Call Center Company in McAllen, TX

McAllen ISD is mourning the death of a man who just ran for its board of trustees on Saturday.

McAllen ISD announced the death of Rojelio Aleman II on its Facebook page Monday morning. He was 48.

Aleman was on the ballot for the May 3 General Election, vying for the Place 7 seat for the McAllen ISD Board of Trustees.

“We appreciate Mr. Aleman for his willingness to step forward and serve the McAllen ISD school community,” the Facebook post read. “During his candidacy, he attended our Board meetings and always stayed afterward to ask insightful questions to better understand the district. We want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Aleman family during this difficult time.”

Aleman was born in La Villa and raised in McAllen. He was a disabled veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2010.

He had previously run for the Place 5 seat in 2023. On Saturday, Aleman was unsuccessful in his bid.

“I fought for our country to make it better and I will fight for our students and our parents to make sure that … McAllen ISD is the best,” he said during a recent candidate forum in April.

He described himself as a student with special needs during his time in school. During the forum, he said that he hoped to be an advocate for others in the community.

“I want to be a role model and an advocate for them on the school board,” he said. “If you see me around and you have a problem, you can come up to me.”

The circumstances of Aleman’s death aren’t immediately clear.

This page will be updated throughout the course of election night with unofficial results from multiple sources. Results are not official until canvassed. Make sure to check back here periodically.

