ABC-7 Investigation spurs El Paso proposal to shift campaign event costs to candidates after Trump rally

KVIA on June 2, 2026

Lesley Engle

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso City Council Representative Lily Limón is planning to propose a new policy at next Tuesday’s City Council meeting that would prevent taxpayers from covering public safety and venue expenses associated with political campaign visits.

The proposal was prompted by an ABC-7 investigation that revealed the City of El Paso did not discuss costs with President Donald Trump’s campaign before his February 11, 2019, rally.

“This item is on the agenda thanks to the investigative research you did on this topic,” Limón said in an email responding to an ABC-7 inquiry about the matter. “You were able to identify the lack of a policy. Once the policy is in place, we should never have to go through this again.”

The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions among city leaders and elected officials about the $569,204.63 the city says Trump’s campaign still owes for the event at the Coliseum.

At a March council meeting, Limón requested an update on the outstanding debt and called for quarterly reports. Following that meeting, ABC-7 filed an open records request to determine whether any cost discussions or agreements had existed before the rally.

Records provided by the city showed no evidence of prior discussions with the campaign, including cost estimates, quotes, draft agreements, or contracts. ABC-7 also found that the city still does not have a formal cost-recovery plan for events such as political campaign rallies.

Limón said her proposal would require candidates or campaigns to provide an upfront deposit to cover anticipated costs associated with such events.

Other cities have faced similar challenges. In Tucson, Arizona, officials declined to pursue roughly $80,000 in public safety costs from a 2016 Trump rally and about $40,000 from a Bernie Sanders rally that same year, concluding that legal action would cost more than the amounts owed, according to Andy Squire, public information officer in the City Manager’s Office. However, when Trump returned in September 2016, the city required his campaign to prepay estimated public safety and facility costs totaling $145,222, including nearly $116,000 for police services.

Squire said the change came down to “modifying the language in the facility use agreements” at the city-owned Tucson Convention Center, which is operated under contract by Legends Global.

Asked by ABC-7 whether she would continue pursuing the debt despite there being no contract in place with the campaign, Limón responded, “I will continue reviewing the quarterly reports indicating continued pursuit of payment.”

The El Paso City Council hired the Law Offices of Snapper L. Carr in November 2022 to help recover the outstanding debt owed by Trump’s campaign. City records show the firm was retained on a contingency basis, meaning it is paid only if it recovers funds on the city’s behalf.

If the proposal is approved, Limón expects it to return to the City Council for consideration within 60 days.

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Guardian of disabled student makes claims of discrimination, assault in lawsuit against Russellville School District

KMIZ on June 2, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The legal guardian of a child with cerebral palsy filed a discrimination lawsuit on Monday against the Russellville School District and a number of its employees.

Daryl Matheis sued the Cole County R-1 School District, along with teachers and paraprofessionals, after claiming disability discrimination, sex discrimination, retaliation, battery, assault and false imprisonment. The Missouri Commission on Human Rights issued Matheis a notice of right to sue on March 3.

The petition makes several claims of abuse, including that employees had restrained the now 9-year-old boy multiple times, one of which resulted in damaging his communication device. The lawsuit claims after the first incident, the district did not follow its own policy of sending a written notification to the boy’s guardian “within a set number of days.”

In September 2024, the lawsuit claims the school nurse and paraprofessionals at the school declined to help the boy use a chair — that allows the youth to use the restroom – because he was a male.

The petition also claims the boy was once punished by being made to stand outside during frigid temperatures while wearing “only socks on his feet.”

The lawsuit also makes an allegation that the boy was verbally berated by staff “to such a severe degree that other students told their parents about the yelling who then then forwarded that information to” the boy’s guardians. The plaintiff claims the district retaliated by “changing the procedure for pickup” for the student.

ABC 17 News reached out to the school district.

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Bidders walk through El Paso County Coliseum amid search for a new operator

KVIA on June 2, 2026

Lauren Bly

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Organizations interested in managing the El Paso County Coliseum got an inside look at the historic venue Tuesday. The county opened the next phase of its search for a new operator.

The El Paso Sports Commission managed the Coliseum for more than 20 years, but El Paso County is now accepting proposals from organizations seeking to take over management

During a walkthrough of the venue, prospective bidders toured dressing rooms, the El Paso Rhinos hockey rink, stables and other areas of the Coliseum while taking notes, asking questions and documenting the site with photos and video.

Among those attending was Brian Kennedy, president of International Management Consultants and a former chief executive officer of the El Paso Sports Commission.

Kennedy said he was impressed by changes made to the facility since he last worked there.

“There’s a whole lot of things that I was unaware had changed since I had been in here, and I was pleasantly surprised,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said his company is uniquely qualified to manage the Coliseum, citing decades of experience at the venue.

“My company brings expertise in this building. Over 3,000 shows that I produced in this building,” he said.

