EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- More than 41,000 fans were in the stands at the UTEP vs Southern Utah University game on Saturday night. Some fans say they felt they had to show up after hearing some of the comments made by Southern Utah University's head football coach DeLane Fitzgerald.

In an interview, Fitzgerald had this to say about UTEP's football team, "It's hard to call it a rebuild it's a build re-what? Re means that at once upon a time they were good so somebody's gotta tell me when that was."

Fitzgerald also assumed UTEP fans wouldn't fill the stadium, "huge stadium and you'll have 20-25 thousand people in the stadium that seats you know 52,000 but we'll be able to handle the crowd after last week," Fitzgerald said.

Fans were fired up about these remarks and they showed up in hopes of proving Fitzgerald wrong. In the end Southern Utah University won the game 27-24. One fans says he's loves the miners win, lose or draw.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- If you thought summers have been getting hotter, you're not wrong. A study conducted by Climate Central found 230 of the 241 cities they analyzed had an average 2.5°F increase over the past few decades.

The study started in the 1970s. It looked at cities across the United States during the months of June, July and August.

The study compile the following list of the top five fastest-warming cities:

• Reno, Nevada,
• Boise, Idaho
• El Paso, Texas
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Salt Lake City, Utah

Greg Lundeen, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says El Paso's low temperatures are increasing and that is contributing to the high temperatures during the day. So far this year El Paso has had 54 triple digit days.

Lundeen says to study the effects and what causes the increase takes time, not just weeks, days, months, years, decades and even centuries. Lundeen suggest the community get educated about climate change and the effects of heat.

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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and local leaders just broke ground on a new reproductive health clinic in Dona Ana County.

Planning for the Center for Reproductive Health started in 2022 when the governor secured $10 million in capital improvement money to "help meet a sharply increased demand for reproductive services following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision," a spokesperson for her office explained Thursday.

Since the Dobbs decision, more women have traveled to New Mexico for abortion care. Many travel from states such as Texas and Oklahoma that started restricting abortion access following the decision.

The governor's office provided the following list of services that will be available at the clinic.

• Medication and procedural abortion
• Miscarriage management
• Range of contraception options including IUDs implants, emergency contraception, and hormonal and barrier contraception options
• Pregnancy loss support and management
• Lactation support
• Women’s Preventative care, sexually transmitted infection, and cancer screenings
• Adoption education and resources
• Limited Primary Care including: STI screenings, cervical cancer screenings, checkups for sexual health care
• Doula Support

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El Paso, Texas (KVIA)-- Since 2017, Segundo Barrio has come together every year to celebrate their neighborhood. People could be seen dancing in the street at the corner of Fourth ave and Park St.

Pablo Lopez, president of Segundo Barrio says "the block party is like a reward for our community so they can know that the community's appreciated and they deserve a dance, a block party."

I spoke with residents near and far who say what they love the most about the neighborhood is the people, how close they are and how they look out for each other.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, which is August 31st, El Paso Harm Reduction Alliance invited the community to come together and raise awareness about overdose prevention and honor those who lost their lives due to overdose.

Experts were in attendance providing information on overdose prevention, how to recognize the signs of an overdose, and how to respond in emergency situations. They also passed of naloxone kits and provided training on how to use the life-saving medication.

Juan Carlos Perez, spokesperson for El Paso Harm Reduction Alliance says through their outreach they know where the overdoses are occurring the most, so they are targeting those communities and supplying them with naloxone. Perez says the purpose of this event is to educate the community and reduce the stigma about drug addiction.

Many people provided pictures of their lost loved ones to play in a slide show while organizers held a candlelight vigil. This was El Paso Harm Reduction Alliance's first gathering for International overdose awareness day but organizers say they will be doing it again next year.

If you or someone you know need resources to overcome addiction please visit Recovery Alliance.

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SAN ELIZARIO, Texas (KVIA) -- Congressman Tony Gonzales is discussing border security efforts with law enforcement officials in San Elizario today.

Watch the news conference above.

ABC-7 will be at the event and will report on what happens in our evening newscasts.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso ISD is moving into Phase II of its Destination District Redesign (DDR). The redesign analyzes programs, allocation of resources and a facilities assessment to ensure the needs of the students and the community are being met.

"The DDR process is dedicated to ensuring that every child in El Paso ISD receives a high-quality education," and EPISD spokesperson explained.

The DDR will be completed in 3 phases:

Phase I: Review submitted feedback to determine what’s important to the community to develop a preliminary set of quality seats criteria.  

Phase II: Share the proposed high-quality seat criteria to the community. In addition, the district will use the criteria to conduct a preliminary analysis of its campuses.  After another round of community conversations, the district will determine areas within the district where right sizing measures are necessary, campuses that may require facilities improvements, and program expansion opportunities.

Phase III: The district will present recommendations from the DDR process to the Board of Trustees. If approved, El Paso ISD will support students and families to ensure a successful transition for the 2025-26 school year.

Tune in to ABC-7 at 10p to find out what information was found in Phase l and what will be happening in Phase II.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- El Paso Independent School District has launched a new app to improve communications between parents and teachers. El Paso ISD in partnership with Apptegy, an EdTech vendor that provides software products, including its Rooms platform which allows parents to communicate with teachers.