CAMERON COUNTY

Cameron County Venue Project

For: 6,272

Against: 9,769

Commissioner At-Large “B” Brownville

Nurith Galonsky Pizana: 3,137

Roy De los Santos: 2,145

Jason Moody: 815

Alejandro Garcia: 1,661

Commissioner, District 3 Brownsville

Denise Granado Chavez: 774

Gustavo De Leon: 1,532

Yvonne Barraza: 243

Commissioner, District 4 Brownsville

Pedro Cardenas: 880

Mike Rodriguez: 582

Daisy Zamora: 836

Louie Tijerina: 344

Mayor City of Port Isabel

Martin Cantu Jr.: 326

Commissioner, Place 1 City of Port Isabel

Sandra Holland: 245

James A. Galloway: 194

Commissioner, Place 2 City of Port Isabel

Armando “Dito” Rivera Jr.: 197

Michelle Barreiro: 240

Mayor City of Primera

Luis E. Casas: 101

Dave Kusch: 79

Gus Cavazos: 74

Commissioner, Place 1 City of Primera

Hilda Siller: 201

Commissioner, Place 4 City of Primera

Chuck Navarro: 181

Proposition A City of Primera

For: 168

Against: 79

City of Starbase Incorporation Election

For: 212

Against: 6

Mayor City of Starbase

Bobby Peden: 216

Commissioner City of Starbase

Jordan Buss: 177

Jenna Petrzelka: 188

Mayor City of Santa Rosa

Jaime Quiroga : 189

Ruben Ochoa Jr.: 132

Alderman Place 2 City of Santa Rosa

Juan L. Esparza: 198

Josie Ruiz Badillo: 118

Alderman Place 4 City of Santa Rosa

Refugio “Cuco” Rickford: 169

Alex Salinas: 150

Commissioner, Place 1 City of Rio Hondo

Arnulfo “Kitter” Huerta : 121

Juan D. Garza: 150

Commissioner, Place 3 City of Rio Hondo

Diana Jean Bustamante: 208

Pedro G. Serna: 51

Commissioner, Place 5 City of Rio Hondo

Rick Tello: 116

Jose “Peps” Cavazos: 149

Proposition A City of Rio Hondo

For: 141

Against: 114

Board of Trustees, Place 1 Rio Hondo ISD

Maria Mayte L. Chapa: 253

Fernando Rocha, Jr.: 392

Board of Trustees, Place 2 Rio Hondo ISD

Jose Luis Lopez Jr.: 363

Jennifer Alfaro : 294

Board of Trustees, Place 3 Rio Hondo ISD

Gina Marie Palacios: 361

Monica Gallegos: 110

Celina Y. Lara: 166

Board of Trustees, Place 4 Rio Hondo ISD

Ruben Canales Jr.: 493

Proposition A La Feria ISD

For: 316

Against: 245

Board of Trustees, Place 3 Harlingen CISD

Diana Cortez Young: 1,387

Laura Longoria: 419

Rebekah “Bekah” Herrmann Batot: 1,520

Linda R. Gonzales: 289

Board of Trustees, Place 7 Harlingen CISD

Eladio Jaimez: 2,049

Lorraine De Leon Galarza: 1,485

Proposition A Laguna Madre Water Dist

For: 741

Against: 482

HIDALGO COUNTY

Proposition A, City of Progreso Special Election

For: 514

Against: 450

Proposition B, City of Progreso Special Election

For: 508

Against: 435

For Mayor, Place No. 1, City of San Juan

Ernesto “Coach” Guajardo: 1,275

Mario Garza: 1,524

For Commissioner, Place No. 2, City of San Juan

Mario Cantu: 1,534

Marta Santa Maria: 1,238

For Commissioner, Place No. 3, City of San Juan

Adina Santillan: 1,124

Gilbert Garza: 1,204

Jaime Castillo: 460

For Mayor, City of Sullivan City

Alma D. Salinas: 555

Eduardo “Lalo” Peña: 178

Sylvia Castillo: 619

For Council Member Place 1, City of Sullivan City

Isaac Villalon Sulemana: 637

Magdalena “Maggie” M. Flores: 159

Elias Morales Jr.: 547

For Council Member Place 3, City of Sullivan City

Jaime Villarreal: 289

Rene “Cuate” Peña: 543

Javier “Jain” Flores: 518

Proposition A, Hidalgo Independent School District

For: 204

Against: 123

Proposition B, Hidalgo Independent School District

For: 199

Against: 126

School Trustee, Place 3, McAllen Independent School District

Robert Carreon: 2,531

Allena Cano: 1,491

School Trustee, Place 6, McAllen Independent School District

Sofia M. Peña: 3,061

School Trustee, Place 7, McAllen Independent School District

Roberto Haddad: 2,921

Rojelio Aleman II: 359

Tiffany Ramos: 681

School Trustee, Place No. 1, Progreso Independent School District

Janie Sarmiento: 719

Robert Garcia: 548

School Trustee, Place No. 2, Progreso Independent School District

Jose “Morro” D. Garza: 574

Agapito Perez Jr.: 715

School Trustee, Place No. 3, Progreso Independent School District

Oscar Esparza: 550

Paola Daylee Candanoza: 598

Jazmin Candanoza: 127

Proposition 1, Hidalgo County ESD NO. 1

For: 479

Against: 722

Proposition 1, Hidalgo County ESD NO. 2

For: 204

Against: 539

Proposition A, Hidalgo County ESD No. 3 Special Election

For: 20

Against: 58

Proposition A, Hidalgo County ESD A&F No. 4 Special Election

For: 22

Against: 18

Proposition A, Hidalgo County ESD No. 5 Special Election

For: 103

Against: 22

Proposition A, Hidalgo County ESD No. 6 Special Election

For: 102

Against: 21

For Commissioner, District 1, City of McAllen

Tony Aguirre: 980

Tim Wilkins: 494

For Commissioner, District 3, City of McAllen

Omar Quintanilla: 374

Rolando “Rolly” Rios: 500

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Texas Border Business

By Roberto Hugo González

On Friday, May 2, 2025, Mia Renee Diaz-Aleman shared a post on her Facebook account providing an update on her husband, Rojelio Aleman II, a McAllen Independent School District (MISD) Board of Trustees Place 7 candidate. She wrote, “Just a quick update: Roy has been taken to the hospital and is currently in the preliminary phase. We hope he will be moved to a room soon. Please offer him your support. If you have any questions, feel free to text me. Thanks!”

The following day, May 3, she posted a second update, stating, “And he’s out! All tests came back clear, and we are waiting to go home. Luckily, it was just a viral infection, and meds have been given. Thank you all for your love and support.”

