goers from Brownsville, Harlingen, and the upper Rio Grande Valley would have further to travel if an arena were built on SPI. 

“We are trying to create it so that it is quicker to get to these events, not delay it and make it even longer,” Treviño said.

Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian website.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

WESLACO, Texas - It is rare for the four county judges of the Rio Grande Valley to get together in public. But they did so at a news conference last Wednesday to discuss the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

The four county judges are Richard Cortez of Hidalgo, Eddie Treviño, Jr., of Cameron, Eloy Vera of Starr, and Aurelio Guerra of Willacy. They met at the offices of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council in Weslaco.

Rio Grande Guardian reporter Steve Taylor asked the judges what plans they have to reduce the increase in the coronavirus, other than tell local residents to social distance, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently.

This podcast features the response of the county judges to that question. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., says he is pleased to hear Congress is finally going to consider compensating cities and counties for the loss of revenues caused by the coronavirus.

Sales tax revenues to expected to plummet because of the tailspin the economy is in. Without extra funding from the federal government, Treviño argues, essential services such as police, emergency management and public health will be at risk.

“It was very concerning to me why there was any hesitation on the part of Congress, whether it was the House or the Senate, and it appears it was on the Senate, that they did not want to consider the impact COVID-19 has had on local governments, cities and counties,” Treviño told Ron Whitlock Reports.

“The reality is that the local governments, cities, counties and the state, have expended a large amount of money in numerous areas, law enforcement, first responders, health, and the provision of regular government services to keep providing those services to our constituents.”

Treviño was alarmed at a recent comment by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that states be allowed to go bankrupt. 

“When there was discussion a few weeks ago about, oh, well, we will let the states go bankrupt, that to me indicated a lack of either concern or understanding of the reality of what local governments do. We do not want to stop providing police, fire protection, emergency response protection, during a pandemic, or at any time.”

Treviño is a former mayor of the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley - Brownsville. He said cities and counties do not want to cut back on other services, such as trash pick up. He said many services provided by local governments are likely taken for granted.

“Injecting additional money into the economic stream, keeping people in their jobs and providing, potentially, infrastructure projects is necessary,” Treviño said.

He argued that in the Valley, major infrastructure projects, such as improving roads, bridges, drainage systems and international ports of entry would go along way.

“I hope it happens soon because all of those potential possibilities are a win-win, both at the national, state and local level.”

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - In an exclusive interview with Ron Whitlock Reports, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño was told by a reporter that it took two hours to find and buy a gallon of milk. 

“And we do not even have a confirmed case yet. What is going to happen when we have a confirmed case?” Treviño asked, in response to the observation by veteran reporter Ron Whitlock.

“Everybody has to remain calm and be mindful. Having five gallons when you only need one every two weeks or a week and half, that is not what we should be doing,” the county judge said.

Whitlock had pointed out that he drove for two hours around Willacy County on Sunday looking for milk. He said he visited HEB, Dollar General and a few convenience stores. 

“I ended up with the last two gallons of milk in Willacy County. It took me two hours to get those last two gallons of milk. It was just like Beulah,” said Whitlock, remembering back to the famous hurricane of 1967. 

Due to the heavy floods, Whitlock, then a radio broadcaster, was the only reporter operating in the Rio Grande Valley for a week in the aftermath of Beulah. His title was news and public affairs director at K-RIO 910 AM.

“Let’s be positive, be prepared and not panic,” Treviño told Whitlock, referring to the current coronavirus pandemic.

Treviño gave an update on the number of potential cases of coronavirus in Cameron County. At a news conference last Friday, Treviño said two people had been tested and were found to be negative. Results were not yet in for the other two tests, he said. Monday’s update, was that there four tests that had come back negative and the results of five other tests were not yet known. 

“We’re going to see the numbers spike,” Treviño predicted. 

The interview with the Cameron County Judge came before the City of South Padre Island declared an emergency. Treviño spoke about the situation on South Padre Island in his interview with Whitlock. He has a news conference planned for Tuesday, March 17, 2020. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.