However, some parents and teachers say the app displays incorrect information and it concerns them. One parent, Mindy Sutton says when she logs into the app it shows a man she doesn't know listed as her daughter's guardian.

Sutton says once she noticed the error she reached out to her daughter's teacher to have the man's name removed but according to Sutton the teacher was unable to assist because she had not been trained on the app.

Sutton isn't alone, teachers also say they are listed as guardians on other students profiles. One teacher commented on a Facebook post saying she could see information a teacher from another school was posting as well as direct messages from parents addressed to that teacher.

I reached out to EPISD and they responded with the following statement

To develop this app, El Paso ISD has partnered with Apptegy, an EdTech vendor that provides software products and solutions, including its Rooms platform, to approximately 4500 K-12 school district customers in the US. 

Part of perfecting any application is improving issues that arise during deployment and implementation. EPISD experts and our Apptegy partners have taken the appropriate steps to address a visibility issue for registered users involving duplicated numbers. It is important to emphasize that no sensitive or private information was shared due to this issue; the privacy and security of our students’ information is our top priority.  

El Paso ISD’s new app streamlines and enhances communication between teachers and parents by providing a single, centralized platform for all messages, and it also improves information security allowing for greater oversight. The application can be centrally managed and monitored, ensuring a higher level of student safety. This capability is crucial in our ongoing efforts to protect our students and provide a secure environment for their educational journey. 

EPISD will continue to monitor and improve the app and offer support to users as adoption grows. We believe this application will be a game changer in making communication easier, more effective, and safer for everyone involved. EPISD has already received positive reports from parents and educators.

EPISD spokesperson

Norma De La Rosa, President El Paso Teachers association says among the teachers she spoke with they didn't have an issue with incorrect information on students profile. However, De La Rosa said she did notice missing information on the EPISD website. She says she reached out to the central office to notify them of the missing information and they said they will look into it.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- On Saturday El Pasoans celebrated the unveiling of artist Jesus “Cimi” Alvarado's latest mural. The mural honored the history of the 1960’s Chicano Civil Rights Movement and the struggles they faced.

The Mexican-American Youth Association or the M.A.Y.A were a group of kids from El Paso’s Segundo Barrio. They worked together from the late 1960s until the early 1970s to improve their living conditions and bring awareness to some of the issues they faced in their high school.

Alvarado said when he looked for inspiration for the mural, he thought about his own mentors and even included one of them in the mural, his former history teacher Oscar Lozano. Alvarado said the Chicano studies class at his school encouraged him to dive deeper into his culture, activism and working with the community.

"Unfortunately, our stories are not being told or not being taught in the school system. So our youth, especially our youth of color, do not know much about our own history, about our own culture. And, this is a way for me to tell the stories, trying to bring attention to the importance of our people," said Alvarado.

Alvarado mural is located on the external wall of El Paso Boys & Girls club, 801 S Florence St, El Paso, TX 79901.

Another artist Carlos Callejo celebrated the renaming and unveiling of a mural he painted 30 years ago. What was once known as the Multipurpose Mural room will now be called the Carlos Callejo Mural room. Callejo says the El Paso library wanted a mural that inspired discovery but also incorporated the past, the present and the future.

Callejo says he used faces of children from the neighbor to represent the past and astronauts to represent the future "With the intention of connecting them to their ancestors, themselves and their cosmic futures," said Callejo. A plaque will be placed inside the room in honor of Callejo.

Carlos Callejo Mural room is located at the El Paso Public Library Armijo Library Branch, 620 E 7th Ave, El Paso, TX 79901.

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EL PASO, Texas (KIVA) -- It's been over a week since the 9 hour long power outage that affected 4,000 residents. One viewer notified ABC-7 that she had to discard around $500 worth of food. According to the FDA, food left in a refrigerator without power for more than 4 hours should be discarded.

The viewer said after she did that, she reached out El Paso Electric to see if they would reimburse her. She says she was directed to contact Bain Construction to file a claim. Bain Construction is the company working at the corner of Helen of Troy and Resler Dr.

Bain Construction advised her she would need to contact El Paso Water. El Paso Water told her she was misinformed and was again referred back to Bain Construction to file a claim.

ABC-7 reached out to Bain Construction and they said they have no comment on the matter, meanwhile residents shared stories with me about how they lost food, medicine and had to spend money for a hotel room due to extreme temperatures in their homes. One resident said her family left for the day and when they returned later that evening the temperature was still 88 degrees.

A representative for Texas Department Insurance advise residents to consultant with their insurance company. He says in some cases you are able to be reimbursed for groceries without paying a deductible.

The post West El Paso residents seek answers for the August 12th power outage appeared first on KVIA.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- ABC-7 is looking into a power outage that happened earlier this month that caused several hundred customers in West El Paso to lose power for several hours.

Now some impacted residents are saying that their food went bad during the outage.

ABC-7 is looking into the potential recourses those customers could take to get compensation for their lost property.

Today there was another outage in West El Paso. Power has returned to the 3,000+ customers in El Paso who had been without electricity for a time this afternoon.

The El Paso Electric outage map currently shows that there are no outages in El Paso.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The borderland has seen 47 triple digit days and it doesn't seem like a major drop in temperature is coming anytime soon.

