Border Blog, Day 1: Searching for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

MISSION -- Just north of Reynosa, Mexico, Mission is on Texas' front lines of drug and human smuggling. As I write this, it's after 2 a.m. on Day 1 of the Advocate's four-day trip to patrol along the U.S.-Mexican border. We are documenting ...

FLOOD PHOTOS: What memories do you have of the 1998 flood?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

I can't imagine what the streets and countrysides looked like -- how it felt to have your home flooded -- during the Great Flood of 1998. I moved to Victoria in 2003, five years after the devastating natural disaster. This ...

Wall Street woes keeping you from retirement?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

Stocks plunged again this morning as news on Wall Street, even after the approved bailout, continues to be dreary. We want to know if anyone locally is remaining in the workplace longer than usual because his or her 401k or other ...

Missing candidates: Do you know how to find these people?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

Election time is the last time I thought I'd struggle to find candidates who want to work for the public. Yet, I can't reach a number of folks in a nine-county area who want to earn your vote. Can you ...

Any presidential debate parties?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

If you or someone you know is gathering with friends to watch the presidential debate -- or you know of a debate-viewing party -- please let us know by calling 361-574-1222 or e-mailing us at newsroom@vicad.com by 3:30 p.m. Thursday. We want to ...

UPDATED w/ graphic photo: Obama slurs plastered on a truck.

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

Scroll down to view a graphic photo of this documented case of racism. I wrote a story some weeks ago asking if South Texas is ready for a black president. This week, we received a photograph of a truck painted ...

Victoria woman hit by West Nile virus?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

If you're like me and many other Victorians, you've been swatting mosquitoes lately when you're outdoors during the late afternoon and evening. One Victoria woman, we learned from a solid source, can relate. This woman, though, we were told, contracted the ...

UPDATED: Has the tiger at The Texas Zoo roared at you?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

I took my niece to the The Texas Zoo in Victoria last week and we watched as one of the Bengal tigers charged from one side of the cage to the other, roaring at a group of visitors. The deep, ...

Would you watch live online video of local newsmakers?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

Think of the possibilities: Live interviews of the day's local newsmakers and leaders. And here's the frosting on the cake: You could help interview these newsmakers from the comfort of your home or office chair. If you haven't checked out ...

Anyone helping Hurricane Ike victims?

By GabeSemenza in Crowdsourcing

Advocate reporter Madeline Lewis is working on a story about local efforts -- by churches, volunteers or organizations -- to help raise funds for or to deliver goods to the areas affected most by Hurricane Ike. If you, or anyone or ...