Kennedy, who previously oversaw Coliseum operations during his tenure with the Sports Commission, said his experience makes him a strong candidate for the contract.

“My resume is as strong or stronger than anybody else that could be bidding,” he said.

Representatives from several organizations attended the tour, including a University of Texas at El Paso official.

ABC-7 reached out to UTEP for comment, but the university declined to comment on its interest in the process.

While Kennedy declined to provide details about his plans for the Coliseum if awarded the contract, he suggested his proposal would offer a new approach.

“I’m not bidding because I think there’s something wrong,” Kennedy said. “I’m bidding because I think I have an idea that may not have been approached before.”

According to El Paso County, proposals to manage the Coliseum are due by 2 p.m. on June 25.

The El Paso County Coliseum has long served as a major entertainment venue in the region, hosting boxing matches, concerts, rodeos and other events.

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New Florence AWS data center to tap local aquifer for water

KMIZ on June 2, 2026

Nate Splater

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is developing Project Green, a new data center in New Florence, Montgomery County, that will draw water from an aquifer deep beneath the city.

And Amazon hopes to tap the source with a high-yield well.

Project Green Site Plan. Courtesy of Amazon Web Services.

The data center complex will be located south of Hudson Road and west of Ellis Road on the eastern side of town. Water will be sourced from deep within the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer, with wells drilled to depths of 1,500 feet to avoid interfering with local private wells.

According to a report by CDM Smith, a global engineering and construction firm, the Project Green campus will draw 2.9 million gallons of water annually. The full 17-building campus is projected to use approximately 50 million gallons of water each year, which is comparable to the annual water usage of a golf course. Each individual building’s water usage is roughly equivalent to that of a restaurant.

Scott Kaden, the Groundwater Section chief at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said this amount of usage is common with several wells across the state. “There are a lot of high-yield wells throughout the country and throughout the state that produce a similar amount of water, whether it’s for a public water supply or irrigation,” he says.

The Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer. Courtesy of USGS.

The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer, made of limestone and dolomite sedimentary rock, is extensive and holds more than 23 trillion gallons of groundwater in the region of the data center. This volume is equivalent to more than 1.5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. About 8% of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer is in use, and the data center will contribute an additional 0.03% to this total.

Heavy water users like the Project Green facilities are required to report their water usage to MoDNR. Still, there are no regulations on water use because Missouri is a riparian state, where landowners have the right to use water that flows within or along their property. “But you cannot affect your neighbor’s ability to do the same thing,” Scott cautions. “And if that does happen, if you affect your neighbor’s ability to use the water, then that becomes a civil matter.”

According to CDM Smith’s report, long-term water-level monitoring of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer within the data center region shows stable overall water levels, with some monitoring locations experiencing increases. The report cites water levels in a bedrock well in Vandalia, in nearby Audrian County, located about 30 miles north of New Florence, which increased by approximately 5 feet between 2007 and 2017.

However, there is an older well in New Florence that doesn’t reflect the same trends. Records at this well date back to 1981 and show a steady, though slightly decreasing depth in water level. “But when you look at the thickness of the aquifer, the aquifer goes down 1,400 feet,” Scott explains, “so there’s still over 1,000 feet of water in the aquifer in this area of New Florence.”

Scott says that while the aquifer is vast, water levels can still vary from well to well. “You can’t just pick one spot and say that the whole aquifer is behaving like it is at this one spot. You have to look at all of them.” Another well in Graham Cave State Park, a few miles west of New Florence, shows a steadier trend in water levels since at least 2009.

CDM Smith, citing MoDNR projections for 2060, indicates that the aquifer will naturally refill at a rate of 406 million gallons per day. Total water withdrawals from all other wells using this aquifer, excluding the data center, are estimated to be only 71 million gallons per day.

MoDNR predicts that only about 17% of the water naturally flowing into the aquifer each year will be used in the region where the data center is located by 2060. The aquifer will essentially gain more than 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water daily, while about 100 pools will be pumped out for all other combined uses, aside from the data center use.

Amazon water studyDownload

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Pocatello High School maintenance staff member dies during medical emergency on campus

KIFI on June 2, 2026

Par Kermani

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A member of the Pocatello High School maintenance staff died early Tuesday morning while at work on campus, according to school officials.

Earlier in the day, Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 notified families that emergency responders had been called to the school for a medical emergency involving an adult.

In a statement to Local News 8, district officials confirmed the individual was a member of the school’s maintenance staff.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm a member of the Pocatello High School maintenance staff passed away early this morning while at work on campus,” the district said in a statement.

School officials said they worked closely with emergency responders and communicated with staff, students and families following the incident.

The district said there was no threat to students or staff, and classes continued as scheduled.

Out of respect for the employee and their family, the district said it would not be releasing additional details.

Full statement from Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25

“It is with great sadness that we confirm a member of the Pocatello High School maintenance staff passed away early this morning while at work on campus.