Enrique Duenas-Aguilar spokesperson for the El Paso fire department says so far this year there have been 21 rescues. The El Paso Fire department and Texas Park & Wildlife offer this tips to stay safe.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE:

• Get current maps of the area. Know rules and regulations.
• Be aware of the types of wildlife in the area by searching the web or calling the ranger station.
• Take plenty of drinking water (one gallon per person is ideal).
• Take light snacks.
• Check weather conditions and wear proper clothing accordingly.
• Avoid doing activities during extreme temperatures.
• Use sunblock lotion, wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants, and use a cap or hat.
• Do activities with a partner or in a group, If you must do activities alone, let someone know your plans.
• Stay on the trail. Walking off-trail increases your chance of suffering an injury, getting lost, or encountering dangerous wildlife.
• Have a fully charged cell phone for emergencies. Cell phone service is not always available.
• Carry with you a whistle, mirror, flag, flashlight, flare, or other means to signal your location

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The Gene Roddenberry Planetarium has a new location, new look and some new benefits.

Starting in September the planetarium will designate one Saturday a month for the public to visit and it is completely free. A schedule for which Saturday will be open to the public has not been released yet. Daniel Vasquez, fund development and education foundation officer for El Paso ISD says because the galaxy is so different and there are so many different times of the year, they have to customize a schedule.

"There could be occurrences that take place in space or take place in the sky so our planetarium staff will monitor that and they'll do specialized programing and specialized events." Vasquez said

Evelyn Maldonado, Planetarium coordinator is a former science teacher, she says that role played a major factor in her thought process when it comes to the best ways students will retain information. She says the schedule will be released later this month and she invites everyone to come out and visit.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- A recent audit performed by ESSER lll states "there is a lag in the implementation of the planetarium" the audit went on to say the El Paso ISD only used 12% ($70,000) of the project's $560,000 budget.

Audit documents say some of the causes for the lag are due to miscommunication and misunderstanding in regards to contract approvals and requesting quotes.

ABC-7 spoke to Daniel Vasquez, Fund Development and Education foundation officer for El Paso ISD, he says the misunderstanding and lag were due to them being behind with the internal timeline they set for themselves.

This project is a partnership between El Paso ISD and the City of El Paso. Through a community development block grant El Paso ISD were awarded for $1.2 million to convert the old multipurpose center at Crosby Elementary into the planetarium.

Vasquez says "We used 100% of the $1.2 million for the capital. The 12% of the funding was supplemental funding that the district invested. And at the point in time when that audit was done, that project had only spent 12% of the funds."

Vasquez also added the project was completed with $102,000 to spare that they able to use across the district to enhance curriculum.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- In an effort to determine if school campuses are following the Texas Education
Agency's (TEA) Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) an audit was performed on 5 campuses.

The audit found a total of 55,960 unverified/ No note no call absences, which translates into a loss of approximately $3,245,546 in state funding. The schools audited were Jefferson High School, Tinajero PK-8, Crockett Elementary School, Austin High School and Franklin High School. Franklin High School lead the trend by far with a whooping 40,362 unverified/ No note no call absences.

It was explained that once a teacher marks a child absent the campus attendance clerk assigns the reason, however in the audit they found eleven clerks as well as campus principals at all 5 campuses did not complete attendance training.

Lisa Estrada-Batson, assistant superintendent of student and parent services for EPISD says this year they made training mandatory for campus staff they also implemented a new system that would give parents a way to report absences at the click of a button.

Estrada-Batson says the audit gave them insight into how they can better support their students. She says they plan to work together moving forward to make sure that this year is better.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso County Commissioners will discuss adding the Capital Improvement Program Project and the University Medical Center bonds to the November ballot Monday.

The UMC bond is projected to cost $396.6 million. The bond would improve bed capacity at the hospital, build senior focused clinics, and develop in-town cancer care. The bond would also improve imaging technology, laboratory services, and operating rooms.

The Capital Improvement Bond Program project is estimated to cost $323.8 million. Money would go to these five departments: Parks and Recreation, Office of the Medical Examiner, Courthouse, Sub courthouses and Related Annexes, County Coliseum and Animal Shelters.

Both bonds would result in tax increases. The UMC bond would cost taxpayers an extra $5.79 a month on average, according to county officials. The Capital Improvement Program Project bond would cost taxpayers $5.02 a month on average, according to county officials.

ABC-7 spoke with residents who say a tax increase could be a financial burden for some families.

"We have to work together, and find a solution where we could find a common ground not to increase our taxes, but also contribute to the quality of life," El Paso resident David Herrera told ABC-7.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The wait is over, La Nube children's museum is open and attracting hundreds of visitors during their first weekend of business. The long awaited facility has 4 floors, covers 70,000 sq. ft. and has 9 themed stations. Stephanie Otero, Interim CEO of La Nube says "there's no words to describe how excited we are."

One visitor says the museum brings out your inner child. The 2 stations most visitors say they were impressed by were "Making Waves" and "Flow". The Making Waves station shows you how can utilize every day objects like cardboard and sticks to make music. Flow teaches children about conservation and water power. Their pump rooms show how water is treated and recycled.

