LAREDO, Tx (KGNS) - The Area Health Education Center is shining a light on the local suicide rate.

So far this year, five people have taken their own lives.

Dr. Julie Bazan with the Area Health Education Center is advising the community that if anyone is experiencing difficult times, there is always help available.

“The message, if we forget to say anything, let us remember that we are not alone. That someone is there to help you, to assist you, to listen to you, to refer you to the right people that can help you,” said Bazan. Most importantly, there’s people that are equipped and qualified to help you. They can listen to your problems; they can help you sort out your thoughts. Many times, it’s not a major crisis but for us, as individuals, it’s on top of the stress, on top of having to do many things at work and with the family, a flat tire can create stress and crisis, and we feel like there’s no way out.”

For more information you can call (956) 712-0037.

If you are in dire need of assistance, you can call also call the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - As we enter the month of March, the Laredo Police Department is reporting an update to the local overdose tally.

As of Sunday, the death toll stands at eight.

The police department made the announcement on social media over the weekend.

As of right now, there is no other information on the case itself, such as the victim’s identity or what substance may have been involved in their death, but it continues to be a dangerous trend.

2023 had 66 deaths linked to substance abuse which officials say is an unfortunate record.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - This weekend the sounds of engines roaring, and laser lights flashing will take center stage at the Sames Auto Arena for a monstrous event.

This Saturday and Sunday, the Hot Wheels Monster Truck Live Glow Party will return to Laredo for three special shows.

Fans of all ages will get a chance to experience monster trucks creating mass destruction, motorcycle stunts, and audiences will even get to see a transformer eat a car.

Joseph Cypher one of the Hot Wheels Drivers said that there’s a lot of moving parts that goes into bringing these shows to life.

“A lot of the effort is in the like production, it’s a big production deal, it’s all about Hot Wheels, production, transportation of the trucks, building them,” said Cypher. “When we get the trucks here they’re on little tires so we have to jack them up and put the big tires on and we got to get the motors tuned to different elevations, get them all prettied up, like they got a bath this morning, all of them did so that was pretty cool.”

Joseph Cypher encourages families to get to the show early to see some of the trucks and meet some of the drivers.

There are three shows taking place this weekend, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.

For more information on tickets click here.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - Two men are arrested in connection to a car chase that sent a DPS Trooper to the hospital earlier this week.

After a thorough investigation, DPS was able to arrest the driver, identified as Miguel Alberto Nolaceo, 20, along with his brother Christopher Nolaceo, 17.

The incident happened on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, on Mines Road just before 4 p.m.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a trooper tried to stop a silver Chrysler 200 that was suspected of human smuggling.

The driver of the Chrysler now identified as Nolaceo refused to stop, and a car chase started.

According to DPS, during the chase, the driver of a tractor trailer tried to help by driving on the opposite side of the road; however, the trooper ended up crashing into the trailer on San Mateo near San Gabriel Drive.

The trooper was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and Nolaceo was able to get away.

With the help of the DPS Criminal Investigations Division, authorities were able to locate and arrest both Alberto Nolaceo and Christopher Nolaceo.

Both are facing charges of human smuggling and evading arrest with motor vehicle.

Webb County, TX. (KGNS) - Voting machines are back up and running in Webb County after a temporary countywide technical issue.

On Friday morning at around 9 a.m. local voters were saying they were trying to vote but the systems were down.

KGNS News spoke to a voter who did not want to be on camera who stated that he traveled from Lomas Del Sur to vote but was not able to cast his vote.

KGNS reached out to the Webb County Election’s Administrator Jose Luis Castillo for comment, he said that the reason for the issues with the electrical voter machines was due to a software glitch.

According to Castillo, the systems were down for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Castillo assures the community that during this time neither the system or votes were compromised or in jeopardy.

Castillo believes the glitch was caused due to the extra Leap Year Day.

Due to the inconvenience, the elections office has extended its hours until 9 p.m. Friday.

As of 9:40 a.m. a voter stated that the systems are up and running.

Laredo, TX . (KGNS) - In 2022, 119 people were killed or seriously injured in a crash in Webb County.

As we continue to see car crashes on the streets, officials from both Webb County and the City of Laredo gathered at the downtown post office grounds for the launch of the “Vision Zero Safety Action Plan”.

The plan aims to take a look at some of the areas around town where most car crashes occur as well as receive feedback from the community.

After gathering the data, Jason Rodriguez said they will come up with some strategies on how to keep drivers and pedestrians safe.

“What we’ll do is, we’ll put together a plan that will persist throughout the next several years that will rollout various projects that do improve safety on the streets for people on foot, on bike or driving and then programs like educational campaigns for people to learn essentially how to be safe drivers on the road,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez adds that while car crashes are the most common type of accidents, pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable victims of crashes.

Officials urge pedestrians to watch out for vehicles when you are walking or exercising, especially at night.

LAREDO, TX (KGNS) - President Joe Biden made his first visit to the border city of Brownsville, Texas on Thursday where he met with several Texas leaders and officials including Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino.

Mayor Trevino said he was able to meet with the president and discuss some of the border issues our community is facing.

Mayor Trevino said that it’s important to change the stigma about the border and remind President Biden about the potential commerce and binational partnership our city has to offer.

Mayor Trevino said that these meetings are important to be able to understand what’s going on in the different border communities such as Eagle Pass and Brownsville as well as Laredo.