On May 5, 2025, McAllen ISD officially announced the passing of Mr. Rojelio Aleman II. In a statement posted to its official Facebook page, the district said, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Rojelio Aleman II, who was a candidate for School Board Place 7 in McAllen ISD. We appreciate Mr. Aleman’s willingness to step forward and serve the McAllen ISD school community. During his candidacy, he attended our Board meetings and always stayed afterward to ask insightful questions to better understand the district. We want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Aleman family during this difficult time.”

Another candidate for the school district board, Allena Cano, wrote: “This truly saddens me. He was THE NICEST, genuine man, always wanting to help and serve others. He walked his dogs daily during early voting, checking on all of us at the Lark Center. We met his sweet wife when they voted together. May he rest in peace.”

As of May 5, 2025, no additional public statements or posts related to Mr. Aleman’s passing have been published by McAllen ISD, its official website, or the Facebook account of Mia Renee Diaz-Aleman.

Mr. Aleman, a U.S. Army veteran, served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was actively involved in the McAllen community. He was vice president of the Keep McAllen Beautiful city advisory board, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7473, a participant in the McAllen Evening Rotary, and a member of Leadership McAllen Class 42.

On May 3, 2025, in the MISD Board of Trustees Place 7 election, Mr. Aleman received 9.06% of the vote. Roberto Haddad won the seat with 73.74%.

Mr. Aleman’s platform focused on supporting educators, ensuring safe learning environments, and expanding resources for students and teachers. He also advocated for the needs of veterans within the community.

Further details regarding the cause of Mr. Aleman’s death have not been publicly released.

Texas Border Business

EDINBURG, Texas – The Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, with generous support from H-E-B, is pleased to announce a special Mother’s Day Brunch & Canvas Creations event exclusively for mothers. The event will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, located at 1906 South Closner Blvd.

This adults-only celebration is designed to honor the love, strength, and dedication of mothers in the community. Guests will enjoy a relaxing morning featuring a delicious brunch, courtesy of H-E-B, followed by a guided canvas painting session led by local artist Kathleen Kelley. All painting materials will be provided, and no prior art experience is necessary.

“We are thrilled to offer this serene and joyful event just for moms,” said Letty Leija, Director of the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library. “With H-E-B’s generous sponsorship, we’re able to create a space where mothers can relax, connect, and be celebrated.”

To ensure a peaceful and pampering experience, the event is intended for mothers only, and attendees are kindly asked not to bring children. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Participants may register by scanning the event QR code or calling the library’s Reference Department at 956-383-6246.

For more information about this event or other upcoming library programs, contact the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library at 956-383-6246 or visit the library at 1906 South Closner Blvd., Edinburg.

Stay updated by following the library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SekulaMemorialLibrary/.

Hold on to your tortas.

A new study conducted by WalletHub determined that the McAllen metropolitan area is the most overweight city in the United States.

According to a report on WalletHub’s website that was published on Monday, McAllen has the highest percentage of obese adults and the highest percentage of physically inactive adults.

“McAllen, TX, ranks as the most overweight city in the country, because it has the largest percentage of adults who are obese, at 45%, with an additional 31% overweight but not obese,” the report read. “McAllen also has the second-highest share of obese teenagers and the fifth-highest share of obese children.”

This is the second year in a row that the McAllen area has earned the number one ranking in the annual report.

The list ranked McAllen number one overall, followed by Little Rock, Arkansas; Jackson, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; and Knoxville, Tennessee. The next lowest ranking city from Texas to make the list was San Antonio, which came in at number 13.

When it came to the subcategories, McAllen ranked number one in the percentage of obese adults and the percentage of physically inactive adults.

The report added that McAllen residents are also “very affected” by diseases that can result from being overweight.

“One reason why many people in McAllen are overweight is because they don’t exercise very much, as the city has the highest share of physically inactive adults,” the report read. “That may not be entirely their fault, considering McAllen has the second-lowest percentage of residents who live close to parks or recreational facilities.”

Chip Lupo, a writer and analyst for WalletHub who contributed to the report, said that data is pulled from a number of websites including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to help determine rankings.

The data is then broken down into three categories: obesity and overweight, health consequences, and food and fitness. Those categories are then broken down into 19 indicators including physically inactive adults, projected obesity weight rates by 2030, and healthy food access, among others.