La Nube strives to be inclusive, their Desert bloom is designed for kids 3 years old and under. All other stations are open to all ages. They also have exhibits for people who are hearing impaired and sensory backpacks for people with sensory processing disorders. The backpack are free and include noise canceling headphones, weighted vest and fidgets to help make the museum experience enjoyable.

For more information about the stations or to purchase tickets visit La Nube.

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El Paso, TEXAS (KVIA)-- Old Glory Memorial will honor wounded soldiers and veterans at their Purple Heart ceremony on Saturday Aug. 10th at 10 a.m. In preparation for the ceremony they held a special craft session at their weekly food truck night.

Most attendees grab a brush and decorated their rocks as their hearts desired. The rocks will placed in front of the Purple hearts memorial during the ceremony. Donna Juarez, president of Flags of America invites everyone to come out to Old Glory Memorial to help honor those who were hurt in the line of duty.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Homeland security investigations (HSI) in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Border Patrol and Mexican authorities worked together and rescued a 9-year-old boy who was kidnapped and being held for ransom by a transnational criminal organization.

According to Homeland security investigations (HSI) On July 27, the boy's mother entered the country illegally and Border Patrol agents detained her in El Paso. At the same time the kidnappers started to demand money from the boy’s relatives in Kansas City, Kansas.

On Aug. 1, Chihuahua anti-kidnapping unit spoke with one of beneficiaries of the money wires being sent from Kansas to Ciudad Juarez. The following day the boy was left at a Ciudad Juarez municipal police station. No arrest were made and authorities are still investigating.

On Aug. 6, The State Public Security Secretariat (SSPE) rescued 10 people who reported being victims of kidnapping from Africa by a criminal group. Police received information about a group of people wandering and looking distress.

Agents from the Deployment Police, elements of Police Intelligence, the C7-iA Command Center and rescue personnel responded to the call, after questioning the individuals it was confirmed that 4 people were from the country of Sudan and the other 6 were from Morocco.

Through an English interpreter, the group told officials they had been kidnappied, tortured and being used as a means of extortion against their families. The victims were seen by Mexican Red Cross personnel who performed a medical examination and found the group suffered severe dehydration, malnutrition and multiple injuries.

State Investigation Agency (AEI) and the National Migration Institute (INM) were notified and are conducting an investigation.

Orlando Marrero-Rubio, Spokesperson for El Paso Border Patrol says transnational criminal organizations use stash houses to keep migrants. Marrero-Rubio added "We've seen diversity in communities, neighborhoods that they've been using to stash migrants in inhumane conditions. No electricity, lack of food, lack of water in tight spaces. Properties that are designed for maybe a family of 5, we've seen groups of 50 and groups of 20."

Marrero-Rubio says some of the traits of a stash house are excessive amounts of trash, a high traffic of vehicles coming and going all hours of the day. "Smugglers, they try to hide the migrants inside those stash houses. So more than often they will put aluminum foil or cover the windows in nontraditional ways."

If you have information about smuggling activity please call the Homeland Security Investigation's tipline at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP (1-877-447-4847).

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Bridge of The Americas temporarily closed due to protesters standing in solidarity with Venezuela.

The peaceful protest called for Venezuela President Nicolas Madruo to honor the results of the election.

Political Expert Dr.Richard Pineda says "based on the CBP data, we know that there are a number of Venezuelans who are in El Paso and also had made it to Juarez and have been able to cross for their attempt to seek asylum."

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Pasoans Fighting Hunger (EPFH) launched a new training program called Spark. The 8 week long program offers five certifications: ServSafe, OSHA, Forklift, CLA (Certified Logistics Associate), and CLT (Certified Logistics Technician).

"We want to be part of the solution to hunger, not only today but for tomorrow," EPFH CEO Susan Goodell says.

Goodell says the skills obtained during the training program allows graduates to get better paying jobs to support themselves and their families.

Wells Fargo showed their support for local job training initiatives and community development by presenting a check in the amount of $25,000 to the Spark program.

If you are interested in joining the program please call El Pasoans Fighting Hunger at 915-298-0353 and ask about the job training program.

The post El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Spark! Training Program graduation appeared first on KVIA.

EL PASO,Texas (KVIA)-- Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough, visited El Paso today and announced big changes for the Sun City. A new $750 million state of the art facility the will be located Beaumont Hospital on the east side of El Paso, is set to open in late 2028.

The new facility will double the space available for patient care. Additionally there will also be an urgent care center and a women's clinic these clinic are set to open over the

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EL PASO,Texas (KVIA)-- Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough, visited El Paso today and announced big changes for the Sun City. A new $750 million state of the art facility, that will be located near Beaumont Hospital on the east side of El Paso, is set to open in late 2028.

The new facility will double the space available for patient care. Additionally there will also be an urgent care center and a women's clinic set to open over the next year.

Some of the issues Veterans here in El Paso are challenged with are lack of appointments with providers, wait times to schedule procedures and coverage approval delays. McDonough said "There is no reason that any veteran should feel alone after everything you have done for this country. We want to make sure that you know we're here for you."

McDonough added El Paso is a very fast growing market for veterans, "mental health well it's as important as anything. And that's why, VA has led the way and increasing access to mental health care for our veterans."

The groundbreaking for the new clinic will begin at the end of August.

