CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Good morning, Coastal Bend neighbors, and happy Friday!
Here are your 6 Things to Know Before You Go.
CREWS INVESTIGATING ANOTHER POSSIBLE LEAK ON THE MARY RHODES PIPELINE
Corpus Christi Water is investigating another possible leak on the Mary Rhodes Pipeline — the second in two weeks.
Officials said the issue was discovered Thursday as crews tried to bring the pipeline back online after two days of scheduled pump station maintenance. The potential leak was identified near the O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant across the Nueces River.
Crews are now preparing to excavate the area to inspect the pipeline and determine what repairs are needed. The pipeline remains offline.
City officials say the regional water supply remains strong, with 100% of the city's water coming from western reservoirs and the Nueces Groundwater Program. The latest issue comes just days after crews completed a separate repair north of Refugio, where a 17-foot section of the 64-inch pipe was replaced after a leak detected Sept. 19 took the pipeline offline for nearly a week.
Since opening in 1998, the 101-mile pipeline that carries water from Lake Texana to the O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant has experienced at least 33 leaks or failures.
ALEXIS RIOS PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN DEADLY VIOLET ROAD CRASH
There are new developments in the case against Alexis Rios.
The 26-year-old Robstown woman waived her arraignment Friday and pleaded not guilty to two counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury.
The charges stem from a March 2, 2025, crash on the 4400 block of Violet Road. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rios was driving southbound when she drove off the road, lost control and crashed head-on into a northbound vehicle. The crash killed her passenger, Justin Buentello, 26, of Robstown, and Messiah, the unborn son of Amy Lopez and Mark Oliva, who were in the other vehicle.
Rios admitted to investigators that she had been drinking alcohol before the crash and consented to a voluntary blood draw. She was first arrested in December 2025 and again this week following a Nueces County grand jury indictment issued Aug. 27.
FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK RESCHEDULED TO OCT. 9
A reminder: October's First Friday ArtWalk in downtown Corpus Christi has been moved from this Friday to Oct. 9 because of the weather forecast. The rescheduled event will still feature a special performance from Tejano music legend Gary Hobbs.
ACA REBATE CHECKS GOING OUT THIS MONTH
Nearly a million people with Affordable Care Act coverage, including some in Texas, could soon receive $500 rebate checks.
The payments begin going out this month to people who used HealthCare.gov and did not qualify for premium subsidies. The money comes from unspent fees used to support the federal ACA exchanges. The payments come as many enrollees are already paying higher premiums, with another increase expected for 2027.
ICE ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE ON VEHICLE STOPS
New internal guidance is changing how ICE officers conduct vehicle stops.
Officers must complete required training, use vehicles equipped with lights and sirens and have body cameras turned on, according to reporting by CNN. The guidance also prohibits pursuits if a driver does not stop. The changes follow several controversial vehicle stops, including some that ended in fatal shootings.
MORTGAGE RATES HIT HIGHEST LEVEL IN NEARLY THREE YEARS
Mortgage rates are not easing up for homebuyers.
New data shows the average 30-year fixed rate is now 7.28% — the highest in nearly three years. Rates have risen for six straight weeks. Experts recommend shopping around and comparing quotes from several lenders.
And those are the 6 Things You Need to Know Before You Go.
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