“We’re trying to go a little bit beyond,” Lupo said. “People just automatically assume that obesity, overweight is related strictly to diet. It’s a key factor, but there’s other issues and other factors at play, some socioeconomic and some logistically. We try to create a comprehensive look to why some of these cities rank so high in obesity and overweight, and what some of the ones that aren’t and what they’re doing well also.”

He said that the purpose of the report is not to shame anyone, but to raise awareness about where there might be problems so that readers and policymakers can try to make their communities more healthy.

“Number one in this case is, of course, McAllen, Texas,” Lupo said. “So that’s, by our research, considered one of the most obese cities, metro areas in the U.S. Now keep in mind also, this is part of a nationwide problem. I mean, McAllen is the worst among a pretty bad situation nationwide, because we found through our research that 42% of U.S. adults are obese.”

Dr. Ivan Melendez, health authority for Hidalgo County, said that he is not surprised by the results of the study.

“Quite frankly, what does it matter for number one or number 37? We are definitely among the most obese in the country,” he said.

Melendez said that the Rio Grande Valley has always ranked low when it comes to diabetes, hypertension and obesity, access to health care, and education — statistics that are often revealed in similar reports.

“It’s information that we are already aware of, that everyone already knows,” Melendez said. “You look around you and you just see people are overweight. If we bicker over the formulas, or for number one versus number three, you’re missing the point. The point is, we are in a very bad situation when it comes to obesity.”

He said that there are actually a number of factors that can contribute to the problem with obesity in the area.

“When you add an access to quality food, processed food, poverty, a lack of education, genetic predisposition, culture that believes that bigger is better, including weight, it certainly makes a lot of sense why we are where we’re at,” he said.

McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos said that while he is unsure about the process used to determine the results of the WalletHub report, he said that the city is continuing to try to promote healthier lifestyles for its citizens.

“I think you all know we have over 30-something miles of walking and biking trails and thousands of acres of parks,” Villalobos said. “We just keep on doing stuff that really promotes, but at the very end it is, it is up to the individual.”

How gas prices have changed in McAllen in the last week

Gasoline prices have increased by just a few cents compared to this time last month, but the cost to fill up the tank has declined by nearly 40 cents per gallon since last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.16, with Lubbock, Texas, seeing the cheapest metro-area prices at $2.62 and Lihue, Hawaii, with the most expensive at $5.12.

After a monthlong pause on tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, the Trump administration proceeded at the beginning of March to impose 25% tariffs on the two neighboring nations, including a limited 10% tariff on Canadian energy. However, on March 6, the president announced a pause on tariffs until April 2.

GasBuddy projects states in the Northeast could see the most significant spike in fuel prices as a result of potential tariffs, possibly by 20 to 40 cents per gallon, as this region relies heavily on Canada's New Brunswick refinery.

Meanwhile, by April, gas prices may decrease as a result of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' plans to boost crude production. This increased output, however, is just one of several factors influencing prices in the month ahead.

"While OPEC has signaled its intent to stabilize the market, policy decisions from the White House could introduce further uncertainty, making it difficult to predict where prices will head next," GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said in a statement this month. "However, nearly every year sees a seasonal spring increase, which could eventually push prices higher ahead of summer."

Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of March 27.

McAllen by the numbers- Gas current price: $2.84--- Texas average: $2.76- Week change: +$0.19 (+7.3%)- Year change: -$0.32 (-10.3%)- Historical expensive gas price: $4.49 (6/10/22)

- Diesel current price: $2.96- Week change: +$0.08 (+2.9%)- Year change: -$0.52 (-14.8%)- Historical expensive diesel price: $5.28 (5/11/22)

Metros with the most expensive gas#1. Lihue (Kauai), HI: $5.12#2. Santa Rosa, CA: $4.92#3. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: $4.90

Metros with the least expensive gas#1. Lubbock, TX: $2.62#2. Laredo, TX: $2.64#3. Gadsden, AL: $2.65

This story features writing by Tim Bruns and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 371 metros.

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