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EL PASO,Texas (KVIA)-- Parents, faculty and students kicked off the back to school celebration at Andress High School. The back to school fiesta was the last of a series of events for the 2024-25 school year.

El Paso ISD Superintendent Diana Sayavedra stopped by Andress, Chapin and Austin high school to meet with people in the community. Sayavedra says El Paso ISD's goal is to connect with the community and keep them informed and engaged with what's to come this year.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Rescue mission of El Paso is a shelter for people who are homeless. They actively provide resources to residents to help them get their lives back on track. Teaching traits such as cooking allows residents to gain a sense of independence.

One of the vocational rehab programs is Hallelujah BBQ. First residents participate in the 13 week in-house relapse prevention program. After residents complete the program the Rescue Mission helps them obtain their food handlers card.

Blake Barrow, CEO of Rescue Mission of El Paso says Hallelujah BBQ is completely run by the Rescue Mission, they only hire people who are homeless and all profits go back to the Rescue Mission. "It's teaching people how to fish rather than just giving away fish." Barrow said.

Johnny Frausto has been a server at Hallelujah BBQ for six months. He says initially he was against the idea of joining the program. After serving three years in Federal prison Frausto didn't want to constantly be around people. He's says his probation officer told him the program would add structure to his life.

In just six months, Frausto was able to get a car, an apartment and stay sober. He's also responsible for recruiting Moises Valenzuela, Hallelujah BBQ's newest employee. Valenzuela hasn't been apart for the team for long but he says he thinks the program will be beneficial for him because it keeps him occupied.

If you would like support Hallelujah BBQ's they are located at 130a N Cotton St. El Paso, TX 79901. Hours of operations are Wednesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Today the El Paso history museum held a grand opening for their new exhibit titled "El Paso Homegrown: The Korean War."

The exhibit is the latest in the series that started in 2022. The history, culture and relationship between Korea and the United States are just some of the topics the exhibit covered. The ceremony kicked off with a Korean heritage dance performance, words from local leaders and the recognition for the Korean War Veterans.

I spoke with attendees who shared which features were their favorite.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Oscar Hagelsieb, former Homeland Security Investigations assistant special agent talks to ABC-7 about what impact the arrest of a high profile cartel boss will have on the Borderland.

Hagelsieb says in his experience, there will now be more violence on the Mexican side of the border as other cartel leaders fight for the the top spot.

Tune in to ABC-7 at 10 p.m. for more of the details on what Hagelsieb thinks will happen in the months following this arrest.

The post Former HSI assistant special agent weighs in on Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia arrest appeared first on KVIA.

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Hundreds of southern New Mexico residents attended a public safety town hall hosted by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in Las Cruses Thursday afternoon. ABC-7 livestreamed the event:

“Ensuring the safety and security of every New Mexican remains my top priority,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham in a statement earlier in the week announcing the event. “The town hall in Las Cruces this Thursday is an opportunity to hear directly from New Mexicans grappling with the state's crime problem and collaborate as a community on effective strategies to enhance public safety statewide.”

Topics discussed during the town hall included the issues with fentanyl, crime and homelessness. Gov. Lujan Grisham allowed everyone to share their comments and concerns. Gov. Lujan Grisham talked about treatment services for drug addicts and mentally ill residents but also stressed the importance of holding criminals accountable for their crimes.

Gov. Lujan Grisham was receptive to all comments, even when residents expressed disappointment in some of the decisions she has made. The governor offered solutions to some residents, for others with more complex concerns she promised to personally follow up with them.

Gov. Lujan Grisham will be hosting a series of town halls on public safety around the state. The governor had called a special legislative session focused on such issues earlier this month, listing 8 top priorities to be addressed in a proclamation.

The session lasted less than a day with one bill passed. Gov. Lujan Grisham called the lack of results of the session "one of the most disappointing days of my career" in a statement.

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SOCORRO, Texas (KVIA)-- Mayor of Socorro Ivy Avalos, says once their agreement with the county of El Paso ends on December 31st, the city of Socorro will oversee transit services for residents in Socorro.

Mayor Avalos adds, with the city growing rapidly now is the time for them to make the transition. County commissioner for precinct 1, Carlos Leon doesn't think this decision is in the best interest for the people of Socorro.

Commission Leon says, "if they do opt to have their own service, that means residents are going to have two transfers, one from the city of Socorro to the county, then one to Sun Metro."

Mayor Avalos says, "The city is fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all our residents." If residents have any questions or concerns the city can be reached at 915-858 -2915.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- I spoke with residents around El Paso to get their thoughts on President Biden stepping out of the race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Today Texas Parks and Wild life hosted a seminar for the community discussing the reintroduction of Desert Bighorn Sheep. Topics discussed during the seminar included the history of desert bighorns, challenges they face and important role the Franklin Mountains plays in this project.

The bighorns will be relocated from the Elephant Mountain wildlife management, also a property of Texas Parks and Wildlife, located about 26 miles south of Alpine Texas.

Froylan Hernandez, Desert Bighorn Sheep program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife says it's our responsibility to reintroduce Bighorns back into mountain ranges. Hernandez says they haven't been in there area since the 1960s and it important we bring them back for future enjoyment.