Our thoughts are with their loved ones. The school worked closely with emergency responders and took steps to communicate with staff, learners, and families.

Out of respect for the individual, their family, and the sensitive nature of this loss, we will not be sharing additional details.”

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Man from Romania to be sentenced in Las Cruces for $1.8 million fraud scheme

KVIA on June 2, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — A 44-year-old man from Romania has been scheduled for a sentencing hearing for a fraud scheme that stole more than $1.8 from victims, according to officials Tuesday. The hearing will be Thursday in Las Cruces.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Mexico, Claudiu Pesteleu admitted he participated in a nationwide fraud scheme that used fake websites to trick people into giving money for products like cars.

Officials said he admitted the scheme took place between May 2023 and June 2024.

The funds actually went to bank accounts linked to shell companies made with fake passports and other fake documents, officials said.

A shell company usually doesn’t have a physical presence and generate little to no independent economic value, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said. Some legitimate reasons for shell companies include holding stocks.

Officials said Pesteleu helped conceal the fraudulently-obtained money, obtained fake identity documents and sued them to make the fake businesses. He also opened bank accounts for the shell companies.

Pesteleu worked under the name Thomas Muller, officials said. The shell companies and other fake names in the scheme included:

Zammer Equipment LLC (Matthias Zammer)

Super Exotic Deals LLC (Samuel Der Saar)

Premier E. Liquidators LLC (Fred Laport)

Adler Pre Owned LLC (Boris Adler)

Bittman Motors LLC (Fritz Bittman)

Nikkos Cargo LLC (Nikos Adonis)

and Becker Automotive LLC (Karl Becker)

In total, Pesteleu made transactions with $1.8 in victims’ money to hide where the money came from and stop law enforcement from learning about the scheme, officials said.

At the June 4 hearing, a plea agreement will be presented, which involves a sentence of 30 to 39 months, officials said.

Homeland Security Investigations Deming helped investigate the case.

Officials said Pesteleu is in the U.S. illegally.

If you believe you were a victim of Pesteleu, you can contact HSI at 866-347-2423, officials said.

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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says ‘anti-weaponization’ fund is done

KMIZ on June 2, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House subcommittee Tuesday that the Trump administration will not establish a $1.776 billion fund to benefit its allies.

Blanche said during testimony before the subcommittee that “We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” according to The Associated Press.

Congressional Republicans had expressed opposition to the fund in recent days. A federal judge last week temporarily blocked the formation of the fund, and the Justice Department had said it would follow the order.

The fund was part of President Donald Trump’s settlement with the IRS over the release of his tax returns. Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion. The fund would have awarded payments to people the Trump administration says were targeted by a politically “weaponized” criminal justice system.

Blanche said the part of the settlement that shields the Trump family from audits will remain in place, according to The AP.

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Applebee’s in Calexico to close this month

KYMA on June 2, 2026

Carolina Garcia

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – The Applebee’s location in Calexico will officially close this month.

The announcement comes just one month after the closure of the Calexico 10 Theatres, located only a few feet away from the restaurant.

Applebee’s employed nearly 30 people and was open in Calexico for more than 20 years.

The exact reason for the closure has not been disclosed.

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Columbia sees more than 50% jump in parking revenue after raising rates

KMIZ on June 2, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia’s parking revenue is up substantially in the first six months of this year after the city raised parking rates in January.

On-street parking rates increased to a $1 an hour on during the first week of January and has resulted in a 50.4% gain in revenue compared to the same time period last year, according to information that was obtained to a records request with the city’s Public Works Department.

Meter parking revenue collected from Jan. 6-June 1 of this year totals $727,886.02, compared to the $483,906.73 that was collected from Jan. 6, 2025-June 1, 2025.

Previous reporting shows the rate adjustment this year was the first since 2013.

The overall increase follows a similar trend that was seen earlier this year, when the city saw a 12% jump during January.

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Las Cruces City Council approves $586.3 million budget with cuts

KVIA on June 2, 2026

Carpio Griego

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) — Las Cruces City Council unanimously approved a fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. The budget, totaling $586.3 million for fiscal year 2027, starts July 1, the city said.

The budget included cuts to the public works department and a reduction in city services. This will reduce library hours and delay projects.

According to City Manager Ikani Taumoepeau, efforts to reduce spending also included a temporary hiring freeze.

Now, the city said almost 75% of the general fund will pay city personnel costs, including a 2% general wage increase.

Since a public hearing in April, staff reduced general spending by nearly $16 million in personnel costs, operating and other expenses, the city said.

The budget includes $167.9 million from the general fund, which gets revenue from gross receipts tax, cannabis excise tax and property tax, according to the city.

According to City Financer Lesley Doyle, without making these cuts, the city would empty its financial reserves by fiscal year 2029.

The city said the budget had to be filed with the state department of finance and administration by Monday.

You can read more about the budget below.

2026_2027 Adopted BudgetDownload

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