LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The previously mentioned fire weather watch has now been updated to a red flag warning for multiple South Texas counties on Saturday, March 8.

The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi announced the warning on Friday, March 7, and will be in effect from noon to 8 p.m.

Below is a list of counties included in the warning:

• Webb

• LaSalle

• Live Oak

• Jim Wells

• Duvall

• McMullen

The warning was issued due to expected low humidity of 13% and windy conditions across the Rio Grande and coastal plains, with winds traveling at 15-20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph.

This, combined with temperatures up to 90 degrees, will cause any fires that develop to spread rapidly.

Outdoor burning is not recommended, and it’s advised to avoid open flames or sparks, keep vehicles off dry grass and properly discard cigarettes.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Women in the law enforcement field got a chance to take part in a seminar that aimed to promote empowerment and self-love on March 7.

In observance of International Women’s Day, which lands on March 8, the Laredo Police Department held a law enforcement symposium at the Laredo College Executive Conference Center.

Roughly 100 female officers from LPD, Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security got a chance to learn about some of the challenges and stressors women might experience when working in law enforcement.

One of the speakers for the event, Michelle Tovares, believes law enforcement is still a male-dominated profession, which is why it’s important to provide support.

“It can be difficult for women to navigate that world, and we think differently than men, which isn’t a bad thing, but having the ability to speak with other women and see how they navigate things by networking with other women, we can bring them all together like this. It kind of gives them a support system they might not have in their agency,” Tovares said.

She encourages women who are interested in a career in law to continue to follow their goals. Additionally, organizers hope that they can continue to provide this seminar next year.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The Department of Public Safety (DPS) and a man with prior human smuggling arrests were involved in a chase that ended on Aquero Blvd.

On Thursday, March 6, a DPS Trooper attempted to stop a Lincoln SUV suspected of human smuggling.

While trying to initiate a traffic stop, the Lincoln SUV drove through multiple streets before ultimately coming to a dead end on Aquero Blvd.

The driver, Melvin Toraya, and four undocumented migrants ran away on foot. The SUV was left in motion and rolled over after it went downhill at the dead end.

DPS was assisted by U.S. Border Patrol air support leading to Taraya and one illegal immigrant being arrested. However, the other three illegal immigrants managed to swim back to Mexico.

Toraya was charged with human smuggling and evading arrest and was later transported to the Webb County Jail.

He was previously arrested as a juvenile for human smuggling and evading arrest.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - No trial date is set for the former teacher accused of having an alleged improper relationship with her student.

In 2023, Adriana Mariel Rullan was a teacher at Gonzalez Middle School when she was arrested for several charges including sexual abuse of a child, and continuous and improper relationship between educator and student.

According to a Webb County court docket, Rullan was indicted last June. Additionally, a court document stated the victim was a 13-year-old boy who Rullan had been allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with several times, even on campus at times.

A trial date was initially set for March 3, 2025, but has since been removed, with a final pretrial hearing set for March 20 in the 341st District Court.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Laredo Police are searching for a man with three outstanding warrants: one for stalking and two for violating a protective order.

The suspect is 40-year-old Brando Mireles, whose last known address was out of the 700 block of Zebra Court.

Additionally, Mireles was arrested back in May of 2024 for several charges including burglary and criminal mischief.

Anyone with information on Mireles' whereabouts are asked to call Laredo Police at (956) 795-2800 or Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS.

Laredo Police also clarified that all calls will remain anonymous.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A young man was put behind bars for allegedly using the U.S. Postal System to transport drugs.

20-year-old Brian Eduardo Gonzalez was arrested on Thursday, March 6, by narcotics investigators and charged with possession of a controlled substance.

This happened after the Webb County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and U.S. Postal Inspector carried out a joint operation that led to the seizure of 558 THC cartridges and 4.2 lbs of marijuana.

Webb County Sheriff, Martin Cuellar, expressed gratitude to the Postal Inspectors for their support, emphasizing the importance of teamwork among agencies for the benefit of the community.

Additionally, he asks the public to report any suspicious activities by calling (956) 415-BUST (2878) and reminds the community that they could be eligible for a cash reward.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Claims suggest that a single day of President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada led to reduced commercial traffic in Laredo.

One U.S. Customs Broker, Arturo Dominguez, stated that currently, over 200k trailers are waiting to cross into the U.S. from Mexico because many did not want to pay the tariff.

He adds that tariffs also create problems for sellers, as importing certain products may cost more than others, leading to confusing pricing.

“We would see lines on the Mexican side for 13 kilometers at 3 o’clock. Yesterday it was 500 meters of lines, so there were basically no lines yesterday,” Dominguez said.

Brokers are now waiting for instructions for the commercial traffic that crossed on Wednesday, March 5, and whether the tariffs would apply.