The bighorn population has decrease significantly in recent years. Hernandez says diseases, infections and pneumonia are to blame. Another challenge bighorns face are habitat fragmentation, meaning the habitat is being broken up so it's no longer one contiguous, piece of property that the animals can thrive in.

Hernandez says all animals that are translocated and subsequently released on the Franklin Mountain State Park will have tracking collars on them, which will allow TPWL to keep, track of those animals and monitor them real time.

The reintroduction process will being in October.

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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA)-- Today Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine held their white coat ceremony. The ceremony symbolizes the beginning of the journey to be the physicians for these students.

In front of family and friends 207 future physicians took the osteopathic oath. John Hummer, President & Co-Founder of Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine says, “It is a proud moment for our entire community as we welcome these future physicians who will carry forth the values and mission of Burrell College."

I spoke with two students who refer to themselves as non traditional medical students. The first student, Lucy Palmer says she wants to be an emergency medicine and critical care physicians. Although Palmer says she always wanted to be a doctor there was a time she thought a career in finance was her fate.

During this time, Palmer's 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Palmer says the passing for her daughter solidified her decision to be a doctor. She says watching the way the medical staff was there for her daughter, made her want to do the same for other people when they're at their greatest point of need.

Another student, Ashley Sanderson waited 10 years before going to medical school. Sanderson says one of her biggest challenges was the medical college admissions test. She says in order to achieve success she had to change the way she studied and the way she received information and ultimately her hard work paid off.

Both ladies along with 205 of their classmates will begin classes Monday morning at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine's Las Cruces campus.

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Update: El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser announced his endorsement of Kennedy in the mayoral race. Mayor Leeser says he's endorsing Brian Kennedy because he believes Kennedy cares for the people of El Paso.

Brian Kennedy shared some of the projects that are important to him are completing the amphitheater in the northeast and creating a funding source for the roads.

In addition to his plans for the future Kennedy also shared his views on the role of city manager. While Kennedy believes the role of city manager is important, he says it needs to be a team effort, with city council making the strategic decisions and the city manger implementing those decisions.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Councilmember Brian Kennedy is making an announcement at a campaign party tonight.

Watch the announcement live below.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- On Wednesday, Senate Majority leader, Chuck Schumer and House Representative, Adam Schiff expressed their concern for Biden's capability to won the presidential election.

ABC News reported Schumer told Biden it would be better for the country and the Democratic Party if he ended his reelection campaign. Schiff said in a statement, "I believe it is time for him to pass the torch. And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election."

Dr. Richard Pineda, Director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies at UTEP says if President Biden were to back out of the Presidential race, the easiest solution would be to have Vice- President Kamala Harris take his place and select a new vice president.

Dr. Pineda added, it's ultimately the Presidents decision to back out or continue the race but whatever decides he is going to have a huge impact, on what we experience from now until the convention.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Immediately following the assassination attempt on former President Trump misinformation rapidly spread. Stories about how many people were injured and fake photos of the shooter were popping up on social media platforms.

Chris Macdonald, owner of Addabee, a marketing company spoke with me about how to spot the difference between real social media accounts and fakes ones.

Macdonald suggest scrolling through the profile, checking how long the account has been around, what content are they posting, who's engaging are just a few tips people can follow.

He says fake accounts tend to hop on topics that are trending. While its unclear how fake accounts benefit from spreading false information, Macdonald says people can make sure they do their due diligence by following reputable news outlets and other credible sources.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- People around El Paso as well as Adolpho Telles, member of the executive committee for the Republican Party of Texas share their thoughts on the shooting that occurred Saturday evening at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

Former President Trump was rushed off stage by Secret Service. The FBI say this was an assassination attempt. The shooter, whose identity is unknown at this time was killed by a secret service member. The FBI say they are working to identify the shooter through DNA because he didn't have any identification on him.

Telles says him was shocked when he initially heard what happened followed by disappointment that someone would do something like this. He goes on the says,

I don't care how much you're against somebody not in this country. You don't go out and shoot him. That's that's wrong. I wouldn't wish that on. I certainly don't wish it on Trump. I wouldn't wish it on Biden either.

The story is still developing we will be sure to update you as we learn more.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Twelve years after residents voted yes on bringing a multipurpose performing arts and entertainment center to El Paso residents may be asked to vote again.

On Tuesday, July 16th, the El Paso City Council will discuss if they should allow voters to have the final say in the fate of the multipurpose performing arts and entertainment center.

Originally, voters were told the arena would be downtown and have about 12,000 seats, however Brain Kennedy, El Paso City Representative says to build an arena at the magnitude promised in 2012 would cost $350 - $500 million. He says the amount quoted in the 2012 plan was already short about $100 million and now because of inflation, the city will be getting less with the money they have dedicated to the project.

Kennedy says he suggest going back to the drawing board, bringing in some other partners, and start looking at the possibility sticking to the original plan which is a very large, indoor arena. As it stand now if residents vote to continue this project it will be smaller.

El Paso City Council wants to know if El Pasoans still want the multipurpose performing arts and entertainment center even if its on a smaller scale than originally promised.

Every resident I spoke with said if this item goes to general election they will vote for the city to continue to with the project as is.

