LAREDO, Tx. (KGNS) - The frigid cold temperatures have reached south Texas and as a result, several schools in Laredo, Webb County and Zapata have announced changes to their respective school schedules.

With temperatures expected to dip into the 30s and 20s as well as potential ice, LISD, announced that it will have a regular day of instruction scheduled for Monday, Jan. 15, 2024; however, the district will cancel classes on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. Classes are expected to resume on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024 with a delayed start time.

Elementary schools will start at 9:45 a.m., middle schools will start at 10 a.m. and high schools will start at 10:15 a.m.

UISD announced on Sunday that it would have class on Monday, but will cancel classes on Tuesday and then on Wednesday there will be a two-hour delayed start time for all of its schools.

Zapata ISD said that they anticipate classes on Monday but will cancel on Tuesday.

Webb Consolidated I.S.D. has already made the decision to suspend classes on Monday, Jan. 15 as well as Tuesday Jan. 16.

This is for both teachers and students of Webb C.I.S.D.

All classes are expected to resume on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Meanwhile, the Diocese of Laredo has released its temporary release schedule during the cold front.

On Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, there will be an abbreviated instructional day with students being released at noon.

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, Catholic Schools will have a synchronous learning day. The diocese said that students should have access to a computer or mobile device that will allow them to attend class online.

Classes will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, with a delayed start time of 10 a.m. to ensure that students get to class safely.

The diocese said that it will continue to keep its students and parents informed about any changes moving forward.

Harmony Public Schools said it will not have classes on Monday due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and will cancel classes on Tuesday as well.

After much consideration, Laredo College made the decision to cancel classes on Tuesday, Jan. 16 and the first day of the semester will be on Wednesday.

TAMIU also made the decision to suspend operations and classes on Tuesday, Jan. 16. and will resume classes on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

LA SALLE COUNTY, (KGNS) - A tractor trailer crash is reported on I-35 near La Salle County Monday morning.

The crash happened at around 6:30 a.m. near mile marker 65.

According to troopers with the Department of Public Safety, the driver of a tractor trailer lost control of his vehicle while driving on a bridge that had ice on it.

The driver hit the guardrail resulting in minor damages.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - Icy roads have prompted street closures in Laredo.

According to Laredo Police, the eastbound Loop 20 to connect northbound onto Interstate 35 flyover is being barricaded due to ice.

Additionally, exit 2A on Interstate 35 is also closed due to ice.

Authorities are asking drivers to exercise extreme caution when driving, especially when driving over a bridge or ramp

Laredo Police and DEA Agents executed a search warrant on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2024 at a home located at a home located at the 300 block of West Locust Street.

A man and women, identified as Rodolfo Mendoza and Diana Yvette Mendoza were arrested at the home for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics and attempt and conspiracy.

Reports say when officers search the home, they found half a kilogram of what they believe is cocaine.

A man known to the Mendozas was also arrested that day.

Javier Moncivias was in a vehicle outside of the home at the time of the search.

K-9 officers altered to Moncivias’ vehicle which prompted a search by Laredo Police.

He reportedly had roughly 10-grams of fentanyl in the vehicle.

Moncivias was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

In this case, law enforcement seized roughly 528 grams of cocaine, four digital scales with white power residue, three cellphones as well as the fentanyl previously mentioned.

Also recovered was ammunition and over $4,000.

All three individuals were taken to the Webb County Jail.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - With temperatures expected to dip into the 20s next week, Border Patrol agents are preparing for the possibility of seeing cold weather injuries while on patrol.

The Laredo Sector Broder Patrol has 141 EMTs that are equipped to respond to an emergency situation whether it may be a migrant in need of assistance or someone involved in a car crash.

While the agency continues to stress the dangers of crossing the border illegally, Jesse David Munoz, the Acting Chief Patrol Agent said the agents are trained on some of the ways to help those who cross the river during the frigid cold temperatures.

“So the EMTs, they can do a lot, they can do warming procedures, bring them into a vehicle where they have the heat on,” said Chief Munoz. “They have mylar blankets that they can apply to whoever, it’s not just migrants, anybody that succumbs to the elements, they are there to help. They can even warm up IV fluids and administer IV fluids that are warm to try to get their cold body temperature warm.”

While Border Patrol focuses on stopping illegal border crossings, Chief Munoz said they help with a lot of other emergency calls and have even been trained to administer Narcan.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - The Laredo Police Department’s SWAT Team is executing a search warrant at a south Laredo home.

On Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, police and several other law enforcement agencies executed several search warrants near S New York Ave and Chacota Street.

The police department issued an alert on its social media page at around 6:45 a.m. to inform the public about its current operation.

According to Investigator Joe Baeza, during their search, five people were detained as part of an ongoing investigation in relation to an alleged kidnapping case.

Authorities say the operation was conducted without incident.

Police say they informed the school about the activity before they began the operation.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - A woman on Texas’ top ten most wanted list is captured after roughly nine years on the run from the law.

On Friday, Jan, 12, 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced the arrest of Iris Iliana Rodriguez, 34, who was wanted for several charges including indecency with a child which happened in 2015.

According to the DPS Facebook page, Rodriguez was arrested on Dec. 11, 2023 in the State of Jalisco, Mexico.

The warrants stemmed from an inappropriate relationship Rodriguez had engaged in with an 11-year-old girl.

The initial contact allegedly is to have occurred while Rodriguez was working as a counselor for a CAPS (Child, Adolescent and Parent Services) program in Laredo.

She later became employed at the Border Region Behavioral Health Center in Laredo as a CAPS Counselor, which allowed her to visit the victim at school under the pretext of offering guidance and support for the child.

Rodriguez was taken into custody by members of Interpol Mexico. The U.S. Marshals Service along with DPS Criminal Investigations Special Agents from Laredo assisted with the arrest.

Officials say a Crime Stoppers reward of $5,000 was paid to the person who tipped authorities ff about Rodriguez’s location.