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SOCORRO, Texas (KVIA)-- The city of Socorro's goal for the Arterial 1 project is to connect Socorro Rd. to I-10. The project has 6 alternatives, Victor Reta, Public information office for the city of Socorro says the meeting held on July 11th is to. inform the public of the alternatives the city was has constructed after reviewing previous feedback.

The city held multiple meetings in 2021 with stakeholders and residents, from there they made some adjustments and in today's meeting they presented those changes.

Socorro resident, Lorena Silvertre-Tobias says while residents do understand the need for the infrastructure they don't believe the plan should include the homes of residents.

Silvertre-Tobias says the individuals in the neighborhood are retired elders, primarily Spanish speaking, and have a fixed income. She adds "They have lived there for over 30 years and for them its more than money, they have sentimental value in their property".

The city says no decisions have been made at this time and they will continue to work with the community to identify which alternative is best.

Socorro residents urges other residents to reach out to the city and share their thoughts.

How To Submit a Comment:

• Phone: Call and leave a voicemail 915- 201-0811
• Email: Arterial@icf.com

The City of Socorro says while comments are always welcome and will be considered, only comments submitted between July 11th - July 13th will be included in the official workshop summary.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Today the City of El Paso hosted the first of many comprehensive plan meetings.

The city invited residents to come out and provide feedback on what they feel the city needs. Some of the topic covered are housing affordability, fiscal responsibility, economic development, mobility choice and equity.

It's been more than a decade since the plan was created, now the city of El Paso's Capital Improvement Department is updating the plan to reflect the updates of the city. One resident I spoke with said he would like a senior citizen's center or a community center in his neighborhood. Another resident said he would like to see some zoning changes, particularly on Alameda Street. He said he would like more grocery stores and different types of amenities instead for the car dealerships that are currently in that area.

Aine Garcia said she would like to see more HIV education and voter comprehension in the community. Casi Schnell, Capital planning project manager said theses meetings help the city prioritize and implement projects or policy.

The next meeting will be held July 18 at Valle Bajo Community Center located at 7380 Alamedaor Ave El Paso, TX 79915 from 4:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m.

For more information and a full list of upcoming meetings visit Envision El Paso.

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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA)-- Owner of Stykers Shooting World, Shawna Pfeiffer says crimes in Las Cruces has only increased over the last few years. Pfeiffer says she has had to increase security at her business as a safety measure.

This comes after the stabbing of one man the the shooting of another just miles a part in Las Cruces. On Saturday morning police responded to the stabbing of 30-year-old Carlos Joseph Lakemper. Police say there was at least on stab wound to his back.

Lakemper was transferred to University Medical Center of El Paso where he later died. Police arrested 51-year-old William Clyde Turner and charger him with one felony count of murder. Williams was booked into Dona Ana county detention center where he is being held without bond

On Sunday morning shortly after 9 a.m. police responded to a shooting, when they arrived they found 18-year-old man suffering from at least one gunshot wound. the victim was airlifted to University Medical Center of El Paso, his condition is unknown at this time.

 Pfeiffer says she hopes the city will do something about the increase of crime because she has noticed a decrease in foot traffic to her business.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The comprehensive plan is a document put together by the city and the community. It's been more than a decade since the city of El Paso updated their comprehensive plan.

Alex Hoffman,  El Paso City Planning Assistant Director, says the 2012 comprehensive plan is nationally recognized and award winning so they don't want to dispose of it, instead they want to improve it to reflect today's needs.

The city urges the public to attend the upcoming meeting and provide feedback on what the would like to see in the city.

The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 10th at Pavo Real Recreation Center located at 9301 Alameda Ave, El Paso Texas from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For a schedule of upcoming meetings and more information about the comprehensive plan visit Envision El Paso.

Tune in to ABC-7 at 10p to hear what people in El Paso think the city needs.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Since July 1st, El Paso animal services has taken in over 300 animals. Officials say the day after the fourth of July is one of their busiest days.

Alberto Ortiz, field operations supervisor for El Paso Animal Services says the fireworks and noise from the holiday festivities tend to scare animals causing them to escape.

Tune in to ABC-7 at 10p as I provide an in depth look at the process from intake to adoption.

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EL PASO,Texas (KVIA)-- Families gathered with loved ones under fireworks filled sky to celebrate the fourth of July. There was food, games, music and laugher around.

Families share with ABC-7 why coming to Montana Vista on the fourth of July is a traditional they want to pass down to their own kids.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Independence Day celebrations are going on all around the city. Ascarate Park's celebrations will go from 3p-11p at 6900 Delta Dr El Paso.

The fireworks show starts at 9:20p, but leading up to the main event, attendees are able to swim at Ascarate Pool from 12p- 5p the entrance fee is $3 for adults and $ 2 for kids (cash only).

A variety of food trucks vendors will be there between 3p-10p. Gates will close at 8p for safety during the firework show.

ASCARATE PARK TIP

• Drink plenty of water
• Use trash bags to secure trash throughout the day
• If using a charcoal grill, please wet ashes and dispose of them safely
• Do not block any roadways or hold parking spots
• Do not feed animal, keep a safe distance from geese and other aggressive wildlife

PROHIBITED ITEMS

• Alcohol
• Glass containers
• Vapes

Tune in to ABC-7 at 5pm and 6pm as we will be lives with El Pasoans for the festivities.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The El Paso Chihuahuas kicked off a fun filled 2-day Independence day celebration.The festivities started with the El Paso Chihuahuas vs. Albuquerque Isotopes game at Southwest University Park Wednesday night.

At the game fans got a front row seat to the unveiling of the Stars & Stripes jersey and New Era cap. The team will wear the red, white and blue uniforms exclusively in the two games on July 3rd and July 4th. Jerseys will not be sold in stores but fans can bid on them.

After the July 4th game some jerseys will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to the El Paso Chihuahuas foundation.Fans who attended the Wednesday night game were able to get their hands on the limited edition patriotic caps for just $10 each. Fans attending the game on Thursday, will have the opportunity to receive a complimentary patriotic cap with the purchase of $100 or more, while supplies last.

Both nights will have what the the Chihuahuas call El Paso’s best postgame Fireworks Spectacular, the show will choreographed to patriotic music. The celebration is sure to be entertaining for the whole family.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The fire occurred at the Dos Santos apartment located at 3541 peerless place in El Paso. The fire occurred shortly before 3pm. Officials say there are no reported injuries but 6 of the 8 units were occupied.

Fernando Zeh, El Paso Fire spokesperson says they are investigating what caused the fire. Some of the residents were seen packing bags and leaving the units preparing to stay some where else tonight. Zeh says they have no estimated time frame for when those residents can return home.

The unit that was most affected by the fire belonged to a couple who was hearing impaired. The women told me through sign language that everyone was safe and she felt sad.

The story is still developing we will update you as we learn more.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The know2protect campaign aims to educate parents and children on the dangers of the Internet. Homeland security investigations goes out to schools or community groups and provides tips on staying safe on the internet.

HOW TO SPOT ONLINE PREDATORS

• Asking for personal information, like your phone number or where you live
• Requesting inappropriate pictures or videos
• Sharing inappropriate images
• Trying to engage you in sexual conversation
• asking to meet in person

TIPS TO IDENTIFY FAKE PROFILES

• Unclear or blurred profile ppicutes
• Limited picture on profile
• Incomplete profile information
• Inconsistent information
• Poorly written profile
• Very few followers
• Inappropriate or sexual content

To learn more visit know2protect. Tune in to ABC-7 at 10p to learn how one El Paso parent protects her kids.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Due to the demolition of the Thorn avenue bridge, I-10 west and eastbound will be closed from Friday at 9 p.m. until Monday at 5 a.m.

During the closure drivers will have to exit using Red Rd. if they are traveling eastbound and Mesa St. if they are traveling westbound. Once I-10 reopens, Thorn avenue will still be under construction as they build a new and improved replacement.

According to Jonathan Concha, P.E. West Area Engineer the bridge will be taller to meet new requirements on the interstate. The bridge will also be wider to accommodate additional lanes and access for pedestrians.

Many establishments along I-10 may see a decrease is foot traffic this weekend. I spoke with John Tran, manager at Lush Nail Lounge El Paso, he says the weekends are normally their busy days but they are preparing for things to be slower this weekend.

Trans says locals who know their way around the city may use Doniphan or Resler as an alternative route. Which ever route you decide to take we recommend planning ahead to assure you get to your destination on time.

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Update: EPISD officials confirm that Nunez worked for the district.

“The El Paso Independent School District can confirm that Brian Troy Nunez served as support personnel from 2003 to 2019," a spokesperson explained.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A grand jury has indicted Brian Troy Nunez on receiving and distributing, as well as possession of, child pornography.

Court documents state that Nunez possessed and sent sexual imagery depicting a child younger than 12. The alleged crimes go as far back as 2016, according to court documents. A judge issued a warrant September 27, 2023 and officers arrested Nunez the same day, according to court documents.

Court documents state describe Nunez as being in possession of three sexually graphic videos.

HSI and El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks announced the indictment in a news conference this afternoon.

Officials with the District Attorney's office say that Nunez was a teacher at the former Beall Elementary School. ABC-7 has reached out to El Paso Independent School District to learn more.

Details are limited at this time. ABC-7 is working to learn more. Watch the evening newscasts for more details.

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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- The General Services Administration (GSA) is holding a public meeting to present details about their plan to modernize the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA).

Plans for the bridge include:

• No Action  
• Viable Action Alternative 1a- Multi-level Modernization (high/Low Booths) Primarily within Existing Port Boundaries with Minor Land Acquisition Immediately Adjacent to the Port and Additional Land Acquisition to the East (13 acres) No El Paso County land to be acquired.  
• Viable Action Alternative 4- Multi-level Modernization within the Existing Port Boundaries with Minor Land Acquisition Immediately Adjacent to the Port and Elimination of Commercial Cargo Operations.  No El Paso County or TXDOT DPS land to be acquired. 

General Services Administration (GSA) encourages the community to come out and share their thoughts. The meeting is tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Hilos de Plata Senior Center at 4451 Delta Drive, El Paso, TX 79905.

Community members have been speaking out against the pollution caused by traffic through the bridge for several years. Residents in the surrounding neighborhoods are expected to attend the meeting.

If you are unable to attend the meeting written comments can be emailed to BOTA.nepacomments@gsa.gov. Comments will be accepted until July 28,2024.

Tune in to ABC-7 at 10 for the story.

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